It has been a few years since we have had the privilege of being at New Life Baptist Church in Clinton, North Carolina. It was great to be with Pastor Page, his wife, and the good people there again! We were thrilled this year with great attendance. There were around 30 salvation/assurance decisions. God worked in many hearts and lives, both in the school and young people in the community. As we pulled out of town, we were rejoicing in all the Lord did!

One of the recruiting opportunities that the team captains had was at a soccer practice on Monday evening. The three team captains got there right before the practices finished, and the coach allowed them to tell the team about the War nights. Many of the players came to the team captains to get signed up. One young man, whom Titus, the Marine team captain, recruited, came Thursday night, which was the only night he was able to attend. He responded during the salvation invitation and was gloriously saved that night. 

On Monday afternoon, Esther, the Seal co-captain, recruited a young man at his house. He was very excited about the event, and his dad was supportive of him coming. He came all three War nights, but the best night was Wednesday when he saw his need for a Savior and got saved. 

On Tuesday morning, the team went to a few bus stops that the church people told them about. Thomas, the Seal team captain, had a great response from the teens at his assigned bus stop. A mom, however, was not happy about our approach to inviting teens. She came to the church and was very antagonistic with her concern. It was clearly an attack of Satan, so we prayed for her and also that no negative word would spread about the War nights. God answered our prayer when two kids from that bus stop came on Wednesday and got saved. 

Walmart was one spot where the team could always find teens. Isaac, the Ranger team captain, recruited an athletic young man there. He came out on Wednesday, and got plugged into the competitions. God was clearly working in his heart, and during the invitation, he responded. Isaac counseled him and got to lead him to the Lord. The young man was very popular in his school, but he immediately got burdened to tell his friends about how God had saved him. As Isaac was asking him follow-up questions, the young man said, “Wouldn’t it be great to get to Heaven and have people come up to me and say, ‘because of you, I’m here.’!” We’re trusting God to use this young man to reach his friends. 

There was a girl in the Christian school who brought three guys with her to the War night on Wednesday. They were big guys, and they really helped their Ranger team in the competitions.  None of them responded during the invitation, but Titus talked to them after everyone was dismissed and brought them back then into the counseling room. It was clear God was working in their hearts, and that night those young men trusted Christ as their Savior! They came back the following War nights, and one even gave a testimony on Friday [below]. As he talked to Isaac after the testimony service, he told Isaac that on Tuesday night (the night before he got saved), he had plans to commit suicide, but he decided he would wait just a little longer, and praise God he did! He came and got saved on Wednesday, and God showed that young man that He’s got a plan for his life. 

“I was saved on Wednesday. I wasn’t expecting much to come out of here. I wanted to learn about Jesus, and one thing that I learned is that I have to follow what He tells me to. When I was 18, I joined the fire service…It gave myself PTSD…I have seen some bad things and I have been holding it to myself to be accountable for those things. But since I have came on Wednesday, I am going to go and learn more. I am going to…find a church, and hopefully learn more about God and Jesus.”

There were three specific girls that Abigail, the Ranger co-captain, was burdened for on her team. As best as she could tell, they were all three unsaved, so our team prayed for these girls throughout the week. Abigail talked to one of the girls on Wednesday after chapel, and she got saved. Another girl responded during the invitation on Wednesday night and nailed down her salvation. Abigail talked to the final girl after team meetings on Thursday and got to lead her to the Lord. It was so exciting to see God answer prayer. One of those girls gave this testimony on Friday:

“I also got saved this week.”

Here are some more testimonies from the week:

“One thing that God has dealt with me about was bitterness against people and being able to forgive people. He has showed me that…bitterness is like drinking poison and wishing the other guy falls over dead. It doesn’t take you anywhere good, and God has definitely helped me be able to forgive some other people…It has been touching this week to see the turnout and many people I’ve been burdened with come to the War and hear the Gospel. Most importantly God has been able to help me deal with my own issues and to help me deal with my issues with lying and forgiving.”

“Today I learned…to put my full trust in Jesus—to not depend on my own strength, but to depend on Jesus because Jesus saved me from suicidal thoughts, from self-harm, and from many other things. He saved me from hell by sending His one and only Son Jesus to die on the cross. If you are searching for anyone that you can lean on, go to Jesus. I promise you that He will give you strength when you are weak.”