A few words from the Executive Committee:
Dear colleagues.
What a great day to be in service to one who came to seek and save
that which is lost! As you will read in this newsletter we are living
in exciting times. God is at work! What a privilege to walk with
Him as he reaches lost people. I am more convinced than I have ever been
that our calling is to be faithful in every area of our lives.
Be faithful in your time with Him, your family, your finances, your study
and so on. If we will do that He supplies everything else in His perfect
timing including results and opportunities. God is the great evangelist!
I was recently in India where we saw incredible responses to the Good
News. I
felt like we were riding on His coat-tails across a sea of hungry hearts.
What a privilege!
Many of you are aware that we are working to see more collaborative
evangelism events over the next few years. You will be able to read
about some of them in the articles that follow. Take note and ask
the Lord of the Harvest where, what and when He might have you connect
with fellow evangelists to reach a community or region.
PEN Executive Committee decided to not pursue a PEN led eSchool this
year, but to come along side of our partners who are already training
evangelists and to support and promote their sessions. Watch for more
details in the months to come. NGA will be sponsoring a time of significant
training this fall that we will let you know about. If you know of training
sessions that we can link with let us know.
May the Lord show Himself powerful in your midst these critical days.
Dallas Anderson
Director of Proclamation Ministries, Billy Graham Center
Celebration of Hope
To a city still inundated with economic and political uncertainties six
months after Hurricane Katrina, Billy Graham and Franklin Graham brought
messages of spiritual hope and renewal at the New Orleans Arena on March
11, and 12, 2006.
On Saturday evening, Franklin Graham recalled the stirring images of
thousands of desperate victims being saved from the surging flood waters
of Katrina. "No one will ever forget the scenes of these people standing
on roof tops, waiting to be rescued," he said. "When God sent
His Son to earth, it was a rescue mission to save us from our sins. God
loves New Orleans, He loves Louisiana and Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.
He has not abandoned you. Tonight we all can have the hope of heaven if
we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ."
Dr. David Crosby of First Baptist Church of New Orleans, said the weekend's
meetings laid the foundation for new beginnings in the community. Crosby
lauded the Celebration for uniting churches in New Orleans and surrounding
parishes. "We don't want to lose the unity," he said. "We're
bringing down the walls between races and denominations.
This is like the opening of a blossom that will continue to grow."
(Courtesy: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, www.bgea.org.
For more information on Celebration of Hope, please visit this link
or refer to this article.
Return to top
Springfield Festival with Keith Cook
On The Go Festivals with Keith Cook and Friends, a ministry of the Keith
Cook Evangelistic Association, is having a party that will never end!
Area churches, companies, clubs, and individuals are joining together
to throw one fantastic festival on the Courthouse House Square in downtown
Springfield, Tennessee.
The Springfield On The Go Festival will be a fun filled day packed with
events for all ages. Children will enjoy the GoKids Club with games, inflatables,
clowns, children's performers, a special concert with Chris and Jamie
Kearney, and much more. Youth will have a wild time at Go-Extreme that
features Extreme Skate and Bike Demonstrations, Climbing Towers, Bungee
Jumps, a Battle of the Bands featuring local bands, a showcase with emerging
artist Amy Stroup, and much more. Everyone will want to be at the festivals
Main Event featuring Folk/ Bluegrass singers Keith and Megan Cook, Michael
English, Jaci Velasquez, and International Evangelist Keith Cook. Powerful
Gospel messages will be presented by Keith, throughout the day and each
message will extend an invitation for the lost to come to Christ. Please
pray for On The Go and Keith Cook as they share the Gospel in Springfield,
Tennessee for Jesus.
(Courtesy: Keith Cook, Keith Cook Evangelistic Association, On the Go
Ministries. For more information on the Springfield Festival, please visit
the On The Go website
or contact Keith at springfieldfestival@onthego.org.)
Return to top
Steve Wingfield Leads Relief Effort
Steve Wingfield continues to serve as the Chairman of The Valley Responds,
a local (Harrisonburg - Rockingham County, Virginia) organization formed
to assist the adopted community of Long Beach, Mississippi to recover
from the devastating effects of Hurricane
Katrina. Under Steve's leadership, the long term relief effort has received
about $200,000 in cash donations and has, in turn, distributed funds to
a variety of organizations and agencies in the affected area.
Steve helped negotiate the donation of modular homes to the stricken community.
In addition, "in-kind" donations of other items such as vehicles,
building materials, toys, school supplies, kitchen and homemaking essentials,
large quantities of food, and much more have been made. The SWEA tent
was set up in Long Beach last September to serve as
a gymnasium, mess hall, and more as needed.
(Courtesy: Greg Culbertson, Steve
Wingfield Evangelistic Association. More information on the ministry's
events can be accessed on the ministry website at www.thevalleyresponds.com
or you can contact the ministry at 1-800-729-2239.
My Hope India
A different kind of Christmas celebration spread across the nation of
India as hundreds of thousands of Christians invited friends and neighbors
to watch broadcasts that were part of BGEA's My Hope television project.
Throughout India Dec. 21-26, in houses large and small, people
accepted the invitation of Christian friends to come and watch programs
that would tell about Jesus. Over and over, God used the My Hope broadcasts,
and the prayers and testimonies of caring friends, to draw people to Himself.
My Hope India stands by far as the most extensive training ever imparted
to equip the Church in India to witness for Jesus Christ, and it used
the context of the warmth of a family and modern technology. Hundreds
of thousands have been equipped to share the Gospel, and millions have
heard it. It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit of God will continue to
use these individuals and families as effective witnesses for Christ.
(Courtesy: Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association. For more information on My Hope India, please
visit this link.)
Return to top
Hope For the Home
Dr. Jerry Drace will be facilitating "Hope for the Home," a
weekend conference designed to help the pastor in his ongoing challenge
of ministering to the most important unit of society - the Family. Since
1975 Jerry Drace has served as an evangelist to churches throughout the
United States and numerous international countries. He and his team have
served pastors in mega churches and mission churches. Dr. Drace has listened
to these men of God and concluded that their greatest need is meeting
the needs of those individuals who comprise - the Family.
Dr. Drace is offering an official invitation to each of the evangelists
in the PEN Network to attend one of the Hope For The Home seminars. There
will also be an evangelistic message presented on Sunday morning and evening.
(Courtesy: Jerry Drace, Jerry Drace Evangelistic Association. Email Jerry
Drace.For more information, or an updated schedule of seminar events,
visit Hope for the Home Schedule
of events or the website)
Return to top
Evangelists Needed on the Field
Wesley Paul has been invited to Kenya to conduct three festivals this
year in Africa. In August the festival cities are Sabasaba and Webuye,
Kenya, and the teams will be ministering between August 21st to September
5th. In December the focus city will be Kisumu, and the date is set
for November 24 to December 11th.
Evangelists are needed to conduct festivals in surrounding cities. The
costs is $4500 which includes air travel, food, lodging and 2 festivals.
Wesley has been conducting festivals in 23 countries, most of them in
Africa, India, Philippines and South America.
(Courtesy: Wesley Paul, Wesley Paul International Ministries. For more
information on participating in the African Festivals, please email Wesley
or call 1-859-260-8800.)
Return to top
A Passion for Souls-Evangelists Networking Together
How can we reach the ends of the earth in our generation? By working
in unity to reach one village at a time! Over 20 years ago, God began
opening a door for such an effort by using Dr. Bill Thomas to lead a young
man named Muthu to Christ at a Crusade meeting. Muthu, inspired by the
means that reached him, invited NGA evangelists to come to India to do
Festivals Evangelism. NGA is able to not only help local believers like
Muthu, but also to use collaborative multi-city missions to encourage
and equip an emerging generation of evangelists.
The latest trip to the District of Madurai in southern India was outstanding!
Outreaches were conducted in 18 locations with people bused in from hundreds
of villages. Over 110,934 people heard the message of Christ firsthand
with over 20,000 Indians responding publicly, giving their lives to Jesus.
Eleven NGA Evangelists who had never proclaimed Christ in India were given
their first opportunity. God also opened the door for social ministries
to host medical and dental outreaches, youth sports, and music exhibition.
Praise God for the many open doors He gave our Festival Team and
for the lives that have been eternally changed.
(Courtesy: Brad Butcher, Luis Palau Evangelistic Association. For more
information, or to receive a detailed PDF account of Passion For Souls,
please email Brad)
Return to top
Need Ideas for Reaching Seekers and Skeptics?
Here's an article from Rusty Wright's website to help equip believers
in
evangelism:
A Campus Atheist Finds What He Wants. A campus atheist enjoyed
arguing with believers and mocking their faith. His friend's loving response
plus some divine intervention prompted him to reconsider his skepticism.
His exciting story holds important lessons for gently nudging your friends
toward faith.
(Courtesy: Rusty Wright, For more information, visit the website
or check the following article.
Website resources available free of charge. Please email Rusty
for eprint permissions.)
Return to top
PULSE-Student Led Initiative
Over 800 area collegians have come together for what looks to be one
of the largest student led initiatives in the history of the Upper Midwest.
PULSE is a student led initiative headed up by young evangelist Nick Hall,
23, member of the Luis Palau Next Generation Alliance and recent graduate
of Billy Graham's Institute for Emerging Evangelists.
Nick had a vision for reaching secular campuses two years ago while working
as the youth speaker for Luis Palau's Twin Cities Festival. PULSE is now
in it's final phase with four affinity outreach events targeting Business/Communications,
Medical, Architecture/Interior
Design, and Construction/Engineering. These will lead towards the main
event on Friday, March 24th, at the Bison Sports Arena in Fargo, ND.
(Courtesy: Nick Hall, Nick Hall Evangelistic Ministries. For more information
on Pulse, visit the the Pulse Campus website
or Nick Hall Evangelistic Ministries website.)
Return to top
Kaduna-Behold the Glory of God
Wesley Paul led evangelical festivals in Kaduna, Nigeria this past November.
For a city that had witnessed Muslim-Christian riots in 2002, this festival
was a bold strategy for Christian Witness. During the riots hundreds of
Christians were killed and several churches were destroyed. Like Nehemiah,
I simply wept when I saw the ruins and destruction. One church elder pointed
me to the ruins of his church, once attended by 500 people. Pointing to
rough wooden planks on cement blocks, he lamented with much agony, "Now
only ten people attend." Oh, how the enemy comes to steal, kill and
destroy.
The word "Kaduna" in the local language Hausa, means "Crocodiles".
In every sense of the word, for many Christians, it feels like they are
living with crocodiles. The region is equally divided between Muslims
and Christians. Though there have been no riots in the last three years,
the people live in constant fear and tension. In midst of such a volatile
region, the local churches rallied together to host a city-wide festival.
God honored their commitment and hard work. 20,00 individuals attended
the four-day festival, and more than 1500 people made decisions for Christ.
This was the first time ECWA (Evangelical Church of West Africa) churches
rallied together to conduct a large city-wide event. On the final day,
the deputy governor the state of Kaduna State addressed the gathering.
(Courtesy: Wesley Paul, Wesley Paul International Ministries. For more
information, please email Wesley
or call 1-859-260-8800.)
Return to top
Live From Seattle
Recently celebrating it's one year anniversary, the late night radio
show, HOGG WILD, with Scottish host, Bill Hogg, has attracted some attention
for its unconventional spreading of the gospel through raw discussion
of hot topics.
(Courtesy: Rachel Corns, rpc1686@comcast.net.
For more information on how you can get involved with this extraordinary
outreach, please visit our website.)
Return to top
FUTURE PEN ARTICLES
We will be correlating the data for the next PEN Newsletter. In order
for events and articles to be included in the upcoming PEN Newsletter,
we have set Wednesday, June 14th at 12:00 noon central time as
the deadline. We will try to run as many articles as possible, but we
can not guarantee that your article will be included in the upcoming PEN
Newsletter as there are over 300 ministries participating in the PEN Network.
In order for your ministry event to be included in the next PEN Newsletter,
we will need to receive the following from you by the deadline.
1) Subject or Title Heading
2) Brief Description of Event, Article, or Training Opportunity
3) WebLink to an article or webpage describing full detail of ministry
event, article, or training opportunity
Below you will find a list of qualifications for data that will be included
in the PEN Newsletter.
1) The PEN Newsletter will not include any information regarding Fund
Raising for your ministry. This is not the role of this newsletter.
2) We will attempt to include brief articles from as many ministries
as possible. Articles must be Evangelistic in nature. Most Evangelistic
Projects, Training Opportunities, and Conferences will be listed in our
upcoming events section of each newsletter.
3) All other information will be included only upon a space availability
basis. We will rank importance according to PEN guidelines.
4) All correspondence must be done through emails. Please try not to
call our office or fax your articles to us, as it will be more time consuming
to retype information in for each of the newsletters.
5) The PEN Network and On The Go Ministries / Keith Cook Evangelistic
Association are not responsible for mistakes or miscommunications.
6) All articles received must have Subject/Title line, Brief Description
of Article, Information, Evangelistic Event, or Training Opportunity,
and Weblink to your ministry event or webpage that contains actual information
you want communicated. Full articles that will be included in the PEN
Newsletter will only be that of official PEN related articles.
We look forward to working with you so that others may know how they
can be more actively involved in your ministry. Again, please remember
that we can not promise to enter an article on every ministry that submits
information, but we will make an attempt to include as much information
as we possibly can, yet keep the newsletter concise and informative as
well. In order to list an Upcoming Evangelistic Article, Project, or Training
Opportunity, please send your articles with your Subject or Title line,
Brief Description, and Weblink to the following address: Laurie@onthego.org.
While On The Go Ministries / Keith Cook Evangelistic Association serve
as editors and producers of this electronic newsletter and materials,
the PEN Network maintains all rights and responsibilities for the PEN
Newsletter.
PEN Newsletter Editor - Keith Cook, keithcook@onthego.org
PEN Newsletter Assistant Editor - Laurie Wilkerson McTier, laurie@onthego.org
UPCOMING NOTABLE PROCLAMATION EVANGELISM EVENTS
(April - June 2006)
April 1
Angola Festival with Franklin Graham
Angola Prison Rodeo Arena
Angola, Louisiana
www.grahamfestival.org/angola/
April 1-2
Orlando Festival with Luis Palau
Citrus Bowl Grounds
Orlando, Florida
www.orlandofestival.org
April 7-9
Impact India Crusade with Sujo John
Ranchi, India
www.sujojohn.com
April 7-9
Leadership Transformational Conference with Sujo John
Ranchi, India
www.sujojohn.com
April 21-23
Gulf Coast Festival with Franklin Graham
Mobile Civic Center
Mobile, Alabama
www.grahamfestival.org/mobile/
April 19-30
Impact Sweden with Sujo John
Evangelism campaigns in 10 cities of Sweden
www.sujojohn.com
May 10-14
Steve Wingfield Festival
Jennersville, Pennsylvania
www.stevewingfield.org
May 13
Springfield Festival with Keith Cook
Springfield, Tennessee
www.onthego.org
May 12-13
Youth Crusade with Sujo John
Helsinki, Finland
www.sujojohn.com
June 3
Jubilee Festival 2006 "Your Family, Your Festival"
Balloon Fiesta Park
Albuquerque, New Mexico
www.jf06.org
June 21-25
Encounter Festival with Steve Wingfield
Northern Bedford High School
Martinsburg, Pennsylvania
www.stevewingfield.org
June 24-July 2
Keith Cook Crusade and Festival
Uganda
www.onthego.org
|