How It Started

2007 - Drew Sewell’s Story. How It All Started.

Hello my name is Drew Sewell. I am a Vice President for CKS Packaging, a family owned plastic bottle manufacturer. We are located 1.5 miles south of 1-20 in an office park just off Fulton Industrial Boulevard at 445 Great Southwest Parkway. One day while on my way back from a customer visit, I was stopped by the traffic light at the intersection of Fulton Industrial and the west bound exit ramp of 1-20.

While I was sitting there minding my own business, a young woman no more than 15 years old crossed the street in front of me. She was scantily clad in revealing clothing with very tall high heels and was obviously a prostitute. Following along about 15 yards behind was what appeared to be her Pimp.

Immediately I was hit with the Compassion of the Holy Spirit and began to weep for her sinful condition and her eternal destination. You see, I have two teenage daughters ages 13 and 15. I could not help but think that except for the Grace of God there goes one of my daughters. At the same moment that I began to weep, the Lord spoke to my spirit and said “WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT”? I responded as you might have and said “What can I do about it?” Just then the light changed to green and I turned left onto FIB to go back to the comfort of my office. I was hoping that was the end of it when the Lord spoke to me again and said “WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT”.

Knowing that I was busted and that the Lord was not going to let me rest until I heeded His call; I gave up and pulled over into a parking lot next to a nude bar and adult toy and video store. I hoped no one would see me as I called a good friend of mine, Phillip Bray, CEO of Safehouse Ministries in Atlanta. They specialize in rescuing prostitutes and helping the homeless. He told me to get her in my car and bring her down to his facility and they would help to change her life.

This is where the eyes of my understanding were opened. As I went up and down every side road looking for this young lady I was shocked at what I saw. The area looked like a war zone with a large portion of businesses abandoned, burnt out, or boarded up. I counted 7 restaurants that had been relocated or run completely out of the area. I saw 6 strip clubs and 3 adult toy and video stores, all within a”1/2 mile radius of where the Lord spoke to me. I was amazed at the blatant sin right out in the open in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon. Every time I slowed down to look for (or ask if any one had seen) this young lady; I was approached by zombie looking people apparently wired out on drugs. They were trying to sell me sex, crack cocaine or merchandise to support their habit. I was literally seeing a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah right before my eyes.

I never did find the young lady and today I am convinced she was an ANGEL. As I rode around the area the Lord began to unfold His vision for these lost and hurting people. He showed me an empty parking lot and told me to organize a day of worship and outreach to take the area back for the kingdom of God. With the joint efforts of the local businesses, churches and concerned citizens we held the inaugural Impact Fulton Industrial in June 2007 and had 1200 attendees. We saw 16 individuals leave this lifestyle, 4 were prostitutes and the rest were drug addicts and alcoholics. By our best count 30 people were saved. We hosted Impact Fulton Industrial II in September and we had over 5000 in attendance. 50 or so have left for rehabs and hundreds were saved or rededicated their lives since then.

I have two questions for you. One, If Jesus was here in our area today, where do you suppose he would be? And two, “WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT”? The answer to the first is easy, right down on Fulton Industrial in the middle of all the sin. The answer to the second is not so easy. I hope you will get the answer right and join me in making a difference in the lives of these lost and hurting people. Come see what happens when love comes to town.

Malcolm McCarn, Trustee, Maximum Impact Love

Little did Drew know that a chance sighting of a young teenage girl about the same age as his own daughters, alone and bewildered on the streets of southwest Atlanta would have such an impact on his life over the next few years. Today Drew Sewell serves as the guiding light for a ministry that has enriched the lives of more than 50,000 people over the first six years.

It all started on a bright summer day as he exited the interstate to come to the office. He was taking an exit that he had rarely used over the past seven years, but the circumstances of his job responsibilities had put him in that place on that day. There was a brief moment in time when he encountered a young female appearing to be in her early teens. She seemed fresh, innocent, and definitely out of place; she was a “working girl” in society’s oldest profession, prostitution.

Drew went on his way toward the office to start another day of managing the day-to-day operations of two large manufacturing plants. There were people waiting to meet with him, problems to solve, and decisions to make that needed his immediate attention. He didn’t have the luxury of having time to talk to this young teenager or take care of her - or did he? Drew, being a strong believer in the power of the Holy Spirit, had witnessed what God could do in his life if he allowed God to use him; this time, the power of God was overwhelming as he searched his heart with that question that has confronted all believers at one time or another in their lives:

"What can I do to help?"

Drew didn’t know what to do or how he could help, but he did have an overwhelming sense of the Holy Spirit directing him to take care of her. He immediately turned his truck around to seek her out. Unfortunately, she had gone on her way by the time he returned to the corner where she was standing. Drew searched for her asking if anyone knew her or where he could find her. He never found that young person, but he committed in his heart to do whatever he could to seek out those less fortunate in the community and give them the reassurance that they had not been forgotten, that they were children of God and that God did care for them.

Drew’s “burning bush experience” that day was a divine appointment; the young girl, an angel sent to test his commitment to serving God. He soon envisioned an event to bring God into the lives of those lost souls in the community, but it had to be more than just another church service. He envisioned serving the needs of the community with a meal, food to take home, haircuts, clothing, health and dental screening, a place for kids to romp and enjoy their childhood, and most importantly a time of fellowship, worship and prayer with Christian believers.

First, he’d have to find a location. There were several vacant lots along the corridor that would work; God would have to intervene. He would have to get a cadre of volunteers committed to making it work; God would have to intervene. He would have to make time in his busy schedule; God would have to intervene. He would have to get others to donate the resources; God would have to intervene.

Drew persevered. He overcame one obstacle after another; God did intervene. When the local police bristled at the idea of welcoming these disadvantaged people to an event in their honor, he met with them and explained how God was in control and they would have to accept the fact that it was going to happen.

When the property owner (who was Muslim) learned that the people were being exposed to Christian prayer, Christian fellowship, and Christian music, he tried to renege on the contract allowing the use of his property; God did intervene.

When volunteers were needed, God intervened and sent an overabundance of people committed to believing in Drew’s vision to reach the community.

The event has grown to include not only the annual celebration for the community, but also a time of fellowship and a meal at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and gifts for children who would otherwise not be celebrating the joy of Christmas.

Is there a cost to getting all this accomplished? Yes, not only the hours invested by Christian believers but the cost of making it happen several times a year. Have you ever asked yourself:

How can I get involved in this ministry?

Well, there is a way. Maximum Impact Love, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) organization. You may participate by designating a weekly amount to be contributed to the ministry on your behalf, you may designate a one time gift, or you can send any contribution directly to Drew at the corporate office.

Drew answered the call when God put this young teenager in his path. How will you answer the call? Years ago, Drew had confronted his Dad, Charles, as to why he was successful in business. Charles had responded that the answer was quite simple - too simple to be that easy, but Drew persisted in getting the answer. The answer was simple: Charles believed in the Word of God to be true. He had made a covenant with God to support Christian ministries from the profit of CKS Packaging. He had kept his promise, and yes, God had kept His.

There is but one scripture in the Bible where God asks you to test Him - in giving. Malachi 3:10, “...Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”