Sow-Sower-sow!  Jesus illustrated in Luke 8 & Matthew 13 that the soil is not our responsibility, but that we must faithfully sow the Gospel, the power of God unto salvation, in this broken world.  Of course we want to sow in good soil, but our life's path does not always take us through ideal circumstances.  And, discipleship can be more tedious and toilsome when souls come to Christ out of depleted and abused soils.  Jesus' last command resounds that we sow the good seed of the Gospel as we are going into all the world, living, loving others as Christ loved us, walking in the joy of the reality of Christianity every day. Last year, 2022, ended with 46 souls giving personal testimony of their response to God's call to salvation because of the power of that Gospel seed sown into their lives as they crossed our ministry path. This New Year’s path is shaping up with opportunities to shine, show, and share Jesus with many Good News Chalk Talks.  And, every believer should sow God's good seed faithfully at home, at work, at play, and in all circumstances of life.

Each night after the services, we showed evangelistic Christian movies, enjoyed fellowship around supper and snacks.  After the movie, often people line up for prayer and salvation.  Redemption Railroad Ministries partnered with us to prepare the way and follow up in connecting local churches with the new believers as well as sustaining ministries.

     How many times have I heard, "Well, Brother Dwight, I don't see how you can go to that kind of church with your ministry and expect us to have you over here in our church?  Explain yourself--do you go just anywhere?"  Of course I will go anywhere to share the same Good News Chalk Talks, the same message from God's Holy Word, that Jesus died on the cross for sinners, arose from the grave in victory over sin and death, and whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but hath everlasting life!  We always share the Gospel and always preach the Bible with every Gospel Chalk Talk.  Churches of all kinds and names who still love the Gospel and hold to the authority of the Word of God invite us to come, and we always say, "Yes!"  We partner with local churches across American and around the world to go to jails, public and private schools, colleges, and universities, extended-care facilities, public parks, parades of all kinds, festivals and gatherings for the soul purpose of lifting up the Christ and Scripture. 
       When I prayed, in 1993, asking God for the gift/ability of drawing with chalk to illustrate the Bible and the Gospel, I said, "Lord, if you give me this ability, then every door you open I will say, 'yes!.'"  Should we not be going to where the lost, the undone, the needy, and the confused are congregating?  Should we say, "NO," just because a sign over the door says one thing or another about an institution or organization?  I have drawn in the open air, in restaurants, in church buildings, in school buildings, behind bars, on grass, carpet, concrete, sand along a public beach area, on the courthouse lawn, on a front porch, in living rooms, in garages, in house churches, among under the signs of over a dozen Christian denominational names.  But, I have never deviated one iota from the message of Christ and never denied the authority or whole-counsel of Scripture.  It is indeed a joy to have a spirit of faith according to Paul's description in 2 Corinthians 4:13-14, "We, having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you."  As the song goes, "When WE ALL get to heaven...."  Loving taking the Gospel to every creature--who would you leave out because of a place, title, name, or prejudice?

     What do you think will bring back the vocational evangelist to a more prominent role in our western culture? According to Ephesians 4: 11-12, "He [God] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." The evangelist, listed as one of four vocational roles in the ministry, is validated as a paid ministry according to 1st Timothy 5:17-18 and 1st Corinthians 9:9-14. Phillip's life illustrates the broad availability of an evangelist in both personal and public sharing of the Gospel in Acts 6 & 8. He served in a local church setting as well as traveled to fulfill a broader role of engaging people with the Gospel and teaching the Bible for the purpose of salvation. As for me and my house, it's been a great joy to serve in this calling for over 26 years! The reward of the WORK of Evangelism comes when I engage & lead someone to Jesus with the preaching of The Cross, enrich a believer's life by illustrating God's Word in a fresh way, or train and encourage others in their calling of creative evangelism. 
     In putting this forward for discussion among friends and acquaintances, one person responded in this very positive and hopeful way:  "I don't understand why the "Christians" of today are so different than the "Christians" of 20 years ago. We have the same Bible, Jesus is the same, and the world seems to be in a worse condition and its people are in the same desperate need of a Savior. Yet, so many Christians today are unwilling to commit and serve; everything seems to be more important to them then even attending church or spreading the Good News. I know that in the end times that this is what we can expect, but then those faithful few should be more desperate to work harder for the coming of Our Lord and to let our lives shine the Light of Jesus. Your question of what will bring back the vocational evangelist to a more prominent role in our western culture? I would have to say that Today's Christian needs to wake up and get back to work in the church and bring THEM IN to hear. "For how shall they hear without a preacher?" If we, Christians can't find REVIVAL in our lives, wake up and get back to work, then there will be little "paving the way" for others to "hear" what they need to hear. Why should "others" want Christ if they can't see any difference in our lives then theirs?"
     Another very keen Bible scholar and fellow minister asked these questions of those who feel their church is a lost cause and their ministry is over there:

1.  Are there still lost souls in this town with whom you have not personally shared the Gospel?
2. Are there people out of church or unsaved in the community that you have not visited in their homes and spoken to about God's Word and the Gospel?
3. Have you used every means at your disposal to further the Gospel here?

 Our goal as a family in full-time, vocational evangelism is to Engage all ages with the Gospel using chalk art as a viable tool, to Enrich believers with clearly illustrated Bible messages, and to ENCOURAGE CHURCH LEADERS to keep on keeping on for Christ.  God sent some evangelists to encourage the pastor-teachers in their arduous and discouraging work.  CALL and see what a revival can do for the community, the church, and the called!

Thanks for helping our family leave more evidence of our faith in communities across America!  Ever since I started chalk art ministry in 1994, I have prayerfully wondered what God planned for the future.  Would there always be opportunities and open doors to use Art  to teach the Bible?  Yip, here we go again for an amazing line up of ministry from Pennsylvania to New Mexico, Alabama to Alaska, and all in between in 2019!  
This summer a church is bringing youth and adults for a missions experience with us at Summer Camp on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico.  Pray for God's refreshing Spirit in making disciples together.
 Thanks for your prayers and generosity in sustaining our family in ministry.  We always say yes to opportunities; and,  God always provides along the way.   We are truly happy and blessed in Christ!  Check out the ideas below for a great year of personal and corporate evangelism:

Let Our Faith Be SEEN in 2019!

 
Evangelistic Ideas for Every Season...
JAN:  Take some homemade cookies and a devotional booklet, like Our Daily Bread, to every neighbor within sight of your home and/or church.
FEB:   Print valentines for everyone in your daily routine.  Quote 1 John 4:10 or John 3:16.  Sign it, "Your Christian Friend from ChurchName."
MAR: Change your media background, social media post colors, and clothing to reflect the wordless gospel message, and tell others the meanings.
APR:  Print out Easter Hymns/Choruses and gather a group to go "Easter Caroling" in neighborhoods or extended care facilities.
MAY: Sponsor Good News Chalk Talks for an Evangelistic Block Party in a low-income housing common area. Personally distribute flyers and meet the residents.
JUN:  Sponsor a youth you know for a Bible camp experience, offering information to the parents, financial and transportation assistance.
JUL:    Get popcorn and a Christian movie, invite an un-churched friend to your home or church to view--or give it away with a church invitation.
AUG: Sponsor a back to school pizza party, inviting a Chalk Evangelist, Police Officer, and Christian with a great over-comer salvation testimony.
SEP:   Send a letter to every first-responder/local leader you can think of, thank them for serving & invite them to church-include a gospel track.
OCT:  Ask an un-churched friend to attend a revival or church service with you and give feedback as to how they find it relevant/helpful for life.
NOV: Prepare a Thanksgiving Food Box & deliver it with a church invitation.

Facilitate these ideas by providing church programming conducive to evangelism.  Keep devotional booklets available, print gospel tracts with church information, provide wordless books & bracelets, Bible camp affiliation and promotion, recommend Christian media, promote Friend Days, Chalk Revival Services, and intentional community outreach plans.

DEC:  Print a Christmas Carol Sheet w/ church info. Gather a group & carry copies to a neighborhood--give a copy to each home as you sing.

This Spring season we have been doing all kinds of Bible Chalk Talks relating to shining the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ into this world.  And, people are coming to know Christ as Savior--to God's glory!
Thank you for praying for our family and ministry as full-time, faith missionaries encouraging local churches and their surrounding communities.  The chalk-art opens many doors for ministry, and your support keeps our family available for God’s use with this unique method.
VARIABLES AND VARIETY
When we show up for an Evangelistic Chalk Talk for an Easter Egg Hunt, what audience do we expect?  Each year these are very fruitful evangelistic events, because the children are brought by family and extended family.  In addition to parents, step-parents, former church members, grandparents, church members, helpers, and a variety of curious people from the community, saved and unsaved, attend these events.  With a gathering crowd needing some musical distraction, I brought in my accordion to sing a children's Bible song to break the ice, then with ages 3-83 present, the chalk-art must be interactive throughout the presentation of the Gospel to keep that audience engaged.  After this very unique service, the egg hunt and hot-dog lunch also provided a time to sit down and share the love of Jesus with individual adults and children.

Planning an open air chalk talk in a public park takes prayer and willing hands.  We showed up in Lufkin, Texas, on a Monday evening with half a dozen helpers from the Solid Rock Family Bible Church and our missions crew and started setting up the chalk frame.  A lady from the church sang beautifully over the battery powered PA System.  Children & adults gathered and other watched and listened from a distance as Dwight drew the Grand Old Gospel in full-color.  God's Word never returns void, and we were able share tracts with many in the park before heading to another city on Tuesday for two more repeat ministries there.  We visited nearby homes, handed out care packets to the homeless and needy, and generally shared the Love of Jesus and the Gospel personally as God drew people.  The first "E" in Evangelism stands for EFFORT!