Our dear friend, Bro. Jimmie Radcliffe reminded me this weekend that City Reach Phoenix began five years ago this week. That is nearly unbelievable! To think that something we actively prayed about and planned for three to four years is now five years in the past. Wow! Time really does fly!
Pastor Noah Martinez tells me on a regular basis that they are still seeing residual results from those three weeks of tent revival all these years later. The church has had the opportunity to reach families and extended family members of people who attended and prayed during revival. That is the amazing work of God. I am very thankful that Pastor Martinez keeps me updated.
It does not always work out that well in every city. But I am convinced it works much better when the church systematically and enthusiastically follows up and looks for occasions to continue ministry where the tent revival left off.
In the last few months, a young couple came to the church there at Desert Cove and both were gloriously saved. They decided their lives needed something and they figured what they needed was God. They had no idea how right they were! Of course, we know that God was drawing them.
After attending church for a few months and experiencing several radical life changes, they told Pastor Martinez why they chose their church in particular out of hundreds of other churches.
These young folks were high school age five years ago when the three week tent revival was going on. They seriously considered attending City Reach Tent Revival, but never did. However, when they decided they needed to try a church, they remembered the tent revival and determined to try that church.
They walked into the church, God met them there and they are now saved. They are saved as an indirect result of City Reach. I will take that and praise God for it. That makes it worth every mile, every dollar, every drop of sweat, every sleepless night, every wind storm and every other difficulty and hindrance.
There were dozens of people that helped us carry the load that whole year. Individuals and churches that gave sacrificially and abundantly so that money would not have to even be a consideration when it came to where and when we could have tent revival.
There were hundreds of individuals that prayed for multiplied hours that God would save, heal and deliver during City Reach. There were churches that met in their sanctuaries and prayed while we were having church under the tent hundreds of miles away.
There were church members that labored physically to prepare for City Reach in their city and then worked like mules during revival.
Of course, Kelly Jo and Bro. Jimmie Radcliffe worked hard and gave so much of themselves to make City Reach a success. It could not have been done without them and I can think of no one else that I would have rather had beside me that whole time.
Bro. Jimmie closed down his business to work and travel with us. By the grace of God's people, we paid his road expenses and paid him a small token of appreciation each week, but there is no way we could pay him what He was worth to us and to the kingdom of God. He made a tremendous sacrifice and City Reach would not have happened without it.
And here we are looking in the rearview mirror five years later! Like I said, unbelievable! Yet it is fact. I have been looking at posts from April of 2016 and I have been weeping as I go. You can begin HERE and then go HERE for a summary and links to many other posts from City Reach Phoenix.
I hope you enjoy some of the pictures and testimonies at least half as much as I did. Wow Again! Praise God for His help!
Thank you for joining us on Mile Markers today. I would love for you to share these posts with your friends and family.
Davy
