19 August 2007
The digits
And now (drum role please)…dadalut, dadalut, dadalut..
A topic more powerful than a nuclear blast
A truth deeper and more complex than Einstein’s theory of relativity.
A subject more controversial than the 2000 election.
A theme more riveting than the last half hour of the movie, “Braveheart.”
A subject matter more serious than a reprimand from Miss Bottomsworth in third grade.
A premise more promising than holding the winning lotto numbers in your sweaty little hands.
What is it?
Numbers.
Pure and simple.
Ready?
How many brand new Christ followers are their now as a result of God moving mightily this weekend at
While the turnout was a bit lower than what I’d hoped, I was brought back to reality when someone asked me why we planned such an important event for a summer weekend. That’s a good question. On the one hand I suppose you could look at it and think that…on the other hand, however, I look at it as a weekend that is historically low, and that turned out decent because of all of you who did whatever it took to get your friends, family and loved ones to Southbrook to hear our own, Clayton King present the gospel in a clear, compelling way. The week will probably come in around 2200. And, yes, I was hoping and praying for 3,000, but it will come…
God says to me at times like these, ‘Patience, young grasshopper.’
Truth? That number is not the one that matters. This one is…
116 people gave their lives to Jesus at Southbrook church!
And that’s not all. Earlier in the week we saw something happen that only God can do. God alone can take heartbreak and bring some joy. God alone can take pain and loss and turn it into eternal gain. As fireman, father, husband and Southbrook member Todd Hage went home to be with Jesus, his memorial service turned into a massive movement of the Holy Spirit on the hearts of those gathered. We counted at least 63 people who gave their lives to Jesus Christ!
Friends, do you realize that nearly 200 people have passed from death unto life in just the last 5 days?!
I hope you’ll drop to your knees and thank God for how He moved this weekend, and even this past week.
And could you then do this, tell us your story.
Every number, every name on the CD’s is a real person with a real story. Will you tell us yours?
I’ll start…
My wife, Michelle invited her brother Rob (cool name, huh?) to spend the last 10 days with us (he lives in
But you know what?
He came Saturday night and did not make a decision for Christ.
Michelle was crushed.
However, I reminded her that Clayton King was also staying at our house and that I had wanted her brother, Rob to come to the Saturday evening service for just this reason.
“It’s ok, honey,” I said, “Now Clayton and I will tag team him till
It didn’t take that long.
At
You better believe that number matters to me!! And it matters to Michelle!!
Normally, to wake Michelle past
It did, she cried endless tears of joy that her brother here on earth is now her brother in Christ as well!
It’s a week I will never forget.
The ups and the downs.
The losses and the gains.
At the end of this post you can see some pictures from the day…but for now…
Please take the next couple of days to click on the comments section below this post and type out your own story of the changed life of a loved one. We really want to hear them!
Can’t wait to read them!
Oh, and tell us the other stories too…the ones about the people who didn’t make it to
Ready?
Go!
7 Comments currently posted.
ryan says:
melissa says:
Praise God for the lives touched and forever changed!
Lance Ratliff says:
Rob, I had invited several people from work verbally and by email reminding them during the week and none of them showed up. I was very disappointed. They will be on my list until I get them there. But as God would have it he had bigger plans for my family. My mother-n-law, Father-n-law and wife all made commitments to dedicate thier life to christ. WOW what a great weekend. Lets all work harder to make the next one ven better. Praise and Glory to God.
Melissa Dudley says:
Keep praying for the names on the cd’s, those who didn’t come to church this weekend. That includes my Dad. Thank you to all the members who made room in the main building by sitting in the cafe, it made a big difference. I’ve never felt so blessed to be apart of a church that has such a heart for lost people.
Kelly says:
Please continue to pray for the ones who did not attend this past weekend. One of my friends did; the other wanted to know (after the fact) if Clayton talked about “that Jesus stuff”…..hmmmm. I’ll keep trying.
Rhoda Lukens says:
I am still just a baby christian myself even though I grew up in a very religious household. I certainly know firsthand that I am not getting into heaven through inherited belief! It has been recently that I am finding my own relationship with Christ and this was one of the first challenges that I really went into it wholeheartedly. I chose to invite my daycare provider and her family. They have become such special people to us and are kind of like our “home away from home” family. I was really excited when they accepted the invitation to come, but as the day grew near I feared they would back out. As it turns out, some did, but my childcare provider and her 19 year old daughter ended up coming. The most I was really hoping for was that they would like the church and continue to come and be a part of the SB family. So imagine my delight when Clayton King asked us all to open our eyes and had the people stand that had just accepted Christ into their hearts and my friend’s 19 year old daughter stood up! I don’t think I have ever experienced something that made me feel so good to think that I had a small part in bringing her closer to God. I am definitely very excited to be able to do it again soon!
JT says:
It sounds like there is a real heart out there for those that didn’t come this past weekend. My wife and I invited a family as well and they ‘respectfully declined’.
Thanks be to God for all those that did attend and for those that accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Let’s hope that we see them here again this week ready to start the growing process. Those of us that have been Christ-followers for awhile know the difficulties that will come up from time to time. Let’s be ready to welcome our new brothers and sisters as they make that public profession of faith in baptism. If you invited someone to come and they accepted Christ into their life, it probably wouldn’t hurt to keep on them this week so they take the next step and that is baptism. It is something that God asks us to do once we make that decision. Wouldn’t it be awesome to see all 116 people show up and make that public profession of faith??
I was there today, and it was the real thing. No hype, no fear, just honest and simple truth. Grown men and women were weeping and giving their lives to God. I have never seen anything like it. God is all over Southbrook.