More Easter Thoughts

I'm still trying to get my mind around all God did at NewSpring during Easter. NewSpring had 24,286 adults, 4,252 children and 731 salvations across 5 campuses.

And yes, we keep those statistics because every number is a person. NewSpring volunteers encountered every one of them in some way: parking their car, welcoming them to NewSpring, checking in their children for KidSpring, handing them a bulletin & pin, helping them find a seat, answering their questions, talking to them after their decision to accept Christ - 1000's of volunteers across five campuses served in 23 total services to be the hands and feet of Jesus during this weekend.

But I'll be one of the first to say, it's not NewSpring but Jesus that makes the difference. It's Jesus who draws people; it's Jesus who changes lives; it's Jesus who gives hope and life. But people must want to be in a place where they can hear the gospel and then hear it in a way that makes sense to them. Because NewSpring is an exciting place to be week after week, our people invite, invite, invite - their families, their neighbors, their co-workers, their favorite waitress, their hairdresser and people come.

Sometimes church people (not NewSpringers) question if the salvations we see are "real". Only God sees and knows the heart but as one who talks to those who have made decisions, I believe they are real. Just like the two guys from Texas I mentioned in my last post. People might wonder if they just got caught up in the moment and didn't really get converted. Well, those two came back to church in Columbia on Sunday morning because they knew Jesus had done something in their lives. Also heard that a policemen who works security at one of our campuses (Anderson maybe) gave his heart to Jesus. Jesus can work in anyone, any time, any way HE wants to.

I was reading in Habakkuk this morning. Habakkuk says where are You, God? There's so much evil and You don't seem to be doing anything. But God says, "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told." Many do NOT believe that God is doing a great work at NewSpring or places like Elevation Church in the Charlotte, NC area (19,000 in attendance and over 2,200 decisions for Christ!) and other churches who faithfully proclaim the gospel, lifting up the name of Jesus. The evidence is in the lives that are changed!