Randy Hurst, Advancement Director for Assemblies of God World Missions, shared the following two true stories in the May 23, 2010 issue of the Pentecostal Evangel.
David Wilkerson was pastoring a small church in Pennsylvania when he felt led to sell his television and devote his evenings to prayer. Not long after, he read a Life magazine story about New York City gang members who had brutally killed a disabled teenager. David began to weep as the Spirit moved him to go to New York City to try to reach those boys.
While David never met the boys who were on trial, he connected with Nicky Cruz and other gang members on the streets. The result was Teen Challenge, a ministry that has rescued many tens of thousands from drug addiction and spiritual lostness around the world.
The Spirit moved Hal Donaldson to borrow a pickup truck, fill it with groceries and drive to a needy neighborhood where he told people that Jesus loves them. That was the beginning of Convoy of Hope. Since then, the ministry has provided food for millions of people around the world, and hundreds of thousands have received Christ as Savior. In just the last two months (2010), Convoy has supplied millions of meals for earthquake victims in Haiti. The borrowed pickup truck Hal used has now become a fleet of semitrailers that crisscross the country as volunteers feed the hungry and share the gospel.
The Spirit doesn't lead most of us to begin ministries like He did David Wilkerson and Hal Donaldson. Most of the time He moves us to reach out and touch people with the love and message of Christ – one at a time.
What does the Holy Spirit want to do in, and through, your life? What small step of faith will He prompt you to make that could change the trajectory of your day, ministry and even your life?
When David Wilkerson sold his television and devoted his evenings to prayer, he had no idea it would lead him to New York City to work with gang members and eventually begin a ministry that today would influence people in 125 countries around the world. (Note: Teen Challenge Hawaii is one of the missions groups Honolulu AG supports on a monthly basis.)
When Hal Donaldson borrowed a pickup truck and started delivering food to needy neighborhoods, could he ever imagine it would lead to a ministry that would change the lives of people literally around the world? Convoy of Hope impacts millions through Food Distribution, Disaster Relief, large-scale Community Events and more. (Note: His inspiration for starting the organization can be traced back to the many people who helped his family after his father, Harold, was killed by a drunk driver in 1969. Today, more than 163 million people have been served throughout the world by Convoy of Hope.)
Small steps can lead to great changes. Small decisions can make a great impact. What could happen if each one of us made the decision to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit each day, all through the day? Who is the person that is waiting for you to share with them the grace, mercy and loving-kindness of Jesus Christ?
This Sunday, May 30, we will continue our Celebration of Pentecost in the 10:35am worship service. In addition, there will be a special teaching on the Holy Spirit in the Adult Bible Class at 9:30am. Please don’t miss it and invite someone to share it with you. (We had a powerful Celebration of Pentecost last Sunday. If you missed it, please check it out on our Facebook page, YouTube channel or website.)
If you are not able to join us in-person in the building at 10:35am for the worship service, please join us Online for the Live broadcast on Facebook (Search: Honolulu AG). The recording will also be uploaded later that day to our website (honoluluag.org) and YouTube channel (Search: Honolulu Assembly of God).
Aloha and Aloha ke Akua!
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