Organizing the event to bring Mark to speak in Dallas was quite a bit more difficult that I ever imagined but well worth the effort. And I never would have imagined that it would end with me missing most of the events because my wife would have our 2nd daughter, Hope, two months early on my dad's birthday. More on that later.
I came up with the idea of bringing Mark a little over a year ago (or God planted it) and called up his booking agency, Ambassador Speakers, got a quote for how much it would cost to bring him to Dallas and then put it aside. In January of 2008 I started a blog. I almost didn't do it because I was so busy and who really cares what I have to say but because I started this, Jon Speed of Lost Cause Ministries, found me. We met for lunch and I told him I wanted to bring Mark to speak. He checked with his partner, Tim, and they said they wanted to help. So now I had a ministry that could help me with promotion and spreading the word. Now we just to find a venue, no problem right?
Another great break occurred when a friend pledged to go in halves with me for the money for the event. We were really rolling so I thought.
But we just couldn't find a place to hold the event. The churches in north Dallas we contacted would not return emails or calls. The YMCA in Coppell said that would allow us to do it there but we knew we needed a little more space. By April we put the project aside.
I'd like to thank my men's group - Men of the Word lead by John Nieder for keeping my event on the weekly prayer list. Even as time passed with no results on my part, they kept it on, encouraged me and prayed for it's success. Looking back now this means so much to me.
In September I was having lunch with Jon and he mentioned meeting this guy who was street preaching at the gay rights parade in Dallas. I said that I hated to give up on bringing Mark but I was running out of time with my second daughter due to be born in February of 2009. Jon put two and two together and said he'd ask Keith from City Church International in Dallas if they would host Mark for the Dallas event. We met with Keith next week and he said they were interested and we never looked back. Jon and I came up with Texas Revival Series as the name of the event.
December 6 and 7 turned out to be the dates of the event. Everyone worked really hard with the short period of time we had to promote it, especially Jon Speed and Marv of One Million Tracts. It was truly amazing to watch how God wove this event together as the word got out with so little time. Unlike all the shows I used to play as a musician before being saved, I prayed frequently for its success and that God would get the right people there.
Friday nite, December 5th, I was driving back from getting ice cream with my mom and my daughter, Kat. We were doing what my dad loved to do best as we celebrated his birthday (he's now in Heaven). Lily who had been at work called to say that she was being taken to the hospital because she was bleeding. I dropped off my daughter at my mom's house and sped to the hospital. By 10:30 pm I had a new little baby, Hope. More on Hope's birth which was full of amazing blessings that only God could fulfill later.
From what I am told the Saturday event was packed with around 200 people with some people traveling from pretty far distances. I attended the Sunday morning service and was able to meet a guy who had traveled from Houston to hear Mark speak. Sunday night in Justin had around 150 people. I believe it was worth the investment as many people were encouraged in sharing the gospel with people they come across in their daily lives. I am so pleased to have had booths exhibiting some great ministries that participated in our event - Fish with Trish (Way of the Master); One Million Tracts; Gospel for Asia, Voice of the Martyrs and The Lost Cause Ministries.
TEXAS REVIVAL SERIES plans on doing future events and bringing dynamic speakers who proclaim the name of Jesus Christ boldly without compromise.
In Christ,
Steve
