LSD, Frisbee & Samson
I’ve been researching the Jesus Freak movement* and there’s another name that will always surface that no one really seems to want to talk about…the Hippy Evangelist-Lonnie Frisbee, yet he’s impossible to ignore. Google or Wiki him. By all accounts, he very well may have baptized over 8,000 people within a 2 year period and those who knew him typically used the word “anointed” when referring to him.
Many overlook him because he’s embarrassing...
For one, he was a nudist vegetarian and a hippy in every sense of the word who was “born-again” in the California desert during an LSD trip in which he said Jesus appeared to him. Yes, you read it right. But first, what would have been the typical response had Jesus and Pentecost occurred in the 1960s? Think about it for just a moment. First lets ponder Paul…a murderer of Christians, read that again, a murderer who said he’d seen the risen Lord on the road to Damascus and was now pro-Jesus.
But, there’s still an elephant in the room, actually it’s a brontosaurus. Frisbee died from AIDS in 93. Homosexuality was an on-again/off-again struggle (he attributed to child abuse).
The mystery is how can a person be so used of God? What I’m really trying to say is…how can God use someone so mightily who struggled with homosexuality and even succumbed to it on occasion? I mean, as far as I know I’m trying to live for God, doing all the right things; ive been in ministry for 15 years now and I’m pretty sure I haven’t led even a thousand people to the Lord, in fact, youth camp speaking included, probably less than 500. Isn’t God risking His reputation by using such an unstable young man?
But God has done this before hasn’t He? In spite of his moral failures Samson was indeed anointed; albeit these moral failures eventually caught up to him. Nonetheless, you know where I’m going with this now don’t you…sinless perfection, education, and pedigree are not qualifiers for who God chooses to use. Occasionally He seems to enjoy, smile even, at using the most unlikely of people. He was, Himself, after all, born in a stinking manger who’s earthly father was a carpenter. “Nothing good comes out of Galilee?” (Jn. 7:52) Oh, but it does.
*see post “Keith Green…I wonder why?”
posted by Bobby at 10:50 PM
10 Comments:
Hey Bobby, After reading and watching his funeral my conclusion is that it had very little to do with Frisbee at all. The whole deal resulted from Kay Smith's tearful prayers for God to reach these kids...thousand of kids flowing into Orange County in the '60s completely lost, wandering around, strung out on drugs, engaging in all kinds of vile behavior. Chuck Smith was grossed out by them but his wife prayed. Why be surprised and deify/vilify God's answer to her prayer? Any used by God at all can only stand back and go, geeze, how could God use someone like me? So sad that the enemy used the stronghold in Frisbee to divide & spoil much of the work of almighty God,but much remains, and for that God's glorified.
Thanks for your devotion to God and for all your great wonderings/wanderings that lead us all into deeper thoughts and hearts toward God.
Jenn
12:17 PM
That is amazing B! I really liked the way you illustrated it with Samson. I guess its a mystery but what isnt a mystery is that as soon as we try to put God in a box he always busts out of it. have a great weekend.
2:52 PM
I am struggling with the fact that God used a homosexual. You said that he struggled with it which leads me to believe that he knew it was wrong and that he felt guilty about it. I know that God can use anyone and that we are all sinners of some sort but all I can say is that I am struggling with the fact that God used someone who struggled with homosexuality. I will have to think on this some more.
2:56 PM
I have to say that I am like so completely and totally encouraged that God used Frisbee in such a powerful way. He struggled. Guess what? I struggle with junk too. I'm so encouraged that God used him the way that He did. Thanks B. And, I've always wondered about samson but this has helped me put it in a different perspective.
3:00 PM
BB,
God is awesome! Throughout history, God uses the most unlikly of people, though maybe to illustrate that we are all jars of clay, eh. I love our Lord but man, I still stumble (more like face plant) and how encouraging, no wait, how ABSOLUTELY UTTERLY WONDERFULLY AMAZING that Jesus, because of his sacriface, is there to catch us, dust us off, give us strength AND (to top it off) he does it all without condemnation!!! Praise be His name. C
7:45 AM
The next time you feel like GOD cant use you, just remember...Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old; Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar; Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused;
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal; Isaiah preached naked ;)
Jonah ran from God; Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt; Peter denied Christ
The Discipes fell aleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small; Paul was too religious...
and Lazarus was dead!
Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential...
Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.
10:48 AM
Good note,
A story like this Double B is good for us all as reminder that God is in control and our finite minds will never truly know how and who and why, he uses who he does.
Greatfully God can and does despite our defitions of worthyness, and thank you, thank you Grace is the covering like a forcefield over us even when we roll in the mud,he knows the heart.
i hope we will be love, as somone who has a very close freind who is a christian man that has chosen to return to the gay lifestyle after several years of combatting the "urgers" with bible studies, and even going through the "converting" classes he trusts God will be his judge, not his friend Queta.
As his friend, and somone who has held the hand of friends who have made contraversial choices, i will never turn my back on a stranger,friend i pray but will walk along side them.
i think that is what we do to love somone, to be compassion is not saved for the perfect who fit our boxes.
because frankly, i think we would be losing the very heart of Gods messsage. Anyone can be used by God...Thank Goodness!!!!!
Blessings
Q
6:00 PM
I love reading this. Of course, the discomfort I experience as I read is to be expected. I know I try to be perfect before I feel God can use me, and, unfortunately, I probably put the same expectations on others.
However, the biggest heroes in this world are not "significant" people. Wasn't it said that the unknown do the significant and the known do the insignificant. ..something like that.
God uses EVERYONE for HIS purpose. I think we forget it's all about HIM!
Thanks for encouraging me, as always.
S
4:54 PM
Hey P Bobby,
Using "unlikely" canidates seems to be the theme of the Bible. It's like what we talked about at Vertigo 2 Fridays ago. Jesus was a carpenter. That was like someone today who worked at McDonalds saying that they were the son of God. That is so cool to think about. Thanks for the wise words and history lesson as well. Really cool. See you Friday night at Vertigo!
Austin
4:54 PM
Hey Bro,
Just thought I would check in with Greg Laurie, a major main stream pastor and evangelist,and see how he would respond to your recent blog. This is what I wrote and his answer. Notice how quickly he relplied! Class Act, this one. Kinda like someone else I know.....
(Check out his website
http://www.harvest.org/greg/
Happy 4th,
Jenn
From: Jennifer
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 8:57 AM
To: Greg Laurie
Subject: being used of God
Hi Greg,
I heard you at Saddleback several times when we lived in San Clemente and now I have come across a question regarding your salvation and the hippie preacher who you responded to. A pastor friend of mine at Citichurch/Scottsdale has this blog and we have all been looking into Lonnie Frisbee and if/how/why God used him even though he was engaged in blatant sin. We'd love to get your take on that subject.
emergentadventure.blogspot.com
We are all very perplexed by what happened back there and if it was a counterfeit revival or what. Knowing your ministry is totally legit and that you were truly saved really is making us scratch our heads.
May God continue to Bless You Bigtime!
Jennifer
Scottsdale AZ
10:26 PM
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