Words Can’t Come Close!

I am still trying to get my mind around all that took place yesterday…I slept very little last night…and in my time with the Lord this morning all I could do was say “Thank You” over and over again.

Here is the bottom line…for those who want me to just get to the point…we know of at least 214 people that received Christ yesterday.  Please stop and think about that for a minute.  214 people got up out of their chair–walked down an aisle in front of thousands of people–and asked Jesus, out loud, to come into their lives!  Amazing!

Our total attendance yesterday was 8,289 people!  (Yes, that is the most people we have ever had on a weekend–even more than Easter this past year!  We had over 300 people sitting in our atrium during the second service because we ran out of room in the sanctuary!)

Stop and think about that for a minute.  8,289 people heard the life changing message of Jesus Christ.  God is at work in this church.  Please, don’t lose sight of this–at this beginning of the year–just nine months ago we had about 4,200 people every weekend…yesterday there were over 8,000…you can count the number of churches in America that has taken place in this year on one hand.

This is amazing…and once again…stop and think about this–we are in Anderson, SC…this is not some big booming metropolis–its Anderson!  Why is this happening here?  It’s because I believe God wanted to do a work in a place that was so incredible and unbelievable that only HE could get the glory for it all.

I lost it yesterday several times–I keep seeing people FLOOD down the aisles in my mind.  I can’t get certain pictures out of my mind…

I see the father who walked forward with his son last night and wept as his son gave his life to Christ.

I see the son who brought his mother to the alter and rejoiced as his mom prayed & asked Jesus to come into her heart.

I see the lady in her 70’s making her way down the aisle with her walker…literally–she was moving slowly, step by step…and I wept as I watched her pray out loud–calling on the name of Jesus.

I see the father of one of our staff members who has been coming to our church for years–but yesterday nailed it down and received Christ.  I met his daughter when I walked off stage and gave her a hug…and she literally shook she was crying so hard–tears of joy because she now knows her father is going to heaven.

I watched a wife walk forward with her husband…a guy who people have been praying for…and yesterday was his day–God drew him–it was undeniable.

I could tell story after story…I am sure there are so many more…of people who walked forward yesterday and gave their lives to Christ.  I went home last night and told Lucretia, “These are the days that make it all worth it–its worth the sleepless nights…the criticism…the long meetings…it’s just worth it!!!”

Some who do not attend NewSpring are wondering how in the world something like this happened?  It’s actually quite simple…

Last week I preached a message on evangelism…I challenged the people at NewSpring to go out to their families and friends and invite them to church…I told them that many of their family members and friends were just once conversation…just one invitation away from coming to church and receiving Christ.

Well–they responded–we were slammed yesterday…and I walked out on stage–opened up my Bible and talked about Jesus…and God moved…and people were drawn to Him.

And let me say this to those who attend NewSpring…I feel like this is only the beginning.  I feel like we have just now began to discover all that God is wanting to do.  The best really is yet to come.  We all saw what God can do when we dedicate to investing in the lives of those who do not know Christ and then inviting them to church–what if we did that every week?  What if we were that passionate all the time?  WOW!

It is the greatest joy and privilege in the world to pastor this church!  I have the finest staff AND volunteers around me…and together…doing all we can & then begging God to make up the difference…we are seeing a work take place that is NOT normal.

One more challenge to those who attend here…NEVER, I MEAN EVER, be satisfied and think we have arrived!!!  There are way to many people in this community who do not know Christ–lets meet them, befriend them, invest in them, invite them…and ask Jesus to change them.  Let’s never be more concerned with who we keep rather than who we reach!  Let’s never target those who are already in the kingdom–but rather those who are FAR from it!!!

This is amazing…once again…if you are at NewSpring–please take some time today to get alone with God to thank Him for what He is doing in our church…and then beg Him to continue to pour out His favor on us!!!

Oh yeah…you might not believe this–but this coming Sunday…well…it’s going to be just as good as yesterday.  I promise you that you will see something happen that many of you have NEVER seen happen…and it will be one of the most moving things to ever take place in our church.  :-)