Danny’s Vision Of Nov. 14/15, 1984, fact or fiction Options

[sister]

Danny’s Vision of Nov. 14/15, 1984:fact or fiction

The following discussion was presented on Daryl’s Fawcett’s forum and Bob, who started the thread, was hoping some of the members here might be able to help with some information. I will post the discussion in two parts.

Part One:

Bob:
I could use some help on this one, and so could Danny.

Some of the accusations being leveled against Danny today don't jive with something that I heard said about him in New Orleans in 1984, and that fact has seemed like a discordant note amidst all if this. (I won't say what was said at this point.) What is the explanation for it?

That discordant note has made me ponder the events of 1984 a bit more than I would otherwise have, concentrating on the date of Danny's impression to build a TV station. He has said on numerous occasions that this occurred on the night of November 14/15, 1984, and that he wrestled with God over the matter.

Now we essentially have two choices:

1. He and Melody came to my home church to do a concert between November 14/15 and Thanksgiving that year, a time requirement mandated by reasons mentioned below, and we were among the very first to hear about the idea; or

2. If the allegations about conjuring up miracles of donated TV equipment and such be true, and if the need of such miracles was first suggested by Hal, then perhaps Danny was talking about building a TV station prior to Nov. 14/15, and after needing to come up with miracles he fixed on Nov. 14/15 as being the date for the miracle of the impression.

As you can imagine, I would prefer that the first possibility be correct, but I am in a quandry over this one and need some assistance, which I will describe below.


Email from Bob:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date
Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 12:45:33 -0600
To: Danny Shelton

Hi Danny. Here's a question that I would think even those who have recommended that you not answer questions wouldn't mind you answering.

You've stated that the impression to build 3ABN came on the night of Nov. 14/15, and that you wrestled all night about that. My sister just called me, having found some items from 1984. It looks like the evangelistic meetings in New Orleans where Oscar Lane either gave you money or took up an offering on your behalf to launch your TV work actually began on September 9, 1984, and that he preached on the mark of the beast during the fourth week of meetings. The meeting where he got you the money was the night he preached on Babylon and jewelry, or a night very shortly thereafter. His publication that came out soon after the meetings closed called for offerings for three television cameras.
Could you clarify this a little for me? If you were not impressed to build the station until mid-November, why would you have been raising funds a month or so before that?

I trust there is an easy explanation.

Bob



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 18:02:03 -0600
From: Danny Shelton

Please send me copies of any information you may have concerning Oscar Lane helping get 3ABN started by raising funds for cameras for 3ABN. Plus, I would like to see the date of the publications and the article in which this is all explained. You should want to see them yourself as I'm sure they will answer any questions about when the "idea" came to start 3ABN.

Danny


Email from Bob:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date
Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2006 18:26:31 -0600
To: Danny Shelton

Hi Danny.

I could send a copy of the publication to you, but I don't think it would be all that helpful, since a number of the details I sent didn't come from it. The biggest help the publication was that my sister found was pinning down the dates of Oscar Lane's meetings.

Given the fact that evangelists usually like to have their meetings wrapped up by Thanksgiving, and that there wouldn't be much time between between Nov. 14/15 and Thanksgiving that year, I was just a little puzzled. My sister was helping me out by trying to find the poem she wrote for Lane so that we could get a date from it, since she dates her poems. She finally came across it and found that publication too which said his meetings started September 9, the mark of the beast was presented in the fourth week, and that the new church in New Orleans was organized in October.

I only got to go to three nights of Lane's meetings. The first two were in his big red tent, and on the third they were all in the new church. The first of the two nights I heard him in the tent he preached on Babylon and jewelry, and the second he shook everyone's hand rather than preach. It was in one of those two meetings in the tent that you and Melody were there, and Oscar Lane gave you at least $1000 toward your TV venture, because in the next meeting I was there he told everyone how you had come to see him in the morning before you left town.

My sister read me the plea Oscar Lane made for funds for the TV cameras in his publication. He was on your board at one time, wasn't he?

At any rate, I think we can probably find quite a few people that will remember your promotion of your TV venture during that concert trip. Just at Lane's meetings there were 400 baptized, with many more attending, and that wasn't your only stop on that trip.

So do you have any thoughts on where the mix up might be?

Bob
------------------------------------------------------

Bob:

I recall at least three families from our church and the church in Covington/Mandeville making the drive into New Orleans to Lane's meetings: the G's, the P's, and the Q's. I think Lane referred to us at some point as a little salt amidst all the pepper. As such we should have been quite noticeable to Danny the night he was there.

Young Matthew Q. actually went forward and asked for the mike and gave his own altar call and/or sang a song at one of Lane's meetings. The effect upon the crowd was quite dramatic and helped bring the people forward to make decisions. I wasn't there that night.

My grandparents were visiting from Ohio and they went at least one night too. We weren't sure what Grandpa would think of being in a black meeting, but he enjoyed it from what we could tell.



End of Part 1.

This post has been edited by sister: Nov 13 2006, 09:05 PM

[sister]

Part 2:


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 21:33:25 -0600
From: Danny Shelton

Bob, I have no earthly reasons to give wrong beginning dates of 3ABN. If the idea would have come in Oct. of that Year I/we, Linda and me would have always said that it came in Oct. But it didn't.

We were married approx. 10 days after the idea to build a tv station came to me. I think this is even one thing she would agree with me on.

Please show me otherwise.


Email from Bob:

----- Original Message -----
To: Danny Shelton
Sent: 11/9/2006 6:43:18 PM
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date

P.S. My apologies, Danny, I didn't word my original question in the best way possible.

When I asked, "... why would you have been raising funds a month or so before that?" I should have said instead, "... why would you have been promoting the idea a month or so before that?" While I remember Oscar Lane giving you money in the meeting toward your venture, I do not remember you asking for it.

Hal Steenson several months ago told me that he married you and Linda 23 years ago. That being so, is it at all possible that you got the impression in 1983 instead of 1984? Or did Hal just get his dates wrong?

Bob



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 21:24:13 -0600
From: Danny Shelton

We were married on Nov. 25, 1984.

If you check your notes you will find nothing about 3ABN before Nov. 14, 15 1984.

---------------------------------------
Bob:

The problem is that my mental notes most certainly have Danny promoting a TV venture at Oscar Lane's meetings and probably at my home church too.
And Lane's/Last Days Revival's publication, Word of Truth, vol. 1, no. 1, 4th quarter 1984, dates his crusade in new Orleans from Sept. 9 through October.

---------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
To: Danny Shelton
Sent: 11/9/2006 9:58:24 PM
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date

Thanks so much for your replies, Danny.

What then do you think happened? Why would Oscar Lane have gotten that much money for you in October for a TV venture if you weren't working on any sort of TV venture whatsoever until the last half of November?

Wasn't Lane on your board at some point, or involved in some way?

I'll be honest with you about something: It was what Oscar Lane said that you told him in the morning before you left town that has really stuck in my mind all these years. What he said you said just doesn't jive with some of the things your critics have said about you, and I've told a number of them that.

Bob

------------------------------------------
Bob:

I wish Danny would comment just a little on the question of Oscar Lane being on the board. We all wondered why, once 3ABN got rolling, Oscar Lane was never mentioned. I think we enquired more than once, and the reply I remember was that they didn't know where he was, that he had just disappeared.

------------------------------------------


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 22:23:10 -0600
From: Danny Shelton

Bob, honestly, this is very taxing for me to continue to talk about something that didn't happen in Oct. Please do your homework and it will all make sense to you. You cannot put a puzzle together unless you have all the parts. What you need to show me is proof that something happened in Oct. instead of Nov. in a statement from some one written back then. Maybe Oscar's newsletter or something. But I can't see me wasting anymore time on something that never happened.

Tell you what you show me some solid proof that 3ABN started in Oct. and I'll talk some more about it.

Thanks,

Danny


Email from Bob:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Question on Nov. 14/15, 1984 date
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 07:14:28 -0600
To: Danny Shelton

Hi Danny.

Well, what do you remember about your visit to his tent that night? Do you remember him giving you any money whatsoever? Do you think you were at his tent in late November instead?

Was he on your board at some point?

What is the earliest written or recorded account that you have of the 3ABN story?

I'll see if I can collect some signed statements from folks who were at some of the places you stopped at on that trip.

God bless.

Bob

-----------------------------------------

Bob's plea for assistance:

So here is the help that Danny and I need: We need statements coming from people with real names who were at Oscar Lane's meetings when Danny was there, or who were at other churches where Danny stopped on that concert trip.

These statements need to affirm or deny:

1. Lane's claimed dates for his meetings, or dates for any other stops Danny made on that trip.
Danny's promotion of a TV venture on that trip.

2. The offering of at least $1000 given to Danny for his TV venture by Oscar Lane.

3.That Lane was to have some sort of major involvement with 3ABN.

4. And I continue to be interested, after all these years, in knowing why Lane disappeared and was never associated with 3ABN after it got rolling.

Given the fact that we are talking about an event tied to an African-American evangelistic campaign, someone may want to copy this over to BSDA.

If you know anyone who was in the greater New Orleans area in 1984, or who had a Danny and Melody concert that year, feel free to ask them about it, and get them to contact me.

---------------------------------------

Please make any comments in this thread. Daryl Fawcett is a member here and I am sure that he will pass on any information to Bob. Can anyone help? Does anyone have contact with Oscar Lane? Thanks... Sister

This post has been edited by sister: Nov 13 2006, 09:08 PM

[PeacefulBe]

A search of Google only brings up this information as far as I can find. I copied the following paragraph from “The Bible Sabbath Association” web site (link below). It appears that his Last Days Revival Ministries is based in Atlanta, Georgia so one of you folks near there can break out your phone books and get the contact info if still around. If he is still there he should, as the source, have records of his crusades on file.


OSCAR LANE, JR -- "Proclaiming The Sabbath More Fully" (1 Tape)
Sabbath Conference keynote speaker -- Founder and lead evangelist of Last Days Revival Ministries based in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Lane has been preaching for 41 years and is considered by many as one of the most powerful and dynamic speakers among SDA evangelists. Since accepting the Sabbath truth he has been preaching as a Seventh-day Adventist evangelist for 18 years. The Lord has used him through his international evangelistic crusades to raise 15 churches and to lead over 50,000 souls to the truths of the Three Angels message. He is author of 13 books and over 100 audio and video sermons. The Sabbath Conference was blessed to have Dr. Lane as one who gave "power and force" to the his proclamation of "The Sabbath More Fully."

http://www.biblesabbath.org/sabbathmorefully.html

[husbandoftheyear]

If anyone watched the 3ABN Anniversary special - Dan made a couple of statements VERY slowly about it being a misunderstanding that Hal and Mollie donated the first equipment to 3ABN. He thanked them for their WILLINGNESS to give, but it was in fact, Joe Crews from Amazing Facts who donated the said equipment.


Also -
If I remember correctly, and please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Dan and Linda were married quickly (10 days after the idead came to him to build the station) to escape the scandal of their adultery and to make their newfound ministry more appealing and wholesome.

I'm not bashing - just trying to remember that far back. Any help?

[Lee]

Wow! This is a new bit of juicy gossip! HOTY-why would you want to work at such a place? I'd be looking for another job elsewhere!!

[Clay]

Dan and Linda adultery? How so?

[watchbird]

If anyone watched the 3ABN Anniversary special - Dan made a couple of statements VERY slowly about it being a misunderstanding that Hal and Mollie donated the first equipment to 3ABN. He thanked them for their WILLINGNESS to give, but it was in fact, Joe Crews from Amazing Facts who donated the said equipment.
Also -
If I remember correctly, and please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Dan and Linda were married quickly (10 days after the idead came to him to build the station) to escape the scandal of their adultery and to make their newfound ministry more appealing and wholesome.

I'm not bashing - just trying to remember that far back. Any help?

On your first point.... I did notice that in their most recent book, Dan had backed away from the original "miracle story" as it has generally been told, and spoken of it in terms of just the offer of it as being a "sign from the Lord". That is, he still tells of Hal's offer, and of his confirming that Hal really was planning to give it to him, but then he ends up that section by saying, "But, interestingly, by the time the studio was built, God provided newer and better television equipment from another source, and Pastor Hal's equipment wasn't needed. God merely used this gift as the sign Danny needed to move forward."

As to the second point.... this is a pretty serious allegation.... so I hope you are going to give us some indication as to how you know this and how sure you are it is correct information. But if true, it does help to explain some other things that have at times bewildered some of us.

[Clay]

If I remember correctly, and please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that Dan and Linda were married quickly (10 days after the idead came to him to build the station) to escape the scandal of their adultery and to make their newfound ministry more appealing and wholesome.

I'm not bashing - just trying to remember that far back. Any help?

If Danny's wife was deceased and Linda was divorced then that would make it fornication would it not? Unless you are suggesting that Linda didn't have grounds biblically for a divorce....

[fallible humanbe...]

If Danny's wife was deceased and Linda was divorced then that would make it fornication would it not? Unless you are suggesting that Linda didn't have grounds biblically for a divorce....

I would like to ask, additionally, what were the circumstances of Danny and Linda's meeting? What brought them together, how did they meet? I have wondered this for some time. I have heard stories or rather bits and pieces, but never the whole story of their meeting.

- fhb

This post has been edited by fallible humanbeing: Nov 14 2006, 01:04 PM

[husbandoftheyear]

If Danny's wife was deceased and Linda was divorced then that would make it fornication would it not? Unless you are suggesting that Linda didn't have grounds biblically for a divorce....

Apparently I caused blood pressures to raise when I brought up an adulterous relationship between Dan and Linda. At Watchbird's "request" I am going to talk to some of the people who were around before 3ABN to verify everything. If you read my statement carefully, it was meant to be addressed as more of a question than a statement. However, let me rephrase - I had been told by people who knew Dan and Linda long before they got together and those people knew that they had an affair. I belive that it was Linda who was married at the time that she and Dan began a relationship.

Many of you may have heard the story about how they met as Dan has mentioned it on air.
Linda needed a car and somehow Dan met her through a family member or friend when they took pity on her having just come out of a bad relationship. Come to think of it, I believe it was Tommy Shelton. (Please don't ask about the car business, I will have to find out the details. It's been too long ago.) Like most of Dan's stories, they have a measure of truth and a measure of falsehood and as I remember, Linda did need a car and met Dan that way, but it was before her divorce.

I should not have thrown out that information without more specifics. I was hoping that someone else would fill in the details.

To cool everyone off, I will do some digging and find more details.

As to the second point.... this is a pretty serious allegation.... so I hope you are going to give us some indication as to how you know this and how sure you are it is correct information. But if true, it does help to explain some other things that have at times bewildered some of us.

I believe, Watchbird, that there have been many serious allegations on this board.
This, however, was not meant as an allegation, but as a request for more information as the details have gotten somewhat blurred over the past 20 years.

By the way - what other things does it explain?

[Fran]

By the way - what other things does it explain?

That Danny was not called by God to start 3ABN. No matter if it was October or November of 1984, or any other date.

God would have used a non-adulter, a non-fornicator, a non-molestor, or a non-rapist. That boat just don't float. Excuse me while I get sick!

This morning I got up a member of the World Seventh-day Adventist, but this mess has me ashamed of my world church and ASI. I think I will have to re-think just what I am again! I have to re-think what I stand for.

I do not believe I have any more faith in our church leadership, and I don't trust ASI or 3ABN. How can I listen to preachers in my church any longer?

Today began as the worst day of my life. It has ended that way too. May God help me!

[Johann]

Today began as the worst day of my life. It has ended that way too. May God help me!

Dear Fran,

I understand how you feel. Remember that we are in this together, and the Lord is right by your side.

Elijah felt that he was alone in doing what was right when God told him there were many others who had never bowed their knees to Baal. This process of cleansing the church reveals victims and villains, and all may seem bleak for the moment, but God is still there. At the moment there are indications the work you have initiated could be one of the strongest tools in finding justice.

I am rediscovering more and more comfort in the Psalms of David. Let such words of Scripture be your source of comfort in days like these.

Johann

[Brenda]

Dear Fran,

I understand how you feel. Remember that we are in this together, and the Lord is right by your side.

Elijah felt that he was alone in doing what was right when God told him there were many others who had never bowed their knees to Baal. This process of cleansing the church reveals victims and villains, and all may seem bleak for the moment, but God is still there. At the moment there are indications the work you have initiated could be one of the strongest tools in finding justice.

I am rediscovering more and more comfort in the Psalms of David. Let such words of Scripture be your source of comfort in days like these.

Johann

The leaders are no less sinners than the people they lead. We expect more from them but we often get disappointed. (This is a generic statement ). I can cope most of the time, but failures of leaders do give my children more cause to be cynical of the SDA church.

[sister]

While what is being discussed can be of interest to a number of people, it was not the intent of this thread. I ask again: can anyone help Brother Bob? Is there anyone here that was at the evangelistic meetings held by Oscar Lane in 1984 who recalls the incident he refers to here? Brother Bob has contacted Oscar Lane, but he does not personally recall the situation that took place over 20 years ago, he does not deny it, he just does not recall it specifically.

This post has been edited by sister: Nov 15 2006, 05:08 AM

[Clay]

Apparently I caused blood pressures to raise when I brought up an adulterous relationship between Dan and Linda. At Watchbird's "request" I am going to talk to some of the people who were around before 3ABN to verify everything. If you read my statement carefully, it was meant to be addressed as more of a question than a statement. However, let me rephrase - I had been told by people who knew Dan and Linda long before they got together and those people knew that they had an affair. I belive that it was Linda who was married at the time that she and Dan began a relationship.

Many of you may have heard the story about how they met as Dan has mentioned it on air.
Linda needed a car and somehow Dan met her through a family member or friend when they took pity on her having just come out of a bad relationship. Come to think of it, I believe it was Tommy Shelton. (Please don't ask about the car business, I will have to find out the details. It's been too long ago.) Like most of Dan's stories, they have a measure of truth and a measure of falsehood and as I remember, Linda did need a car and met Dan that way, but it was before her divorce.

I should not have thrown out that information without more specifics. I was hoping that someone else would fill in the details.

To cool everyone off, I will do some digging and find more details.
I believe, Watchbird, that there have been many serious allegations on this board.
This, however, was not meant as an allegation, but as a request for more information as the details have gotten somewhat blurred over the past 20 years.

By the way - what other things does it explain?

Thanks HOTY for the clarification..... I await the results of your research into how Danny and Linda met, and when.... it does shed light on a number of things....