“A Blast from the Past” – (From a previous Cru Staff Conference in Colorado several years ago)
Leaving Moby Gym after the morning session, we began weaving our way through the throng of fellow Cru staff members. Our friend and former Cru teammate Michele leaned close and whispered, “Betty, see that girl over there in the blue outfit? She is the one who first shared the gospel message with me using the Four Spiritual Laws booklet.” Over lunch Michele shared the rest of the story.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was during Michele’s freshman year at Louisiana State University (1976-77) that two Campus Crusade for Christ staff women gave an evangelistic presentation to Michele’s sorority pledge group. After the presentation, simply by putting a check mark by her name on the 3×5 comment card, Michele indicated that she wanted more information.
Soon she had the opportunity to sit down with the Cru staff woman (the one dressed in blue mentioned above). Together they read through a little booklet entitled “Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws?” Having attended parochial school from 1st through 12th grades, Michele was acquainted with the first 3 points in the “4 Laws” presentation (God’s love, man’s sin, and Jesus’ sacrificial remedy).
But the 4th Law surprised her. She was not familiar with the concept of “receiving” Jesus, or “inviting Him into one’s heart”. In fact, Michele was somewhat offended by that 4th Law. After all, she had already done more than the average person to draw close to God by going to religion class every school day for 12 years.
So, she did not pray the suggested prayer in the booklet to receive Jesus. Instead, she continued to look for fulfillment through the same things she had done in high school . . . drinking, dancing, partying. But by February of her 2nd year in college, Michele admitted that all the things she had expected to bring fulfillment still left her totally empty.
It was at this point that Michele’s sorority “Big Sister” invited her to attend an inter-sorority brunch sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ. There, a fellow student (not just a Campus Crusade staff member) shared about her own experience with God.
While Michele had viewed God as a policeman taking all the fun out of life, the student speaker described God as warm and personal, One to whom she could relate closely in the 20th Century.
After the presentation, just as she had done the year before, Michele filled out a comment card requesting more information. This time, it was a different Campus Crusade staff woman who met with Michele and read through the “Four Spiritual Laws” booklet with her. But, this time, it all made perfect sense to Michele, even Law #4 which says, “We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.”
The first introduction to the “4 Laws” message the previous year had made no immediate impact in Michele’s life. The gospel message simply lay like a dormant seed, out of sight, out of mind. But God was at work in Michele, and when that same gospel message was re-introduced into her life, the dormant seed burst open. At that point, Michele says, she couldn’t pray to receive Christ fast enough!
Our Cru Resources office has shipped out more than 607,325 “4Laws” and related gospel booklets in the past ten months. Many of those booklets are being shared right now on Cru summer mission projects all across the U.S. and around the world.
Please pray with us that God will water the “seeds” so that in time many people will say “Yes!” to Law #4 and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. And thank you for partnering with us to share the Gospel far and wide!
(The “rest of the story” about Michele: She joined our Cru Hispanic Ministry team in Los Angles in 1981. Her heart continually has led her to serve in cross-cultural ministry. Currently she serves with the International School Project at Cru’s international headquarters in Orlando, FL. We look forward to seeing her at our upcoming Cru staff conference in Colorado, July 19-26.)
