Sunday, March 29, 2009

WORKSHOP: WHAT A GREAT WEEK!

The Tulsa Workshop has enjoyed signals of gaining momentum over the past couple of years. We've encountered some down years, yet we continue to forge ahead with dreams of providing hope in Christ for a troubled and discouraged world. The Evangelistic Revolution theme was a hit and met many needs of hundreds and thousands of leaders who made the trek to Tulsa.

The crowds were enthusiastic. Some of the new classrooms were too small as many couldn't get in to hear the speakers. The booth vendors said it felt like the good old days. One singing group said they made more sales Thursday alone than any three-day combination in workshop history. The speakers were a hit. And the weather was spectacular as about 8 inches of snow fell Saturday.

Walling and Atchley and McLaughlin and Fudge and Pence and Mead and others simply thrilled the packed classes. Marvin told me he raised over $12,000 in one of his classes for the hungry in Africa. A lady in our small group this evening raved about Truitt's class on the greatest conversion stories.

One of the great wonders of the workshop was the collection. I borrowed a Jerry Rushford (Pepperdine lectureship director and my good friend) tactic and told the Thursday evening crowd we would raise $42,000 in 14 minutes on Friday night and would not take up a collection Saturday night if we didn't get it. We didn't get it.

I announced at the conclusion of Friday evening's session that we lacked $13, 771; that we would not take up another collection but any who saw me the next day could give me additional funds if they liked. I told them God would take care and I intended to go home and get a good night's sleep. I had promised God I would not ask anyone for funds. I would let some approach me but I would not organize or arrange for the money to be collected.

By Saturday noon I had collected $13, 772.

God blessed our time at the Tulsa Workshop. It is gaining momentum....and still focuses on winning broken hearts to the saving power of Jesus the Lamb.

9 comments:

TREY MORGAN said...

It was a wonderful workshop. The lessons I heard were fabulous. There were so many new people who I heard say, "I'll be back next year."

I wasn't really fond of the snow, but the snow will make this workshop go don't in history as the-workshop-that'll-never-be-forgotten. Can't you just hear people say, "Was that the year we got the snowstorm?" :)

Thanks for all you do, thanks for the organization and thanks for allowing me to be a part.

Blessings

Unknown said...

When God is invited to participate, we are never disappointed. Thank you again for an encouraging and soul-stirring weekend.

Keith Roberts said...

I heard many of the same positive comments. Our display booth for the Prayer Workshop was busy most of the time.

One bookseller I know said he sold more books in the first two days than in the entire ISWW last year.

Great job, Terry and team! (I don't know how you had the energy to write anything on Sunday night.)

Tom Dahlman said...

Sorry Terry this will be long. There were many things I loved a/b the workshop this year.

I loved the new class situation. I know the rooms in the Exchange center were small, but it was worth it to actually be able to hear the teacher. In the QT center it was often difficult to hear the teacher with all the noise from the booths, maybe instead of ditching the new class rooms you could just add a few classes (I don't know where you would put them though)

I love that there are only three builing to deal with now, when there is no snow it makes it nice.

I loved it that the city was not paying to heat QT center for us. The first class I went to (Harold Shank) he spent some time talking about how wasteful our culture is, I walked out of class and went into the new exchange center and I thought, I bet this saved someong a lot of money and energy.

I love the idea to move Wednesday night to the Pavillion, and make Saturday night dinner night. Maybe you could even go a step further and try to encourage all those groups who plan big meals or banquets for their groups to have them on Saturday night. I know of dinners in the past I have been invited to and the dinner is planned to miss the evening assembly, with it's own speaker and everything. I know you can't force people to do anything, but maybe there is a positive way to do it. I also like the Wednesday night idea because it has the potential to let the churches in town know what is happening. I don't think anyone at our church even knew the workshop was happening. If there was a big kick off community event at the pavillion it would help. Maybe they would come and say, oh wow I need to come tommorow.

Tom

Anonymous said...

thank you so much for everything. tell your leaders and congregation how much we appreciate it and enjoy it.

I did shake your hand once but didn't get to tell you that I really appreciated your class with mitch wilburn on thurs afternoon,

Lord willing, I will be there next year

God bless
brian

Anonymous said...

btw--who do you think will be the main closer for the cardinals, I picked up jason motte on my fantasy team, just in case

Brenda said...

This year was one of the best for me. Many of my friends couldn't make it this year....which made me sad. But I try to always think of the workshop as a place where I have friends I just haven't met yet. I was purposeful from time to time this year not hanging around those that I knew so that I I would get out of my comfort zone and make some new friends. And I did.
There were lots of first this year and I loved them all.
Thank you for all you do with the workshop. The way God uses you and everyone involved amazes me.

Love you----muchly!

Brenda

Brian H. said...

congrats on getting that final $13,000. God does provide.

Amy said...

How I miss the workshop - I hope someday to be back, but for now, thank you for the play-by-play and the ability to get cds of the speakers. Now, if I could just experience the evening worship!!

God bless you and all the group!!