#7to9

...to Happen this Way

A MIGHTY MOVE OF GOD

Last night was one of the most powerful in my entire ministry.  We saw a Mighty move of God, and it was pretty much, unplanned.  This amazing night was ushered in on the heels of humility, audacious surrender, and church discipline.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  I'm glad my God can still surprise / delight / change my world.

Last week I preached on Colossians 2.  I brought a message entitled GO (in)Courage.  We looked at the struggle that Paul was willing to face in order to give a corrective word of exhortation.  We saw that sometimes it takes real courage to encourage.  I was convicted by my own message.  I have a friend named Chris that I have been investing in.  He is a charismatic guy who thought that God might have been calling him to ministry.  I gave him a leadership role in EngageMinistry's 7to9, and a public platform.  Each week, Chris called me and told me that he'd been sleeping with his girlfriend, and he was afraid that she was pregnant.  Chris manned up, and though the pregnancy turned out to be a false-positive, I was really impressed at how well Chris responded.  I was convicted over my lack of response.

After my message, I knew I had to talk to Chris.  After I finished preaching Tuesday night, I made lunch plans with Chris.  We met the following day.  I told Chris that I had been convicted that if he wanted to be restored to his public ministry, then he had to make a public confession of his sin.  This was one of the hardest things I've ever done in ministry, but I knew that before the Lord, I didn't have much choice.  I was amazed at how Chris responded.  Without any struggle, he agreed.  We made a plan that he would speak the following week - last night.

I had a guest speaker already set to preach - Kesh, and he brought a great Word   from Colossians 2:6-7.  During the invitation, Chris and I took the stage.  I told the audience that as a family, sometimes you get to have good and fun conversations.  Likewise, sometimes you have to have difficult conversations. After a bit more preface, I turned the mic over to Chris.  With boldness, Chris began to share.  He said that after our conversation on Wednesday morning, he went to another church service that evening.  During that service, he took communion and the Holy Spirit overwhelming convicted him that he was an unrepentant sinner.  He realized that the basis for his hope to that point was habit and religion.  That night, Chris surrendered everything to Jesus.  He said he had originally taken the platform to confess his, but that now he was confessing all his sin to and his need for a Savior.  He said he had been tired of placing his hope in a prayer he "hoped he had prayed," when he was a kid.  

As he shared this testimony, I could sense God's presence in the room.  After Chris finished, I gave an invitation.  Long story short - 8 people gave their lives to God.  

Last night, Alison Marshall from Israel (via New Zealand) came to speak at 7to9.  berean-to-berean.com  She talked about the Tabernacle, and it was stunning.  I look forward to growing and receiving from her ministry.  We recorded her lesson.  Hopefully I will post soon.

Prayer Groups

The big news is that Prayer Groups are working.  God has raised up such a might man, Andy, to help me lead this charge.  Last night we saw real genuine change.  I saw formerly-unengaged, yet really good people, acting like full-engaged ministry owners!  It was awesome.  God blessed us with a bunch of guests.  We probably had 10-12 1st or 2nd time guests.  Each of these guest were connected to some real community.  Praise God!  It was awesome.