From Hopelessness and drugs to Jesus - Part Two

On my last blog entry, I shared how I came to "Jerry's Place". Even though Jerry had named the ministry on 53rd St. "Where Angels Rejoice", for some reason, that name never did stick. It was always referred to as Jerry's Place or just Jerry's. As was quoted in the newspaper article posted below, Jerry never did advertise the meetings that he was hosting in the home he shared with his mother Myrtle. This was a spontaneous movement, a local tributary of the movement that naturally flowed into the national river that had already been named the Jesus Movement.

My best recollection is that Jerry had invited a Pentecostal preacher from Indianapolis, "Pop" Bunch, to do a series of preaching meetings that were scheduled to last one week. By word of mouth young hippie types like I was, heard of what was happening and came en masse to investigate. As I mentioned in my first entry, something happened to me that first night that radically changed the course of my life. It is now thirty five years later and the change that took place has lasted.

I not only came to Jerry's that night, I came to Jesus! I believe the day I spent at the farm house (mentioned in my first entry) that afternoon in the late summer of 1971, pondering my life and future, was heard by God as a prayer.....and He began to set in motion a set of sovereign circumstances to birth me into His Kingdom! When I crossed the threshold of Jerry and Myrtle's house that night, I was a young man with a wounded heart. I had been carrying the baggage of rejection for seven years and was in desperate need of the knowledge of God's unconditional love for me.

Having been raised in a non Christian unchurched home, I wasn't even sure that God existed. I can recall going to church/Sunday school with a friend as a young boy on two occasions. I was freaked out by both experiences. I did try to read the Bible once while serving in the army at Ft. Bragg North Carolina. I was lying on my bunk and opened the New Testament that was given to us. A friend saw me and told me to start in the book of Revelation. Well, as you can imagine, that didn't bring me much relief.

The rejection that I referred to was as a result of the night in 1966 when my dad woke me in the middle of the night to inform me that my mom was pregnant ( not by him) and had run off with her boyfriend leaving my dad to raise me and five siblings. I actually joined the army three years later in an attempt to escape the stigma of this experience. So, that first night at Jerry's, I was "ripe for the pick'in."

The meetings at Jerry's continued for longer than a week. I know I was there almost every night for approximately one year. I also know that there was much controversy surrounding Jerry's teachings and at one point several of us left because of them. After thirty five years, I don't recall many of the details surrounding what was taught. But I do know what I caught. I received (whether through Jerry or divinely by the Holy Spirit) a revelation that God loved me unconditionally and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who had died on the cross for my sins. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will return to the earth to establish a kingdom of righteousness, justice and peace and this kingdom is available to me by grace (it is a gift) through faith in Jesus Christ!

I have always been, and will eternally be grateful to Jerry and Myrtle Street for opening their home and allowing God to minister to those of us that did not feel comfortable in the organized church.

Randy Hornbeck

Wow! These two groovy guys are

Randy Hornbeck and Donnie Adams

at the wedding of Jerry Street, 1974

Jerry's Place - Newspaper article and photos from the Anderson Herald

Turn on with God, not with needle, bottle” Jesus Freaks
By Michael Cox, Herald Youth Correspondent
Anderson Herald
January 1972

A few weeks ago I volunteered to write a story on the so-called “Jesus freaks” and the “Jesus Movement”. I decided the most effective means of research would be to participate in a nightly meeting of the freaks.

I visited the home of Gerry E. Street on East 53rd Street where evening meetings are held each day. Before arriving I imagined scenes such as a couple of people sitting around smoking pot or shooting drugs in the names of God and Jesus.

I arrived at Street’s home around 7:45 p.m. and was greeted at the door with a pat on the back and a solemn “bless you” from his wife (Blog editors’ note: Gerry wasn’t married at this time so the reporter must have been greeted by Myrtle “Mom” Street). Passing on into the living room where the meeting was to convene my premature visions seemed to be realized. I caught sight of two long haired boys sitting on the sofa smoking what seemed to be cigarettes. I also noticed a boy, whom many conservatives would term “hippie” quietly reading a Bible. A lighted cross shone in the window and on the wall hung an oil painting of Christ bearing the crown of thorns.

As I fully entered the room I was greeted by a hand shake and many “Bless you’s’”. I spied the packages and found the boys where smoking cigarettes and not pot. One wall bore a poster displaying the words “Forget religion and find God.” I realized I was in for some kind of a night.

Soon the crowd gathered with about 30 people sitting on the floor, standing in the hallway, and others in another room. Everyone seemed to know each other and I know they knew I was a newcomer because of the stares I received. Most of the “freaks” had long hair and looked like teenagers except for Gerry who was middle-aged (editor's note - Jerry was 33 at the time, but looked older) and had reasonably short hair.

A prayer opened the informal service. Everyone joined in a circle with their arms around the person next to them. The words “Praise God” and “Thank You Jesus” echoed with the spirit of God ringing throughout the room. Gerry took his place at the microphone with an electric guitar in his hands. He began singing songs he had composed about walking in the light of Jesus.

When everyone joined in singing “Amazing Grace” all my premature conceptions faded away. Everyone felt the spirit of God and shouted “Turn on with God, not with a needle or a bottle.”
There was not pot or alcohol present. Although some of these kids turned on in the past with marijuana and booze, they now turned on to God and Jesus.

I have never in my life witnessed in any church such spirit of God as in these people. All through the night they shouted “Praise God” and that was just what they did. A short Bible study was conducted with Gerry Street translating the passages of the 15th chapter of John.

Later on I got a chance to talk with Gerry personally. He told me the kids come to his house to get away from drugs because they have found out drugs do not turn them on the way God does.
“I like churches and all but they do not...

(Blog editors’ note: Our copy of the Anderson Herald story is incomplete and ends here.)

Here is a second story from the Anderson Herald

The “Jesus People’s” Preacher
By Mike Cox
Herald Youth Correspondent

Gerry Street coordinator of the nightly “Jesus Spirited” meetings held in his home on 53rd Street in Anderson was once an alcoholic and drug-user. But he turned to Jesus, he says, when he decided alcohol and drugs were not fulfilling him.

Street toured the U.S. preaching the Word of God until last July when, penniless, he purchased the house on 53rd Street. He says he is a firm and faithful believer in miracles and thus, somehow scrapped up the $100 down payment needed.

Street says he never once invited anyone into his home. “they (the kids) just started coming.” He commented. (Blog editors’ note: The copy of the newspaper story we have is unclear here and part of the text is missing.) When a youth or adult has…..Street offers his counsel…..which he terms “non-religious”…. “I have nothing against churches. I think they are good but they just don’t accept me”.

Though he has little contact with official church ministers, Street has hosted independent preachers similar to “circuit-riders”, such as one from Muncie present when these photos were taken.

To some, the “Jesus Movement” seems to be a fad which will soon fade, but Street states, “They really believe. All you have to do is look at them!”

Below:Blog Editor, Mike McDonald with hand raised, Steve Heifener-glasses center, Donnie Adams front center

Above photo - Jerry Street seated center, Mary Montgomery behind Gerry, Gary Hendricks behind right, and Steve Massengale to the left


Above photo: Jerry Street seated front right, Steve Massengale behind with Mary Montgomery next to him. Marla Bell, Diane ? , seated front left. The man teaching is Charles Ressler from Muncie Indiana.

Al (big Al) Praying

Above - Darlene?

If you recognize the people in these photos please send me an email at
missionarymike2004@yahoo.com