Remembering Hilton Sutton

Remembering Hilton Sutton

by Steve Eastman, Faith Issues

Hilton Sutton championed a take on Bible prophecy different from most.  He added an unusually positive spin to the pre-trib rapture theory, making him a favorite with the Faith Movement.

The 87 year-old prophecy teacher died this past weekend.  In the words of his website, “Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 9:21 PM, Dr. Hilton Sutton boldly entered the presence of the Lord whom he faithfully served for more than 65 years.  He was a true Bible teacher without apology or speculation, loving mentor and father in the faith and he will be profoundly missed.”

The first time I encountered Hilton Sutton was as a college student.  I had decided to get away from Virginia Tech for the weekend and attend a Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International convention in Parkersburg, West Virginia.  It was a beautiful drive.

Hilton Sutton was one of the featured speakers.  There are two things I will always remember from that weekend.  The first was Sutton’s upbeat approach to the End Times.  The second is the way he dealt with an interruption in his meeting.  I don’t recall why a member of the audience stood up and challenged him, but Sutton’s deep, resonant Texas voice urged everyone to start praying aloud in tongues.  Almost all did, and the disruptive person left, having no further way to interrupt.

My next encounter with Sutton was not quite ten years later.  I was on-staff with a church and television ministry in Memphis, Tennessee.  My assignment was to meet up with the prophecy teacher at Happy Caldwell’s church in Little Rock, Arkansas and interview him for our ministry’s newspaper.  You can bet one of the first things I mentioned to him was that FGBMFI meeting in West Virginia.

Sutton was a personable man with a strong assurance of what he believed.  I enjoyed the opportunity to delve into his life and dig out spiritual treasures.
 
That was many years ago.  I still look for the Lord’s coming, but no longer agree with many of Sutton’s interpretations.  That’s okay.  We’re each responsible for following the leads God gives us so we can come to a greater understanding of His truth.  That being said, we can still look kindly on the Christian influences from our past.

There’s one thing about that announcement on the ministry’s website.  Dr. Hilton Sutton was a bold man.  I have no trouble imagining him boldly entering God’s presence.

Listen to Steve Eastman’s story.

©2012 Faith Issues