He is not here: for he is risen
Matthew 28:6


Could it be possible that there are people here today who recall the time when from Atlanta, GA came the “brilliant” assumption that “God Is Dead?” Even when I write these words, now at least forty plus years later, my entire system revolts to think that anyone would even think that would be possible, much less proclaim it as a “new” discovery and the other shock is that ANYONE would believe it.  The truth is, that tragic theory was embraced by many leading professors and ministers of the ultra liberal persuasion.  

At that time, we were still working with Brother and Sister Urshan and the terrific people of Calvary Tabernacle, Indianapolis. Needless to say, we were all totally “up in arms” to think that anyone would even think of believing such a gross miscalculation.  To us, it was just downright blasphemy and we were convinced that it was our responsibility to “stand for the truth” and to let everyone know that we did not believe that God was dead.  Never did and never will! !

An interesting insight into the religious atmosphere in central Indiana.  Actually Indiana is almost like a southern state, transplanted in the north, hence the area is much more open to the theology of the Evangelicals, and the city had at that time (and now may have even more) had at least 30 Apostolic Churches, several of them with several hundred members, so the influence of Pentecost was not foreign to the people of Central Indiana.

As we always did, there was a major push for a large attendance at Calvary Tabernacle on Easter.  That year on the Saturday before Easter, a bus load of young people who were filled with zeal and a passion to make it very plain that we did not believe that God was dead! !  We boarded one of the Calvary Christian School Busses at a little before 9:00 a.m. and were off to shopping centers across the city, as well as any other place where it appeared that there were people gathered who “needed” to hear our message.  

We sang “God’s not dead, He’s Alive,” I couldn’t even guess how many times.  We handed out invitations to Calvary Tabernacle.  All of them said, “God is not dead, He’s alive! !  Meet Him at Calvary Tabernacle on Easter Sunday.”  By the end of the day, we were certain that every person who came to Calvary on Easter Sunday would find out for sure that GOD IS NOT DEAD! !  

One of the fine gentlemen of the church was an accomplished sign painter and it was his custom to print the key verse from the Sunday School Lesson and have it on a banner across the front of the church.  It was always very appropriate and made the teaching of the lesson much more meaningful.  So on Easter Morning, we arrived at the church, remembering all of the people we had invited to Easter Sunday at Calvary by reminding them with a handout and with a song, saying, “God’s not dead He’s alive!  Meet Him at Calvary Tabernacle!”  When we arrived at Calvary much to our dismay, the verse to remember ON EASTER SUNDAY was, “He is not here: for he is risen.”  That my friends was our shocking Easter surprise.  

May your Easter be filled to overflowing with the incredible message of the RISEN CHRIST.