2005 PEN eSchool
The fourth annual PEN eschool was held in Harrisonburg,
VA from April 6-9. With over 100 registrants
from all over the United States and at least three foreign countries,
the conference was clearly an international event.
Plenary speakers included Preston Parrish
of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Dr.
Elmer Towns of Liberty University, Jose
Zayas, Sammy Tippit, Myron
Augsburger, Dr. James O. Davis,
and host Steve Wingfield.
There were two dozen workshops ranging from "Mobilizing the Church
for Evangelistic Prayer" to "Technical Aspects of a Crusade"
to other subjects dealing with fundraising, ethics, and communications.
The eSchool included "hands on" counselor training and area-wide
neighborhood outreaches led by On
The Go Ministries. Teams of evangelists went out into the streets
on a stormy afternoon and witnessed in a neighborhood, knocked on over
144 homes, and led four people to Christ on a rainy afternoon. The SWEA
Praise Band supplied the praise and worship music during each of the nine
main sessions.
Many of the attendees participated in the Steve Wingfield Evangelistic
Association Springfest event which began on Friday, April 8 and ran through
Sunday the 10.
(Courtesy: Steve Wingfield Evangelistic Association. For more information,
go to the following address: www.wingfieldministries.org
or email Steve at stevew@wingfieldministries.org. You may also contact
Vickie Dove at 540-433-0769 or vickied@wingfieldministries.org)
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SPRINGFEST IN THE VALLEY WITH STEVE WINGFIELD
Changing lives and setting records, Springfest featured many of the
biggest names in contemporary Christian music and filled the James Madison
University Convocation Center
on Saturday night. That night, over 7000 people
(mostly youth) enjoyed the Diverse City tour featuring Hawk Nelson,
Kutless, tobyMac, and Audio Adrenaline. The
evening's true highlights were the 2500
who took the True Love Waits pledge to sexual purity and
those who were part of the 439
who committed their lives to Christ during the event.
Steve Wingfield delivered a challenging message each evening of Springfest
and many in the community are talking about doing another event next
year. Local support included 1200
volunteers from more than 100 churches, 800 of which were trained
as counselors through the Billy Graham Christian Life and Witness course.
Springfest was a collaborative event with the Steve Wingfield Evangelistic
Association leading the way. Throughout the week InterVarsity
had a team of student leaders on the campus of James Madison University.
God used them in unique ways as they presented the Gospel clearly and
watched God do great things on the campus. During the week they saw
many students as well as a professor make professions of faith in Christ.
On Saturday the Institute
of Prison Ministries, Billy Graham Center joined hands with
a local ministry for transitional inmates to do an outreach in the Hillendale
Park. There were about 75 in attendance with a number of people making
a significant decision for Christ. On
The Go Ministries out of Nashville connected with a number
of churches to conduct a neighborhood outreach where they also saw people
make professions of surrender to Christ.
In total, over 21,000 people attended
the three day outreach which also featured the Crabb Family and Jars
of Clay on Friday, Psalty's Worship Workshop on Saturday morning, and
an "Extreme Day" in the afternoon with games, skateboarding,
eight regional bands, and the Power Team. Sunday's guest artist was
Jaci Velasquez and her world class band.
Springfest is an event which will set the course for future SWEA crusades
and will be remembered for decades in the mid Shenandoah Valley community.
(Courtesy: Steve Wingfield Evangelistic Association. For more information,
go to the following address: www.wingfieldministries.org
or email Steve at stevew@wingfieldministries.org. You may also contact
Vickie Dove at 540-433-0769 or vickied@wingfieldministries.org)
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SHARING HOPE IN CARY, NC 2005
Sharing Hope 2005 came into being last year when fifteen
to twenty churches in Cary asked staff at the Billy
Graham Center (BGC) if they would help organize an affinity
group event. The end result was a group of thirty-nine churches coming
together to sponsor the event, in which church members could bring pre-Christian
friends and family to a specific activity or interest group. Several affinities
included a father/son basketball clinic, gardening, golfing, Hispanic
home improvement, poker, scrap booking, seniors, software engineers, women's
prison and youth.
"There's a longing and hunger in people's hearts to
fill the loneliness and emptiness that only God can fill, said Rev Dallas
Anderson, one of the evangelists presenting the Gospel at the end of each
event." These affinity groups are nothing more than taking the Gospel
out to a location where people feel most comfortable. It's a way to link
the believing church to a non-believing world. The church hasn't always
been good at making that bridge. This gives the believer a natural and
neutral place to share the Gospel.
If you would like more info on Sharing Hope, visit
Sharing Hope or email ise@wheaton.edu
for information on Affinity Group Evangelism. Article excerpt from Centerline
Spring 2005 issue, a BGC publication, written by Laurie Fortunak. The
other evangelists who preached in Sharing Hope were Lon Allison (BGC),
Alberto Guerra (Wheaton
Bible Church) and Angulus Wilson (Samford
University in Alabama).
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WINNING AND MENTORING YOUTH
FOR EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY
Keith Cook had the opportunity to lead a workshop at the
PEN eSchool on "Winning and Mentoring Youth
for Evangelistic Ministry." During this seminar Keith shared
practical tools on how to win, track, teach, train, and motivate youth
and younger leaders. The materials for this workshop are utilized by Keith
in On The Go's Outreach Training School. This school serves to train young
people and adults to go to the next level in their service to God. Keith's
vision is to train believers to make a difference in their generation.
You may request a free PDF of the handbook or
a Free MP3 of the Audio.
(Courtesy of Keith Cook Evangelistic Association/On The
Go Ministries. For more information go to the link www.onthego.org
or email Keith.)
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OPERATION FREEDOM'S PAKISTAN CRUSADE
Major Jim Linzey, International Director of Operation Freedom and full-time
evangelist, just conducted a crusade to Pakistan and met with future political
leaders. His witness to one of the Muslim leaders was well received and
Major Linzey was invited to provide an English Bible. Chaplain
Linzey led many to Jesus Christ at a standing room only crowd of 500 Pakistanis,
shared his testimony with a Christian youth group, and gave the devotional
for a university staff.
(Courtesy: Jim Linzey Ministries. For more information go to the following
address: jimlinzeyministries.com.)
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NORTHERN CAMEROUN HEARS THE WORD
ZIDIM (population 10,000). More than half the population
of this town in northern Cameroun (West Africa) attended the three-day
campaign conducted there by Evangelist Bill Thomas, February 14-16. Supported
by 40 small churches, 6,000 people attended this town's first united campaign.
Over 700 people registered first time commitments
to Christ. Many people also testified of being healed of various
illnesses.
MAROUA: 60% Muslim. Some 3,000 people came to
this short campaign, and 300 made decisions for Christ. "One
of the joys of this campaigns was in meeting people who had come to Christ
at my first crusade there 15 years ago and seeing them still going on
with the Lord. "
(Courtesy: Bill Thomas Ministries. For more information go to the following
address: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/bill.thomas
or email Bill
Thomas)
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JOIN US FOR REVIVAL IN PAKISTAN
We are pleased to introduce "Biblical Educational
Ministry" &"Word of Faith
Church" who are both serving the people in the poor Muslim
country of Pakistan.
Revival Crusades and Seminars are the best and effective way to teach
the people. We can easily teach Christians among Muslims in these types
of meetings. Whoever has a
burden to teach and preach in physically and spiritually depressed &
needy areas certainly has a role here in Pakistan. If
our Lord has given you a gift of teaching and preaching, please do not
hesitate to come and give us dates that we arrange your meetings in Pakistan.
(Courtesy: Biblical Educational Ministry and Word of Faith Church. For
more information on how you can become involved in reaching Pakistan for
Christ, write to the following email address: raziaboota@yahoo.com)
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PREACHING THE GOSPEL AND PLAYING
THE BLUES
The Rev. Jimmie Bratcher Preaching the Gospel
& Playing the Blues: On March 19 and 20, the Rev. Jimmie Bratcher
had the opportunity of preaching and playing the blues at the Crossroads
Bike and Blues Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi and Club Isaac Hayes
in Memphis, Tennessee.
The smoke is thick, the whiskey flowing the room packed with people who
have come to party their blues away, when suddenly the darkness is broken
with a soulful, powerful scream "Jesus, Jesus will you take me just
as I am". This may not sound like where you
would find a preacher but it's exactly where you will find The Rev. Jimmie
Bratcher.
March 2005 is a great example of Jimmie's unique ministry. On March 19,
Jimmie and his band were in Clarksdale, Mississippi (home of the blues)
at the Ground Zero Blues Club owned by the Oscar wining actor Morgan Freeman.
He also headlined at the Crossroads Bikes and Blues Festival. On March
20, he performed at Club Isaac Hayes in Memphis, owned by the soul music
legend Isaac Hayes.
Jimmie says "The music I perform in clubs is the same music I perform
in churches. That's a commitment I made to Jesus and it works really well.
I don't go looking to play in secular clubs, they find me. I had churches
in 2004 where I was preaching on Sunday take the initiative to schedule
me and the band to play in a club on Saturday night."
On March 31, 2005 Jimmie will start recording his fourth CD, which is
being produced by the legendary music producer Jim Gaines, Gaines is responsible
for producing such greats
as Carlos Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Courtesy: Jimmy Bratcher. For more information, visit our website at
www.jimmiebratcher.com)
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CHRIST FOR THE WORLD
On February 9-18, Christ for the World Ministries conducted meetings
in Thanjure, India. In five days, John Bos spoke
to over 35,000 high school and college students, with some
5,500 praying to receive Christ.
Christ for the World also conducted meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, March
16-24 and the team will be ministering in Nuernberg, Germany, April 18-26.
(Courtesy: John Bos, Christ for the World Inc. For more information visit
our website at:
www.christfortheworld.net)
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EVANGELISTS TRAINED IN INDIA
Julie Young led a team to India in February 2004 to hold an outdoor evangelism
campaign in a major Hindu shrine city, and to train indigenous evangelists.
Over 900 people made commitments to Christ through the nightly campaigns
and the various affiliate events.
Seven hundred and fifty evangelists crowded two
sessions of the YMG School for Evangelists in two southern Indian cities.
Men and women traveled from five states of India to be trained, encouraged,
and challenged. Evangecubes were used in the training. When evangelists
went onto the streets in one of the training sessions, they led a combined
70 people to Christ in an hour.
Young Ministry Group exists to convey the gospel globally, within the
local context, to produce regional and national impact.
(Courtesy: Julie Young, Young Ministry Group. For more information
visit our website at: http://www.ymg.org.
For more information on the Evangecube and Evangecube Ministries visit
their website at: http://www.evangecube.org/index2.html
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INTERGALACTIC EVANGELIST
LAUNCHES OFFBEAT RADIO SHOW
Intergalactic evangelist, flying Scotsman & pastor, Bill Hogg has
launched an edgy provocative radio show on Seattle's KGNW. The
show targets people who are switched off to church but open to God, and
followers of Jesus who want to impact the culture. Every Sunday
night from 10pm to midnight, "Hogg WILD" reaches listeners across
the Puget Sound area. Phone interviews, movie reviews, a live phone in
karaoke segment called, "Super Star," The good sex guide with
the Love Doctor, (a Christian therapist) and, "Why I am Not a Christian,"
comprise the show's ingredients.
Hogg says that the Pacific Northwest is the most unchurched region in
the USA. In a USA Today survey conducted 3 years ago, 26% of Washington
State described themselves as "irreligious" which was the highest
percentage in the nation. "These are the folks the show is geared
to. As the name, Hogg WILD suggests, it's irreverent, edgy, funny and
aims to engage people who have not yet begun the faith adventure with
Jesus." Before moving to Seattle, Hogg was Youth For Christ's National
Evangelist to Scotland and now, Team Leader of Living Hope Community Church
in Lynwood.
(Courtesy: Bill Hogg, Living Hope Community Church, Lynnwood, Washington.
For more nformation visit our website at: www.billhogg.org
or email him at billhoggyfc@aol.com)
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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, Wednesday, June 15th 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: Lauriewilkerson@onthego.org.
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UPCOMING NOTABLE PROCLAMATION EVANGELISM EVENTS
(April - June 2005)
APRIL 18-26 Christ for the World Outreach, Nuenberg, GERMANY www.christfortheworld.net
MAY 12-14 Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham www.bgea.org
MAY 12-15 Impact India Crusade, Sujo John Ministries, Nellore
INDIA http://www.sujojohn.com/
JUNE 16-19 North Country Encounter, Watertown, NY Steve
Wingfield Evangelistic Association
JUNE 24-26 New York Crusade with Billy Graham, Flushing Meadows Park
www.bgea.org
JUNE 24-25 Festival Madrid with Luis Palau, Madrid, Spain www.lpea.org
JUNE 25 - JULY 4 Uganda GoJesus Fest with Keith Cook, Uganda www.onthgego.org
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