Empty chairs and sweaty palms. What if we throw a party and no one shows up?

That was my thought on this pleasant Friday evening. The hands on the clock were marching steadily toward 8:30pm. That is when The Integrity Media Network had determined to christen the Fore Life Bible Study at Wildwood Country Club.

The idea is to obey the call of The Great Commission: “Go make disciples…” The people our ministry seeks to impact are those who most likely won’t go to a church no matter how wildly we throw open the doors. So we are taking Christ to them; sharing the message of salvation on their turf and God’s terms.

My hope was that perhaps four or five people would show up to be part of our pioneering efforts in golf course evangelism. Bobby and Luann were the first ones to timidly peak their head through the open door of the Wildwood Board Room. “Is this the right place?” Bobby playfully asked.

“This is it!” I said, relieved that finally someone had braved the staircase that leads to the 2nd floor meeting area.

The trickle soon morphed into a flow. By the time we began reading Genesis 1:27 and 28, a dozen people had crowded themselves around the large oak table that commands the board room.

As we talked our way through selected verses from the first three chapters of Genesis, we demonstrated how those in attendance could recognize characteristics of their marriages in the opening pages of the Bible.

The title of our talk was “It’s Not My Fault” which is the paraphrased answer that both Adam and Eve offered to the Lord after the introduction of sin.

The conversations were lively and at times comical. The message, however, was serious: Sin IS our fault; We are accountable for our actions; Only Christ has the authority to forgive our sins and restore our relationship with The Creator.

After the discussion time concluded, one attendee paused on his way out the door and said to me, “I learned more about the Bible tonight than I’ve learned in 30 years. Call me. I want to get together with you.”

We had that follow-up meeting at the Fern Creek Cracker Barrel. During that conversation, my new friend admitted “It IS my fault”,  taking the blame for his sin and asking Christ to be his Savior!

With folded hands, he not only prayed for his salvation, this new follower of Christ asked that God would also save the two men he plays golf with each Sunday morning.  ”I don’t want them to go to hell,” he said in a prayer he voiced amid the clattering of a bustling restaurant.

Impact the Influencers.

That is the phrase we use to describe what The Integrity Media Network does.  That is what we just did. And you had a hand in making it happen. Your investment into this work just delivered an eternal benefit!

We are praying that God will open doors that will allow us to launch studies at additional golf courses in the metro area later this summer and fall.  We believe Our Lord is showing us a new and innovative way to fulfill our mission!

Thank you for making this ministry possible!