I walked into the gym at Vera Lloyd on Tuesday afternoon and looked around at several new faces. I worked my way through the guys that I knew and started meeting the ones that I didn’t. Justin, one of our returnees, said “Bro. Rob, we’ve got one that wants to be baptized” and he pointed to a young man sitting in a chair against the wall.

I walked over and Justin introduced me to Tommy. Tommy looked to be about 17. I told him my name and we started a conversation. Tommy is from out of state. He’d gotten into some trouble with the law and wound up at Vera Lloyd.

Tommy said, “Justin says you work at a church. Is that true.” “Yeah, I do student ministry and a church in town is my sponsor,” I said. “Well, sir, I’d like to be baptized if that’s OK”, he replied. I asked him why he thought he needed to be baptized. That’s when he started his story.

He’s had a rough past. He’s been doing drugs, pot and pills. Tommy has a three month old son that lives with his, the child’s, mother. Tommy dropped his head and then looked right at me and said, “I’m ruinning my life and I’m ruinning and I need a life change, sir. I think I need God.” That was my que.

I asked Tommy if he’d ever been sure that, if he were to die, he’d go to heaven. He never had been. So I started walking him through the gospel; the good news. It’s great news. It’s the news that can save your soul and begin your life. I told him that heaven is free and that he could never earn it. I told him the reason was because we were all sins and he was knodding his head the whole time. I asked him about Jesus and he said he knew he died on a cross but he wasn’t sure why. I told him why and I told him why he rose again. I assured him that if he’d place his trust in Jesus that Jesus would give him the life change and the hope for which he had been looking. I asked him if that’s what he wanted and he said yes.

He and I bowed our heads and I prayed for him. I prayed he’d be sincere. I prayed he’d have the courage to follow through. I prayed for his salvation and then I asked him to pray. I listened as he spoke the words. I heard him admit his sin and ask for forgiveness. I heard him ask Christ to come into his heart and life and take control. I was witness to the beginning of a new life.

He looked up from his prayer, grabbed my hand with both his hands, and said, “thank you, sir.” I welcomed him to the family and told him that nothing he would ever do could take him away from the God that loved him and counted him as one of his children. We embraced and cried and laughed and immediately told the guys who celebrated with us.

I’d never met this young man in my life. Was he conning me? Was he trying to make points? Was he serious? Only God knows that but I know what I heard and I know what I saw and time will tell the rest. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.” That’s all I know and that’s why we do what we do when we do it.

Building or no building, money or no money, in strength or weakness, young or old, rich or poor, black or white, male or female, we are in a war for the souls of men and for their joy. “The theif comes ONLY to steal kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (Jesus to the disciples) We are going to share the gospel at every turn to attempt to safeguard all around us from an eternity separated from God. “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (Jesus to the disciples) We are sharing the gospel so that the lives we touch may be lived out in pure joy. And all this is done so that the Father might draw glory to himself because He is the best thing for us all for all time.

“Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” (Isaiah 26.8)
Let’s go!!!