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John Hames
John Hames (1880–1945) was an American preacher and evangelist whose ministry within the Pentecostal movement ignited revivals across the rural Midwest with a focus on spiritual awakening and holiness. Born in a small Indiana farming community to a devout family, Hames grew up amid economic hardship, finding faith at 17 during a tent meeting that marked his call to preach. With minimal formal education, he began his ministry in 1905, traveling by wagon to preach in small towns, often with his wife, Clara, whom he married in 1907 and with whom he raised five children. Known for his fervent sermons and prayer for healing, he drew crowds eager for a tangible experience of God’s power. Hames’s ministry peaked in the 1920s when he settled in Illinois, pastoring a growing Pentecostal congregation and launching a regional radio program, The Flame of Faith, to extend his reach. His preaching emphasized repentance, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a life set apart from worldly vices, resonating with Depression-era believers seeking hope. Though not nationally prominent, he wrote tracts like The Fire Within and mentored younger evangelists, shaping the Pentecostal landscape in his region. Retiring in 1940 due to poor health, Hames died in 1945, leaving a legacy as a humble, spirited preacher whose grassroots efforts fueled a quiet but enduring revival.
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John Hames delivers a powerful sermon on the characteristics of a true Christian, emphasizing the importance of genuineness, uprightness, and sincerity in a world filled with dishonesty and falsity. He highlights that a true Christian is unwavering in their beliefs, cannot be bribed, and lives a life worthy of imitation with a clean and straight record. Additionally, a true Christian's thoughts and intentions are pure, always turning to God in prayer to repel evil suggestions, and they are fully surrendered to Jesus without reservation, ready to work, give, suffer, and die for the cause of Christ.
On Being True
"We are true men" (Gen. 42:11). The word true is used as an adverb when establishing a fact, statement, or declaration, but here in the text it is used as an adjective, referring to principle, genuineness, uprightness and sincerity. We are well acquainted with what it means to have an untrue timepiece, untrue mirror or untrue friend, etc. Some of these things have, no doubt, caused many of us quite a bit of trouble and disadvantage. In the following lines will be found a few of the characteristics of a true Christian. 1. One face. The business, the political, the social and the religious world, today, are so honeycombed with dishonesty and falsity that it is quite difficult to find a really true, reliable person. We are glad to say, however, that the grace of God is a perfect cure for dishonesty and guile. It will take all of the deceit and two-facedness out of people and make them the same everywhere. 2. A true Christian cannot be bribed or turned away from what he honestly believes to be right for all the money on the globe. 3. As far as he has light and understands, all that he does is worthy of imitation. His life and conduct are as straight as a string. From the time he was saved there is a clean, straight record clear up to the present moment. 4. All of his purposes, intentions and thoughts are of the class that could be placed upon a billboard for the inspection of three worlds. He at no time entertains a thought that he would be ashamed to entertain in church or in heaven on the front seat. Of course, Satan sometimes suggests evil things to his mind but he at once repels them by lifting his heart to God in prayer, therefore, he is kept pure and holy continually. 5. The next characteristic of a Christian is that he is fully turned over to Jesus without the least reserve. He is consecrated to work, give, suffer and die for the cause of Jesus Christ. Strictly speaking, he claims nothing upon earth as his own, and yet through Christ he is heir of all things. 6. At the present moment he is as much in the center of God's will as he knows how to be. He is ready to go to heaven today as he ever expects to be. "Where duty calls or danger, He's never wanting there."
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John Hames (1880–1945) was an American preacher and evangelist whose ministry within the Pentecostal movement ignited revivals across the rural Midwest with a focus on spiritual awakening and holiness. Born in a small Indiana farming community to a devout family, Hames grew up amid economic hardship, finding faith at 17 during a tent meeting that marked his call to preach. With minimal formal education, he began his ministry in 1905, traveling by wagon to preach in small towns, often with his wife, Clara, whom he married in 1907 and with whom he raised five children. Known for his fervent sermons and prayer for healing, he drew crowds eager for a tangible experience of God’s power. Hames’s ministry peaked in the 1920s when he settled in Illinois, pastoring a growing Pentecostal congregation and launching a regional radio program, The Flame of Faith, to extend his reach. His preaching emphasized repentance, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a life set apart from worldly vices, resonating with Depression-era believers seeking hope. Though not nationally prominent, he wrote tracts like The Fire Within and mentored younger evangelists, shaping the Pentecostal landscape in his region. Retiring in 1940 due to poor health, Hames died in 1945, leaving a legacy as a humble, spirited preacher whose grassroots efforts fueled a quiet but enduring revival.