Posted by Edwin M. Cotto
12/15/2021
“Please continue to share your story, you will never imagine how many people in your audience have gone through similar ordeals.” These were the words of one of the attendees to last month’s camp meeting in Florida. Five days of a true “wilderness experience,” the meeting was called END TIME CAMP MEETING an it was… messy. But, notwithstanding the dirt and cow poop all over the place, it was a truly spiritual experience. I had the Sabbath morning sermon, and after an appeal for decisions for Christ, I estimate a good 98% of those present made a decision for Jesus. What am amazing moment!
SKILLS TRAINING AND REVIVAL
The camp consisted of various presentations along with wilderness survival training. People learned how to light a fire, work knives, find food and clean water. My job was to train people in apologetics, seeing that we will need to be prepared to face difficult questions when we’ll have to answer for our faith. There were more than 300 people at this camp meeting, and people flew in from other states. Truly, the experience was like none other.
MY TESTIMONY
I shared my own personal testimony. It is not really something I share often, but I thought it was appropriate at this time. I grew up in a troubled home surrounded by drugs, alcohol, lesbianism and the like. Family members practiced everything from witchcraft to drug dealing to promiscuity, and I picked up on some of these things as I grew up. But my Father’s insistence to take me to church on the weekends and teach me bible stories always kept me back from going too far into the world. Ultimately I gave all to Christ when my dear mother was diagnosed with cancer. Her sickness, ironically, made me hopeful of the future, especially because she gave her life to Christ just before she passed. It was a truly transforming experience for me, and I determined to share this awesome feeling with others.
Of course, there is much more to my story, but what I shared seemed to have quite the impact. You never know who is watching and listening. One lady came to me afterwards, and told her that a family member of her family was rapped by her own father, and this trauma was very difficult to overcome even to this day. My story caused her to consider forgiveness, and to draw closer to Christ for healing. Similar stories came to me, but one that I wanted to share in some more details was that of Dave Battan.*
A BAPTIST COUPLE SEES THE LIGHT
Dave was talking about my presentation when I happen walked up to him sort of coincidently (although I do not really believe in coincidence) and a gentlemen told Dave, “here’s the guy!” Dave expressed true appreciation for the revealing sermon, which detailed the spiritual experience of every Christian as, symbolically, they walked through the Sanctuary in their own personal walk with Christ. He had looked into the subject of the Sanctuary prior, but not like this! After a lengthy conversation and a bible study on the topic of the Sabbath during one of my workshops, I invited him and his wife to some personal bible studies, and have had the pleasure of fellowshipping with him at my church a few times after that. Please keep him in prayer, along with his wife and a Baptist friend of his, as they draw closer to Christ and His truth as revealed in the scriptures!
“For one I believe it’s because most (myself for one) never understood the yearly, and other festival as Sabbaths. I was lucky to meet Edwin M. Cotto who pointed this out and once he did it was like a light lit up in my soul.” -Dave Battan
To God be the glory!
MORE CAMP MEETINGS TO COME
Pastor Robert Hines, the master mind behind these camp meetings and also an apologist with the Advent Defense League, will be leading out various other camp meetings soon. I will have the pleasure of attending these as well and conducting more trainings. Will you be at the following camp meetings?
I hope to meet you there! And if you cannot make it to one of these training, take advantage of our online training sessions in our member-only group by clicking on the image below. Blessings!
Edwin M. Cotto
Advent Defense League
