The True Essence of the Big Event

This is a guest post by Eric Brown, Word of Life Area Missionary to Maine. During the month of November he along with other National Missionaries runs 17 evangelistic events reaching 30,000 students. As the Gospel is presented, many of these students say “Yes” to Jesus. Eric reminds us that the true essence of big event is the individual.

 Counseling time was over, and I was running to start the next event in the rally. Hallways were empty of the many that had responded. Seemed things were moving on speedily from the presentation of the Gospel. Counselors were organizing the decision slips, and the most important time at Superbowl was drawing to a close. Soon the enthusiasm of 2300 kids screaming at the top of their lungs for prizes to be thrown to them and for their team to win would begin. Then, I saw this young man, laying down in this nook and cranny reading something. As I looked further, i noticed He was reading from the Gospel of John he had just received from a counselor after responding to the Gospel. I stopped and said, “What do you think?” to which he replied, “It’s good.”

I will never get rid of this photo. In its simplicity lies the essence of this thing called Superbowl.

To the hundreds of volunteers that worked all night at a bowling facility, roller rink, or gym and to the prayer warriors that were on their knees begging God for souls and to the hundreds of leaders that got that late night phone call the night before Superbowl to “add one more” . . . to the many that sponsored a student to come that could not afford it . . . I ask you to print this picture. Put it in your youth room to show your teens who invited friends that prayer works! Keep it in your mind: those tiring, exhausting days when you are so busy that you forget what this thing called youth ministry is all about, remember this picture.

Let it burn deeply into the fiber of your heart and soul.

May we never forget that this is our mission, this is our calling!