Inside Today's Experience - Gilbert Thurston

Another great day!
5 more people became followers of Jesus!
It was an odd day because we showed the film “The Cross and the Towers” which at 52 minutes took most of our normally allotted 1 hour, 10 minute Experience.
Back though to the beginning of the day.
Since it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been at ExponentialChurch.tv, I set my alarm for an hour later than I should have.
Luckily I got up to go to the bathroom at about the time I should have gotten up and realized my mistake so everything was as it should have been.
One of my friends laughs at me because I get up in the night to use the bathroom. He says it means I’m old. Well I guess today getting old paid off!
We set-up quickly and easily today which is always good.
Had a nice size crowd as we officially began our fall schedule and vacations start to wane.
Really good energy from the crowd today even though we only did two quick songs.
After I set-up the film, I headed up to the nursery/toddler area so my niece (who was serving in that area today) could go in and see the film.
She lasted about 20 minutes before coming back in saying, “I’m crying too much that’s really sad”.
She missed though the hope that came at the end of the film.
After wrestling for awhile with what to do today for the anniversary of 9-11, I’m so glad I chose to go with the film instead of trying to preach it myself.
Nothing I could have said would have said it any better than the testimonies of the 7 families in the film.
A few people have asked if we’ll be posting it online.
Unfortunately no. I bought the rights to show it this morning but not to rebroadcast it any other way.
It was weird then getting called back in after having spent an hour with babies and then all of the sudden have to go up and talk about what people had just seen.
Usually I can tailor the Gospel around what I just preached on and have a pretty good idea of the mood of the room.
In this case I didn’t have that advantage.
To make things worse, I was having mic issues which were creating feedback.
I definitely felt out of synch, but that 5 people responded to the Gospel just goes to show how much God is in control of the process and not us. Our job is to be faithful to share and His job is to bring the harvest.
Afterward we had a quick lunch with friends and then I meet 3 other guys from ECTV to do another house clean-up.
If you haven’t yet visited our new web-site, www.HarrisburgFloodRelief.com please do.
I thought yesterday’s house was bad but this was 10 times worse.
It was amazing to look 3/4 up fully grown trees and see them caked with mud.
This particular 2 story house was completely submerged.
Our community is experiencing our own 9-11, I pray that you’ll do your part to help.
Even if you don’t live in this area, please still visit our web-site because there are ways that you, your church or organization can help.
For those in the area, Monday at 12pm we’ll be sending a team back to this same house to do more work.
If you’re interested helping, please indicate so on the web-site or contact Chad directly through e-mail.
Thanks for being the church…this 10 year anniversary of 9-11 is one I will never forget.

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