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Terry RushTULSA WORKSHOP....WHY IT STAYS ALIVE

Who could know, due to His immeasurable grace, why the Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop remains on the cutting edge. Before I give one reason for it's endurance, it would be proper to admit I have made many repeated enormous mistakes. I've invited both liberal leaning and conservative standing speakers who have bombed. I've personally spoken with an attitude which did not come from the Spirit of Jesus; but rather from the divisive emotions of a faithless human. If one ever says they wouldn't walk across the street to hear me preach, I don't blame them.

There is one trait I am grateful to note. Tulsa has been strong to love the vast array of brotherhood characteristics without bowing to its politics. Garnett never succumbed to pressing threats and neither did Memorial. Both sets of elders have bent over backwards to be accommodating, but they would not yield to complaint if they concluded such did not align with the sacred Word. Thousands have been ultra gracious over the years to discard our glaring mistakes and treat us with love and respect.

God has blessed the workshop. Those of us who get to lead out with it never take it for granted. We get constant feedback. Positive letters and calls flow throughout each year. We also evaluate each complaint, weigh the issue, and respond according to what we believe God wants from us at the moment. Our elders take such a ministry quite seriously. While we are sensitive to people, we truly work at gauging where God has us at the moment and where He'd wish to take us.

I've been chastised strongly nearly every year by some attendees because of some facet a few didn't like. Whether it pains our hearts and whether the concern was delivered with love, we weigh all of the thoughts expressed. Some we regard. Others we find we need to let go and move forward. We do our best to make decisions from the basis of faith and not from fear.

So, thank you....all of you....for your kind support all these years. It is not an easy task....but it surely is a privileged one. We have one thing in mind: we want the name of Jesus extended to every soul on earth. Forgive me for those many times I failed to design the best venue for such a goal. I am just like the brotherhood: good at a couple of things and lousy at about 25 (or should that be 225?). We believe we each pool our "couple of things" and the result is the "Body" of Christ. Thank you for holding on to us when you deserved better. Together we will keep growing upward!

The Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop is still one of the most exciting brotherhood reunions on earth and it just keeps getting better. I hope to see you in Tulsa March 22-24!

Terry

3/8/07