2nd Annual Upstate So. Carolina Christian Film Festival
Greenville, SC
October 6 to 13, 2005

Payton and his family came to the Regal Cinemas  Saturday morning to see a secular movie.   When they saw the free Christian  movies that were being shown they decided to go to the Children’s Matinee. Payton came forward at the invitation and gave his life to Jesus.

A Chinese American couple came forward to commit their lives to Jesus Christ at a Children’s matinee! The husband was 59 years old and his wife is 57 years old.  The movie that God used to speak to their hearts was Ben Hur-A Tale of Christ. 

We came as a family (I, my husband, my mother & my 9 year old grandson). We saw Sting which was an excellent movie & testimony. After the movie my grandson Zack gave his heart to the Lord. (He says he’s sure now). All the volunteers & staff were excellent to speak to & the set up was well organized. I am very pleased that there are people who actually do share the gospel of Jesus Christ & care enough for the sin affected world to get out & make a difference. Thanks again.

A man from Brookwood Church is going on a Mission trip to Ecuador next week. He brought one daughter (a teenager) Thursday night. She came forward to commit  her life to Christ.  On Saturday night, he brought his 18 year old daughter and she came forward to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.  He told me he had talked that morning with his 5 year old son and he prayed to receive Christ. He was so excited that all his children were saved before he went to Ecuador.

A young man was at the back of the cinema along the wall down from where the invitation was being given. He was crying. I walked up to him and ask him if I could help him. He said, “No, I got saved yesterday. I brought my girlfriend today  and she was down front giving her life to Christ.  I am just praying right now that others might be saved.”

Today a woman approached me to say that her young son came to a movie last night and went home and invited Jesus into his heart and she wanted us to know that. Tonight her young daughter went forward as well. Their mother was ecstatic.

A young man asked me about Tom Saab and said he wanted to thank him. I asked him what he wanted to thank him for and he told me that a boy at his school would always “pick on” him and others at the school.  He was sort of a bully.  The young man who was a 7th grader at Shannon Forest Christian School, told me that a few weeks before the film festival Tom was a quest speaker for the junior and senior high school chapel service.  When he gave an invitation for kids to commit their life to Christ “the bully” was one of almost 40 students that went forward.  Ever since that day he stopped “picking on” him as well as everyone else.   

A young man was a recent believer of Christ; however he has been struggling with the consequences of his former life. He has been fighting drug addiction and is at the Greenville Mission to straighten his life out. His counselor recommended to him to see Behind the Sun. He was so convicted by the message of “counting the cost” that he rededicated his life. He truly desires to leave his former life and to be a disciple of Christ.

A young man (13 years old) came forward and said he wanted Jesus to come into his heart. We prayed together and Steve received Christ as his Lord and Savior. He said he now knows for certain that he will go to be with Jesus when he dies. Praise the Lord for his wonderful love toward us.

Maria is from Wales. She married an American and has lived here for two years. She attends church and Bible study regularly. She has only been playing church, but now is a born again believer as she came forward to truly surrender her life to Christ.

Dale, a twelve year old boy, said he’d prayed the prayer before, but he’s never meant it, but tonight he really wanted to commit his life to Christ.  The movie he had watched was Sting.

At the invitation a young girl come down. She stood beside me and was crying hysterically. She almost collapsed she was crying so hard. As we began to go to our one-on-one counseling, she was crying so hard I was not sure she understood what I was saying. She kept saying, “You don’t understand.”  After counseling and praying with her she received Christ as her Lord and Savior. She then told me she had just been put in foster care. Her foster mom brought her to the movie.  She was 13 years old and had been sexually abused.   It was a joy to share God’s love with her.

I was standing on the side after Tom spoke because there were enough counselors dealing with those who came forward following the movie Sting. Tom told the counselors not to leave, so I was standing on the side wall and out of the audience came a 13 year old boy. He said, “Sir can you help me. I’m not sure if I am saved and going to heaven.” At 10:45 on this date, Daniel received Christ and was sure in his heart that he was saved and going to heaven. Praise God. His mother , who is a believer, came over and thanked me. 

I just had the privilege of leading a 16 year old to the Lord. He very recently moved here from Houston, Texas because of the hurricane. He is a hurricane victim and now lives here with family in Greenville.

Today in speaking with a girl about receiving Christ, she told me it was her birthday. Not only did she experience a physical birthday, but more importantly see experienced her new birth in Christ!

My daughter’s friend from public school got saved there at the CFF. Her name is Samantha and she lives with her grandparents.  Her grandparents don’t go to church anywhere, but Samantha does. Her mother and dad are divorced. This is an eternal difference. I’m glad you made the time to make it happen, Gary. Thanks.

I just wanted to share with you the wonderful impact that your ministry had on several of our family members and children’s ministry team. My husband, Lewayne and my son, Christopher and myself had the opportunity to view the movie Sting on the first night.  I have been praying for my husband and son for the past few months because I felt like their walk with the Lord was not where it should be. My husband is 34 years old and my son is 14 years old. After the movie was over, there was an invitation to surrender to Christ and my husband asked if I would go down with him. Praise the Lord; he rededicated his life to Christ.  Also, after my son saw Escape from Hell, he and his two teenage friends went down and committed their lives to Jesus.  Then we came on a children’s ministry trip Wednesday to see The Homecoming.  Four of our girls went down to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior after the movie.

I just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the counselors and leaders of your ministry for what you are doing. This is an excellent opportunity to spread the gospel especially for some people who will probably never attend church.  May God bless you abundantly.

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