After three Restoration Fests, a Hispanic outreach service, and numerous evangelism teams in the streets, the work of the Holy Spirit during Crossover New Orleans resulted in 168 professions of faith. We praise God for each and every one of them. But before we wipe our collective brow in thanksgiving that Crossover is, well...over, let us remember that the weekend of November 8 & 9 was only the beginning. The year plus that it took to plan and execute the various Crossover events only served to get us to this point. Now is the time for follow-up. Those 168 individuals made a decision; its up to our churches to make them disciples.
It may take five minutes or less to lead someone to Christ, but it takes a serious investment of time and effort to make them disciples. When you move from numbers to names the reality of the disciple making process begins to set in. Numbers can be easily filed away while we pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Names remind us that there are people attached to those numbers and that our job is just getting started. Follow-up always brings to mind the parable of the sower from Matthew chapter 13. We faithfully sowed seeds during Crossover but really don't know for certain onto what soil they fell. The process of follow-up helps us make that determination and gives us the opportunity to try and cultivate the pathway, rocky ground, and thorns into good soil that will produce fruit. Crossover New Orleans has always been about starting something big for God, being a catalyst for a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit. Our obedience and God's faithfulness will produce permanent citizens for His Kingdom, but only if we are obedient.
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