by Callie Owensby, Salt Resident at Keystone Church, Ankeny
On a sticky June evening, under the sinking sun and surrounded by the hum of bugs, we gathered on blankets and lawn chairs for our first Salt Company service of the summer. People came early to toss bags, play volleyball, and chat. Though sweat and bugs threatened to distract, God’s presence was evident in the service.
“God was working in Dave’s life for several months”
A bit after the message portion of the service began, a guy wandered into the backyard where we were gathered. He sat on the edge of a row, near the front. As Joe Nealis, our Salt Director, spoke from Psalm 96 about God’s holiness, it was clear that this young man was dialed into the message. After the service ended, Joe approached the latecomer, who introduced himself as Dave. It was evident from the story of Dave’s life that God had been working in his heart for the past several months. He was ready to receive the Gospel and, after Joe shared Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,” Dave accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior.
Dave is now being discipled by two of our Salt Leaders, and he is attending Salt Company regularly. There is already evidence of the Spirit working in Dave’s life, convicting him of sin and growing his faith. The Lord had already been working in Dave’s life and saw fit to use the Salt Company both to captivate him with his need for a Savior and to grow him in his new faith. It’s through stories like Dave’s that we are reminded of the job we have as laborers and the joy we have in knowing that it is ultimately God who increases the harvest.
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