Responding to the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Since the start of our trip, we’ve had the pleasure of taking part in a large number of Gospel Crusades. These crusades often start around 5pm with the local churches praying and inviting people to come using large speakers stacked high and blasting to attract people from as far as possible. The volume of the sound is the way they advertise the crusades. Following the prayer, the choirs for the local churches often sing and dance as people begin to come from all over, following the sound of the music. As this is going on, our team is often mingling with the crowd, dancing with them and playing with the children. Once a good crowd has formed, our team is introduced. By being a team of visitors from all over the world, we also serve as an attraction to the local population. We then perform a skit to music that shows the gospel visually to the people. Then one of us shares our testimony with the crowd using an interpreter. We then do a second skit and then share the gospel, followed by a call to salvation and praying for the sick and those tormented by demons.
I have enjoyed these crusades a great deal. We have so much fun dancing and seeing the many faces moved by the skits. On one of the first nights of our recent crusades, I had the honor of preaching the good news of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the response was overwhelming. People are so hungry for the hope and freedom found in Jesus Christ here in Uganda! People of all types and faiths come to encounter the love of Jesus at these crusades.
One of the beautiful Ugandans who received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior that night was a young man named Julius. He inspired me so much over the course of that week. The crusade lasted the better part of the week and he showed up every night for the whole week. After the first night when he met Jesus, he would come and dance and he was so joyful in the Lord all week. You could see the power of the gospel all over his face all week.
It is very important for the crusades to be done in conjunction with the local church so the new believers have a place to fellowship and grow in their faith following their salvation. One of the churches we partnered with that week was located right there in that town so we went to that church during the day each day to do seminars and teach the word of God. There too I was excited to see Julius sitting in the pews, seeking more of God.
Hanging with Julius at the morning seminars.
As the crusade came to a close, we finished the week by preaching in church. As we ministered in the church, there was Julius still seeking more of the King!
Leaving Church service with the joy of the Lord!
You might be wondering “when does he have time to work if he’s spending so much time with the church?” What I’ve found is that many of the believers here take their commitment to put God first as the highest priority in all situations. Many of the believers that have been serving us and cooking every meal for our team, cleaning for us, driving us places, translating, etc. have been by our side night and day. When I ask them how much they get paid they say they don’t get paid by men but by God and they are serving Him. When I ask how they make money to live they often have a little shop along the road or something similar. So when there is a need in the church, their business closes and doesn’t open again until they’re done with God’s work with the church. No matter how great their financial needs, they believe that if you put God first and serve Him, He will bless and provide as needed in their life. It’s a faith walk for them with Christ in the center at all times. I’ve been so moved and encouraged by the way the believers live here.
So I realize the beauty and authenticity of Julius’ salvation and have been left inspired and set on fire to serve the King of kings with all that I am. As I said goodbye to Julius after church, I prayed a blessing over him and shared some words the Lord put on my heart to encourage him. When I looked back and saw his amazing smile from the joy of the Lord and continued to hear his gentle, soft-spoken voice in my head, I tried to hold back the tears as I realized this was a man who had been truly, radically changed for eternity and yet with all that God had done in him, I can’t help but think that he’ll never know how much the Lord has used him to change me in an equally radical way!
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money…
So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:21,24,31-33