True of False? A renowned Christian hymn was inspired by a famous preacher and actor.
Russ Hamblin was a Hollywood radio host/comedian/song writer during the 1950s, known for drinking, womanizing and partying. One day the station manager told Hamblin to interview a young preacher who was holding tent revival meetings. Russ went to a meeting. During the service, the preacher said, “There’s a man here tonight who’s a big fake.” Hamblin thought he was the one the preacher meant, and for days, the preacher’s words haunted him.
A few nights later, drunk, Russ knocked on the preacher’s door, demanding to be prayed for. The preacher refused, saying, “This is between you and God. I’m not getting into the middle of it.” But, he invited Russ into the room, and they talked until Russ dropped to his knees and cried out to God. Russ then quit everything he used to consider ‘fun’, got himself fired, and went through a real hard time. He wrote a few Christian hymns, but with very little success.
One day, a friend named John said, “Russ, all your troubles started when you ‘got religion’, are you sure it was worth it?” Russ answered, “Yes.” John asked, “Don’t you miss drinking?” Russ replied, “No.” Puzzled, John said, “I just don’t understand how you gave it up so easily.” Russ responded, “It’s no secret. All things are possible with God.” John said, “That’s a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it.”
The rest, as they say, is history. Russ wrote the now famous Christian hymn “It Is No Secret” (‘It is no secret, what God can do…’). Russ’s friend, John, was none other than the world famous actor John Wayne, and that young preacher who refused to pray for Russ Hamblin? The now also world famous TV evangelist, Billy Graham.
