HIGH PERCENTAGE OF NEW CHRISTIANS
Of all of the churches that I was privileged to be the pastor, I believe Rockyview Alliance Church had the highest percentage of new Christians. One summer I had a student intern from Canadian Bible College in Regina. His focus was on evangelism. He did a study on the make up or spiritual life of our congregation, young adults and up, posing questions to me and what I knew about them. He then took my answers and came back with this conclusion. Twenty-two and a half percent of our adults, young and old, were new converts. Some of these were teaching Sunday School, learning the stories along with their students about Joseph, Moses, Daniel, the apostles, etc. It was all new to them. Others became involved in other areas.
I've shared a story or two, among many, of people who received Christ through our Evangelism Explosion training visits, plus the sharing of the gospel one to one. I recall one week of evangelism which we had with Paul Edwardson, a C&MA evangelist, but we had other ministries throughout the year, in addition to the youth ministry, which I shared in a previous post.
One of those ministries was an annual Daily Vacation Bible School, reaching children from the surrounding community. Fortunately our church building was situated in a residential area. We were located at the corner of Rundlehorn Drive and 32nd Avenue NE with houses on all four sides, occupied with young couples and young families. There was no shortage of children to invite.
One of those ministries was an annual Daily Vacation Bible School, reaching children from the surrounding community. Fortunately our church building was situated in a residential area. We were located at the corner of Rundlehorn Drive and 32nd Avenue NE with houses on all four sides, occupied with young couples and young families. There was no shortage of children to invite.
A snack break at a Daily Vacation Bible School
I quote from a 1984 fall issue of Rockyview Communicator, a newsletter which we printed and distributed to the members and adherents of the church. Pastor Brem Frentz wrote this report.
"One of the exciting ministries that took place this summer, (July 23-27) was that of Daily Vacation Bible School. It was a joy for me to stand back and watch 55 of our church family as they gave significant contributions of time and effort to the week long education of 265 kids.
"I believe that this was a highly successful week. Our average attendance was 220 children and 40 workers. We also saw 47 children make decisions for the Lord and many other re-dedications. How we thank God for what He accomplished in this week. Each of you who took part are to be congratulated. Help us to pray for the followup of these children."
Let me share a story of one who came to know the Lord, as a result of one of our pastoral visits and also a story about a conversion that began with an invitation which I gave at the conclusion of my sermon.
"One of the exciting ministries that took place this summer, (July 23-27) was that of Daily Vacation Bible School. It was a joy for me to stand back and watch 55 of our church family as they gave significant contributions of time and effort to the week long education of 265 kids.
"I believe that this was a highly successful week. Our average attendance was 220 children and 40 workers. We also saw 47 children make decisions for the Lord and many other re-dedications. How we thank God for what He accomplished in this week. Each of you who took part are to be congratulated. Help us to pray for the followup of these children."
Let me share a story of one who came to know the Lord, as a result of one of our pastoral visits and also a story about a conversion that began with an invitation which I gave at the conclusion of my sermon.
First, a young mother, who was a Christian, started attending Rockyview. This young lady shared with me that she would like to have her new baby dedicated. I went to her home one evening to visit with her and her husband. The husband a very cordial and friendly man, was not a Christian and did not attend church services with his wife, but indicated that he would support her and agreed to come and have the baby dedicated. I suggested that there was no need to rush with this baby dedication and asked if he would consider coming to church with his wife for three months, listen to the sermon and learn a little about what we believed and what others were agreeing to when they dedicated their babies. At the end of the three months I agreed to meet with them again and hear what he understood about child dedication and then discuss re the dedication of their baby. He said he would come.
That next Sunday, he was in church with his wife. He continued to come and fulfill his promise. He was there Sunday after Sunday. Before we ever reached the three month mark, this husband prayed to receive Christ. It was not long after, that I dedicated their baby, challenging this young Christian couple to bring the child up in the nurture and admonish of the Lord. I learned, after I left Calgary and moved on, that he later enrolled in a Bible College. I have had no further contact, that being at least thirty-five years ago.
In writing about people receiving Christ through the church services, let me say that I nearly always gave an invitation for people to respond to my invitation at the conclusion of the sermon. I wish I had known years ago what I learned from Pastor Al Runge in my last full time ministry. Al's invitation was an open invitation for prayer, for any need; for someone to pray with re a burden, request, healing, salvation, dedication, guidance, etc. People are hurting and need to share their burdens and they need someone that will listen and pray with them.
Well, my invitations were most always for salvation. Since that was the case, I varied my invitation. Some times I invited them to come forward as we sang our closing hymn. That is fine if there is a large audience, but a little threatening in a church service where maybe only one or two would respond and who is going to be the first to move forward. So, I often asked them to raise their hand, signalling that they would like to be remembered in prayer. As much as possible I would try to seek out that person before they left the building. Another way in which I gave my invitation was to lead with the sinner's prayer and invite them to make it their prayer, if they wanted to personally receive Christ as their Saviour. One method which I used was to ask them to remain seated where they were, if they wanted to know more about the Christian life or wanted spiritual help. A pastor or elder would see them and seek to help them following the service.
One Sunday morning I gave the invitation to remain seated and someone would join them. A young lady remained in her seat. Whatever happened, happened, but no pastor or elder stopped to talk with her. The organist, who was playing the postlude saw her. She was still seated when he finished, so he went and spoke with her and then found one of my associate pastors, Ed Carlson. Ed met with her and she prayed to receive Christ as her Saviour. Ed was teaching a newcomers class, prior to the morning service and so invited her to come to his class the next Sunday.
That next Sunday, she was there along with her husband. Ed normally had six or seven people in his class, but that Sunday no one else, absolutely no one else showed up, except this lady and her husband. That morning the husband prayed to receive Christ.
Soon after, the lady contacted Pastor Ed and asked if he would visit her father, who was in hospital and dying with cancer. Ed visited him and led him to the Lord. The next visit that Pastor Ed made to the hospital to visit this dying man, the man's wife was there. This man said to Ed, share with her what you told me. To shorten this story, Ed shared, along with the man joining in and reminding Ed to also her tell this or that, and the wife prayed to receive Christ as her Saviour. Four people came to faith in Christ because of the simple invitation given at the close of the service to remain in your seat if you wanted to know more or have prayer. Ed later had the privilege of having this man's funeral.
I was only going to share one story re the invitation, but this one just came to my mind. One Sunday, once again inviting people to remain seated if they desired spiritual help, a couple stayed seated. We did better this time around. Frank, who I referred to in an earlier post, joined this couple. The couple were Jehovah Witnesses and had been deeply involved with the JW's for twenty some years. As Frank began to chat with them as to how they came to Rockyview that morning, he soon realized that this was a contact made by a person who had received Christ, through another person that Frank had led to the Lord. Frank, rejoicing later after these folks prayed to receive Christ, said, these are my spiritual great grandchildren. What was even more interesting was that Frank, who had been born into a Mormon home, had become a Jehovah Witness in his past, was able to fully understand this couple and where they were coming from.
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