by Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001)
SAVED ON THE EXPRESSWAY
One of the darkest days in a pastor's life is when he leaves a church where God's blessings have rested through the years. Such was August 23, 1959, when our family left the Miller Road Baptist Church of Garland, Texas. The day was brightened, however, with a wonderful experience.
Two couples had driven from Fort Worth, Texas, (about fifty miles away) to be in our services. One of the men introduced himself as being someone whom I had won to Christ. Since I did not recall such an experience, I asked him when this took place. Then he told me a wonderful story. These were about his words:
"I was driving down the expressway one morning about 6:00 on my way to work when I decided I would like to hear some music on my car radio. The first station I got was carrying a program that was a religious one, and some fellow named Jack Hyles was hollering, 'You better get born again or you will go to Hell!'
"The program was obnoxious to me. I even cursed as I turned it off and made note of its location on the dial so I would not make that mistake again. The next morning on the expressway about the same time, I decided to look for some music but watched the dial very carefully so I would not even get close to this 'Hyles' fellow.
"The more music I heard, the more my curiosity was roused as I wondered what that nut was saying this morning. Finally my curiosity insisted that I turn him on again. I liked him even less than I had the day before. Again I cursed him and wondered why the F.C.C. would allow him to remain on the air.
"The next morning at the same time and the same place I looked for music when again my curiosity got the best of me and I wondered what he was screaming about this time. Again I turned to the same station. Again I was disgusted. Again I cursed. But this particular morning as I reached for the dial to change the station, you, Brother Hyles, said,
'Hey, you on that expressway, don't touch that dial.' I was startled but obeyed.
"Then you said, 'Now pull the car over beside the expressway and stop.' This I did. Then to my surprise you said, 'Now open the door and get out of the car.' I found myself obeying again, and even obeyed you when you said, 'Now get on your knees beside the car and ask God to save you.'
"Praise the Lord, I did what you said, and I was saved beside the expressway shortly after 6:00 that morning! Now I have driven from Fort Worth this morning to thank you for winning me to Christ."
The strange thing about the entire story is that I do not remember making such statements (I hardly ever remember anything I say that early in the morning), but I do recall that for a number of years I broadcasted live from the auditorium from 6:05 to 6:30 a.m. over KSKY in Dallas.
I thought this was a wonderful story but had little hope that the fellow would hold out considering the uniqueness of his conversion. A few years later I was preaching at the Rolling Hills Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, on a New Year's Bible Conference program when I told this remarkable story. After the sermon a fellow walked up, put his hand out, and with quivering lips and moist eyes said, "I am that man, and I am now preaching the Gospel."
