Check out this story from Dave Sauer, Jr. High Pastor:
It all started at 5 o’clock, as I am pacing back and forth waiting for my new fundraising guy to show up. He rolls in and we go back to the fireside room for a quick chat on selling cookies and flip flops to help send kids to summer camp. As we finish up, we arrange for him to come at the end of Resonate and give his presentation to the students. He left and said “I’ll be back at 7:45.” At 6:55 we brought the 86 students into A101 for a time of worship and celebration. I should have known God was up to something because we had about 15 fewer kids than normal. The worship team finishes up, our welcome video is rolling and here walks in, about 25 minutes early, my fundraiser guy. I made sure he knew that he wasn’t coming up until the end of service and he said, “I came back early so I could hear your speech.” “Speech?” I definitely knew this guy was unchurched.
I start in on my new, completely original series called “Crazy Love”. I start bringing it home as to how we need to be in AWE of this mighty creator and how it all starts with accepting His son Jesus as our Savior. Instead of the normal, bow your heads with no one looking around, give me a glance if you accept Christ, I challenged the students to raise their hands with everyone looking. I surveyed the room, I looked right, then I looked left and I saw these two young ladies in the very back row with their hands raised. PRAISE THE LORD!!! Then I looked back to the right and my Fundraiser Guy is sitting quietly in his chair, with his hand high in the air and the biggest smile on his face. The students erupted in applause and cheering as they saw these two young ladies and a 48 year old man accept Jesus for the very first time at Resonate Junior High. God was up to something and it was something big!!!