Sow Bountifully, Reap Bountifully

I am sitting here with a stack of 89 cards, representing 89 different teenagers who personally attended the Cola Clash event last week. About one third of those who attended were a part of our church and one other church that participated on Monday evening, but 59 of them were visiting teens, most of them first time visitors who came because someone went out and personally invited them to come. 

Last Wednesday, the Minutemen Team arrived and challenged us with an excellent message entitled “Foolish, Feeble, But Filled” from 1 Cor. 1:18-31. Thursday morning they hit the ground running. They invited teens on their way to school that morning, met with school principals to see what opportunities they might provide; more scouting and inviting after school and into the evening. By Thursday evening they had 128 contacts that indicated interest in coming. They hit it again on Friday; going out morning, afternoon and evening and in between getting everything setup for the rally on Saturday. Friday evening they went to the high school football games and signed up 75 more. By Friday evening they had well over 200 contacts with phone numbers. Saturday they visited some more; some of our young people went with them. Then they called and text messaged all their contacts.

That’s a pretty impressive effort and it paid off; not only with regard to those who came and participated and heard the Gospel message, but even more so for those who were receptive and went away with Christ Himself. I had the privilege of dealing with four of the twenty-five who accepted Christ as their Savior and I rejoiced to see the convincing work of the Spirit in their hearts.

The Apostle Paul proclaimed a truth in 2 Cor. 9:6 … He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully, which has a wide array of applications. The Christian knows this applies to giving, the farmer knows that this applies to the harvest, the business man knows this applies to sales and the church should know this applies to seeing people come to Christ. This requires hard work and a concerted effort, but look at the eternal benefits. 

Today, the Minutemen Team is sowing bountifully at yet another church in another city. God give us the grace to learn from their example.