A Harvester's Heart:
Pain, Pleasure and Perspective
Seattle Harvest Crusade November 4-8, 2010
Arriving in Seattle early to beat feet in the streets of downtown Seattle a focused group of Fresh Life Church members took up their swords of evangelism in the very heart of the lion's den, combating Hell from within its gates.
The sad, lonely and impoverished; the confused, eccentric and educated; tourists, businessmen, drug addicts and porn stars; from the decadent to the destitute we took up the truth of Gods word and gave it freely to all we had the heart to share it with. And we stretched our selves, through pain and tears we pressed on. Compelled by our compassion we persevered.
Though most, if not all, of our Fresh Life team members started reaching out and sharing with the lost the moment we set foot in Seattle our first official day on the streets seemed to be met with the most welcome and receptiveness.
In the midst of a sea of pain; hope and encouragement would unveil its self at unexpected times in unimagined ways. We would occasionally meet follow Christians as we were approaching others and rather than say great, and pass on we would ask to pray for them, asking for any specific requests.
On one such occasion friends I was traveling with approached two men who turned out to be musical artists in a metal Christian band, Nine Lashes, who traveled to Seattle to record their album. They encouraged us as they relayed the ministry behind their music, traveling around the country to High Schools teaching abstinence from sex and drugs while playing Christian rock. They would carefully select their songs, singing messages encouraging godliness, while not unveiling their belief so as not to overstep the schools boundaries or their welcome.
The High School concert served as a platform to promote a local concert they would put on where they could unveil the full glory of Gods Word, Hope and Salvation in both lyrical and spoken message.
You could feel the excitement they felt at being used by God for the ministry they had been gifted with and being instruments of God being used to bring thousands to Christ.
The implications of divine appointment became increasingly evident as we explained the nature and structure of our Wednesday Skull Church service, and kindled excitement at the prospect of being reunited in the future as potential guest-artists of Skull Church.
But of most encouragement in our witnessing were those receptive to the truth, willing to hear about Christ, willing to go hear more at the Seattle Harvest Crusade, three of which gave their lives to Christ on the spot, praying to receive Him with our street witnessing team members.
Sadly these were the exception. Most often we were met with indifference and dismissal. People to busy with their own plans and striving after their ever-changing and elusive goals to be interrupted by God, much less a disciple of His.
By noon of our second day on the streets, after speaking with members of fellow Fresh Life witnessing teams, most concluded we must have done a good job our first day because the Enemy seemed to be upset and engaging in active opposition from the get-go of the second.
At times we were met with scoffing and mockery and even open enmity as one shouted with proclaiming fist raised high from a mob of friends “Hail Satan!”.
Urgent thoughts of the Satan proclaiming man later led me to prayer for him, that even as Elijah had pray for and proclaimed a drought in Israel so I prayed for drought in this mans life, binding Satan from him; that he would be devoid of joy, fulfillment and contentment of his desires; that if he takes pleasure from pain he would find only heath, if he found joy in destruction he could only find rejuvenation, and for the delight of hate he found only love, and for desire of death he would only find life; that death would flee from him, that he could not die until after he found Christ and that the profound change in him would bring life to others; that he would become a great and effective minister of Gods hope and love unto salvation.
Our third day was filled with heartache, joy and solace. We redirected our efforts from the Pikes Place Market area downtown to the U-Campus University mall district. The weight of oppression and rejection made it very difficult to speak with people. In truth I only spoke with about six or eight people that day, mental and spiritual opposition as tangible as the physical difficulty of pushing a car up a hill.
Cold. The resentment of Gods Word was palpable in some. Other than offering some feeble encouragements to fellow Christians I came across it seemed there was little prosperous done through me that day. The last forty five minutes of our witnessing time I spent reading the Bible in Barnes and Noble, leaving Harvest invitations in key places, praying for the posterity of the seed within, that they would find fertile hearts of receptive readers.
After rejoining the group I discovered there was an armature porn festival taking place in the area. One of our harvesters came across a young porn actress who spoke of her past and current life. As the truth of Gods love and the forgiveness of sins through faith in the Savior was revealed to her an invitation was given both to the festival and to receive Christ. The young actress returned the invitation, rejecting it with tears streaming down her face, knowing she had heard the truth of God but unwilling or unable to muster the hope or bound by the fear of having that hope dashed to walk out of the open doors of the cell imprisoning her life, her hope and her soul.
Later that night came the climax of the Harvest event. Friday and Saturday had been a greater success than Key Arena owners had expected, exceeding their expected attendance by thousands both nights, a work of God we were all pleased to take joy in. Many of us, myself included, were working as ushers.
It was not long before rows were becoming full and ushers were required to enforce the no seat saving policies of the Key Arena, unfortunately that was rarely met with understanding. About ten minutes before the event began the entire arena was filled to capacity and we were forced to turn people away, many still claiming seats for those not yet evidenced in attendance, but were adamant their friends were in the building.
Five minutes into the event, having already turned hundreds away, thought of the lost and despairing souls we had met on the streets caused my heart to ache knowing if they had convinced themselves to come, many would not have come early and may be being turned away even at that time.
Two groups in the section I was ushering remained staunch in their refusal to relinquish the eight remaining seats for those whom I had not yet seen evidence of. The exasperation of one pleading for the lost welled up within me. I watched many turned away who could have been the very souls we shared the truth of God's Word with and had felt some sense of the despair of their life, yearning to see them free.
Finally, giving voice to the silent struggles of my soul I approach members of the groups clinging resolutely to the unclaimed seats and asked if they were Christians. Yes!, they relied merrily. That's great, I congratulated. But amended: This is a concert for you, for someone else this could be their LIFE! I plead with exasperation, praying silently they could understand the significance and purpose of the event.
Having seen all we had seen, spoke and plead with all those we'd shared with, trying to drag souls from the pit of Hell, who were shaken, afraid to even dare to hope for fear of that hope being dashed, having struggled against the gates of despair, Hell and hopelessness for four days I was shocked and dumbfounded at the selfish insensitivity of Christians justifying the turning of the lost for the sake of a passing pleasure. If not for the shocked, consternation of my near speechless exasperation I would have cried. As it was I told them they had five minute to have their friends in their seats or I would give them to someone else.
Thankfully some remained in the halls, knowing there was no room in the stadium, yet content to watch on televisions placed about the arenas foyers. Even so thousands were turned away at the arena entrance. Strange emotions of pleasure at the unexpected, overwhelming success of the crusade and sorrow of the many potential lost that had been turned away mingled and danced within me.
The figures of the event were announced the following day; some 4,225 made decisions for Christ during the course of the crusade in one of the most un-churched areas in America, and many more were left thought-filled, ripening in our midst, perhaps future decisions as the ramifications of the spiritual victory continue to ripple throughout Seattle and its suburban expanse.
I found solace in the salvation of so many, though a shadow haunted my heart for those turned away. My stomach turned as I tried to digest the fruits of the trip, both bitter and sweet.
The message given earlier that morning at Mars Hill Church was appropriate in reflection, one particular theme ministered to my thoughts. Have faith. But understand the fullness of faiths meaning: a verb of perpetual activity, as the dripping of a leaky faucet continually drips, so too having faith is to have faith again and again: in sadness have faith, in doubt have faith, in confusion, pain and bitterness have faith, with a contrite spirit have faith, when you are blind to the workings, plans and understanding of Gods will... have faith.
And in meditation perspective is found.
As I reflected on those who had been turned away I recalled that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and foreknowing us all before He created us He already knows all who will love Him, even knowing fully all things from beginning to end and therefore, even now works all things for the good of those who not only do, but also those who will love Him.
Perhaps there were many unsaved who were turned away, God preparing their path and blessing their tardiness and thus absence by evoking within them a deep sorrow for what they had missed out on, a frustration that they were unable to participate, sadness, surprise and curiosity at the joy and sheer numbers of those excited to attend.
May hap God may use even these things to shepherd those wayward sheep into His fold, hinting of the rapture, encouraging them to come early, not to wait and put of acknowledgment of the truth any longer. To accept Christ into their life before they are left behind, or worse... as that day is coming the Lord will turn many away with the soul-chilling words: Be gone, for I never knew you, you workers of iniquity. May the whispering of that day turn the hearts of those who were turned away in disappointment and consternation, from their sin and to their Savior, Jesus Christ.
And while I take joy in the refreshment of the saints and see the need of their attendance, having someone there to “pay for the party” so the lost may come and hear the truth, I take to heart the greater need of those outside of Christ. In a city filled with half truths, misleading messages and false christs I hurt for those who were unable to receive a true revelation of Gods Word, Son and Savior and His abundant, forgiving and gracious love for them that night.
May we all consider such things. How much greater the joy sitting outside the arena: hearing, dancing and singing to the joy within, watching on TV, pod cast or listening on the radio; having been inside, yet given your seat to a confused and curious couple who didn't know about this whole “Jesus thing” but could be fellow kin in the Kingdom of God by nights end?
I challenge you, look into the eyes of the lost, talk to them, listen to their stories, their lives, see the fear and despairs of their hearts... they need Him. How small a thing it is to share with them: an opportunity, a little bread of life, a little living water, a little Word of God; how small a thing to sacrifice: a little time, a little comfort, a little embarrassment over a little foolishness. But how great a reward? A soul, a friend, a family member lost, now found; an encourager in your time of sorrow, a helper in your time of need, a son or daughter of God praying for you in the Fathers ear when to you He does not feel near.
How great a reward indeed? Of how much more do those who give receive?
