It would take a book to record everything I learned from Dr Lester Sumrall (I paid attention). For now, I’ll emphasize his view of world missions.
I first heard about Dr. Sumrall through mutual friends. Norvel Hayes used to say, “You need to meet Lester Sumrall.” T.L. Osborn advised me to “Hitch your wagon to Lester Sumrall.”
However, Dr. Sumrall did not come into my life through introductions. He came into my life supernaturally, through a series of divine encounters, overseas. I ran into him in the Philippines, Israel, Germany, and Hong Kong…
Whenever I happened to be in a country where he was ministering, I would slip into his meeting and sit in the back. Invariably, he would see me, and he would say, “Is that Larry Huggins back there? Come up here and tell us what you’re doing…” As I came forward, he would say, “This young man is my shadow. I don’t have to look far back to see him overtaking me…”
He loved me because I loved world missions. He enjoyed preaching with me in London because the UK was where he met Smith Wigglesworth. He enjoyed preaching with me in San Francisco because that’s where he embarked on his world travels with Dr. Howard Carter. We also enjoyed preaching together in Richmond, Spokane, South Bend, Chicago, San Jose, and London — to name a few.
On more than one occasion, I heard him share his philosophy of Urban Missions. “Cities are the key to reaching the nations. Every nation has a key city. I go to the key cities. Influence flows from the key cities, downward – not the other way around.”
I’ve found this to be true. Key cities are cultural centers, financial centers, political centers, communications centers, and transportation hubs. When we impact a key city, we impact the movers and shakers of that nation.
In the beginning of His ministry, he went to rural areas (so have I.) However, as his ministry grew, he concentrated on population centers (so have I).
Until the end, Dr. Sumrall continued to travel the world, but he also believed in broadcasting the Gospel. He had a large radio and TV network with eleven terrestrial broadcast stations, plus a large cable and satellite network. He encouraged me to step into broadcasting and gave me opportunity to do so.
I knew Dr Sumrall well, and I’m certain he would be pleased that he is yet reaching the world through PTVN.
By Pastor Larry Huggins