I first saw Chris at a concert in a hotel ballroom, playing drums in his rock band! What struck me was his enthusiasm as he pounded away at his kit! The gig made a strong impression on me as a 15 year-old bass player and I went away feeling glad that I seen his band in action! I saw the band play live a few more times before they split up and went their separate ways.
It was not until the early 1980's that I finally got the chance to play bass with Chris and get to know him as a person. This came about through our mutual friendship with a great blues/rock guitarist called Tim, who suggested Chris as the drummer for a one-off band we were putting together to play at a party in a field! I brought in my friend Cliff to play lead guitar with Tim and to be the lead vocalist, and the scene was set for a cracking performance by the Ice Cream Men!
On the night of the gig it rained ..... well actually, it POURED! We stormed through our set, which included numbers by Jeff Beck, Stanley Clarke and Van Halen, as the audience applauded by beeping their car horns and flashing their headlamps, as they sat in their respective vehicles facing the stage!!!! What a night!
Apart from bumping into Chris at occasional parties or at the shop where he worked, our next significant encounter came in the early 1990's in a seaside town. It was a bright sunny day and I was preaching the gospel of Christ in the street when along the road came Chris! He was amazed to discover that I had become a Christian and thought it was really amazing that I was in the street preaching too!!! We chatted and I shared my testimony of conversion with him and during the conversation he told me that he was a Buddhist! He listened intently as I shared the words of Jesus with him from John chapter 14 verse 6: ' ... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.' After chatting for some time Chris and I said "goodbye" and he continued walking down the street as I continued preaching the gospel.
Some time later I heard that Chris was in hospital, having been diagnosed with a serious brain tumour and when I heard this sad news I just knew that I had to go and visit him. As I walked into his room in the hospital ward I was met with the sight of a dejected and obviously frightened man, surrounded by some of his closest friends. His girlfriend was also there. Chris was very pleased to see me and after chatting with him for a few minutes I offered to pray for him. This was a new experience for Chris and it was a very moving experience for both of us as I prayed for him in Jesus's name. Before leaving the hospital I assured Chris that I would visit him again.
Very soon after visiting Chris in hospital I received a phone call from a friend at church telling me that there was a recorded message on the church office answer phone from a lady called Sandie, who was enquiring to see if Alex Bowler attended the church, because her boyfriend Chris wanted to see him! Sensing in my heart that this was an urgent cry for help from Chris, I immediately called her on the number she had left. It was clear that she was very relieved that she had contacted the right church, after looking through the yellow pages to try and find the one I might attend!!! Sandie told me that Chris had left the hospital and that he really wanted me to visit him at home. Knowing that God had opened the door for me to visit Chris, I set off in my car to the village where he lived.
When I arrived at the cottage where he lived Chris was with a friend, who left after a few minutes because he knew that Chris wanted to chat to me alone. As Chris and I sat facing each other in that picturesque old cottage he said, " Alex, thanks so much for coming to see me. I have asked you over here to tell me about God. I feel such a hypocrite because I know I have ignored Him all my life but now I need to know about Him. Please will you tell me about Him?" I looked at Chris with compassion in my heart and said, " Chris, God loves you and knows all about the longings of your heart. I'd love to tell you about Him, my friend."
Opening my Bible at John Chapter 3, I began to read to Chris. His eyes opened in wonder as he heard about Jesus speaking of our need for a spiritual re-birth. As I read the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16, tears welled up in his eyes - ' For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.' I explained that Jesus loved us so much that He had given His life upon the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and that He had risen from the dead. As Chris listened with tears still in his eyes I shared the way of salvation: that all who would come to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance, and faith, confessing Him as Lord, would receive a free pardon and be saved! The room fell silent for a couple of seconds and then I said, "Chris, you need Jesus." Full of emotion, Chris replied: "You are right Alex. I believe that." He then went on to say that he had always felt in his heart that Buddhism was man-made and that now He wanted to commit his life to Jesus Christ.
I will never forget the precious moments that followed, as we stood up and as Chris repeated the 'Sinner's Prayer' after me. As he came to his Saviour he was filled with peace and the certain knowledge of his salvation! As Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit had come into his heart and he had been born again! We hugged each other as new brothers in Christ as he said, "That feels so good." As we sat down and chatted together afterwards, Chris told me that he wanted to tell his girlfriend Sandie what had happened to him as soon as he saw her!
Anyone who knew Chris would have known that they were looking at a changed man if they had walked through the door at that moment - a man who knew that his sins had been forgiven, a man who knew that he had at last found peace with God! A few minutes later, Sandie walked through that door and as she walked into the room she could see that something very special had happened to Chris. As she sat down I said, "Hi Sandie, Chris has something to tell you!" Gone was the frightened man with the fear of death haunting him! Here was a new man with certain knowledge of eternal life, who looked at Sandie and confidently said," I believe in Jesus Christ!"
What happened next was so moving as Sandie and Chris held hands and Sandie said, " Chris this is so wonderful, and I have something to tell you too! I have put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Saviour too! It happened some time ago but I'm so glad that I have told you now."
As the three of us rejoiced in our salvation, we prayed together and thanked God for all He had done in our lives and for that special day when He rescued Chris! Before I left the cottage I gave Chris a present, a worship music tape recorded at Hillsong Church in Australia.
Not long after Chris's conversion I went back to the cottage to visit him again. He shone with the light of Jesus and told me how wonderful he felt because he was a Christian! He also told me how much he loved the Hillsong tape I had given to him, especially the track: Eagles Wings. We prayed together before I left and I will always remember his smiling face as he said, "Goodbye Alex" at the door. Not long after that special day, Chris passed peacefully into Paradise to be with the Saviour he loved .... the Saviour who loved him - the Lord Jesus Christ.
Chris is no longer with us here on earth, but he is with the Lord and I know I'll see him again one day! Reader, do you have that same certainty? YOU can come to the Saviour of the world too. Jesus has promised that He will never turn away anyone who comes to Him. Come as you are to Jesus. Come to Him today ........
'For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;' Romans 3:23.