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Written by: Jerry Gaffney
About two years ago, he had been blessed in some services we held in his home church. At that time, he had asked to be on our team. I told him that I would be glad to consider it when he was out of school. Well, two years is a long time to a teenager. He had not grown closer to God, but was drifting away. It was there Josh came to me and asked, "Can I be on your team?" He told me in the parking lot all that he had done. He said he wanted no secrets. He told me how he felt about certain people and things. He then looked at me with hurting eyes and wanted to see if he would be rejected again. The only thought I had was, "What would Jesus do?" Well I knew, so I reached out my arms, gave him a hug and said "Yes". He ran to the altar that night. He rededicated his life and asked Jesus if he could start all over. He then learned what it meant to be JUSTIFIED. He learned to be treated, just as if he had never sinned. For eight months, he acted like my adopted son. For eight months, he gave his all to Jesus. For eight months, he never showed any bitterness, depression, or anger from the past. After about six months, during one of the morning services, I looked at him and said, "Son I want you to know that I am proud of you." He fell down on his face and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. I had never seen a man cry so hard in my whole life. He knew he was home. Then it happened, Josh got a cold on Thursday, so we thought. We were running two separate meetings, one at the Marriott Hotel and one at the church. Some of us thought Josh was at the Hotel, others thought he was at the church. He went to bed Saturday night and died Sunday afternoon. What a shock it was. He was only 22 years old. Some young men came up to me a few days later. They said they had not liked me, because they felt I had taken Josh away from them. These were friends Josh had made when he was in his hurt and pain, before he came back to the Lord. He had tried to talk to them about what Jesus was doing in his life, but they didn't want to hear it. Now their friend was gone. On the night of the memorial service, Josh's friends filled the Kirkland Church. The service started at 7:00pm. From the very beginning you knew Jesus was up to something. So many had come that did not know Jesus. So many came to share their grief. So many came to celebrate what the Lord had done. The altars were opened and many came to share what Josh meant to them. Those who were not saved shared with those who were. Suddenly, a holiness seldom felt, hit the congregation, along with a unity, love, and peace that passes all understanding. A young man fell to his knees and sobbed, just as Josh had done a few months prior. He sobbed and sobbed and sobbed as he gave his heart back to Jesus. Then later, another and another and another came. This scene was repeated until 1:30am. Young men and women were coming home to Jesus! Isn't this what we talk about? Haven't we heard conversations about, "I wonder what would happen, if we gave an altar call at a funeral?" I want to tell you it was miraculous! By the way, it hasn't stopped. The same kids came back that Sunday with their friends, and the next Sunday, and the next also. One Sunday, they filled up three rows with friends who have not been in church. Then they brought them to the altar where they were changed. Yes, Josh went home to heaven. Yes, he was young. Yes, it seemed he had his whole life ahead of him. But now we can see, "What the enemy meant for bad, the Lord has used for good." Josh had come feeling rejected, but he found acceptance. Josh had come feeling no love, but he found love. Josh came feeling lost and alone, but he found a home. That is the heart of this ministry. We are looking for the wounded, bruised, and broken. We are looking of the outcast and unlovable. Because we love showing them the love they were created for, and they find Jesus.
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