You never know who is in the crowd

We say it over and over with our leadership team, we pray and ask God to prepare us each Sunday to serve and love each newcomer, regular attender. “Any given Sunday, we have no idea who is in the crowd.”

It has taken me two days to put something to paper about the tragic suicide on Sunday afternoon (9-20-09). Plans had been made for me to meet with Chad and Stephanie Fisher, along with a seeking friend....Brent. Brent was Chad’s twin sister (Candi) ex-boyfriend, father of their young son. Brent and Candi had met while both living a life consumed by Meth. Both had become clean in recent years and had begun to put pieces of life back together in a healthier way.

Both were seekers of sorts.

Brent had begun to ask lots of spiritual / faith questions of Chad. 
Saturday, Brent helped several people from Journey paint Dave Reynolds home.
Sunday, Brent attended our Sunday morning gathering at the Chateau Theaters.
 This Sunday we continued our series on Forgiveness.... the real “f” word and focused on forgiving the offender. How do you forgive someone that has really hurt you.
We showed a media clip from an independent film called “THE GAP”. 

The clip showed a man seeking forgiveness from his ex-wife that he had cheated on.
 The women asked tough questions, but in the end granted forgiveness and let him “go in peace with God.”

Little did we know that this media scene would be played out a few hours later between Brent and Candi. Instead of meeting after church with Chad, Steph and myself.... Brent asked to meet another day.

4:30 p.m. the phone rings and Chad fears Brent has driven off to commit suicide after a brief meeting with his sister Candi. By 5 p.m. Brent is found barely alive. By 7 p.m. he has passed away at St. Marys hospital.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS IN THE CROWD.

Brent was seeking.
Brent heard a powerful and dangerous message on forgiveness.
Brent heard a clear gospel message of how Christ blood, death on the cross is what frees us from our sin and is all God see’s if we are his children. If we have accepted Christ, sought God’s forgiveness... God sees us as clean because of Jesus.

We pray and hope that Brent gave his life to Christ / God before his passing.
He was seeking.
He was hurting.

He was trapped in a dark place that the enemy did not want him to come out of.

I am reminded of the words from Peter. These words have new power and meaning.

 
"8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters[ all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
 10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power to him forever! Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11)

I believe that Brent is with our loving King and Savior.
 I believe that the church will rise up and serve the Fisher family. 
I believe that will be glorified in a bold powerful way some how.
 I believe that new passion and zeal will come of this as we remember 
YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS IN THE CROWD.

May be always be prepared to give an answer for our faith and serve others.