The Remnants of Harvest

The Harvest Crusade is over today, and I am a little sad... even though I was not able to be as involved as I would have liked, our church (C3) played a major role in this event, and it has been this growing excitement and passion to join with 250 other churches in our area to put on this event. The hope was to give an "arena" for many people to bring their lost friends to an exciting event that would show God is not boring, and bring people to hear a gospel message who may not ever darken the door of a church. Our church was part of the 3 week training to do the counseling at Harvest, and our pastor, Matt Fry, was even the MC one night, so this was very exciting for our church.

Now, if you don't know this already, North Carolina is (I think) the belt buckle of the Bible belt... and I wondered how many non-Christians would actually attend this type of event. I am still not sure, but what we do know is that over 2,400 people made some type of decision for Christ at this event. Maybe it was a rededication, maybe it was a person who grew up in the church or who actually attended a church but realized they had never made a public profession of faith, or maybe it was truly an unchurched person who came with a friend who heard about Christ for the first time and how He wants to give meaning to their life.

I don't know, and in many ways we will never know, but I think what this event did do was it brought momentum and excitement to the already believers in the triangle area. I believe that it reminded many people that they are not alone... that there is a big world out there with singers and speakers who came from bad beginnings who God has blessed outrageously because they gave their life and talents to Christ. I believe there were many Christians who were rocking along who needed something like this to remind them of what a big God they serve and that He wants to do big things in their life. I believe God came to the Bible belt because he cares about the struggling believers who go through the motions and want to believe God is more than just ritual, but just have gotten lost in the traditions of church.

My husband and I want to go where there is no "living" church, where .5% claim to be evangelical believers, where 80% have never touched a Bible, where there are more spiritist healers than lawyers, doctors, and priests combined. We want to go to France and let people see for the first time how outrageously awesome and fun our God is and how He wants to radically change their life and country. But I love how God always reminds me that He loves everybody, even the ones who know him, who have 15 Bibles in their house, who were raised in church and have heard the gospel a million times, who have turned from God even when he has blessed them outrageously... but need to be reminded of His power and love again. Our God is just like that.

You can read more about the crusade from the Harvest Crusades official blog.