Monday, December 31, 2012

This is Why

Mission Statement (Do Not Delete)
 
A simple phrase with profound meaning that anyone who has been around Elevation Church for any length of time can repeat on command.  But, so that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ is so much more than a phrase that I can repeat on command.  It is the why behind so much of my life.

So that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ is why I get out of bed at 6:30 on a Sunday.  It is why I put so much on the line to bring people to church.  It is why I serve all day on Sunday.  It is why I drive 20 miles to Rock Hill every Thursday evening for fifteen middle schoolers. 

So that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ is the mission statement of Elevation Church.  It is the reason why eight families sold their houses, quit their jobs and moved to Charlotte.  There was no earthly promise to them in Charlotte, just a heavenly calling.

This Christmas, so that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ became real to me, again.  Too often we get caught up doing church.  This Christmas, God reminded me of the why.  Allow me to present to you two why's behind why I am sold out to seeing those far from God raised to life in Christ.

Case One - Molly, age 13, has been in my eGroup for over a year.  In January, she asked me as eGroup was coming to a close if we could speak in private.  We went into the hallway.  She asked what it meant to be saved and for more information on baptisms.  I did my best to share the gospel with her in a few short minutes.  She said she understood, but felt that the timing wasn't right.  I prayed for her salvation daily.  Over the next few months, we talked about it on a regular basis.  She just kept saying the time wasn't right.  This Christmas Eve Eve, I received a text from Molly saying that she stood!  She stood to accept Christ as her Savior.  She stood to publicly declare that she was no longer going to flirt with the dividing line.  Nearly a year of prayer and persistence and conversations, Molly asked Jesus into her heart.

Case Two - John, age 18, is the brother of a friend of mine.  Less than a month ago, she shared with me the story of John.  John was far from God.  Mixed up with the wrong crowd, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, he was arrested, facing up to one year in prison.  My friend, Nesha, made one last attempt to see John be raised to life in Christ.  She brought him to Elevation Church two weeks ago.  He liked it alright.  Three days before Christmas, Nesha and I had breakfast.  Facing resistance from the devil, she admitted that she was probably going to skip out on church.  The next day, Nesha brought her brother John to Timeless Christmas.  John stood to accept Christ.  The gospel was clearly presented to him, and he knew that the time was now.  He asked Jesus into his heart.  Now, whatever happens in court, he has Jesus in his life.  Jesus will be beside him in whatever trials are ahead.

Molly and John are only two of over two thousand who stood to accept Christ at Timeless Christmas at Elevation Church.  But the stories of Molly and John hit home to me.  I've been praying for Molly and John for longer than they know.  Molly and John's stories are the reason that I get out of bed on Sunday mornings.  Their stories are the reason that I do what I do with a smile on my face.

So that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ

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