Years ago one of our Minutemen Evangelistic Teams came to a church in Keystone Heights, FL where, at that time, Mark Stevens was pastor. Pastor Stevens testifies that the week birthed a youth group. In the following years many times in the 1990s, the team periodically came to Keystone Heights and saw great attendance and decisions in those meetings.
Pastor Stevens is now pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, FL. They also have a Christian school there. Our War of Special Forces team has had the privilege of being here several times. On Monday we found out the youth pastor had to leave because of the passing of his mother. Although it was anticipated, it was a sad turn of events. We missed the youth pastor’s involvement, but recognized that the Lord knows what is best.
There was one man in the church who invited his employee to bring his daughter to the War of Special Forces. Although the daughter did not want to come, this father brought her and that first night she was saved!
On Friday we had a good response of the young people in the school. We had some heartfelt prayers and steps of faith taken among the students. One young man responded to the invitation on Wednesday because of bitterness toward his dad. The counselor asked him, “Do you need to forgive your dad?” He responded, “Yes, but I can’t.” The counselor encouraged him to cry out to the Lord to help him to forgive. The young man did and that is when progress was made. That night, I had hoped more would give testimony, but this one young man did testify of dealing with bitterness. He also testified of getting this right with his dad. Although, we just had the one testimony, it was a blessing.
I was able to preach a full length Gospel message that night and there were some who were saved. One was a young man who had been invited by two young men who had come all three nights and invited several friends who came that final night. This one raised his hand, but did not respond to the invitation. One of the captains, Alex, tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Do you know for sure you’re going to heaven?” He indicated that he was sure, but as he talked with Alex, he realized the young man was not sure. So Alex asked , “Why we don’t we go inside and get it settled?” The young man said, “Yes.” Later he admitted that he didn’t respond to the invitation because of peer pressure.
We thank the Lord for all He did in hearts! It was good to be in Fort Walton Beach again.
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