Lightning speed

Just wanted to post some short sharings from some of our Austin members about the anniversary service this past week.

Submitted by Bryan…

This past weekend Gracepoint Austin celebrated its first anniversary.  What a year it has been!  It’s hard to imagine that just one year ago, we were saying our goodbyes at the Oakland airport and arriving to Austin as newcomers.  When I look back on the past year, I’ll always recall the first bible study, where everything was nicely decorated with banners and lights, a welcome table outside for visitors, and who can forget the mass quantity of nicely garnished meatloaf.  Pastor Manny and I were standing in the middle of University Street, staring straight at the UT tower.  He asked me if I thought someone was going to come, and I just nodded and said “Yes. I feel it.”  Nobody came.  Fast forward one year, and something quite incredible has happened.  People are coming!  God has been sending many people to us to love and disciple, so many in fact that we are already having to meet in a bigger room on campus! Praise God.  I’m so thankful to God that somehow I get to be a part of His awesome work and be used for the salvation of souls.  This past Sunday was not only special because it was the first anniversary, but also because we got to celebrate the baptism of 3 of our sophomore brothers.  As I listened to their testimonies and witnessed each one of them profess their commitment of faith and get baptized, I was once again reminded that this is why I am here in Austin.  It’s to be a part of God’s transforming work in the lives of all these UT students!  And I think this goes without saying, but much of what happened in Gracepoint Austin wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Gracepoint brothers and sisters around the world. So I’d like to end by expressing a sincere thank you to all the brothers and sisters who have been praying and supporting us in every way! Thank you!

Submitted by John…

The service was very moving for me as it was an opportunity for us to praise God for His faithfulness that we and our extended body of Christ could celebrate together.  Also having over 20 people join us from our churches was very meaningful for us as they are part of the many who prayed even before our ministry began, and continue to pray for us.  Some especially moving moments was having the first baptism

at Austin of 3 sophomore brothers (including Pastor Manny conducting his first baptism), the congratulations videos from our various ministries in Berkeley, Davis and Hsinchu, the challenge by Pastor Ed inviting everyone in attendance to join us as harvest workers to rescue the help and harassed, and finally singing our closing song, Until the Whole Earth Sings, which was very appropriate as the chorus goes:

Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out
Lifting up Your name for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness we’re crying out
As the day draws near we’ll sing until the whole world hears

Praise God for what He has done, and I look forward to the day when some of our members can be part of a future church plant as well!  Thank you for your prayers!

Submitted by Kelly…

It was just a really blessed time.  God is indeed working at such lightning speed here and I’m just so humbled thinking about how God is inviting us to be a part of His salvation plan.  Just wanted to say hello and to thank you for your prayers.  It was so good seeing everyone this weekend as we were just so strengthened and reminded how it is the prayers of so many that this ministry is sustained.  It was a little sad today as Pastor Ed and Kelly and P. Timothy and Alice left today, but I am reminded of the challenge of reaching this campus for Christ.  See you soon!

Submitted by David…

Thank you for coming here to celebrate our 1 yr Anniversary! I feel so unworthy of the relationships I have gained in Christ and want more people to experience this community of faith that I have enjoyed for so many years. Looking back, I’m amazed at the speed at which God worked in our ministry this past year, which is a testament to His zealous, aching heart for the lost. I’m thankful for this unique opportunity to start a church from the ground up, and though I definitely feel stretched at times, I want to commit myself even more to be that faithful harvest worker because in the end it’s all about winning souls for Christ. See you in Nov!