He ran. The man took off as soon as he heard the invitation. Up the left aisle on the floor of the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, he had a straight path to salvation, and he wasn’t about to slow down. When he got to the front of the stage, he clung to the metal railing and wept.
On the right side of the arena, a young man boldly stood up and stepped forward, prepared to make his own commitment to Christ. He was halfway to the front when a friend nearly tackled him to the ground in joy over the decision he was making.
They were just the beginning. By the time the invitation was complete, more than 275 people had surrendered their eternities into the hands of Jesus at the Gold Coast Look Up Celebration with Will Graham on June 29 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Sin City
The Gold Coast is a well-known vacation spot for Aussies and international visitors alike. The waving palm trees, crashing waves, bright lights and nightlife offer the ideal oasis for people who are looking to relax and unwind.
Look just below the surface, however, and you find something much darker. Hopelessness is pervasive and brokenness abounds. Alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling and prostitution are commonplace.
“People are searching for pleasure, but it’s fleeting,” Will Graham said before the event. “What the world offers cannot satisfy the soul. Only Jesus can do that.”
Erica Ryffe of Upper Coomera, a Gold Coast community, was first in line waiting for the doors to open. She shared, “It is Sin City here on the Gold Coast. I think we absolutely need a revival and I think we all need Jesus.”
‘You Can’t Have it Both Ways’
“People have money, titles, degrees and possessions, but spiritually, they’re wandering,” Will shared with the crowd of more than 4,600. “You may be searching and wandering right now. Tonight, God wants you to come home to Him.
“You can’t have it both ways,” he continued, addressing those who may claim to be Christians but who pursue lives of sin and the trappings of the world. “God is giving you a warning right now. He says you’re going the wrong way. You need to turn around before it’s too late.”
There’s hope, he said, and it’s found in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. “Jesus bled and died to pay the debt so that you and I can have a relationship with God. Tonight, Jesus wants to come into your life and forgive you of your sin. Will you receive that free gift?”
‘No Greater Miracle’
Luke and Sophie*, a young married couple on holiday from France, made their way forward when Will gave the invitation. Luke, an Australian, had surrendered his life to Jesus three years ago. He bought Sophie a French-language Bible that they’ve been reading together. The Holy Spirit had clearly been working in Sophie’s life, preparing her to hear the Gospel. Despite a significant language barrier, this was the night that it all came together and Sophie made a decision to follow Jesus as Luke looked on with joy.
Nearby, Kyle, an 18-year-old prayer volunteer from Brisbane, prayed with three teenage boys who placed their faith in Jesus. “It felt really good,” Kyle said. “It felt like God had brought me here today for a special purpose, and that purpose was to help people come to Christ and get to know Him.”
On the other side of the venue, a prayer counselor named Trinity had the opportunity to lead two children to Christ, while also encouraging their aunt and uncle, who were new believers themselves. Afterward, he was all smiles as he reflected on the experience.
“It’s like a revival, I have to say. I haven’t seen anything like this since I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s life-changing. There’s no greater miracle than the saving of souls. Tonight I know there’s not just a celebration here with us, but there’s a celebration in Heaven.” ©2024 BGEA
Erik Ogren is media relations manager for BGEA.
*Names changed to protect privacy.
Photo: Ron Nickel / ©2024 BGEA