Philippians 1:27
“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.“
Many Scriptures come to mind when we remember what God did with the Gospel Crusades this summer. The Apostle Paul understood that while we are each called individually to the great task of getting the Gospel to the world, we are not alone. We are striving together for the faith of the Gospel.
I think also of Paul coming home to Antioch and as the Bible says, “rehearsed all that God had done with them.” (Acts 14:27) As we take our journey of sowing the seed of the Word of God, all we can do is rehearse what God is doing, and give Him all the glory for it. (Psalm 115:1, Romans 16:27)
And, as we reflect and rehearse, we rejoice like Paul did in thinking of so many who came alongside and helped with the ministry. I love to read Romans 16 and Colossians 4, as Paul takes the time to rejoice and remember so many people that were involved in the work, people that were very dear to his heart.
Although the initial plan for Northeast for Christ Ministries for the summer of 2025 was three Gospel Crusades, we are thankful we were able to organize and participate in two—the Long Island Gospel Crusade and the Atlantic City Gospel Crusade.
There are several specific areas in rehearsing that we want to rejoice in and give God the glory for.
1. The Power of Prayer
Several have asked what are the steps that are taken in doing a city-wide Gospel Crusade? I tell them the first thing we do 10-12 months out is make prayer cards to mail and distribute to churches around the country to pray for us (2 Thessalonians 3:1). I remember the first Gospel Crusade we did in Providence, RI, with Pastor Chris Baker and Knotty Oak Baptist Church several years ago. I said to Pastor Baker, “Let’s make prayer cards and mail them to 75-100 of our praying friends around the country asking them to pray for us.” I remember the investment of hundreds of dollars to mail packets of prayer cards all over.
My heart is warmed and incredibly refreshed when I think about the scores and scores of friends and churches around the country that prayed for our Gospel Crusades this summer. Every day for months I’ve gotten a message from somewhere with a reminder that they are praying for us. While we certainly know it is not about us, we are thankful for the opportunity to see what God will do because of the power of prayer.
I remember the Sunday before the Atlantic City Gospel Crusade, several different pastors texting and saying they were having specific prayer in their church service for the Crusade. I’m thinking of a dear lady who invested in me as a young person growing up in Long Island, reaching out numerous times to remind me of her many prayers for the Long Island Gospel Crusade.
Only God in Heaven will reveal one day the important role so many played, even though they may not even been there physically, through prayer.
2. The Preaching of the Gospel
Of course, the great objective of a Gospel Crusade is the preaching of the Gospel. When I think about the Gospel Crusade blessings, I think about the church that takes on the burden AND the team that
God assembles from near and far to help get the Gospel to every home. I heard Pastor Jim Powderley say several times during the Atlantic City meeting, “I can’t believe God is allowing us to be a part of something so big.” The burden God put in our hearts when we started the Gospel Crusades was to bring in evangelists and churches around the area to help us get the Gospel to every home in the weeks leading up to the Crusade.
How can a whole city and even towns around it in some cases be blanketed with the Gospel? TEAMWORK! And the teamwork goes from churches and individuals that help assemble packets, to the churches and individuals that take them and distribute them to every home. God has helped us to develop a network of incredible evangelists from around the country that have a burden to get the Gospel out! My heart rejoices when I think about the evangelists that come from all different areas, graduated from different colleges, all striving together for the faith of the Gospel. And also consider the churches from around the area of the Crusades, coming alongside and partnering with us, as we partner with the church in that area.
Not only the evangelists, but many, many churches came alongside, especially the weeks of the two Gospel Crusades to help make it happen. Thank you to many churches that brought choir members to help provide choir music and special music during the week of the tent meeting. No matter what week we choose for the Crusades, there are already great meetings going on in the different regions of the Northeast around those times. We are so thankful for churches that still go the extra mile to support and encourage other works and church planting.
On several occasions, Paul mentioned the hardships involved in Gospel ministry. While there is no way we can put ourselves in the same category as what Paul and they had to face, I do believe there is an element of sacrifice and challenge involved in Gospel Crusade endeavors today. From financial challenges, to health challenges, to relationship challenges, there is a trial package each of us get to experience for the sake of the Gospel. How I thank God for pastors, evangelists, and others of God’s servants that have willingly paid the price for the Gospel of Christ with the Gospel Crusades. Many will not know of it, and your name may never be mentioned; but God in heaven will reveal the investment that so many have made.
3. The Blessings from Above
Going back to Paul’s return to Antioch at the end of his first missionary journey, I love how the Bible says in Acts 14:27, “…they rehearsed all that God had done with them…”
Oh, there is nothing quite like sharing the blessings and knowing there’s only One Who did it – GOD! When you are willing to tell the stories of things that only God can do, those are the most precious stories! When you can testify of people coming under the Gospel tent, and hearing the Word of God, and trusting Christ as Saviour, and giving God all the glory—what a story!
We rejoice in the souls that were saved in the weeks leading up to the week-long tent meeting as well and are thankful for people that went out to sow the seed! From Bible college students, to men and women in their 80’s going out and sharing the Gospel, and everyone in between— we thank you.
We are thankful for the many contacts Forever Believers in Christ Baptist Church (Farmingdale, NY) and Atlantic City Baptist Church (Atlantic City, NJ) now have because of the privilege to partner together for the cause of Christ.
And only God in heaven will reveal the impact going forward with these churches because the incorruptible seed of the Word of God was shared with these cities and towns around them. It is impossible for us to fully comprehend what God is going to do, because He promises His Word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11).
Thank you again to so many that prayed, partnered financially, participated in outreach, and provided help and encouragement along the way. It is said that President Truman made this statement: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”While that sounds like a good statement, I believe it is for better for a Christian to say, “It is amazing to see what God will do, when your true heart’s desire is for Him to get the credit.” And then, if someone comes along the way, sends a note, a text, or a phone call and says “THANK YOU!”, you get to say, “Well, praise the Lord!”
After all, we’re all His servants striving together for the faith of the Gospel.