Meeting Mark Cahill

It is amazing how God connects people, answers prayers, & works things out for his glory. Well known evangelist, Mark Cahill, spoke at a conference yesterday (Friday) but I wasn't able to make it. I have read his books and been inspired by his fiery drive to reach the lost wherever & whenever for Christ. Today (Saturday) I pulled up to a gas station & began pumping gas when I look over to my left and a tall guy is walking at me with a hand full of gospel tracts. It was Mark Cahill & as he began to hand me a tract and start up a conversation I just simply hugged him. Hahaha you should of seen Mark's face he just said, "I'm sorry do I know you?" I replied back with a smile, "No but I know you." I told Mark that I've read his books, heard some of his messages, & they have been a real inspiration to me to be a witness for Christ.

Before you know it Mark handed me some tracts and we were handing them out to those at this gas station. After a little conversation together Mark graciously prayed for me & my wife Amanda & gave me his book, "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven." Of course the one thing you can't do in Heaven is tell the lost about Christ so that should be our top priority in life's journey. As Amanda & I jumped into our car to pull off we saw Mark hit up everyone else at that gas station & began witnessing to a lady taking a smoke break. I'm praying for zeal, boldness, & determination from the Holy Spirit to reach the lost like Mark Cahill. I believe in divine encounters & I learned more about being a light for Christ in those few minutes talking & watching Mark in action than I ever could of at a conference. It was a wake up call from God & I was glad to pass out gospel tracts at the mall later that evening. I want to lay my life down for Christ & not waste it.

Reflecting on T4G

I was privileged to attend the Together for the Gospel (T4G) 2010 Conference this week in Louisville. The speaker lineup was stellar: Mark Dever, Thabiti Anyabwile, Al Mohler, RC Sproul, John MacArthur, John Piper, Ligon Duncan, Matt Chandler, & CJ Mahaney. I can't write about every little detail but here are some highlights:

-Mark Dever preached a wonderful message & it really made me think about how the local church should operate in a God glorifying way. Christians are regular people but something is noticeably different. Instead of being church goers who act like we are perfect & have it all together we humbly admit our faults & seek forgiveness from each other & Christ. We must break the trends & legalistic stereotypes.

-John Piper's message argued that Paul & Christ preached the gospel of justification by faith & charged us to do the same. His opening text was Luke 18:9-14, which was encouraging because that was the text I preached from in my last sermon. I was particularly moved with his point about the rich young ruler who loved his money too much to follow Christ. What he lacked was that he wouldn't let go of money & grab hold of Christ.... he lacked Christ!

-I was thankful that I got to meet Shai Linne from Lamp Mode Records. He is a very gifted & anointed rapper for the gospel of Christ. I included a pic I took with him above. Shai killed it when he rapped a song on stage about the Trinity, I think alot of people were blown away.

-Perhaps the most moving and emotional part of the conference followed Matt Chandler's testimony of how he has been trying to glorify God as he suffers publicly with brain cancer. John Piper led a prayer for Matt & his wife & others laid hands on brothers in the crowd as we joined prayerfully.

-Ending the conference was CJ Mahaney & the message was a charge for the ordinary pastor to preach the word faithfully. He discussed DA Carson's father, who was an ordinary pastor of a small church. He didn't get much recognition & suffered a lot of pain but he received a great reward when he entered glory. May we all follow faithfully after Christ & look to the reward as a good & faithful unworthy servant.


That's the highlights from T4G 10' & Lord willingly I will attend T4G 12' unless the Lord has greater plans for me & Amanda. I was praying that God would speak to me through His Word, through the preaching of His Word during this conference & I feel like he has cause some unrest in my soul. I will follow that & wrestle with God's call on my life. I desire to be like Christ & fulfill the call he may have for me. What that is I don't know. But I read about a call to ministry from CH Spurgeon and he said if you can prevent going into ministry than avoid it. But if you cannot but preach or die then enter the ministry. So this is me signing off.... faithfully being a witness for Christ but avoiding the ministry unless I must die or enter.

Am I really making an impact on anyone?

There is no joy like truly servicing God from the heart and seeing your efforts impact those around you. For me there is no satisfaction greater than overcoming my own fears and weaknesses to love someone enough to get out of my comfort zone and share the gospel. I've had to the opportunity by God's grace to share the gospel to over a thousand people through street witnessing, one on one encounters, and preaching engagements at various places. But sometimes I wonder "am I really impacting any one's life eternally?" I understand that no matter what when the gospel is shared a person can accept or reject Christ (which is an eternal decision). Paul said in 2 Cor. 2:15-16, "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?" Paul's point is that Christian's witness and sacrifice for Christ will bring death or life to those who hear the message. By God's grace we can carry out this commission because no one is sufficient for this task in their own ability, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us. I've always prayed that God would bless his gospel & give me the power to be a witness for him & God has always shown unlimited grace to me.

I've been encouraged by the amazing story of a little man named Mr. Genor who faithfully passed out gospel tracts for over 40 years but never knew if he ever impacted anyone. Just before Mr. Genor died he received news that through his faithful witness many have come to Christ and are now in the ministry. So I wonder what has God done with the seeds I've sown in the lives of those I've witnessed too. I'm content because I know God awards faithfulness not fruit. Faithfulness is my job and fruit is God's job because he 'brings the increase.' Recently a friend of mine gave me a letter that brought me so much joy and encouragement. It basically said that over the last year he has been impacted by watching me live out my life for Christ and through our talks it was difference in him coming to Christ. This young man has a similar background to mine and I think he was just encouraged to see that God could really change someone from the heart and it be legit. I was speechless because their are no words to describe the encouragement, joy, and thankfulness to God for allowing me, a sinner, to be a witness for his glory. To God be the glory who raises dead men and sends them out to call others from their sinful graves to walk in the light of God's glory.