I stood from a distance watching a scene unfold before me that would ultimately alter someone’s eternal destiny. The girl in my youth group was barely 5 feet tall. Her long, straight, blonde hair hung all the way down her back to her waist. Her blue eyes were focused and passionate. She gestured often in her conversation. She was sharing the message of Jesus with a 50 year old something businessman in a suit outside of a bank on a street in Pittsburgh, Pa. She was 13 years old.
As her youth pastor, I was proud of her. It took courage to approach anyone and share the story of Jesus, but a 50-year-old man that she had never met? The conversation was not a short one. After she had talked for a while, I could tell that the man was asking her questions. What I had expected would be a 30 second conversation turned into a 30 minute one.
I narrowed my eyes to get a better look at the businessman, were those tears? Then, I watched as they both bowed their heads and closed their eyes, the 13 year old girl reaching up and laying her hands on the 50 year old man’s shoulders, leading him in a prayer to invite Jesus into his life.
They hugged and parted ways, the businessman going about the rest of his day, the 13 year old girl running back to me more excited than a kid on Christmas morning, and I wondered at the incredible plans of God. Plans that included a 13-year-old kid with a chance to make a difference that would last forever.
I don’t know what has happened in that man’s life since that day on the streets of Pittsburgh, but my heart tells me that someday, in Heaven, there is going to be a pretty sweet reunion between those two.
Here’s the challenge, if a 13 year old girl had the courage to do that… Who could you just invite to attend church with you on Easter? Evangelism Coach surveyed over 50,000 people about church attendance and discovered that nearly 80% of those who attend a church, first went because someone invited them. 71% of unchurched people would attend church if someone they trusted would invite them, yet only 2% of regular church attendees have invited someone to church.
Who can YOU invite this Easter? You never know, a simple invitation might alter the eternal destiny of someone you know!
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