This past week has been a genuine mountain top experience.
After months of meetings, planning, organizing, preparing, and all the other stuff that has to take place in order to accomplish such a task, The First Annual Spring Revival of the Marsh Harbour Church of Christ is now history... and what a wonderful history has been recorded in the annals of both time and eternity.
Our first campaigners arrived from the Capital City Christian Church (Tallahassee, FL) last Thursday afternoon. They (Allen, Steve, and Mike), settled in to their lodging and enjoyed an early dinner provided by the women of the Marsh Harbour Church.
The next day was to be their day of "Fun in the Sun" but these three men wanted to get to work immediately and decided to tackle a much needed facility project and help with a local computer problem. By the end of that first full day, a large storeroom had been framed up and was waiting for sheetrock... the computer problem was addressed but refused to go down without a fight.
"Thus the evening and the morning were the first day."
On Saturday, the facility project continued. Allen Gonzalez, the Minister for Capital City Christian Church, along with two local brothers and myself passed out invitations to the Revival starting the next morning. In a matter of a few hours, we passed out over 300 invitations. The facility project proceeded along at full speed. That afternoon, we were joined by two more campaigners from Capital City Christian Church and the crew was complete. That evening brought about a planned "Meet & Greet" and the local congregation turned out to meet and greet the stateside campaigners.
"Thus the evening and the morning were the second day."
Sunday morning loomed before us as a great unknown. The Marsh Harbour Church had never planned and executed such an event, and it was yet to be seen if it was going to be well received by the community. We were pleasantly surprised. The AM Worship service saw at least 20 visitors and almost 100% support from the local membership. Also, two individuals confessed their faith in Christ and were baptized in obedience to the Gospel. Both Heaven and the Marsh Harbour Church rejoiced.
The spiritual feast enjoyed that morning was followed by a fellowship feast immediately afterwards. The food was fantastic and the fellowship was even better. Still wet from their immersion, brother Anthony and sister Rosie enjoyed a meal with their new family. The day could not be any better... or could it?
Brother Andrew Major, the speaker for the Monday night sermon, flew in from Nassau as well as a missionary from Haiti - Eric Snow. Brother Major and Eric settled in and prepared for the evening service. Brother Major led singing that evening and since he is a gifted preacher as well, we received the word of God in both song and mini-devotionals. It was fantastic!
Then Brother Kevin Beneby, following the theme of the Revival - "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together," spoke on the topic, "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together Regarding The Cross." It was an amazing lesson from the Word of God and was well received by both the members and many visitors from the community.
BTW, due to the technical know-how of two of the campaigners, (Jeremy & Allen), every sermon preached at this wonderful Revival was streamed live on Mission Marsh Harbour's Facebook page and remain available for viewing here.
"Thus the evening and the morning were the third day."
Monday brought with it a flurry of activity. The facility project proceeded along nearing completion. The campaigners from Tallahassee, coupled with Brother Major and the missionary from Haiti, were out early spreading invitations to the citizens of Abaco. Hundreds of invitations were distributed and two of the campaigners, Debi and Jeremy, made a friend of one of the employees of a local grocery store... his name is Terrell.
That evening, Brother Andrew Major delivered one of the most powerful sermons on the resurrection of Jesus I have ever heard. The crowd was engaged and devoted in their attention to the message, and the Word of God was again proclaimed with great power and conviction. Again, many visitors attended and were instructed in the things of God.
"Thus the evening and the morning were the fourth day."
Tuesday brought the facility project to completion and Steve and Mike joined the Invitation Squad in distribution of the Revival Invitations. By the end of Tuesday, 1000 invitations had been delivered to the citizens of the land of Abaco.
Tuesday night, Brother Keith Beneby bought the message, "Come Now, Let Us Reason Together Regarding Salvation." It was a powerful message and on the very last verse of the invitation song... Debi and Jeremy's friend, Terrell, stepped out and confessed his faith in Jesus. Within an hour of his confession, he was baptized into Christ and the family of God increased by one more soul.
"Thus the evening and the morning were the fifth day."
Wednesday night brought the Revival to a close as the campaigners enjoyed a boating excursion to numerous islands of the Abacos thanks to the generosity of Rainbow Rentals in Marsh Harbour. It was a day of fun and relaxation that they truly deserved.
"Thus the evening and the morning were the sixth day."
The whole Revival was and is a testimony to the fact that God will still work in the lives of people if His people will but put forth an effort to share the Gospel with others. God only knows how many seeds were sown into the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls in the last six days. How many lives will this one outreach affect? How many eternal destinies were altered... we saw three, but my suspicion is, the lives of both members and non-members were changed. We must always remember...
"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." God - Isaiah 55:11
The First Annual Spring Revival was a tremendous success... we will immediately begin planning The Second Annual Spring Revival soon.
We want to say Thanks... thanks to all the Ministers who came and preached at this revival: Kevin Beneby, Andrew Major, and Keith Beneby. Thanks to the campaigners from Capital City Christian Church. Thanks to the members of the Marsh Harbour Church of Christ who helped in the many aspects of this meeting. Thanks to Dave and Leslie for your captaining the boat on the campaigner's day off. Thanks to Marissa and Bianca for the wonderful meals you provided all week.
A special personal thanks to The Capital City Church for the card a day I received from you. I read each and every one of them and was so encouraged. Thank you for your support, prayers, and encouragement.
Above all, thanks to the Lord God of Heaven who saved us with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. All glory, honor, and praise belongs to Him, for He is worthy!
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