Hard Ground Little Fruits

I need to go back to the drawing board. I need to pray more in preparation for big meetings. The ground is hard. It is not like 15 or 20 years ago. The church was less than a quarter full when I preached yesterday afternoon. It was a graveyard session, starting a major meet in the afternoon at 2pm. Yet the crowds were smaller than I expected. Not that I was not prepared. I felt the Lord's presence when the meeting started with a dance presentation with the song "Crucified, above all you thought of me." For a moment I thought I was in Singapore as my church had not sung an English song since I started. My tears welled up that even in Ranau the Lord's eyes were upon me and he thought of me. "Who am I Lord that you think of me and the son of man you visitest?
The music and song leader's mike was so loud that it drowned all else into silence. How can we worship when those who lead do not know what they are doing? I preached from the 3 texts where Jesus talked about completing or finishing God's work that climaxed with his cry on the cross, "It is finished." It was not easy to preach in a big church with a small attendance. But today's afternoon service went a lot better among the youths. It was held in my church and as the space was small even 150 youths appeared many. When I gave the altar call, only about 8 or 9 youths came forward. All the young ladies but not a single young man. As usual, 75% ladies and only 25% in attendance. Where are all the guys? This morning I preached in our 2nd service, continuing with the beatitudes, the 3rd and the 4th, blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth and blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied. My elder-pastor preached a powerful message in the first service on the text, "give and it shall be given to you."