Philip Glassmeyer, Lead Planting Pastor City Wide Redeemer Las Vegas

I remain thankful for the time spent at the boot camp because I came away with a confidence that my gospel preaching is now indeed gospel preaching. Before attending the boot camp I hadn’t realized that some of how I presented the gospel was actually more confusing for people than it was clarifying, and confusion doesn’t lead to real conversion. Now when people come to me on a Sunday afternoon, for example, and they say, “Today what you said about my need to trust Jesus really makes sense, and I want to follow him. What’s my next step?” I know I’m not assuming too much to believe that they’ve responded to the gospel, and not a half-gospel. A Quick Story: Three months ago Sandy began attending our services of worship with her boyfriend of two years. After her second week of attendance I was able to visit with the two of them over dinner and asked her about her faith. This was her reply: “To be honest, I don’t really understand fully what it is I’m supposed to trust Jesus for.” Time didn’t permit an articulation of the gospel at that moment, but she continued to attend CWR and hear the BN/GN every weekend. It was about three weeks later when I noticed that she was participating in the Lord’s Supper. I asked her that evening if her participation was indicative of a progression in her understanding and of new faith. She nodded. I was humbled to hear her say something very close to these words, “Last week during the sermon it clicked. I understand that Jesus is my substitute, that he died in my place so that I don’t have to be punished, and so I can His goodness [righteousness] and live forever with Him. I get what I’m trusting Jesus for now!”