Fall 2011

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CHUCK & JEANNE MILLHUFFC O N T I N U E Dthe altar was completely filled, andknelt at one of the wooden foldingchairs in the first row. At thatpoint his life was radically changedforever. He cannot rememberwho the girl was, but he sure canremember what happened thatmorning.This conversion and thedynamic change that occurredbecause of it – the clarity of thecall, the power to finish, the graceto even excel in classes, the giftof preaching, the confirmation ofHis anointing, and the spiritualgrowth that followed – has beena capstone event for both of us aswe have followed these years ofministry. Not just because of whatit has meant to us personally, butbecause of the hope it continuallygives for each new potentialChristian we meet. Now, as acollege professor, I remain fullycommitted to the possibilities, thevision that my students can experiencesuch an encounter withGod who makesall things possible.As I look into thefaces of troubledand strugglingstudents, I can seeChuck.Throughoutthe years atOlivet, Chuck hada burning desire topreach, a characteristicthat continues to this day.He became a fixture in the officeof John Swearengen who wasthen vice president in charge ofchurch relations. Swearengen hadhuge hands and a big voice. He letChuck know time and again duringhis freshman year that he wasnot ready yet to represent OlivetNazarene College. This was nodeterrent to Chuck. He kept comingby until early in his sophomoreyear. After many others had turneddown the opportunity, Chuck acceptedhis first revival, a crusade inthe front room of a farmhouse inOwensville, Missouri, a Friday overSunday event. On return late Sundaynight, he burst into his dormitoryroom to announce to Paulwhat had happened. Six convertshad come to Christ.Chuck and I graduated fromOlivet in l960 – Chuck with adegree in speech and philosophyand I received a history and educationdegree. We were married inthe summer after which we immediatelymade our way to KansasCity to attend Nazarene Seminary.Equipping for Service: NazareneTheological SeminaryThe Nazarene Theological Seminary(NTS), located in Kansas City,gave Chuck a connection to theGeneral Headquarters and manyof the church's leaders. It wasa perspective that did much tocontribute to his ongoing commitmentto his denomination and itsdistinctive message that has neverwavered across the years.Beyond the three years that ittook to finish the degree, Chuckremembers individuals and leadersthat have affected his lifeforever. His message and theologywere "set in stone" by such professorsas President L.T. Corlett, Dr.Delbert Gish, Dr. Richard Taylor,Dr. James McGraw, Dean MendellTaylor, and Dr. Ralph Earle. Beyondthis were life-long friends suchas Melvin McCullough, Jim Bond,Tom Nees, Clary Kinzler, and PaulCunningham, fellow students whocontinue even to this day to offerlove and encouragement.During those years he averaged15 revivals a year as thefire burned hotter and hotter toassume the full-time profession ofevangelist. He held his first campmeetingfor Dr. John Knight onthe Florida District. Chuck at thattime was the fourth evangelist tograduate from NTS. Pastors OrvilleJenkins and C. William Ellwangergreatly encouraged the youngevangelist, giving him a chance topreach at First Church in KansasCity and recommending him toothers. He became the announcerfor several years on "Showers ofBlessing," which was the radiovoice of the Church of the Nazareneand eventually became thepreaching voice of the program.Chuck graduated from theseminary in l963 and immediatelyentered the field of evangelismfull time. He had received his firstEvangelist's Commission in l961and was ordained by Dr. Hardy C.Powers in l962. He returned to theSeminary to complete a Doctorof Ministry degree in l994. Previousto this he had been conferredthe Doctor of Divinity degree byMidAmerica Nazarene Universityin l981 for his extensive work innational and international evangelism.His preaching has taken himto many world areas.Following the CallIn l965, Chuck was approachedby the Billy Graham Associationafter preaching in Youth for Christ(YFC) rallies in Kansas City. He had8 / EVANGELISTS' PERSPECTIVE / Fall 2011
een recommended by Al Metsker,the Kansas City YFC director, tobecome a youth evangelist for theassociation. After spending threedays in Kansas City discussing theproposal with Grady Wilson, Graham'sclose friend, he declined.His final decision was that it wasnot a good fit for him because ofthe theological restraints that itwould place upon his preaching.This was a seminal moment in hiscareer.A great privilege of Chuck'sministry has been the chance topreach in the revivals of most ofour Nazarene colleges over theyears, in at least two of these collegesas many as a dozen times.He has a unique ability to reachthe minds and hearts of students.As one of my own students atMNU told me after a first chapelsermon in revival, "This guy reallyknows where it's at." We arestill blessed by the memory ofan offering in excess of $l00,000raised by the students and facultyas result of a challenge given tothem during a revival at SouthernNazarene University when the collegewas facing the possibility offinancial disaster.A gifted communicator, Chuckhas preached in some of the largestas well as the smallest churchesin North America, principallyfor the Nazarene denominationbut also in the wider evangelicalworld. I have often heard him say,"There are no small churches, onlysmall buildings."He held seven crusades forDr. Jerry Falwell in Thomas RoadBaptist Church and Liberty Universityin Virginia where he preachedhis well-known sermon, "GivingLiving." On every occasion, he wasalways introduced as a Nazareneevangelist. This providedfor the first time his exposure toAmerican and Canadian televisionministries which included tworevivals at "The People's Church"in Toronto.Ministering With a Street RodChuck has always had a deeplove for cars. Others that sharethis interest would call him a gearhead. Nearly 30 years ago heattended his first National StreetRod event in Tulsa with his closefriend, Pete Mustain. He wonderedwhy there was no churchservice during the Sunday morninghours and expressed this toPete. Pete agreed with him andcalled the owner of the Associationin California to suggest theidea. A church service for the nextyear's event was scheduled, andChuck was asked to be the firstever chaplain of the street rodders,a position held for 22 years.He preached to thousands everySaturday afternoon and Sundaymorning. It was great becauseit combined two things that heloved: cars and evangelism. Inaddition, he wrote a column in"Street Scene" magazine entitled"Thy Rod."Special ProjectsOver the years Chuck has writtensix books, numerous articles,and gospel songs. His deepfriendship with Bill Gaither led tothe collaboration in the writing ofsuch songs as "The King is Coming"and "The Family of God." Hehas been invited to participate inover 70 of Bill Gaither's Homecomingvideos. The best of Chuck'sown songs is perhaps "The Brush,"the story of his own conversion.He has produced countless musicaland preaching resources suchas "The Breath of God," a collectionof 700 biblical promises narratedby Chuck with orchestrations andpiano background by Jerry Nelson.Though Chuck has assumedmany roles in ministry, his greatesthas been as father and husband.Early on we established our homein Olathe, Kansas, where we havelived for the duration across thecreek from MidAmerica NazareneUniversity and two blocks fromthe Nazarene church, both ofwhich have been the center ofour lives. We have two children:Melinda, a fourth grade teacherand constant joy and support; andChip, a child and adolescent psychiatristand son to be proud of,who lives in Topeka along with hiswife Linda and our grandchildren:William, Alexandra, and Amelia.Together we have been a partof it all: the campmeetings, therevivals and the travel. For threemonths every summer we hit thecampmeeting trail. To this day weremember the mighty move ofthe Holy Spirit in convicting powerand grace as altars and front pewsfilled due to the anointed preachingand singing of Chuck, andthe evangelists we have workedalongside. It is a legacy of highestvalue to have known such an erain the history of our church.In recent years, Chuck wouldbe quick to (continued on next page)Fall 2011 / EVANGELISTS' PERSPECTIVE / 9
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Page 23 and 24: have now lost our church buildings.

Fall 2011

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