In July, we had the opportunity to travel to Missouri and Illinois for the purpose of doing ministry. I was able to schedule two Basic Evangelism Training Seminars and also was invited to speak at Calvary Community Church in Poplar Bluff, MO.
The trip was originally scheduled because following the death of Brad Aldrich, his widow donated all of his evangelism materials to our ministry. Not being in a position to drop everything and drive to St Louis to pick up the materials, I was able to have Pastor Larry from Litchfield, MO pick up the materials and hold on to them for me. So picking up the materials was purpose number one.
Secondly, following Brad’s death, Pastor Larry asked me if I could come and work with him and his church to equip them for reaching the lost. So we discussed that I could come to pick up the materials and also do some training while I was there.
The week after Christmas, I also received a letter in the mail from
Pastor Shelvie, Carl and Joey (Poplar Bluff, MO)
Pastor Shelvie Stevens at Calvary Community Church in Poplar Bluff, MO. In the letter he indicated that he had members of his church that wanted to join our tract club, but did not have access to the internet. I mailed about 500 tracts up to the church and Pastor gave them out to the members encouraging them to hand them out. He also put a sign up sheet out for people to join the tract club. I believe at this point, half of the members of this church are now members of the tract club.
I spoke at Calvary Community Church in Poplar Bluff, on Sunday, July 1st. You can listen to the message that I preached online. In this message, I lay out a vision to reach the city of Poplar Bluff with the Gospel. Please have a listen. The message is universal and applies to your town. Just replace “Poplar Bluff” with the name of your city!
After church, there was a nice lunch served. Then after lunch I presented the Basic Evangelism Training Seminar. It was a true blessing to meet so many members of the tract club and to have fellowship there in Poplar Bluff.
Prior to coming to Poplar Bluff, the church had set a goal to hand out 500 Gospel tracts at the Fourth of July parade that was coming up that week. I received a call from the pastor on the evening of the 4th with a report that they had handed out 2,000 tracts! Praise the Lord!
Following the seminar in Poplar Bluff, we drove to Litchfield, MO. On
Carl with Pastor Larry
Monday morning we sorted out the items that were donated to the ministry. In the afternoon, Pastor Larry and I went door to door throughout the neighborhood across the street from the church. With the temperature reaching over 105 that afternoon, we made it to about 20 houses before seeking shelter from the heat. The interesting thing was that the conversation here in this small town were similar to those that we hear in Dallas. We talked to several catholics, a mormon, a twenty something year old with a relativistic belief system and even a lesbian. Between the door to door and going downtown we were able to share the Gospel with about 20 people.
That night I presented the Basic Evangelism Training Seminar there in Litchfield, IL at Faith Lutheran Church. At the seminar someone asked how many people we find to be saved. I told them that in my years of sharing the Gospel with people that I’ve found it to be about 1 in 10 people. Then I recollected the number of people we had talked to just that day. Of the 20, two had professed to be saved based on repentance and faith in Jesus. So it worked out to 1 in 10.
We are open to scheduling more trips to share the Basic Evangelism Training Seminar in other churches around the country and work with other churches on reaching the lost. If you are interested in discussing the possibilities, please contact me.
