Breakthrough Mission Blog

Breakthrough Tour – Final Blog

The conclusion of the “Breakthrough Tour” came days ago but the ongoing evaluation by leadership has continued. How is such a ministry adequately evaluated in a fair and balanced manner? 

Yet there needs to be a report – especially aimed at those who prayed for the event.  Prayer support was certainly crucial as hundreds prayed faithfully.  All of the team says thank you!

The Breakthrough Tour was a history-making event.  Never had some of the cities in western Ukraine had a visit from such a group.  Many Ukrainian young people had never attended “a real live concert”!  They considered the singers and musicians celebrities and the event unforgettable!

Some members of Breakthrough Band seemed almost embarrassed by the Ukrainian enthusiasm.  Most felt almost reluctant to sign CDs and New Testaments.  Very quickly the praise was dismissed and the challenge to lift Christ was more important.  Sean Mitchell said to those at the concerts, “It’s not about us…it’s all about Him!”  All of the band members agreed with his comment.

But even more noteworthy was the hidden source of the tour.  Singing Men of North Central Texas gave a large gift to underwrite the expenses for this evangelistic concert tour.  Their large gift kept the tour from having to be postponed.  “It was a selfless gift to a real and evident need.”  Michael Gott said. “Who would have thought that Singing Men would ever be in such a position of financial strength as this?  The lesson learned is evident:  let any one emphasize what God emphasizes in His Word – saving action toward fallen man – and the finances will take care of themselves.  It will be provided from God’s heart and from the hands of God’s people.”

Michael Gott also commented on the correctness of the fact that the tour was not postponed, quoting from Ecclesiastes 11:4 – “The farmer who waits for the perfect weather never plants.  If they watch every cloud, they will never harvest.”  He then said, “Urgency is always required in evangelism.  Jesus told us not to wait.  Studies of human behavior have shown that when we are faced with a responsibility we know we ought to accept, and do nothing, it becomes harder for us to do than before.  Having seen the evangelistic challenge and opportunity, if we do nothing about it, we are worse off spiritually than when we began.”  The evangelist continued, “‘to whom much is given much is required.’ SMONCT saw their greater responsibility before God to share, and did something that honored Him!”

Counting the responses was done with great care.  The grand total was first counted at 1986, but in a later recount came to a little less – 1,912.  The change in numbers was due to the fact that some of the Russian comments written on the cards had not been fully interpreted.  Most of the comments indicated that they were already believers in Jesus Christ.

Those who attended the concerts were materialists, skeptics, atheists, agnostics, deeply religious people, and many seekers.  One young woman whose email address begins with the words “white witch” and who had attended other evangelism events, registered her first positive response to Christ.  Allison Ware, one of the team members, will personally follow up her decision.

Warmest thanks must go to those who served in the shadows, including a team of Ukrainian young men who for 4 to 6 hours daily set up the sound system and positioned the lights and backdrop in place.  Thanks also goes to all those who wrestled with the challenge of filling the venues each night that the Gospel might be effectively presented.

In city after city youth pastors and youth groups openly expressed gratitude to the entire touring team for coming.  With the close of each concert, people expressed their warm appreciation as they walked away with a gift CD and a free copy of the New Testament in Russian or Ukrainian and English.

The gift CD also contained an evangelistic sermon entitled simply, “Lost and Found!”  It concludes with an invitation using the appeal of scripture as the authoritative note of emphasis.  Like the sermon which was preached nightly, it called for an immediate and definite response to Jesus Christ.  John Wesley’s repeated comments in his daily dairy in the 1700’s were, “I gave them Christ.”  So did the concert.  The core of true New Testament preaching is to stress the saving authority in the name of Jesus Christ.  “This is one place,” said the evangelist, “where there can be no compromise or confusion.”  Those who signed response cards seemed to have none. 

One decision card was especially noteworthy.  When this person was asked “Do you now want Jesus Christ to be more real in your life than ever before – do you welcome Him as Savior and Lord?” – the written answer was, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

It is remarkable that there seemed to be absolutely no uncertainty about the understanding or the sincerity of the response of thousands who attended the nine concerts.  Each night hundreds of response cards were collected and carefully counted two or three times for accuracy.  They were studied and prayed over, then  quickly handed over to the people responsible for follow-up.  In some cities – like Lviv – aftercare started within hours. 

“Thank God”, said a participant, “that Jesus Christ was so evidently honored in this place tonight.  I am so happy, so very happy.”  The twenty-year old shared a time of love and laughter in a fast food restaurant with the American women who were part of the support team.  During final good-byes, the words were repeated, “I am so very, very happy!”

One night at the conclusion of the message Jan Gott said, “Tonight’s sermon was powerful because the cross became the full focus of the message.”  John Stott, the great English pulpit master, said, “It is the cross which turns Christianity from good advice to glorious good news…and which makes evangelism not an invitation for men to do something, but a declaration of what God has already done in Christ.”

The theme of the cross is absolutely vital to our songs and sermons.  For it is at the cross that Jesus Christ becomes either the stone that causes people to stumble or the rock of salvation on which forgiven sinners stand!  Forever and a day let us sing and share the message of the cross, for that theme strikes at the very heart of pride and sin and lays bear God’s heart of grace and love.  So together we say, with Paul, “We sing and preach Christ crucified.”

And that theme seems to be one with which we should close this summary report.  All glory to God!