By Heather Campbell, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – “I’m lord of the rings,” said David Garrard, minister and magical entertainer from Louisville, while performing a series of ring illusions at chapel/convocation recently at Campbellsville University.
Garrard has been ministering and using his magical talents at St. Matthews Baptist Church in Louisville for the past 30 years.
He said he has been interested in magic since he was three years old.
He performed a series of tricks and illusions, ranging from tearing a newspaper to shreds and suddenly making it whole again, to handkerchiefs changing colors and breaking free of a straitjacket.
While performing the magic tricks, he asked two challenging questions to the audience.
“Are you a Christian?” he asked. “It was the best decision I ever made to become a Christian,” he said.
He told the story of how he went to a pastor’s conference in Atlanta with his father, who also shares a love of magic with him. While there, he was called on stage and was asked if he was a Christian. He replied that he was not and spent the rest of the day feeling convicted about his response.
Later that evening he said he spoke with his dad about becoming a Christian and accepted Christ that night. He invited others to do the same and to consider the claims of Jesus.
Garrard quoted author C.S. Lewis who said that Jesus could be a liar, a lunatic or exactly who he said he was.
The second question Garrard asked was if you are a Christian and were arrested today because of it, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
“If we claim to be a Christ follower, our lives need to reflect that,” he said.
He said that our testimony combined with our lives should give evidence of the commitment we have to Christ.
In addition to his ministry at St. Matthews Baptist Church, Garrard has presented his shows to places such as Kentucky Kingdom and the Society of American Magicians in Louisville.
He has been writing a family forum for the Western Recorder for seven years.
Garrard received his bachelor of arts degree in history from Samford University and a master of divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Garrard is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the Society of American Magicians and is vice president of the Louisville Magic Club.
He and his wife, Stephanie, along with their two children, Claire and Tyler, reside in Finchville, Ky.
Campbellsville University, now celebrating her Centennial year, is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of over 2,300 students who represent 95 Kentucky counties, 27 states and 34 foreign nations. Listed in U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” 14 consecutive years as one of the leading Southern master’s colleges and universities, Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his eighth year as president.