Category: Announcements

Announcements

Witnessing Workshop Next Weekend!

Next weekend we will be running a Witnessing Workshop in Cedar Rapids. I am anticipating the Lord to answer prayers and work in big ways! If you know any who would be interested in attending, please spread the word.

Here is our schedule:
witnessing workshop schedule_small

Click here to register. For families, please note that there is also a special family price.

We are excited that Tony Ramsek from Answers in Genesis will be teaching many of the sessions. Tony has led the Answers in Genesis gospel outreach to the NEA Convention for many years, and this year he will also be leading AiG’s gospel outreach to the Iowa State Fair. We have greatly appreciated his insights in witnessing and his heart for the lost!

Tony came to Cedar Rapids in May for some planning meetings about the Iowa State Fair outreach, and we were grateful to have him speak for our church. We were blessed by his sermon on Romans 1:14-16.

Please join us in praying that the Lord raises up a whole army of witnesses in the Cedar Rapids area who are so overflowing with the gospel that they, like Peter and John, “cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)!

Also, for more information on the Creation Evangelism Training Camp that we are running on August 15-19th in connection with the Iowa State Fair gospel outreach, see this post.

Announcements

Early Registration Deadline for Witnessing Camp is TODAY

Today is the last day to receive the early registration price for the Evangelism Camp happening August 15-19th. Click here to see flyer with more information.

Click here to register.

For information on family discounts, please email me.

If you can’t make it, we’d appreciate prayer! Witnessing is one of those things that I believe Satan is very opposed to, and witnessing (or witnessing training) is certainly not something we can do without the help of the Lord.

We’d also appreciate prayer that God would bring the ones He wants to this camp. I have personally seen that one of the biggest ways I’ve grown in evangelism is by rubbing shoulders and working side by side with others who are more experienced in witnessing than I am. The passion is contagious, and watching others in action is a wonderful way to learn. I’m super excited about seeing many have this experience by helping with the evangelistic efforts that will happen at the fair. Also, I believe everyone will really enjoy the interaction and fellowship.

Click here to see a short video we made that shows a little bit about what it’s like to help at a gospel booth (such as the one we will be running at the Iowa State Fair in connection with the camp).

Note: If you’re interested in coming from Texas, there is a vehicle coming that may have extra room. Let me know if you are interested.

Announcements

Evangelism Training Events 2016!

Evangelism_2016_banner

I’m excited to announce two evangelism training events that we will be running together with our friend Tony Ramsek from Answers in Genesis this August. For the past 15 years, Tony has led Answers in Genesis’ annual evangelism outreach to the public school teachers at the NEA convention. We’ve been blessed to participate in this outreach, and we’re thrilled that Answers in Genesis will now be doing a similar outreach at the Iowa State Fair on August 11-21.

The information below describes the two training events for those who desire to be challenged and encouraged in evangelism.

Witnessing Workshop
August 5-6 • Cedar Rapids, IA

Learn How To:

• Think Biblically about Evangelism
• Start Gospel Conversations
• Grow in Boldness
• Develop a Family Ministry
• Use Creation as a Starting Point
• Explain the Gospel with Clarity
• Defend the Reliability of Scripture

Schedule: Friday: 6pm–9pm, Saturday: 9am–9pm. Includes afternoon time of witnessing on Saturday in Iowa City, followed by pizza supper for sharing highlights.
Registration: $15 ($50 family max). Includes pizza, snacks, and gospel tracts.
Location: Cedar Rapids Bible Chapel • 3412 Oakland Rd NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52302
Optional Next Step: Attendees also are encouraged to put into practice what they learned by volunteering at the Answers in Genesis Gospel Outreach to the Iowa State Fair the following week.

See my blog post from last year’s Witnessing Workshop in Dallas for more information about what the Witnessing Workshop is like. (Note: the speakers are different this year.)


Creation Evangelism Training Camp

August 15-19 • Des Moines, IA

An intensive, 4-day (4-night) camp consisting of training in the morning, and opportunity to practice what is learned as we witness together at the Answers in Genesis Gospel Outreach to the Iowa State Fair in the afternoon and evening.

Experience:
• The fellowship of teamwork evangelism as we witness together
at the Answers in Genesis gospel booth inside the fair
• Apologetics training and discussion
• Digging into the Word to examine passages on evangelism
• One-on-one coaching and encouragement
• Prayer times for the people we will encounter
• Evening campfires for debriefing and Q&A

Location: Willowbrook Bible Camp, Des Moines, IA
For: Ages 16 and up (parents welcome). Younger ages may attend with a parent.
Registration: $175 ($200 after July 25) Includes housing / most meals.
Other expenses: $8 daily fair ticket and three evening meals at the fair.
Space limit: 85 people.

Evangelism_2016

Click here to see the PDF of this flyer.

For those who are potentially interested in some of these options and would like to be on the email list to receive updates, please fill out this short online survey. (Note: even if you can’t come to either of the training events, you are still welcome to volunteer at the Answers in Genesis gospel booth.)

To Register:
Click here to register for Witnessing Workshop.
Click here to register for the Creation Evangelism Training Camp.

Brand New Tool We’ll Be Using:
As most of you probably know, the Ark Encounter will be opening July 7th in Cincinnati, so it will be a good conversation starter with people anywhere. We are hoping to pass out about 60,000 of these brand new gospel tracts at the fair:

ark_million

If you cannot be a part of either training events or the gospel booth physically, we would so appreciate it if you’d pray for the Lord to do great things. Please pray that many believers will be “much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:14), and than God would work in the hearts of many unbelievers so that they will place their faith in Jesus for salvation.

Announcements/Bright Lights Conferences

“Speak Truth in Your Heart” Bright Lights Conference

Speak Truth Banner

I’m very excited about the brand new Bright Lights conference that will be taking place in Dallas, Texas on June 7-8. As girls replace lies with the truth, they see how God’s Word transforms each area of their lives as the truth sets them free.

Sarah has presented this material at camps, but this is the first time she will be teaching a Bright Lights conference using this material. See more information on our flyer here. Click here to register.

Announcements/Bright Lights Conferences

Upcoming Bright Lights Conferences in St Louis

We’re excited to announce that we’ll be running Bright Lights conferences in St Louis in the end of June. We are praising God for how details have been coming together, thanks to the hard work of our friend Allison Whisler who is our hostess in St Louis.

Bright Lights Conferences_banner
This is our image designed for sharing on social media. We also have an email with more information about the conferences for spreading the word. If you know families in Iowa, Illinois, or Missouri who might be interested in the conferences, you can email us and request this informational email. Or if anyone would like actual paper flyers [smile] we’d be happy to put some in the mail to you.

Bright Lights Conferences 2016 from Tomorrow's Forefathers, Inc. on Vimeo.

We would greatly appreciate prayer that the Lord would use these conferences to point the hearts of young ladies and parents to Jesus Christ.

See the conference flyer and more info here. See our online store to register for either of these conferences.

Announcements/Videos/Witnessing Stories

Evidence for the Resurrection Video

Evidence for the Resurrection Gospel Tract from Tomorrow's Forefathers, Inc. on Vimeo.

I was vividly reminded a couple weeks ago that when GOD is coordinating encounters, we can move forward with courage and excitement. I pray the story on this brief video encourages some of you to use these three questions that lead into gospel conversations.

Remember, for the next two weeks people will be focused on the resurrection of Jesus more than any other time of the year. Talk about OPPORTUNITY!

To read our gospel tract on “Evidence for the Resurrection,” click here.

Announcements/Thoughts

“Evidence for the Resurrection” Gospel Tract Now Available

We received a shipment today that we’ve been anxiously awaiting … 15,000 copies of our “Evidence for the Resurrection” gospel tract. They are now available on our online store in packs of 50, 100 and 500. You can read the inside here.

IMG_9470 We are grateful to Nickie for the new design. [smile]

The resurrection of Jesus is an awe-inspiring study, because the deeper we look, the more we find that our faith is built on unshakable ground.

We have found this gospel tract to be received with interest and appreciation–especially over the Easter season. Most Americans will agree with you that Easter means more than bunnies, and they appreciate something meaningful and interesting to read.

Many have never heard that we actually have evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. They need to hear that it’s not just a story, it’s a historical fact that has never been refuted. And since Christianity stands or falls on the resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:14), we’d better be able to show others that this event truly happened!

“…He shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3

Announcements/Miscellaneous

New St Patrick Gospel Tracts Available

This year we printed our St Patrick’s Gospel Tract in bulk in order to make them available for others to distribute also.

IMG_9405 Shelby (who volunteers weekly for Bright Lights) is busy folding, counting, and preparing the tracts to ship out.

St_Patrick_Page_1

St_Patrick_Page_2

You can order 50 for $4 from our online store here. There are also options on our online store for larger quantities, folded or unfolded.

Are there are some people in your life that you want to share the gospel with but you aren’t sure how? I’d recommend using this tool as a starting place. Just this morning, I gave one of these to our mail man and the man who empties our dumpster. I’m so grateful for how a holiday provides a wonderfully natural way to witness… people are receptive, thankful, and curious.

Announcements/Miscellaneous

Announcing: Midwest 26 Below Retreat

MW 26 below flyer

I have high expectations for how the Lord will work at this youth retreat coming to Iowa next month! This retreat has been running on the East Coast for almost two decades, and last year I had the joy of being a part of it. (I blogged about it here.) I was so excited to hear that the first “26 Below” was being held in the Midwest.

I would highly recommend that you look into coming if you are below 26 years of age. (And if you are a few years older, you’re still welcome.)

It will be held at Hidden Acres in Dayton Iowa (an hour north of Des Moines). See more details here. If you live in the Cedar Rapids area and would like to ride with us, we’ll probably be bringing a van or two.

The speaker will be Nate Bramsen, missionary to Niger. See him sharing some thoughts after persecution hit his village in Niger last year: