Raving fans

Spring has sprung here in Philadelphia. I went to my first Phillies game of the season yesterday. Over 45,000 people, in one stadium, at a 1:05PM game, with one goal: to cheer on their team. As I stood in the stadium, I was reminded of one of the most powerful experiences of my life.

A few years back, I went on a mission trip to Baja Mexico. At the end of the trip, I went to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego to see Billy Graham speak. As much as I admired Reverend Graham, I was a bit skeptical to see him speak in such a large venue. What I saw changed my life forever. As he was speaking, people in waves rushed down onto the field. People from the nosebleed seats. People from the lower levels. By the time he had an altar call, the field was a sea of people who were hungry for a touch from our Creator.

Yesterday, as I was cheering like a maniac, telling the drunk dude behind me to pipe down because it’s only April, something clicked in my spirit. What would it be like to have Citizens Bank Park full of men, women and children whose hearts were set on one thing: worshiping our Creator? What if, instead of cheering for millionaires to play a game, 45,000 people were rejoicing over one brother or sister accepting or returning to Christ?

As I enter into this new season of my life, working 13 blocks away from home and being a part of planting a church that is serious about seeing the city of Philadelphia transformed, my prayer is that one day, Citizens Bank Park is full of people whose hearts are set on God.