A word from the PEN Executive
Committee:
Dear Colleagues:
I trust that you are feeling the presence of the Lord in your
service for Him in these crucial days. If you are feeling like
I am, you will agree that the days are long but what a joy to
see the hand of God touching lives for all of eternity! Several
of you have told me that you have witnessed more visible results
in the past few months than in many years prior to this. Hallelujah!
About a year ago, the PEN Exec Committee made a decision regarding
our annual PEN eSchool. After a number of years of successful
training events led directly by the PEN Network, we would begin to put more emphasis on connecting with partners who are
already holding training events. This would allow the Network
to move towards more collaborative evangelism projects. At the
present time these collaborative events are in the formation
stages and while we do not have a lot of details to share at
the present time we can tell you of a great training opportunity
that we are encouraging our PEN members to consider.
This fall NGA is holding an Innovative Evangelism Conference
in October in Portland, OR.
The Proclamation Evangelism Network is partnering with NGA and we encourage you to use this as your 2006 PEN eSchool training
event. It will be great opportunity
to gain some valuable training, as well as great connections
and encouragement. You can read more in the following report.
You might want to also check out the PEN Directory site. A number of you have officially joined the network and are listed
in the directory. Others of you will want to do so. If you wish
to be included in this directory, please contact us thru pen@wheaton.edu so that we may be able to send you an application form or download
the forms from the web through this link.
May the hand of the Lord be strong through your service in
His glorious name!
Dallas Anderson
Director of Proclamation Ministries
Billy Graham Center
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NGA Innovative Evangelism
Conference
On October 24-27, Luis Palau's Next Generation Alliance
will be hosting an Innovative Evangelism Conference in Portland,
Oregon. Conference speakers include Blue Like Jazz author Donald
Miller, co-author of Becoming a Contagious Christian Mark Mittelberg,
actor/producer Stephen Baldwin, founder and president of Dare
2 Share Ministries Greg Stier, and many more…
The conference will offer 40 plus workshops with special concentrations
for Evangelists, Ministry Directors, Fundraising Coordinators,
Action Sports Leaders, Worship Leaders, Women in Evangelism
and Church Leaders. This conference is truly for everyone on
your ministry team! Besides training and workshops, there will
also be time for fellowship and renewal. With mentor groups,
a ministry market place, and a reflective area for you to re-center
on Christ, we want every attendee to come away being recharged
and refreshed with a new passion for their ministry.
The cost of the entire conference is $199 with early registration
postmarked by August 31, 2006. The cost is $214 thereafter.
There are reduced costs for groups (3 or more) and spouses.
The registration fee includes three (3) dinners, three (3) lunches,
notebook, and evangelism tool kit. Special lodging rates have
also been arranged but are not included in the registration
fee.
To register to the conference: visit http://www.NGATeam.org click on "Conferences," " Innovative Evangelism
Conference," and scroll down to Registration Information.
You may also register online.
(Courtesy: Carey Dow, Next Generation Alliance, Luis Palau Evangelistic
Assoc. For more information or to register, visit www.NGATeam.org,
email carey.dow@palau.org
or call 1-503-614-1526)
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Metro Maryland Festival
Oriole Park at Camden Yards will heat up this summer when high-energy
musical artists, 648 churches, and Franklin Graham come together
for the Metro Maryland Festival, held Friday-Sunday, July
7-9. Evangelist Billy Graham is also planning to participate,
health permitting. "When leaders in the community asked
me to join them in bringing this event to Maryland, I wanted
to come and tell anyone that feels desperate and without hope
that we all have a chance for a new start in life," said
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association and president of the international relief organization
Samaritan's Purse. "I know that Baltimore has also been
on my father's heart and he too wants to encourage this area."
(Courtesy: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, www.bgea.org.
For more information on Metro Maryland Festival, visit http://www.grahamfestival.org/baltimore/.
For general information on Billy Graham Crusades and Franklin
Graham Festivals, visit
http://www.bgea.org/CrusadeMinistries_Index.asp.)
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Group from Wheaton College
and BGC Staff Lead Dozens
to Faith in Christ
Nine Wheaton College students and four Wheaton College or BGC
staff members attended the April 21-23 Gulf Coast Franklin
Graham Festival in Mobile, Alabama. The group members led thirty
people to faith in Christ during the festival. For many of the
students, it was their first time acting as counselors at a major
crusade. During the three-day festival more than nine hundred
people made a decision for Christ. More Wheaton College students
will participate in the upcoming Metro Maryland Festival in July
and Central Canada Franklin Graham Festival in October.
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Springfield On The Go Festival With Keith Cook Was A Great Success!
On Saturday, May 13 thousands of people were greeted on the
Courthouse Square by clowns, puppets, extreme skaters, an array
of inflatables and most of all by hundreds of local believers
(who volunteered at the event from over 60 partnering churches).
Throughout the day thousands attended the Festival seeing performances
by such notable Christian artists as Michael English and Jaci
Velasquez, as well as a line up featuring many up and coming
Christians acts. Throughout the day, Keith Cook preached three
powerful messages inviting the lost to come to Christ. Hundreds
responded! Praise God for a wonderful Festival!!
(Courtesy: Jimmy Earle, Keith Cook Evangelistic Association,
On the Go Ministries. For more information on the Springfield
Festival, please visit www.onthego.org.)
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Asian Advanced Institute
of
Itinerant Evangelists
Thanks so much for praying for us through our Second Asian
Advanced Institute of Itinerant Evangelists. God has been at
work preparing the hearts of each evangelist and making miraculous
provisions so that many could attend. It has been such a blessing
to have Tim Robnett (Director, Next Generation Alliance, Luis
Palau Association) and Lon Allison (Billy Graham Association)
come to share their hearts with our evangelists. God challenged
each of us. A few admitted that they had got distracted from
their calling as evangelists. As the Word was taught, their
calling has been clarified. Many had not learned how to take
the next step in their growth as evangelists. That is, adding
a team, raising finances, starting a board, or networking with
another evangelistic organizations etc.
Seminars included Teaching God's Word on the spiritual gift
of the evangelist, how to train others, practical issues to
do with evangelism, the content of the Gospel, how to preach
the Gospel, the role of the evangelist toward spouse and family,
and much more.
Two of the participants are determined to reproduce training
of evangelists in Malaysia and Bangladesh. I have been invited
to train evangelists in Pakistan this November. I need to know
God's will. Many wish to form their own gospel teams. All have
been challenged to proclaim the gospel and to trust God for
their finances. Everyone of them, prayerfully wrote their action
plans in the areas of spirituality, character, family, ministry,
skills and growth in knowledge. Please join with me in praying
that they will now follow through on this.
(Courtesy: Kumar Abraham, Good News Evangelistic Assoc. For
more information on upcoming events, please visit http://heralds.org/ or email kumar@heralds.org.
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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 over $205,000 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, carpet, kitchen and homemaking essentials,
large quantities of food, and much more have been made.
Hundreds of volunteers from the Harrisonburg area have made
the trip to Long Beach to make a physical difference in the
rebuilding initiative. In addition, a local aviation company
has donated thousands of miles of flights to the cause. 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,
www.stevewingfield.org)
More information on relief efforts can be
accessed on the ministry website at www.thevalleyresponds.com or you can
contact the ministry at 1-800-729-2239.
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Hogs Visit
Florida Federal Prison
On a beautiful March day, 100 motorcycle riders and passengers
rode their motorcycles to an Operation Starting Line weekend
at the largest federal prison complex in the country in Coleman,
Florida. The riders and passengers and the OSL team joined 150
local volunteers, musicians, and ex-offenders as they engaged
inmates in conversation during lunch and afternoon events. During
the events, the OSL team shared with the men the "Five
Points of the Gospel" developed by Dallas Anderson
of the Billy Graham Center and Mission American.
One of the Harley riders was Ken, from the Everglades chapter
of Fellowship Riders, an OSL collaborator. He says the visit
was a real eye-opener and an experience he will never forget.
"We found ourselves in the midst of several hundred well-behaved,
respectful inmates, eager to see the motorcycles and to share
Christian fellowship." Said Ken, "Many conversations
were initially about the bikes but turned to God. Quite a few
guys that we talked with were already Christians, yet they still
yearned to hear more. When it was over, we prayed with them
and almost every one that caught our eye on their way out made
it a point to thank us for being there and bringing the bikes
in. You could tell, without a doubt, that they were truly sincere
about this."
Operation Starting Line, a collaboration of local volunteers
and some 30 national faith-based organizations, offers ongoing
program opportunities to prisoners including life-skills training,
Bible studies, and mentoring. These programs are based on proven
research showing that faith-based prison programs have a significant
impact in reducing the number of inmates who will return to
prison after their release. Since its inception on Easter Sunday
2000, Operation Starting Line has conducted more than 3,000
in-prison events that have reached inmates at more than 800
correctional facilities. During the March Florida campaign over
6,400 men and women attended OSL events with 2,300 either making
a 1st time decision to accept Christ, making a recommitment
to Christ or signing up for on-going Bible correspondence studies.
(Courtesy: Larry Tucker, Operation Starting Line. For more info,
email Larry)
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Upcoming Notable
Proclamation Evangelism Events
(July-October)
July 7-9, 2006
Metro Maryland Festival with Franklin Graham
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Baltimore, Maryland
http://www.grahamfestival.org/baltimore/
July 17-21, 2006
Evangelism Leadership Institute with Keith Cook
On The Go Ministries
Nashville, Tennessee
www.onthego.org
July 22-31, 2006
Jamaica GoTeam Outreach
On The Go Ministries / Keith Cook Evangelistic Assoc.
www.onthego.org
July 23-30, 2006
GoCare Gulf Coast Project
On The Go Ministries / Keith Cook Evangelistic Assoc.
www.onthego.org
September 19-21, 2006
School of Evangelism-Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel
Norfolk, Virginia
http://www.bgea.org/TrainingMinistries_Index.asp
October 7-8, 2006
CityFest Houston with Luis Palau
Houston, Texas
http://www.cityfesthouston.com
September 21-23, 2006
Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham
Quito, Ecuador
http://www.festivaldeesperanza.org/
October
20-22, 2006
Central Canada Festival with Franklin Graham
MTS Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba
http://www.grahamfestival.org/winnipeg/
October 24-27, 2006
Innovative Evangelism Conference
Cedar Mill Bible Church
Portland, Oregon
www.NGATeam.org
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Steve Wingfield Evangelistic
Association 2006
SWEA's first festival of the year took place from May 10-14 under the ministry tent in Jennersville, Pennsylvania. The Steve
Wingfield Festival at Jennersville featured a diverse blend
of musical styles over the five evenings. Artists Nicole C.
Mullen, the Crabb Family, Tait, Hispanic favorites E. Trio de
Hoy and crusade veteran Dennis Agajanian headlined the programs.
Chester County and the surrounding area saw 170 of its people
make decisions for Christ during the festival events.
From June 21-25, the people of the Martinsburg, Pennsylvania
area will experience Encounter Festival with Steve Wingfield
on the grounds of North Bedford High School in Loysburg. The
festival will feature musical guests Casting Pearls, the Brian
McSee Praise Band, Carla Karst and John Schmid. Pray that God
will prepare hearts and change lives as the Gospel is presented.
During the Labor Day weekend, BeachFest will be held in Long
Beach, Mississippi. Steve's involvement with The Valley Responds
has inspired him to conduct an outreach of hope in the still
devastated Gulf Coast town. Jars of Clay, Ricky Skaggs, and
Nicole C. Mullen will headline the festival.
This fall, the fourth outreach of the year will be SWEA's first
festival held in a state capital. First State Fallfest in Dover,
Delaware will be held at the Delaware State University Football
Arena from October 6-8.
(Courtesy: Greg Culbertson, Steve Wingfield Evangelistic Association.
More information on ministry events can be accessed at www.stevewingfield.org,
or you can contact the ministry at 1-800-729-2239.)
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BETTER TOGETHER!
Extend The Impact Conference-Learn, See, Do! Thirteen
individuals representing eight ministries converged at the Luis
Palau Orlando Festival to submerge themselves into the workings
of doing festival-style evangelism. In the mornings the group
spent time reviewing a practical manual put together by NGA
to learn more of the "How To's" of festival-style
evangelism, while the rest of the day was spent visiting the
different areas, seeing how things are done and engaging in
personal evangelism by counseling decision-makers.
The goal of Extend The Impact was primarily to build stronger
relationships between ministries by doing evangelism together
at a Palau festival and to give up and coming ministries a behind
the scenes look at how the Palau team does evangelism. Our desire
was to see these guys and girls take what they learned and grow
their own ministries, plus connect them with other ministries
that they could partner with. Looking back, that's exactly what
has happened." Brad Butcher-Assistant Director, Next Generation
Alliance, President-Passion 4 People International.
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ONGOING IMPACT
Since Extend The Impact Orlando, six of the ministries that
attended have found ways to partner together to do festival-style
evangelism in cities like Ft. Lauderdale and Gainesville, Florida,
Dallas and Houston, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina.
(Courtesy Carey Dow, Next Generation Alliance, Luis Palau Evangelistic
Assoc. For more information or to register for our upcoming NGA
conference, visit www.NGATeam.org,
email nga@palau.org,
or call 1-503-614-1526)
National Conference On
Christian Apologetics
Attention evangelists and all outreach-minded Christians! People
today need apologetics! The National Conference on Christian
Apologetics will be held on November 10-11, 2006 in Charlotte,
North Carolina. "Rarely-if ever-have so many renowned speakers
and scholars gathered for one event!"
This conference provides the opportunity for teens and adults
to get equipped with seminars from world renowned leaders, including:
Josh McDowell (Evidence That Demands A Verdict), Ravi Zacharias
(Can Man Live Without God?), Lee Strobel (The Case For Christ),
Mark Mittelberg (Becoming A Contagious Christian, host of many
CCN telecasts), Erwin Lutzer (The Davinci Deception, pastor,
Moody Church), Gary Habermas (Did Jesus Rise From the Dead?),
Norman Geisler (prolific author, called "one of the greatest
living defenders of the Christian faith"), and much more!
Islam. The Davinci Code. The "Gospel of Judas." Wicca.
Jehovah'sWitnesses. Homosexuality. New-Age mysticism. Secularism.
Mormonism. Atheism. Pantheism. Agnosticism. Buddhism. Hinduism.
Politically-correct universalism. Naturalism. Hedonism. Postmodernism.
What do all of these things have in common?
These beliefs and behaviors are competing for the hearts and
minds of people. Those who have embraced these world-views live
near, work alongside, go to school amongst, and interact with
your students and group members. Such people who may be religious
but lost, are souls that Jesus commanded His church to reach
with the message of the Gospel.
(Courtesy: Alex McFarland, Teen Apologetics Director, Focus
On The Family. For more information, visit www.nationalapologeticsconference.com,
or call (704) 847-5600 to register to discover how CHRISTIAN
APOLOGETICS empowers adults, college students, and teens to
live their faith and, share confidently.)
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Need Ideas For Reaching
Seekers And Skeptics?
Here's an article from Rusty Wright's website to help equip
believers tap current interest in popular culture to tactfully
communicate Christ:
The Da Vinci Code: Who is Jesus, really? Was he a mere mortal-as
The Da Vinci Code claims-or something more? Consider the evidence
on this controversial subject and decide for yourself. Please
visit the following website for information on the Da Vinci
Code and other current issues: http://amyfound.org/writing_resources/amy_internet_syndicate
/articles/rusty_wright/rw44.html
(Courtesy: Rusty Wright, For more information, visit www.probe.org/Rusty
Website resources available free of charge. Please email RustyWright@aol.com for reprint permissions.)
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School of Discipleship
Bob Boyd School of Discipleship in Kenya with John Matei has
now grown to over 15,000+ children, all new believers. We are
also preparing to send 8,000 Bibles to the children so that
they may read the Word and continue to learn and grow in Christ.
To God be the glory! Pray for continued growth and discipleship
of new believers.
(Courtesy: Bob Boyd, Bob Boyd Evangelistic Assoc. For more information
about upcoming events or to view a video on our Kenyan School
of Discipleship, visit www.bobboyd.org or email bbea@bobboyd.org.)
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Meeting Physical and
Spiritual Needs with Mind of Christ
Thanks for praying for the evangelistic meetings from April
24-26. We were invited by our Association's Secretary, Mr. Daboy
Soza. Daboy serves the poor Filipinos by providing them capital
(starting capital is about P4000.00 or US$ 80.00, some get $800.00)
to start micro enterprises.
I was joined by veteran evangelist Paul Mortiz and Noel Alberto,
Apollo Tan, and Bhoie Garzon. Each evangelist proclaimed the
gospel to an average of two groups each day. A group consists
of nearly thirty members. These people gladly received the Word,
and 450 people heard the gospel in twenty-one meetings.
I was reminded of the masses of poor in the time of our Lord.
Jesus Himself was "anointed to preach good news to the
poor" (Luke 4:18); in the parable, He commanded, "Go
out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring
in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame" (Luke
14:21). About 95% of our audiences would have responded positively
to the message. These people
say yes easily. But who are we to underestimate the power of
God and His Word. At every meeting we made sure that all of
them had a Bible to read. For those who had no Scriptures, we
provided them with John's gospels. How I praised God for using
us as instruments one more time to draw people into the Kingdom.
(Courtesy: Kumar Abraham, Good News Evangelistic Assoc. For
more information on upcoming events, please visit http://heralds.org/ or email kumar@heralds.org.
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Be Ready to Answer Questions
About the Da Vinci Code
Most Christians will be asked their opinion about the Da Vinci
Code, which has stayed on the "best sellers list"
for many months and was released as a major motion picture in
May. The Da Vinci Code is proclaimed to be the "true"
story about Jesus marrying Mary Magdalene, the birth of their
baby, the supposed survival of their blood-line today, and the
plot by the Catholic Church to hide this information from the
public.
Please remember the book is listed in the "FICTION"
section of the New York Times best seller list. That should
tell us all we need to know. It is a work of fiction disguised
as a historical book, and nothing more. Dimitri Severis, gave
an interesting commentary when he said, "The whole point
of a novel is to create a scenario whereby the reader is addicted to the story and becomes
involved with it as well as enjoy it so much that they "advertise"
the book through word of mouth. In order to do so, Dan Brown
touched on a taboo subject, exaggerating on certain aspects
so as to intensify his views and claims through his
words."
Don't be afraid of the book, the Da Vinci Code, nor the movie
staring Tom Hanks. Take this as an opportunity to tell all your
friends about the real Jesus. Remember, some may argue with
the historicity of these so-called facts, but no one can argue
with your personal testimony of a changed life as the result
of your inviting Jesus into your heart to become your personal
Savior! Boldly tell them how much Jesus loves them!
(Courtesy: Felix Snipes. Permission granted to reproduce with
proper credit and copyright notice, just contact fsnipes@ix.netcom.com.
Copyright 2006.)
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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 Tuesday, September 12th 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 McTier, laurie@onthego.org
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