Jerry Falwell and my week at Liberty University

Monday morning, we were off to a great start with more than 10k hearing the call to return to the Lord from Hosea 6:3. That night as I proclaimed the holiness of God from Isaiah 6 we were all amazed and awe to see more than 50 students respond publicly and tearfully as they confessed Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, "once and for all," settling the issue of their own relationship with Christ.

Tues, I spent almost 2 hours over lunch with Dr. Falwell. Two years ago he was instrumental in the gift of our Elgin campus through the generosity of the Green family who own the Hobby Lobby stores nation wide. Now 73, Dr. Falwell shared many stories of the Lord's faithfulness to him through the years and how persistent faith had been repeatedly rewarded with God's provision in His own time. I was amazed that a man from such a strident fundamental background was so open to contemporary worship, so fluid in his awareness of current trends in evangelical Christianity and so unifying in his tone though still resolutely orthodox in his convictions about God's word. Frankly I found the conversation with him, invigorating and edifying.

Tues evening, I gave the third Downpour message on repentance from 2 Cor. 7:8-11 and saw multiplied hundreds of young people stream down the aisle many lying literally prostrate as they sought God for a deep work of repentance in their own hearts. (2 Tim. 2:25) We had the men from Harvest Bible Fellowship's School of Ministry (our future church planters with us). It was fantastic to have so much time with them and to see them praying with and counseling so many students.

Wednesday, we taught on the "Downward Spiral of the Lord's Discipline" from Hebrews 12:7-17 and then on "How to Live the Christian Life in the Power of God's Spirit" from Eph. 5:18. The worship was sweet the response to God's Word and Spirit was deep and wide and I left with a deep appreciation for Johnny the campus pastor and all the folks at Liberty. It truly is awesome to see what God has raised up through the vision and passion of one man over his lifetime who has never wavered in the things God has called him to. He's is so not like me in so many ways but I found myself delighting in what we share, and desiring the passion and perseverance that Dr. Falwell so exemplifies. Ok? ok! There, I started my blog :)