The Experience – Part 2

A gospel experience is news that brings joy. It is not advice. It is a report of something that has already happened.

Last Sunday’s devotion shared “My Dad’s Experience – Part 1,” the story of the transformative experience of my father, George E. Tolbert.

This Sunday, we continue with the personal account of that same event, as told by his grandson, Andrew Logan.   This narrative captures a profound gospel experience that resonated deeply with our family and all who knew and met him.  May it offer the same peace that changed my father’s life—and mine—to everyone who reads it.

Witness to a Changed Life

My grandfather, whom we affectionately called Brer Fox, was a regular churchgoer. But we often wondered: was he truly engaged with God—or merely going through the motions? Though he claimed to believe in God, he remained deeply afraid of death and unsure about his eternal destiny.

He usually attended church on Sunday mornings, but those of us who knew him well often wondered what he might be thinking. Was he listening to and thinking about the sermon, or was he considering his next business deal? Some of us wondered if he was really a Christian… Until the Experience.

His experience changed his life, my life, and the lives of many other people who knew him. The experience was an answer to prayer.

Our family had prayed for a long time that Brer Fox would have a relationship with God, and that he could be assured of his salvation. We wanted him to have peace in his heart. Brer Fox was afraid of death. He often cried after visits from my uncle Bill and his family who lived in Indiana, saying that he may never see them again. He said that he believed in God, but insisted he could not be sure about his eternal destiny.

Our family prayed fervently for him to experience the peace and assurance of salvation. That prayer was answered one summer night in 1991, marking a pivotal gospel experience for Brer Fox.

The Experience That Transformed Everything

That night, Brer Fox awoke my grandmother with urgency and tears. He told her—and later the whole family—that he had seen God. He described his spirit leaving his body, traveling at incredible speed, surrounded by radiant light. A divine presence was at his left side. Though he couldn’t look at the face, he saw nail-scarred feet. He knew it was Jesus.

Jesus was bringing him to heaven. Together they reached a brilliant staircase. At the top, Brer Fox heard the words: “I’m not finished with you on earth yet. I have work for you to do.” Suddenly, he was “thrown” back into his body. The experience, he said, was more real than anything else in his life.  

The Gospel Experience – From Material to Eternal

After that night, everything changed. The fear was gone. Peace replaced it. His face and eyes had a softness and a glow we had not seen before.  He spoke differently… radiated joy. He was ready to die anytime, because he knew he was going to heaven.  Brer Fox even turned his property management over to a real estate firm and focused entirely on spiritual matters. This focus on spiritual growth was part of his gospel experience that led him to become a tireless witness for Christ.  He would ask everyone ,  “Have you been saved  by accepting Christ as your Savior?“  If they said yes, he rejoiced with them.   If not, he shared his experience, prayed for them, and wrote their names on 3×5 cards. Each morning he walked and prayed through his lists on the cards.  Many later returned to say they had accepted Christ.  Many experienced dramatic changes in their own lives by their acceptance of Christ as their Savior.

Brer Fox passed away on September 1, 1992, at age 73—just over a year after his experience. In his wallet, he had tucked a request that we continue to share his story, a testament to his gospel experience. We continue to do so, and many lives have been touched by it. I believe he rejoices in heaven every time a soul comes to Christ.

The Power of witnessing for Christ

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (ESV)

These were Jesus’ final words before His ascension. Like Brer Fox, we are called to be witnesses, becoming part of a larger gospel experience through our testimony.

Let Us Pray

Lord, thank You for the life-changing power of Your presence. Help us be bold witnesses of Your love, just as Brer Fox was. May we share the good news without hesitation, knowing that You still transform lives with each gospel experience that’s shared. Amen.

Let Us Worship In Song

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Sources

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