When You First Heard Landon . . .
Check out this unbelievable clip with Dr. Oliver Sacks about a musical savant — a young man who is severely autistic who is a musical genius.
- – - -
In a couple hours we’re off for Brazil. I’m speaking Sunday for the church in Itu where Antenor and Phyllis Goncalves minister. It’s an amazing congregation that is having an impact in many places.
- – - -
Wednesday night I spoke for the opening lecture at Lipscomb. Right before I spoke Randy Lowry (DLU president) presented Landon with a lifetime KOPIO award (from a Greek word that means working to the point of exhaustion). After the assembly, so many people came to tell me where they were when they first heard Landon speak. Just his few words that evening (accepting the award on behalf of outsiders, whom he’s spent his life ministering with and to) took people back in their memories.
So let me ask . . . where were you when you first heard Landon Saunders speak? What memories do you have of his preaching, radio program, or film series?
When did I first hear Landon Saunders? Wow, that was a very long time ago. I think it was 1976. We were freshman at Harding.
I was mesmerized.
While I don’t remember the words, I remember being convicted that my life was the sermon that was going to matter to the people whose paths in life crossed mine.
It’s difficult to recall but I think it was at Lipscomb. He was in Vancouver, BC in the 80′s. I have always admired his efforts to reach the unchurched and also his gift of celibacy for so many years. I don’t know if he ever married.
His lectures on preaching. Still the most moving, authentic messages I’ve ever heard.
Becky and I first heard Landon when we were students at Crowley’s Ridge Academy. At that time Landon was preaching in Corning, Arkansas. He blessed us then and continues to bless us today.
Gailyn
Landon often came to the Ft. Worth area when I was in high school to speak at youth gatherings. It was probably 1972 when I first heard him speak.
I first heard Landon Saunders in the mid-to-late 1970′s when I was an elementary-aged kid attending church in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. I still remember we had him over for dinner at our house and I was even captivated by his Godliness and Christian example then. I remember enjoying hearing him speak. I also remember as a teenager when our congregation showed “The Heart of the Fighter” video series. I can still hear the theme song to that series in my head.
If anyone deserves the KOPIO award, I certainly think it is Landon Saunders.
I was at the College Church in Searcy. It was the spring meeting of 1978. He talked about how Jesus came to give his life away. That is the week I changed from a chemistry major to a Bible major. It made a huge impact on my life.
Later, after moving to Brazil, I heard tapes of him speaking about how it is about relationship, not performance. I have carried that banner for the last 25 years.
Oh, welcome to Brazil! I’m in Natal right now. Wish I could be in Itu to hear you speak.
I have a lot of Oliver Sacks books.
Would you believe that I’ve never heard Landon Saunders in person? But I have high respect for him and his work.
I have never heard Landon speak. As a matter of fact I had never even heard of Landon until you mentioned that you were joining him in his work. Any podcasts or other options to hear him?
I was a non-christian in the army at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona and listened to Heartbeat on the radion on my way home from work. He spoke with such a soothing voice and didn’t preach….My first contact with the gospel of Christ….a few months later, I met a girl and started reading the Bible and was converted in September, 1972!!!!
Thanks, Landon.
In the early 1970′s Landon came to St. Louis to teach a series of lessons on the kingdom. The churches in St. Louis cooperated together with a lot of help from churches throughout the Midwest. Scores of young people traveled from churches to help with the St. Louis campaigns. When we outgrew the local church buildings we rented a labor hall on Natural Bridge for a public venue where thousands could attend. As a young, single, at that time, a group of us would hang with Landon after the close of the meeting and we would go to Steak & Shake and talk with him about the kingdom unto the wee hours of the morning. Landon was a powerful witness that molded many of us who were quite immature in our faith at that time. I look back on those campaigns and realize that his message of the kingdom helped me to crystallize at a fairly early age what faith was all about. Landon was at that time a prophetic voice that still resonates today. Years later when my daughter was an undergraduate at Lipscomb University, I remember her coming home for a weekend. In the course of her visit she mentioned that she has heard this “old guy” whom she really thought had a good message. It was, of course, Landon Saunders. It reminded me of how timeless and universal the message calls to all people at all times. Landon embodies that devotion to proclamation. I suspect that if he had been born a thousand years ago, he would have been a monk. But, his devotion and message would have been just as powerful. The world is a better place for the light that he has helped to shine through his messages and teaching. He has blessed my life.
I first heard Landon Saunders speak at Harding’s chapel service in 1976 and then at the College Church of Christ.
His message was about what you were doing to prepare to meet God. He spoke more to my mind than my heart. At one point in time I was considering following him and working with him in the northeast.
I can listen to him speak for hours.
I first heard Landon Saunders on a video, “The Heart of the Fighter,” when I was a student at Harding. If I remember correctly, he also spoke at our Harding 1988 graduation.
“The HEART of the FIGHTer is aLIVE and shining BRIGHTer. He’ll RISE above the PAIN and he’ll go ON! FAITHfully he REACHes for the SON!”
Early 80s, middle school, Wednesday night film series. I kept the nursery sometimes for visiting young parents.
Landon got a standing o at Otter Creek a couple of months ago just for being in attendance. I’m so glad for you to be working with him! Wish we could have seen you at LU, but we were helping with a Bible School in KY.
We were blessed to sit at Landon’s feet at the Minter Lane church in Abilene in the 60′s and to observe his Heartbeat Ministry begin–so authentic that people questioned if it would be successful. See what God can do through one of his brilliant men….
New York City, Manhattan Church of Christ, 1983. After hearing Heartbeat, I remember thinking how wonderful it was to have a man of his character and poise be the spokesperson for Jesus. I have my notes still!
either 1973 or 74 — University Church — Tuscaloosa, AL.
best comment so far: [Heartbeat is] “. . . so authentic that people questioned if it would be successful. . . ” I absolutely love that!!
First time through film was the “Heart of the Fighter” series. First time in person was 1985 at the Memphis State University campus ministry seminar. Landon and Terry Smith were the main speakers.
In the spring of 1967 at Harding Graduate School, Landon was driving over to Memphis from Corning, Arkansas, and I met him in a Communication class. He was the best communicator in the class. After that, he went around the world for a year and then he started Heartbeat. I went into campus ministry work at Memphis State University and Harding College. He was always the resource person that I would bring to the universities to speak to the hearts and minds of the students. He spoke the language of life to all of us. I owe him a deep debt of gratitude.
Early Febuary 1973 at the Memphis State campus ministry seminar. I had met Terry Smith a few months before and was studying the Bible weekly with him when the seminar rolled around. I think the theme was “In the Potter’s Hands.” Landon spoke about Jesus, and I have never been the same. I was baptized the next Wednesday night.
Jeremy: You can find some of Landon’s free material on iTunes. Particularly good is his series on preaching, as well as the series on Exuberance. I think plans are to make more of Landon’s material available through iTunes over time.
Jubilee in Nashville (just wandered in by myself as a senior in college at LU). Must have been 1996 or 1997. It was called “God Lives On Our Streets.” I still remember it in detail. I drove back to my apartment that night telling myself that I must actually “live” the things I believe…I haven’t been the same since. Klint
I first heard Landon teach when he came to St. Louis in 1976 and taught those of us who were interns in the first year of the St. Louis Spiritual Internship, directed by Stanley Shipp, Buddy Jones and Ryan Howard. He taught us about Jesus from the gospels like I had never heard before and I was hooked! I fell in love with Jesus from his teaching. We also travelled to different cities in the Northeastern USA and heard Landon speak powerfully to the many who came to hear. Landon showed such a tremendous love for people and for God. His kindness, humour and gentleness was a blessing to all of us. I remember fondly the visit we had when he came to our home shortly after we moved to BC, Canada. God Bless you, Landon!
St. Louis, MO, McKnight Rd church, fall of 1976..I was Stanley Shipp’s internship program …Landon did a weekend on I John..profound insight that made a lasting impression.
Thank you Steve. I’ll go give it a look.
I first heard Landon as a kid (in the ’70′s) in Corpus Christi Texas. I kept the tapes of several of the talks and as an adult, listened to them until the tapes were so warped he sounded like the teacher on Charlie Brown! I remember one story he told about depression and how you learn to make appointments for your depressive times. Get as depressed as you possible can. And then at the end of the appointment, set another appointment for your depressive time so that you would have something to look forward to! I have always remembered that and when I get down, I just let others know that I am having a Landon Pity Party!
To my recollection, I cannot remember hearing Landon Saunders speak. However, I can remember the first time I heard Mike Cope speak. It was at Welcome Week at ACU in 2002 as I was beginning my freshman year. I can remember being inspired to live a Christian life to the fullest and to give everything to God even when I felt I didn’t have much to give. From then on, every Sunday and Wednesday, I enjoyed fellowship and worship and Highland Church of Christ and continued to be inspired by God’s gift spoken through Mike Cope. After every Sunday sermon, I remember feeling touched, inspired, and energized to tackle another week of temptation and darkness and to shine my light bright to others so God may be seen in my actions. I look forward to following the progress of Heartbeat. As a 20-something female, I believe this ministry surge is desperately needed during this crucial and transitional phase of life and I know God will give you and Landon the strength and talents needed to minister gregariously. My prayers are with you during this new ministry!
I remember Landon’s name being said in our house before I ever heard him in the late ’60′s. My dad always commented that Landon was a modern day Paul. Loved “Heart of the Fighter” series, & then when my husband & I lived in the Northeast for a couple of years (79-81), we got to attend a couple of “Feeling Good about Yourself” workshops up in Lowell & Burlington, MA. Have heard him a few more times through the years, but never enough! Landon Saunders is one of those “a man after God’s own Heart” persons for sure.
First time to hear Landon, at the Abilene Christian lectures on preaching (1967, I think); a great theology of preaching. Other memorable moments: somewhere in the bush country of Africa (1969) when he spoke on the Lordship of Christ; the late 70s in Sacramento CA when he spoke to skeptical media people about “Heartbeat” — he was never more in his “element” than then, hardly touching his lunch as he fielded questions… echoes of John 4.
I first heard Landon in the late 60′s and early 70′s at OCC. He would speak in a chapel series and then come to the dorms at night and speak again. It was always inspiring.
Thanks so much for these memories of Landon’s preaching. There’s another generation at ACU who first heard him at the 2007 lectureship. Randy Harris tells about a couple students coming to his office saying, “Who was that older man? That’s our guy!”
And Brandi, thanks so much for the blessing of those words.
Mike, it was thanks to the ACU Lectureship of ’07 that I first learned of and heard Landon. [You'll recall I was on Mars for 30 years.;) ]
It was amazing how he gently calmed that large group of students, and brought them to full attention to what he was saying …. attention away from their iphones, et al – all came to the point of becoming his cheering section. There was spontaneous applause and shouts of “Preach it, Preacher! Preach it!” A thrilling experience for me as a member of the huge audience crammed into the venue to hear Landon. Each year since I search out his name in the new brochures for the Lectureship – but so far have been disappointed – no Landon. Maybe next year!
Charla and I were living in Memphis, working Phillip Morris, Steve Holt, Steve Williford, Terry Bell, and Randy Harris at White Station Church of Christ. Landon would come to town and would preach at both services. At times I’d be obligated to attend both services, and it was always fascinating that he could speak on the same topic but preach two different sermons completely without notes. His messages were stirring then as he spoke from the text and from his heart in that amazing resonant voice of his. He’s one of my heroes of the faith.
Like some of you here, I first heard Landon at the Machinist Hall in Suburban St. Louis in the early 1970’s. While both of my grandfathers were pioneer preachers in the churches of Christ, I was veering way off course as a teenager. My brother was in Vietnam and I couldn’t reconcile the militarism of Christians with the message of the Prince of Peace. Many in the church opposed civil rights and the message of “don’t,” became the standard for preachers of the day. Churches split asunder over kitchens, children’s homes and paid preachers. All the while, adolescent hormones, alcohol, weed and KSHE “Real Rock Radio” competed and thrived in my church youth group.
Through the confusion came some voices of clarity. Monday nights sitting on the floor of Stanley Shipp’s house on Ballas Road offered fellowship for the seeker and the simple act of studying the book of John finally made sense. During the 1960’s, Jimmy Allen filled the arena in St. Louis, but by the 1970, only three of the more progressive churches supported, the campaign for Christ. We knocked doors, handed out pamphlets, just like missionaries in Europe, calling all who would listen to hear Landon preach a gentle and powerful message. Landon would begin in a soft almost halting voice, causing even a squirming teenager to hang onto every word. But by the end, for the real point, his voice took on an authority. We were hooked. The message was not a message of “don’t,” but rather themes like, “Where Will You Be When You Get Where You Are Going.” That particular year David Tao wrote a song with that title, that I still remember 35 years later.
These experiences and the message literally saved me from a destructive direction. I went on to Harding and then to Springfield Mo for the Campus ministry program, graduating in 1977.
I will say that there is a real sadness in recalling these times. Because of Landon, Stanley, Jimmy Allen, Prentice, Terry, John Wilson and host of other spiritual giants, I now know too much. I expect the message to be pure, the fellowship to be real and worship to be engaging. I can’t find this anymore. I find churches uncommitted to the Word of God. Militarism continues to be rampant, worship of capitalism trumps concern for the poor and worldly politics are preached in our pulpits. The local tavern has greater fellowship than many congregations while young and old alike are abandoning the church.
The messages of Landon and others have given me great faith in God, but it’s come at a great price. There are times when I believe that ignorance might be bliss.
Amen, Motormouth! Who are you?
St. Louis is where I heard him for the first time. (ditto to many of the above comments about the St. Louis campaign) His passion for Jesus, his innovative messages, the intrigue from so many teens made it a faith forming experience. I also had my son call me from ACU in 2007 to tell me about this guy who spoke named Landon Saunders. Such wonderful positive memories!
I first heard Landon when as a sophomore at Harding, Jerry Jones had the Preaching Methods class listen to the seven tape series on preaching. “The Wolf in the Wilderness” “The Marketplace” — that was great stuff! I admit to not understanding all of it back then, (I listened to them three times), but I was very inspired, that’s for sure!
Steve Sr.:
Motormouth is Stan Risener and is my on-air persona.
I am an auto journalist/commentator living in Kansas City. I write car reviews, automotive web sites, produce Dream Cars TV, and occasionally host MOTORMOUTH the radio show.
Of course, I remember many of you, including Brad Stevens, and Steve Awtrey. Many were a special part of my life at a very critical stage. I was in awe at the three girls that shared the house in Webster, Randy Crawford, Dale Lundy and the many Interns that came through St. Louis. I was a Knight with Mike Cope at Harding, and Glen Drysdale was a roommate at SMSU during the “golden years of campus ministry.”
Over the years, I have sat at the feet of Spiritual giants, yet I’m sad to say I seldom publically use these experiences. Much like “Youth is wasted on the young”, “Experience is often wasted on the old,” and I find myself spiritually struggling, searching for what should be.
After writing about it, I couldn’t get the song out of my head. Let’s see if I can get some of the lyrics right from memory.
Where will you be when you get where you’re going.
How can you know if you’ve taken the right way.
Nothing on earth can satisfy your deepest needs
Who can be sure of anything today.
Follow the crowd and lose your identity
Follow yourself and see how weak you are.
Take all the world and still not have anything
Try so hard but peace is still so far.
Alto/soprano
There is someone who knows where I’m going
His name is Jesus, the life the truth the way.
—
Sorry can’t get it all
1966 or 1967, Youth Forum at Hillcrest church during lectureship at ACC. We stayed afterwards and asked questions one on one. I was about a soph in High School. Quite amazed. I never let anything sit on top of my Bible on my desk again.
Then about 1974 while he was living here in Abilene our study group had him over to the house and we just probed his mind. What an amazing communicator. And how he makes himself available to the average person.
Motormouth…I think the end of the song is:
He bled and died, made me a new creation,
He is the One who guides me everyday. (basses go deep at the end) lol
We know a lot of the same people and seem to think alike on some key issues. I would like to continue our dialogue…please leave your email at my website (click on my name).
Landon spoke in St. Louis at a campaign directed by Stanley Shipp in 1972. His words then, as now, were life-changing.
I heard landon do a series on cassette from ACU IN THE MID-80′S on the motivations of a minister, the two I remember most were called “THE WILDERNESS” , and the other wass called ” THE WOLF”. While I don’t recall the other two these two still influence my life and ministry today.
I heard Landon first at Jubilee in Nashville sometime in the middle 90s…and those years at Jubilee were also where I first heard you Mike. God has used both of you to make a deep and lasting impact and I’m grateful.
I heard Landon speak through a family video series when Jack Reese was the minister at Oak Hills in SA in the early 80s. I will never forget the Johnny Lingo illustration and the 10 cow wife. In my younger years I thought he was James Dobson for a season LOL. I know he taught our church the value of family.
I first heard Landon sometime in the early 60′s. My earliest memory of him would date to, I think, 1962 when he preached at McDougal, AR before moving on to Corning. My dad held a meeting at McDougal and I recall sitting in the backseat with Dad driving and Landon talking about the personality of someone they were on their way to visit for the purpose of giving them encouragement. There was an intensity and depth in his concern for the person and that grabbed my attention. It taught this 11 year old a lesson in psychology. Experiences and external causes are important to how a person conducts their life and how that interacts with their innate personality. Another memory that surfaces is an area tent meeting somewhere in the Marmaduke or Paragould area about 1967 +/- 1. When I next heard him in my Memphis State days, ’72-74, he had evolved and progressed to a different style and one I found compelling. Unfortunately the last time was probably when he came here to Knoxville where I’ve spent the last 30 years and spoke at the Laurel Avenue CofC in about 1979 or 80.
I first heard Landon when he spoke regularly at the Minter Lane Church in Abilene. It was either 1967 or 68.
Lots of his stuff on iTunes for those who asked, just search for “Landon Saunders”
I first heard Landon at Union Avenue Church of Christ in Memphis, TN. he spoke with such honesty and transparency that it was astounding. In subsequent years I had the opportunity to hear him, befriend him, correspond with him, and utilitze his work in the Christian high school classes I taught. His lesson on “Failure” literally saved my life 25 years ago. I have quoted him often, but one of my favorites is: “God has great tasks only for those who demonstrated their ability to deal with great failure. The greater the failure, the greater the opportunity for service.”
May 7, 2010 was the first time I heard Landon! WOW!! Authentic! Right to my heart. And he never raised his voice!