Charlie Clark took one more walk around the neighborhood after work. He’s the pastor of a church plant in a diverse Charlotte, N.C., community, and wanted to invite everyone he could to watch “The Cross” at his church.
But that wasn’t his first attempt. Members at his church, called The Point, spent the past couple of weekends handing out at least 400 fliers, inviting neighbors to see the program. They gave out invitations door to door in a nearby apartment complex and held a yard “sale,” but allowed anyone who came to take items for free.
They put fliers on cars and stuck them in doors. Charlie gave one to a man at the dollar store, and exchanged one candidate’s flier for his on election day at the local polls.
One group of young men showed up early to the event and played basketball outside the church. A young woman brought her two younger sisters.
Ninth grader Jaylen paid close attention during “The Cross” and said afterwards that it was “inspirational.”
Ty, a seventh-grader, liked the part where a guy paints a wooden cross with red paint to signify Jesus’ sacrifice. Clark invited Ty and his friends to the church earlier that evening, and they all joined the other guests for dessert afterwards.
Kathy Konecny goes to another church that shares a building with The Point. She came to the event to honor Mr. Graham and said her mom, 92, and her daughter planned to watch “The Cross” on TV.
Unemployment, financial strain, crime and questions of morality are all issues that her community wrestles with, she said, adding that “it’s a time of confusion for so many people.”
But as Clark told guests Thursday night, there’s hope; Christ can change everything.
“The cross is for you,” he said, and if anyone decides to commit their lives to the One who took their place, he’s right there with them. “I want to walk with you,” he told guests.
