THE NECESSITY OF FOLLOW UP

Once I held a meeting for a pastor in Texas—and I'm ashamed that anybody in Texas would be as stupid as that poor fellow was. I gave an invitation one Saturday night, and 39 people came and stood across the front. They included seven couples between 28 and 32 years of age. That's seven families. They had never been saved. They were noble prospects.

Afterwards, I asked the pastor, "Did you get those folks' names and addresses so you can follow up on them?" "Aw, bless God," he said, "I believe if people got anything, they'll be back." "I want to ask you a question," I said. "During this meeting, your daughter gave birth to a baby boy. Suppose you went to her house and said, 'I've come to see my boy. Where is he?' Would she say, 'Well, we thought if he were alive and well, he'd be in after a while?" And I said to that pastor, "My time is too valuable to hold a revival for an idiot. I'm closing tomorrow night." And I closed.

God is going to hold every church responsible for the babies born into the kingdom around its altars. When they backslide, we are ready to criticize them, yet we frequently are to blame for their backsliding. (Kenneth Hagin)