Assemblies of God chaplain candidate John P. Smith Jr. knew theBible verse about being prepared in season and out (2 Timothy 4:2).So did Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan Sr., a Pentecostal chaplainmentoring him at Fort Jackson in South Carolina.

Preaching wasn''t one of the regular assignments during this six-weekofficer training for prospective Army chaplains that Smith took thissummer. But Jordan thought Smith could handle a sermon.

He knew Smith would be attending the 8:15 a.m. Sunday serviceanyway, so Jordan phoned him at 7:15 a.m. to see if he could readthe Scripture to the congregation. Certainly, the 30-year-old Smithreplied. Jordan called back a few minutes later to see if he wouldalso preach the sermon.

Smith, who began preaching at age 16 in Elk City, Oklahoma, said noproblem. He had a message prepared for just such an occasion. As aformer associate pastor and as a chaplain''s assistant he hadpreached to crowds of several hundred before. But soon Smith wasdelivering a sermon in the auditorium at the base to more than 1,000trainees.

It didn''t take long for Smith to leave the pulpit on the platformwhere he nearly always stood during a sermon. He sensed an emotionaland worshipful intensity among the recruits who paid close attentionto his words. Smith stopped following his manuscript that describedhow David conquered Goliath. Instead, he began walking the floor andallowing the Holy Spirit to take over. He spoke from his heart andlooked the future soldiers in the eyes.

His message centered on 1 Samuel 17:47: "All those gathered herewill know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; forthe battle is the Lord''s." Those in the auditorium had been enduringrigorous military training. Some faced imminent deployment overseasto combat zones, and that weighed heavily on the hearts of many.

Even before Smith issued an altar call some began heading for thealtar. When he did give that invitation, more than 350 peopleresponded and accepted Christ as Savior.

"I didn''t design the service," Smith says. "The Holy Spirit moveseven when we don''t follow an expository sermon. I had neverexperienced that kind of reaction where people are so hungry for thepreaching of the Word."

Several attendees who are Assemblies of God members told Smithafterwards they felt as if they were in their home church.