I love stories of life change. The impact simple actions of love can make in the lives of others. Some come out of deep relationship and trust built over months and even year’s of time, but others need hope right now. They need a divine intersection with someone who has the simple courage to put an opportunity for hope and purpose within their path.
This morning I watched this testimony below. It’s worth all 12 minutes of your life to view it, trust me. It is the depiction of a person at the end or their hope, ready to end their life, who by divine chance received an invitation to church. Believe it or not she comes and it’s not the service, or the message that captures her, but a person in the lobby. Watch…
Who has the greatest joy from hearing her story? The campus pastor from the lobby? The person who put the invite into her hand? The lead pastor who challenges people to get baptized and grow in their relationship with Jesus, who hired the campus pastor? What about the design team behind the invite? Is it Jesus, for paying the price to make a way for hope? All of heaven? Her mom and dad?
I believe all were vital, down to those not given credit within the story. The greeters, musicians, tech team, first impressions, those who invested their faithful giving to build the Mathew’s campus she found herself inside, the printer of the invites, and the person who gave the challenge to distribute the invitation initially.
One invite can change a life, one honest moment with someone in the lobby can turn someone’s life around. We should hold our heads up high, because surely the harvest is plentiful, if we will just take note of those needing hope and purpose!
I am so grateful for the video that captures this story from Elevation Church in North Carolina. It allows us to see what can happen through our daily obedience to see the people around us and walk out he simple but divine task of passing on an invitation!
I can’t wait to shoot our own stories at Open Life this year as we continue to grow and reach those within our city who need hope. What might the video look like and who will be involved?
April 8th is just over 6 weeks away! Easter 2012…the day most people would be open to an invitation such as the one depicted within this video. Who will you invite, what will their story be?
Can’t wait to tell it!
