Thankful posted by John Sorensen on Nov 15, 2021

Dear Friends,

When you think of November, what do you think of? Some might ponder the coming winter, the turning of the leaves, or watching football and eating perhaps a bit too much! For me, my mind turns to Thanksgiving.

The truth is that I have a lot of things to be grateful for. Many things in my life are worthy of thanks to Almighty God. I have a kind and loving wife, a wonderful family, a great church, a job I really love and feel called to, and grandkids!  Did I mention grandkids?

But, if I were totally honest with you, I would have to say that what I am most thankful for is the gift of eternal life with the God Who loves me and allows me to serve Him.

A close second would be all the people that God has allowed me to share the Gospel with and lead to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

On my desk, I have a stack of papers that are dear to me. These are the questionnaire sheets I took out with me when I went out into the highways and byways of life, to engage people in conversation, and many times to share Christ and see them commit their hearts to Jesus.

At the top of the stack, one of those questionnaires tells the story of a conversation I had with Jorge just a few weeks ago, during our Equip America event in Manteca, CA.

I took my team out just after lunch and found Jorge in a local laundromat doing his laundry. We started a pleasant conversation with him which led to asking him some spiritual questions. He was very open. My last question was EE’s second diagnostic question, “If you were to stand before God this very night and He were to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into my Heaven, what would you say?’” He answered, “I’m a good person. I’ve lived a good life. I do good things for others.” I repeated his answer back and wrote it onto the questionnaire sheet.

Over the next 30 minutes, we had the privilege of sharing the greatest news that anyone could share with Jorge. He listened with rapt attention. I asked him if it made sense and he said, “Yes.”  I asked him if he would like to receive the gift of eternal life, and again he said, “Yes!” We bowed our heads, and Jorge asked Jesus to save him. What amazing grace!

One member of our team ran out to his car and retrieved a Bible to give Jorge because he didn’t have one. I turned to John 3:16 and read the verse. The second time, I inserted Jorge’s name into the verse. “For God so loved Jorge that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that if Jorge believes in Him, Jorge will never die, but have everlasting life!” As we finished the verse, tears welled up in his eyes. He hugged me and thanked me over and over again. When we were finished, he gladly gave me his contact information so that we could follow up.

All the while, I was thanking God for allowing us such a rich and rewarding experience. God is good, isn’t He?

I mentioned the first and second thing I’m most grateful for. But there is a third: you. The reason I was able to be there that day—at a laundromat in California, all the way from North Carolina—is because you gave. Thank you!

You often hear us talk about all the people who are coming to Christ through EE, and it’s amazing! As of June (half way through 2021), nearly six million people had made a profession of faith in Jesus (and at a cost of less than $1 per profession)! It’s possible that numbers like that could seem impersonal. But each one is a story like Jorge—a divine appointment where we get to join God is what He is doing.

Thank you for giving to help make these Gospel conversations happen. A pastor in Pakistan recently said to me (after leading eight people to Christ during OJT), “What amazing training! This is the pastor I always wanted to be! And you haven’t asked for a penny!” Well, the training wasn’t free—not even close. But it was paid for by someone else:  you. Like I said, God is good!

So as we approach Thanksgiving, please know that I am grateful for your partnership in the Gospel. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:3-5 NKJV)

May the Lord richly bless you as you serve Him!

Together, in His service,

Dr. John B. Sorensen, D.D., D.H.L.

President/CEO