Carl Geissinger was a new convert. He wanted to teach. The Sunday School Superintendent at the New Brighton Free Methodist Church, Joe Douglas, had been instrumental in Carl's conversion. He gave Carl a room about five feet wide and twenty feet deep that was under one of the church's stairways. Then he told Carl, "If you can find some boys, you can teach them in that room."
It didn't take Carl long. I was one of the boys.
The room was wide enough for three folding chairs across. The middle chair could only be put in place as the room filled up from the back. Any fire marshall would have shut the class down in a heartbeat!
Carl was an enthusiastic teacher. He was high on passion, though low on accuracy! But he had a way of making Bible stories interesting for young boys. Carl's class was FUN - he made us feel special! Every Sunday, the room filled up! And if a boy missed, Carl showed up at their door - if he knew where they lived.
I remember a Sunday when a boy returned after missing several Sundays. Carl got all over his case for missing those classes. The boy explained, "Mr. Carl, I couldn't come, I had holes in my shoes!" Carl looked at the boy - incredulous! Then he threw one leg up over the other knee and said, "That's no reason not to come to Sunday School, look at my shoe!" Carl's shoe had two big holes through which we could all see his bare foot!
The case was closed with lots of laughter!
Within a few years Carl felt the Call of God on his life. He entered the ministry and planted a Free Methodist church in Holly Hills, West Virginia. It was a thriving church that saw many new converts and sent several persuasive individuals into the ministry!
Remember, God values availability over ability!
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