Sunday, April 17, 2011

134

"And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name."
Acts 22:16

I woke up this morning thinking it was going to be another Sunday morning at Elevation. I love serving at Elevation. I love serving the 11:15 because we always have loads of first time families. I was expecting God to show up. But, can I be honest with you? I wasn't expecting Him to show up like He did.

There were 10 baptisms planned during each worship experience this weekend. At the 11:15 service, Pastor Steven felt as if there were a lot of girls being baptized. He called out the men of Elevation, and asked 5 men to step up, be obedient and get baptized. More than 5 men got up immediately... more than 10 got up immediately. John Bishop was baptizing these men. Pastor Steven told the people of Elevation, 'If you are at another campus, leave and get to Matthews now. They will baptize you.' When I say people kept showing up, I mean... THEY JUST KEPT COMING!! People came from the other three campuses. How many people you ask?? 134 people. 134 people were obedient to the call that the Lord had put on their heart, and came to get baptized this morning/afternoon.

I had planned on leaving the Matthews campus at 12:30. Then, I felt led to ask if I could help. I helped out until 3:00. It was amazing. People showed up until 2:15. There was water everywhere. There were towels everywhere. It was amazing to help. It was amazing to serve the people getting baptized. It was an amazing day.

I cried on my way home today. I am so thankful to get to be a part of Elevation Church. I am so thankful to be a part of this move of God. God showed up in ways that no one could have expected today.

Wondering what the final baptism count for the weekend is? 203. That is 203 people who declared their faith in Christ publicly today. There were husbands and wives (one of which I know!!!!!), brothers and sisters, moms and dads, whole families...

Today is a day that I will never forget. I will never forget how God showed up at Elevation Church today. I will never forget the number 134. Although 134 was not the last count, 134 was the amount of people who were spontaneously baptized at the 11:15 service. I was in the auditorium for numbers 93-134. Those are not just numbers, those were all people. Each number is a life. Each number is a life who accepted Christ, and wanted to let the world know their life is new. People who responded the the call the Lord put on their heart. People who had walked away from Christ for years. People who had met Christ weeks before. People who baptized with their whole families.

I apologize if you are reading this and feel like there isn't much direction. There isn't. I am still just in awe of what happened at Elevation today.

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