The Bait, The Tools, The Anointing

What a weekend. In our three weekend services, we had hundreds of boys and girls who were given the opportunity of a lifetime ... the privilege to have Jesus become the Lord of their lives. We had all of the ingredients ready for the weekend, the bait, the tools, and the anointing.

The Bait ... We had so many visitors that came to see and enjoy something that they wouldn't see at any other church in our area, a gigantic candy drop. At the end of each of our services, we took our children ages 4 through 6th grade out to our soccer field to pick up 15,000 pieces of candy that would be dropped out of a helicopter. The helicopter would fly over the field three times per service, once for the 4s and 5s, once for the 1st through 3rd graders, and once again for the 4th through 6th graders, each fly over dropping 5,000 pieces of candy.

The Tools ... Once we got them to our services, we needed the right tools to effectively and powerfully deliver the Easter message. In each service, our staff presented a 40 minute message "An Empty Cross, An Empty Tomb for an Empty Heart" using crazy characters, powerful object lessons, and mystifying magic. Each segment built upon the previous segment, laying the ground work for the altar call.

The Anointing ... We had the crowds, we used the tools, but the third portion of the equation was the most important. The bait drew the children to the service. The tools presented the message. But it was the anointing that produced the fruit. It was exciting to see children respond to the altar call. Only eternity will give the total picture of the fruit of the weekend, empty hearts being filled with His presence!