The Weekend We Were Praying For

We've been praying for this Miracle series for months. We've prayed for people in our lives who are far from God. We've invited and we're still still inviting. This past weekend was our first of four in the series, and it was truly exciting.

For one thing, I got to meet a lot of the first-time guests and 24 of our first-time guest gift packets were taken! In addition to some nice goodies it contains a copy of Lee Strobel's The Case for Christmas or, for families, a read-along Christmas story book. We received really positive feedback from many of our guests commenting on how we creatively and effectively communicated the message. Many of you commented on the vibe of the weekend--the warmth, the personal connection, the welcoming atmosphere.

Over 100 families got their Christmas picture taken (thank you to all the photographers and others who served in this way) and almost 100 people signed up to help with Christmas Eve set up or take down at East Ridge. Another 200 attended the all-church skating party last night.

Our attendance, compared to the same weekend last year, was up 19%! And four people indicated first-time decisions on their cards. We fully expect a big harvest of first-time decision on Christmas Eve. My message is 90% done, the service is about 80% planned and it all leads to helping people make that first-time connection with God as their Lord and Savior. I can confidently say now that it will be beautiful and compelling.

Great, great weekend. Thank you for your prayers and all your efforts. Keep praying and keep inviting.