12 Salvations from 1 Cheeseburger!

The importance of listening to God's promptings.

As part of Sam Harvey's lecture at Laidlaw’s Evangelism course in 2015, Sam interviewed Ben MacGregor, the assistant kids Pastor at Grace Vineyard City campus. Ben shared an amazing story that reminds us to listen to God's promptings. At the time of the lecture there had been 6 salvations, and two weeks later - it's was up to 12! Here is Ben's story:

"God has been showing me that nothing is impossible with Him! I have just recently come back from a year internship with a Church called Causeway Coast Vineyard in Northern Ireland. It was there my passion for the lost grew more and more, as I would do street evangelism with the CCV team.  Over in Northern Ireland, they have seen over 2500 people giving their lives to Jesus in the last 18 months, and mainly on the streets!

But God has shown me that He is the same here as overseas, and many people are giving their lives and turning to Him here!  One story recently is this: One Friday afternoon, I was driving through McDonalds with some friends and felt God put on my heart to order another cheeseburger to give away. As we were driving out of the Drive thru at McDonalds, I saw a man in his early 20s with a basketball, just looking at us drive pass. I just waved, but I felt God say, “Give him the cheeseburger.” So I turned around, parked the car and walked over to this guy who was looking suspiciously at me. I just smiled and said,' I just want you to know that God loves you so much, and wanted to give you this cheeseburger.' His eyes widened as he took it from me, saying,' I've never really known about God. But just this week, I've been listening to audio's about Christ. I said to God last night, 'If you're real, God, you're going to have to send me a sign.' And here you are, you're my sign!"  He didn't need much more proof than that, but I had some words for him, as I felt there was a broken family relationship. 'Definitely,' he said. ' My Dad just passed away three weeks ago, and my relationship with him was very broken."  I then asked if he knew what the greatest miracle was that God could do for him. He didn't know!

So I told him that the greatest miracle that God could ever do for him is what He has already done. I shared about a relationship with God, the cross, eternal life and Jesus! And a new life in Jesus, where the old is gone and the new has come! I then shared with Him Revelation 3 v 20, where Jesus says he stands at the door of our hearts and knocks and that we need to let Jesus into our hearts! 

I then asked him if he would like to open his heart to Jesus.  This man looked at me, knowing without a doubt that God was there, that He loved him, and that He could change his life. "Definitely!" He exclaimed. " I don't think my partner ever will, but I will definitely open my heart to Jesus." There in the car park, this precious son gave his life to Jesus and came home to God. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill him.  I asked him if he felt anything. He said he could feel His love. I then gave him my number, a Bible and invited him to Church.

It wasn't even 3 hours later that I got a call from my new friend. "You know how you asked if I could feel anything? Well, at the time I was just agreeing, but I genuinely feel completely different! Like a new person, I feel this love! And what I didn't tell you when I met you was that ever since I was young, I had been a drug addict, a heavy smoker, a coffee addict and would swear non-stop. But since you came and I gave my life to God, I haven't had a craving for anything at all!" He knew that God had changed his life! He was so eager to get involved in Church, he came to an event that night and felt the Holy Spirit powerfully, had words spoken over him that powerfully touched him, and he cried for the first time since he was a kid. He is a new person. 

But when God's Kingdom comes, He calls the Rescued to be the Rescuers, the sons to welcome home the lost children, and those brought from darkness into light to shine for Jesus! I met with him on Sunday afternoon, two days after giving his life to Jesus, and said to him, "Now that you have felt God's love change you, would you like to share His love to change others?" He said, "Most definitely!" "Awesome!" I said. "There's three guys walking down there. Let's go show them God's love!" We got out of the car and gave these three people some lollipops we had and told them God loved them. They all felt amazed and were intrigued as we shared of God's love! They all wanted to open their hearts to Jesus, too! So my new friend, only being a Christian for two days led these three people to Jesus! We hopped back in the car. "I feel so amazing!" He exclaimed to me. "No drug could ever make me feel this way!"

We then went to his house where his partner was; my new friend led his partner and her friend as they both gave their lives to Jesus! They came to Church that night and all got touched by the Holy Spirit! Two weeks after, I met with my new friend again, and he had some of his family with him. He knew what to do, and led his nephew and daughter to Jesus! He then shared his testimony at youth group and, with him leading them in the prayer, four young people gave their lives to Jesus!

And my friend is growing more in love with Jesus, free of all his past addictions, and changing his family and world for Jesus! God is so worthy of all Glory, as He is the One who draws hearts to Him, sets people free and transforms their lives to change the world for His glory! He takes joy in using us to bring His Kingdom! And, whether using a simple 'Jesus loves you!' or a cheeseburger to lead 12 people to Him, He wants to show us that because of the cross, no heart is too far away!"

(Cheeseburger Photo by Daniel Reche from Pexels)