September 23, 2022
Looking at Fred Thomas and Sterling Houston, you might think you were looking at Mutt and Jeff. Fred was short and stocky, Sterling stood about 6’6”. They were co-leaders of the Rochester Youth for Christ back in the early 60’s. Every Saturday night they stood on a stage at a downtown theater, leading rallies designed to help teens bring other teens to Christ. I can still see them standing and speaking passionately about Jesus. Fred was a ball of energy, while Sterling was more calm and measured.
One summer, they took about fifteen of us boys to a private camp on the Raquette River in the Adirondack Mountains for a week of leadership training so we could start Youth for Christ clubs in our high schools. I still have their handbook with the sample dialogue for leading someone to Christ. I was amazed that they believed in me, actually chose me for this training. They got me started leading small groups, gave me confidence that I could actually make a difference.
I lost track of them when I went to college, but in 1983, when I attended Billy Graham’s School of Evangelism in Oklahoma City, who should I see leading one of the seminars but Sterling Houston! He had moved from Youth for Christ to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. More than fifteen years later, he remembered me! Fred Thomas I never saw again, but I don’t believe either one of them knows the impact they had on me those sixty years ago simply by believing in, and choosing me. Fred and Sterling are my Everyday Heroes #10 and 11.
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