It’s Not Me

I generally don’t post about the numbers of people who make professions of faith at my programs. That’s because I don’t measure the success of a program based on the number of people coming forward. I’m not called to produce numbers, I’m called to be faithful. Getting people to respond is the Holy Spirit’s job, not mine.

I recently returned from doing a series of programs for Fellowship Community Church in Norwalk, Iowa. We decided to conclude each of the VBS programs with an alter call. The first day, I didn’t do much of a Gospel presentation. I just spoke in a very general sense about putting God in charge of your life. I would build on that idea during the rest of the week, dealing more specifically with our sin and Jesus sacrifice and resurrection. I expected to have very few, if any, responses the first day. However, God had other plans. At the end of that first program, a large percentage of the kids came forward.

I was afraid that they didn’t understand. Perhaps they were just coming to join the crowd, or thought they were volunteering to participate in the program. The church had volunteers ready to speak with the kids who came forward in small groups immediately following the alter call. It turns out that the majority of the kids who came forward really did understand and wanted to begin a relationship with Jesus.

I certainly can’t take credit for the results. I didn’t do a particularly powerful or persuasive presentation. It just serves as a reminder that it’s not me who produces results. It’s God.