Summer Ministry Update 2020

#cefjacksontn – Oh my goodness… we have been blessed, challenged by circumstances, and blessed again!

In other publications and messages, we have alluded to doing neighborhood style ministry this summer. Some of you have given of your resources to help purchase various items that we have used to engage the children. We certainly feel your prayers too! We have pushed ahead and done our due-diligence in adjusting to community norms and distancing measures to keep things safe. The specter of Covid-19 has not stopped us though. We feel strongly that our mandate to share the Gospel with children is more urgent than ever! A secondary benefit of doing old-school neighborhood style ministry is that you get to meet parents, older siblings, and other adults that also need to hear about the Good News. Thus far, we have ministered to around 135 children per week (5 weeks) with a total of around 165 to 175 unique children. We have shared the Gospel with around 35 children and a few adults. 

One of the main purposes behind out neighborhood style Truth Chasers Club activities was to help identify new areas to plant neighborhood style Good News Clubs after school starts. During the TCC activities, we gave out “ministry bags” which contained the Truth Chaser Club lessons, family friendly movies, school supplies, candy, other goodies, and various Gospel centered tracts. We also had a week to give a shortened demonstration / presentation of the “Wordless Book” with a Zonk review gave to follow.

For the vast majority of the chapters in Tennessee, in-school activities will not be open to us for the foreseeable future. Thus, the focus on neighborhood clubs. This is especially true in our part of the state. Below is a photo gallery of various photos taken over the last few weeks to give you a taste of what our summer has looked like. God bless you and thank you for your continued love and support.

PS: For the record, we have encouraged children and families adhere to current social distancing guidelines, but parents have the ultimate authority over their own children.

Also, the photos that show the RIFA Bus Stop Café in the frame with us, well, we are very grateful for them! RIFA is a wonderful nonprofit that ministers to children and families in unique ways. They focus on feeding homeless people and children who may not have adequate food available. RIFA was kind enough to allow us to setup our ministry table in close proximity to their bus so that we could also engage the children with our ministry gifts and materials. Dan, you are awesome!