Four Years in a Row!

This week we have a youth group here from Yosemite, CA. They are an awesome group, and this is their fourth summer in a row coming to us.  They have been getting trained in all sorts of things and doing outreach here in our city.  Take a look at some pictures.

Lunchtime for our students

Training our students for the Gospel Guy

It's not Mission Adventures without some crazy skits

Youth Pastor Mike doing the Gospel Guy.  He has brought his group four years in a row.  Great friend and brother in Christ.

OUTWARD APOLOGETICS PROMO VIDEO

As you know, this fall I am pioneering the first ever Apologetics seminar/school here at YWAM Salem.  This is awesome for a few reasons.  First, we have NOTHING like this in our mission at this time...which is actually kind of crazy.  Second, is it is open to the public.  Third, is it will hopefully serve as a prototype for other YWAM bases to begin to pioneer their own Outward Apologetics Schools in the future.  Please take a few minutes to view our promo video at http://vimeo.com/98888373

A Care Giver and a "Good Guy" Come to Christ

This Wednesday we had an amazing time doing the Gospel Guy.  It was great to have our summer High School interns out with us.  Seeing them be challenged to do evangelism and actually being able to be there with them to help and guide them, and even learn from them is a lot of fun.  One lady I spoke to was probably the nicest person you could ever meet, and the kindest...she has been a caregiver for the elderly for 20 years.  She was actually so good that that actually was her problem.  She believed she would be "good" enough to get to heaven.  I shared the Gospel with her and we spoke for about an hour.  Towards the end of our discussion something clicked, and she realized her goodness was not good enough, and that she needed Christ.  She then gave her life to the Lord.  A few minutes after that, we began to speak to a guy who was very similar in his convictions of the lady we met.  Our conversation dealt with much of the same stuff...our Christs righteousness, our works are like filthy rags type of stuff.  He also gave his life to Christ.  What is amazing about this is the huge encouragement it is to our high school interns.  Actually having them see people come to Christ is a testimony to God's amazing faithfulness, and it definitely spurs them on to be more bold with their witness.

The Faces of Oregon Begins!

Lewis and Clark and Sacajawea

To help draw more people to our open air evangelism nights, we started our "Pictures With The Faces of Oregon".  It is a blast.  People just come up, ask us how much, we respond by telling them its free, they then whip out their I phones or cameras, and have a blast taking pictures.  Through this we invite them to the evening meeting times.

Anders and Aidan in the Pioneer Wagon

Aidan picking a fight with Bigfoot

Open Air Evangelism Nights

My buddy Russ and his son Will playing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes

Our open air evangelism times have started at our Riverfront Park on Thursday nights.  So far, it has been a great time, although we did get rained out half way into our time this week.  It has been awesome to see our Mission Adventures students boldly proclaim the Gospel through personal testimonies.  One kid shared at the mic and it was his first time ever getting up in front of a group, let alone in a completely open setting! One evening my pastor friend Russ and his son came out and drew a crowd in by playing bagpipes.  the next time my friend Jeff Martin came and did slight of hand illusions.  He is amazing at what he does and for sure was a hit with the crowd.  We look forward to future evenings doing this!

Jeff "The Curly Haired Magician" shares the Gospel via amazing slight of hand

Aidan volunteers to take part in a magic trick

My Conversation with John Wayne and an Athiest

Me, John Wayne and an Alex the Athiest

One of the outreaches we do hear with our Mission Adventures teams is one we call "Speaking With the Stars".  We have the students take a bunch of life size cardboard cut outs of famous movie stars, rock stars, etc... and they simply interview people on the streets about the particular "stars" life.  Great ice breaker discussion starter type of outreach.  Today, I had John Wayne with me and I ended up speaking about 45 minutes to a guy named Alex who is an atheist.  We had an amazing discussion, and seeds were definitely planted in his heart and mind.  The cool thing is that he works in the mall where we normally do the Gospel Guy, so i for sure will get the chance to talk to him again.  Pray for him please.  FYI...the conversation started when Alex said among a few profanities how much he liked john Wayne because he always put the boots to the bad guys.  I asked him what he meant by bad guys.  Thus started our discussion of how in the world he could say anyone is bad when his belief system allows no room for a moral absolute law giver to tell us what is bad and what is not.  

Two Come to Christ as MA Students Hit the Streets!

Mission Adventure Students sharing the Gospel today

This week we have our first MA group of the summer.  We have been doing training with them the past two days on evangelism, and today we hit the streets with them for a solid six hours doing all sorts of outreaches. It was an amazing time today, as many of the students shared the Gospel for the first time in their lives, and for some icing on the cake two people came to Christ!  The students were able to utilize the training that we gave them and apply in in real life conversations today.  This particular group is really going for it, and stepping out of their comfort bubbles to share the Gospel.