First Timers

These three handsome young gentlemen made their way down to Anaheim from Torrance to attend their very first SoCal Harvest Crusade. They will also be serving as follow-up workers tonight.

Meet Edward (left), Oliver (middle), and Joaquin (right). They’ve been friends since kindergarten and have had quite a life together. I’m sure not one of them ever imagined they would be serving at a Harvest Crusade together. They’re norm was sex, drugs, rock-n-roll, and racing.

Edward gave his life to Christ after someone pulled a gun on him during a drug deal. His friend shot the man and Edward imagined his face on the victim’s face. It was then that God got Edward’s attention and he remembered all the times his friend, Emel, shared the gospel with him. His wife, Jennifer, had also attempted to get through to Edward with the love and truth of Jesus but Edward never listened. The day after his drug-deal-gone-wrong, Edward completely turned his life over to Jesus, who changed his life. Edward stopped drinking, stopped doing and dealing drugs, and started following Jesus.

Joaquin went to Catholic school growing up. He knew who Jesus was but never read the Bible and didn’t fully understand just how much Jesus loved him. One August he was having bad nightmares three nights a week about our nation being taken over. They seemed very real to Joaquin and it terrified him. That prompted him to go to a Christian church where he heard a message preached about the last seven words Jesus spoke when He was on the cross. The Holy Spirit moved and for the first time Joaquin truly heard just how much Jesus loved him; how He shed His blood on the cross because He loves Joaquin. Joaquin started going to his local church and now attends Calvary Chapel South Bay (along with Edward and Oliver).

Oliver, just 10 months old in the Lord, was into fast cars and fast living. As a result, he had been in numerous motorcycle and car wrecks. Oliver was also in the Navy for four years, where he served two terms in Iraq. Many times Oliver should have died. In 2002, Oliver experienced God in a real way when, after a motorcycle accident, he had an “out-of-body”experience. Unfortunately, his life didn’t change. He knew God was real but he hadn’t turned his life over to Him. Ten months ago Oliver went to Hillsong in Los Angles where the Holy Spirit got a hold of him and he turned his life over to Jesus, who is now his Lord and Savior.

So here they are now, tonight, their first time at a Harvest Crusade, ready and willing to serve the Lord as follow-up workers.

We are saved to serve, and Edward, Joaquin, and Oliver are three prime examples of that.

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