In 2007, our team came to West Gate Baptist Church in Tampa, FL for the first time. I am pretty sure we have been back every two years since then. We have come to love the folks there. Pastor Pirt is a good preacher, and I am excited about where he is leading the church. Pastor Muriel and his wife do a great job working with the youth and were a blessing to the team all week. Mr. Raymond is a great principal; he was a teen at The War in Michigan years ago. It was a blessing to be back at West Gate!

Esther, the Seal co-captain, texted several teens who had come to the War of Special Forces two years ago. Although they never responded to her texts, a few of them came to the War nights. They got plugged in, and we know that God used this to encourage them. It was exciting to see them get reconnected to the church. 

Isaac, the Ranger team captain, recruited a group of teens on Tuesday afternoon at a bus stop. One young man he talked to was not thrilled about the War of Special Forces, but he told Isaac he would come. He ended up needing a ride, so one of the youth workers went and picked him up. The young man brought two friends with him. They all three got involved the entire night. The young man Isaac recruited was already saved, but at the invitation, one of the friends responded to the invitation and was gloriously saved. 

On Wednesday night, we had a very big crowd, but God enabled us. Titus, the Marine team captain, invited several young people who came after all the competitions were done, but just in time for the preaching. Although it was a rough crowd, God put a holy hush over the audience during the Gospel message. Many young people indicated their need for salvation, and ten people trusted Christ that night. One young man was under conviction, but was headed out after the night officially was done. Abigail, the Ranger co-captain, talked to him, and she was able to lead him to the Lord out in the parking lot. 

Many of the teens from the Christian school went out recruiting with our team. Some of them took great steps of faith by recruiting teens on their own. It was encouraging to see God increase their faith when many of the recruits came to the War nights! 

God used the team meetings on Thursday to work in many hearts. The Ranger team, especially, had many respond to the invitation. One girl, whom Abigail talked to, was very burdened to have a sincere heart for souls. God worked in her heart in a great way, and she gave a testimony (below) at the Friday night campfire service. She actually texted Abigail the Sunday after our team left and told her that she was able to lead a kid to the Lord on her bus route.

“Yesterday during the team meeting Isaac just really pointed out how most Christians know that God loves them but they don’t really believe that He loves them unconditionally….when I do something wrong I feel like I have to make up for it other ways and wonder how could He still love me…and [Isaac] just compared it to the prodigal son and how he was expecting his father to be mad, and how that’s how we are with God. It just really touched me how that’s not how it is…that He does love me no matter what.”

Although not many responded to the invitation, God worked in many hearts during the bitterness message on Wednesday. We saw some of the manifestation of this on Friday night during the testimony service. One girl got up and gave a testimony about how God helped her forgive someone who had caused much hurt in her life. As she was speaking, God broke a young man on the Marine team, who went back to talk to Titus about what God was doing. The young man talked with the youth pastor, who walked him through forgiveness. He later explained that he resisted during the bitterness message, but when he saw one of his very own peers forgive, he knew God could help him too. 

Here are some more testimonies from Friday night:

“Since the week started, God has been really working on me…a few months ago I started having a problem…viewing things that I shouldn’t have. It started with me being curious and then it just really developed into a big sin that I really wish I could’ve avoided…the Lord really spoke to me this week…a lot of people have really helped me…I know for sure that the Lord has freed me…The second thing is…I knew that one of my family members had done something to my family and I felt that I couldn’t forgive them, but I went out that day and talked to one of the team captains and I know for sure I forgave him in my heart.”

“There was this thought that kept troubling me and made me think I was sinning. Today I saw this verse in the devotional time [in the] split sessions, and the verse says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusteth in Thee.” So when the preacher said that, I thought if I think that thought…I can use God’s strength to help me not keep thinking about it and this verse is from Isaiah 26:3. If I keep my eyes on Jesus, He will give me peace.”

“In school…there was a girl who was very very rude to me, and she eventually left the school. And I didn’t think I really had a problem with her until recently. She showed up at church and I realized how bitter I was against her…And Brother Van Gelderen was preaching about forgiveness and I realized I had to forgive her, but I didn’t know how. He called us all into the back room after and I was able to finally let go of the bitterness I had towards her. And I realized I was selfish because I come to a school and a church where people love me and care about me and show me more about God and I was selfish to think that she shouldn’t come just because it would be hard for me to see her around. So I was glad I could let go of that and I’m praying for her hoping she does come so she can get closer to the Lord and so she can see how good God is.”

“I got saved Wednesday.”