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‘WALKING
BIBLE’ MATLOCK GETS ATTENTION WITH
AMAZING MEMORY |
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Nashville
(Tennessee): Ask Charles Matlock to recite a
random Bible passage, and he’ll think for a second
before delivering the verses as if reading from the
book.
Because of his photographic memory, Matlock, 59, has
been able to memorize most of Christianity’s holy book.
He is known as the “Walking Bible of West Tennessee.”
The Savannah native can recite whole books or chapters
by request.
“I started when I was very young, sharing about Jesus
Christ whenever I could,” he said. “Memorizing the Bible
is a great opportunity to know Christ and share him with
others.”
His favourite T-shirt has 26 Bible verses listed, each
one beginning with a different letter from the alphabet.
He even has the order of those verses memorized. During
an interview on August 14, 2009 on WTNE 97.7 FM, Matlock
recited John 1:1-10 and other passages host Tom Mapes
suggested.
Matlock has no cell phone or computer. He’s travelled
around most of the South and spends little time at his
home in Hardin County. He visits churches, nursing homes
and street corners, just hoping to share the gospel, he
said. “I just want to try to bring someone to Christ,”
he said.
Jim Essary, owner of Lexington Chevrolet, first met
Matlock when the travelling evangelist visited the car
lot. Matlock has prayed for the car business and his
family several times, Essary said. “I’ve known him
several years,” he said. “He’s a very unique individual.
... He can quote Scripture, and I don’t believe any
pastor in the world can quote like he can.”
Matlock’s an intelligent man, Essary said. “He could’ve
made a lot more money in his life doing something else
with his talents,” he said. “He’s very humble and
survives off of the donations people give him. I’m very
impressed with his knowledge of the Bible. He’s got a
good spirit. It makes you feel good when he’s around.”
For more than 44 years, Matlock has been evangelizing,
at the encouragement of his parents, Matlock said. “I
started studying the gospel when I was 12 years old,
along with my homework,” he said. “I used to sit and
learn spelling words. I thought, ‘If I can memorize my
homework, I can memorize scripture.’”
The first passage Matlock memorized was John 1:1-5. From
there, he moved on to other well-known passages to cover
the entire Bible. His favourite verse is Romans 8:31.
“I want a relationship with Jesus more than just reading
and memorizing verses,” he said.
After high school, Matlock began travelling and
preaching wherever churches invited him to speak. Today,
he averages about one or two churches a month.
Matlock would stand on street corners - something he
says he can’t do anymore because he’s usually asked to
leave. “We’re always going to have the sphere of Satan
fighting against us,” he said. “Whether I’m out, no
matter where I am, I see people come to Christ. You have
to be real out there for God. You have to come as close
as you can to know him.”
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This page
is updated on Sep 18, 2009 |
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PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY
10 YEARS CELEBRATION
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