In my enthusiasm to report to you some of the sociological characteristics of all the unchurched in this study, I fear that I have understated the critical importance of theological issues. I will make those adjustments in the next chapter.
For now, we cannot overlook the testimonies of answered prayers we have heard from the formerly unchurched, those who have recently become Christians. Martina L. accepted Christ just 11 months ago. This Houston, Texas, native spoke with certainty as she told us the people and factors God used in her salvation.
"My mother has bee praying for me to get saved for over 25 years," she said softly. "She didn't make a big deal of it to me, but I knew. You should've seen her at my baptism. Neither one of us could stop crying. Twenty-five years of praying, and she never gave up. She never stopped believing this day would come."
Gerald A., another formerly unchurched person, spoke poignantly about the power of prayer in his salvation. "I had no clue that three of my fraternity brothers from college made a decision when we left college to pray for my salvation every day. It's been seven years, and I told them that I got saved. They were blown away!" Gerald exclaimed. "Then I was blown away when I heard about them praying for me. Now I'm praying every day for two friends at work. I know prayer works.
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| -- From "The Unchurched Next Door," Zondervan, 2003. |
