Skate Park News -- Part 3

This is the third in a multi-part posting from the Janssen / Skate Park Small Group.

When we went to the skate park on June 7, we wanted to share the Gospel with the kids there. One of the ways of doing this is commonly called, "open air preaching." The idea is relatively simple: stand in a public place, speak loudly, and share the message of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible.

Sometimes, to get attention, it helps to be speaking to someone directly, so other people can hear a conversation going on. Many times, through chatting with someone, the questions and thoughts that people will have about the message being spread will be answered or addressed through this channel. That is where CJ came in.



CJ is a young man, about to turn 19, who does not believe in God, Heaven, the devil, Hell, or any of the other tenets of Christianity. He said that he only wants to live for today and doesn't care about what happens after this life. So, we took the time to speak to him in an open-air format and walk through the Gospel with him.

You may be thinking, "Why would you want to talk to someone who has these beliefs if he isn't going to listen?" First, you never know when the Holy Spirit will move in someone's life. It is possible that through this preaching, CJ would repent of his sins and put his trust in Jesus.

Second, what you can't really see in this video is the two to three dozen kids who were standing around, sitting on benches, and eating the food we served up. Even though CJ may be fixed in his beliefs, these kids were listening to the serious message of the Gospel. Afterwards, in speaking with those kids further, they understood the basics of our faith. Some of them, as we could see, were being affected by God's Word being preached, and we hope for their salvation.

Third, hecklers and people who oppose what is going on can draw a crowd. People draw in more people, and a person who may not, "go with the flow," can entice more people to show up. Some of CJs friends walked over to where we were when they saw him talking with us.

Remember that when you share the Gospel with someone, you may not be sharing it to only that person. Eavesdroppers, passers-by, and other people around the area may be listening and get convicted by the Holy Spirit.

And please remember to pray for kids like CJ. May God work on his heart and save his soul.

Skate Park News -- Part 2

This is the second in a multi-part posting from the Janssen / Skate Park Small Group.



I know what you're thinking--this doesn't look anything like the skate park. And you would be right. But there is a story behind this photo that is worth sharing.

A couple of weeks ago, Christian and Denise learned that they were pregnant. This was a miracle in itself because they were told by doctors that they were unable to have any more biological children. Unfortunately, though, about a week later, they suffered a miscarriage.



It became a very tough time for Christian and Denise, with lots of questions, heartache, and tears being shed. If you or a loved one has ever gone through this kind of event, you know that the roller coaster of emotions is a tough thing to bear.



As the group met one Saturday to finish up the planning for the event for June 7, the group asked Christian and Denise if they needed anything at all. Our small group all loves each other and wants to help out whenever someone needs something. "As silly as it sounds," Christian said, "I've been building a playhouse for our kids and could use some help with getting it up in our backyard."



The following day after church, Pat and Mike stopped by to help get things set up. The three worked in the backyard for most of the afternoon, hammering, setting up walls, ratcheting things together, and getting the framing assembled. And, several hours later, there appeared the foundation of a small playhouse in their backyard.



Remember that our small groups are not just there to serve the community and share Jesus Christ. Make sure that you are caring for each other, for both the big and small things in life, even when the request may sound small or silly. It can make a huge difference.

Skate Park News -- Part 1

This is the first in a multi-part posting from the Janssen / Skate Park Small Group.



Last Saturday, June 7, our small group put forward our full plan in reaching out to the kids at the skate park. We started our weekend afternoon outreach by bringing them sandwiches, chips, cookies, and drinks, all for free. Our tables also had free copies of the New Testament, Bible tracts, and information about Plum Creek.

In doing this, we shared Jesus Christ with many people that afternoon, through talking about Him, getting to know the people who frequent the park, and serving them. There were also many parents who stopped by or came over from the nearby baseball diamond and thanked us for doing this work. The kids were all very grateful for us coming by, and many of them opened up to us and let us know what is going on in their lives.

By the time we wrapped up in the afternoon, we had gone through at least 2 cases of bottled water, 2 six-foot long Subway sandwiches, a huge box of chips, and several dozen home baked cookies. We gave out Bible tracts and shared the Gospel with at least 40 people, and handed somewhere between one and two dozen New Testaments to people who did not have Bibles of their own.

While we were more focused on being the Church and reaching the lost, we did get some video footage of the event. Here is a compilation and overview of our ministry to those at the skate park since March. You can also check the channel on YouTube or GodTube to see some of our encounters, which we will keep updating.

http://www.godtube.com/skateparkevangelism
http://www.youtube.com/user/SkateParkEvangelism

Service Opportunity for your Small Group

Here is the information for a great service opportunity in downtown Denver. Jason Shelton's company, Image AV, is helping find volunteers. If you or anyone in your small group is interested, please contact us ASAP, they are putting together a final count. RKShelton@hotmail.com

Hope Center, Downtown Denver
Saturday, May 31st
Meet at 8 am downtown, and then will be bused in to the school location
lunch is provided
entertainment (live music, etc) and beverages provided afterward
Project: painting the gymnasium, etc

Thanks!

The Finished Courtyard

I had posted a couple of weeks back with the 'before pictures' of the courtyard we were renovating at the local nursing home, the Castle Rock Care Center. Here are some pictures of the event, and the beautiful result.





Thanks to all three groups (Shelton, Reid, and Engquist groups) for stepping up and doing such an amazing job of serving the Care Center. I know they are going to be blessed by it!

Young Singles Wrecking Crew!

Hey -

I'm posting for our Young Singles' Journey Group (ages 18-20s). Chad Gunderson and Bryce Engquist gave leadership to this group. They have had a great run and plan on continuing. They had as many as 10 people attend.

Their service project was helping a family in Sedalia whose husband is in the final stages of cancer. The family will soon be selling their home. They did some cleaning, painting, tore down a shed and even hauled manure! The funds from the church were used to help purchase gas and food for the family.

Way to go crew!

Gary

Skate Park -- Talking With Pete

On Monday, I went back to the skate park and passed out about 48 water bottles to around 30 people throughout the park. They were grateful for the free drinks with how warm the weather is getting. One boy, Brendan, who is often there in the afternoons, saw me coming and shouted to his friends, "Hey! It's water time!" I had a crowd of a dozen kids around me within seconds, thankful for the free cold refreshments.

I shared the Gospel message with many people on that day, including Gary, a 16 year old biker, whose face showed conviction after talking about how some people die young, and Gabe, a 16 year old hackey sack player, who said that even knowing about Jesus Christ, he would still live the same life over, even if it meant going to Hell. Pray for these kids.

The video below is a chat I had with Pete, a 25 year old Roman Catholic, who said that he had 12 friends die in the last year alone. After we were done talking, he thanked me for sharing the Gospel with him, and said that he had never heard it presented like that before.

As you watch this video, think about how your small groups are sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with people who will perish without it. I hope you are challenged by the verse at the end of the video, from Romans 10:17, which says, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."