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Mardi Gras Outreach 2010

2010-02-23T09:53:00.001-06:00

2010 Mardi Gras Misson from Nate Pfeil on Vimeo.

What if YOU could help put 400 Warriors for Christ on the Mission Field?

2009-09-24T16:28:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

When we trust in Jesus and work together, we can do more than we could ever imagine! That is what we have found in nearly 20 years of taking the love of Christ and the message of the Cross to hurting people across this nation and beyond.

It was 2003 when our ministry changed, and our lives along with it! Having served a local church for nearly 14 years the Lord challenged us to move into a whole new dimension of faith. He began to show us that what had been im-possible through our best and most sincere efforts could now become Him-possible if we would only obey. So, we decided to obey, and we have seen God do some amazing things, and change thousands of lives ever since! The Jeans for Jesus Project is one of those “acts of obedience” that we believe is another means to impact many people for His Kingdom.

Our teams have taken emergency relief into areas decimated by natural disasters. We have impacted housing projects and have had Police officers say to us, “Thank you for coming to this area. You cannot know how big of an impact you have made.” Children, the elderly, and those living on the streets have also been greatly touched by the work of the ministry as the Body of Christ has banded together to help those in need. The Jeans for Jesus Project is another way to do even more!

HOW THE JEANS FOR JESUS PROJECT WORKS – from OUR end
We collect donated jeans from churches, civic groups, Sunday school classes, sports teams, schools, and even individuals, with a love offering in the pocket of each pair collected.

These jeans and offering then become a resource to minister to thousands of people through food, clothes, and the ministering of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our Conviction is that there are many people who are in desperate need—both physically and spiritually.

Our Passion is to touch those lives by whatever means necessary to show them that there is still hope.

Our Commitment is to “Do as much as we can with as much as we have” and as God brings the increase we will go further in reaching out to those who are the most desperate.

Our Vision is to use this as a resource to spread the message of Jesus.

HOW THE JEANS FOR JESUS PROJECT WORKS – from YOUR end

Coordinate and Promote a Jeans for Jesus Campaign within your Church, Youth or Senior Ministry or other organization - you can contact us for ideas on how to have the most success!

Recommend Jeans for Jesus to others you may know - together is how we make the biggest difference!

Become a Monthly Financial Supporter of the Ministry - when you “give” it allows us to keep “going” to the most needy!

Volunteer for one of our outreach teams - You will see for yourself what your investment is doing and you’ll see your life changed too!

Pray for us - that is what strengthens us, and carries us through the difficult times!

THIS TERM’S PROJECT WILL HAVE FOUR PRIMARY TARGET AREAS:
Jeans for the Homeless -- These are literally life-savers for many people living on the streets. We will be distributing jeans as well as other winter clothing in these primary areas:

“The Tenderloin” - San Francisco, CA
“Skid Row” - Los Angeles, CA
Housing Projects - Raleigh/Durham, NC
Housing Projects - New Orleans, LA
“Kennsington” - Philadelphia, PA
Kingston, Jamaica

Revolution Youth Training -- We are seeing a REVIVAL amongst the youth and college-aged across the country. We are now hosting special Youth Leadership Training Events designed to equip a new generation to take the Gospel into their campuses.

Mardi Gras Outreach 2010 -- Our annual outreach to the City of New Orleans has been blessed to see thousands of people come to the Lord Jesus over the years. We are expecting to put over 400 Urban Missionaries on the streets this coming February. This alone comes with a cost of nearly $25,000 - which is a small price to pay to see many come to Christ.

Raven Jamaica -- We are taking a street ministry team into Kingston in the Spring of 2010.

Remember, your help could have an EVERLASTING impact!

Many Blessings –
Pastor Troy D. Bohn
Founder and International Director
P.O. Box 1897
Daytona Beach, Florida 32115

Contact - PastorTroy@BigGrace.com

website(s) www.BigGrace.com (or)
www.ravenOutreach.Blogspot.com

NEW RAVEN GEAR!

2009-09-24T14:06:00.001-05:00

Orders are now being taken for the latest in RAVEN Gear!
The first to "fly" out...

The RAVEN Pendant

7/8" x 1-7/8" glass pendant / silver plated bail / 24" black ball chain

Pendants are made on demand and can be made TEAM SPECIFIC

$20.00 each // Part of the cost is going to help pay for Mardi Gras 2010

Please place your orders via PayPal here:include:
TEAM NAME / # of Pendants / Mailing Address

Pendants will be mailed as they are completed.
But, please be patient ... the process for completing the pendants is time consuming.

Here Comes the Son!

2008-03-02T16:03:00.000-06:00

It has been a very cold and snowy year. In fact, I would say that it has been a long time since we have experienced a winter like this. It has been one that has convinced us to stay in and stay warm instead of venturing out. Well, all we can say is Praise the Lord "Here Comes the Son"! Pastor Lance and I have been doing a lot of thinking and planning about the direction of R.A.V.E.N.'S Midwest. More importantly though, we have been seeking God on the plans that He would have us to fulfill. It has been a rather quiet transition from the former leaders (Pastor Terry & Eileen) to us and we are rather thankful for that. However, the time has come to "Begin Again" so to speak, and begin to step out into this calling and to do so with the help of as many of you as possible.

We are very excited about what the Lord has planned. How and when He will do these things, well, only He knows His timing, but we are confident of the direction that He has opened up to us and we are humbly and boldly taking hold. Our intentions are to step out and step up in this community of Elkhart, In. in the Washington Gardens area. It has been laid heavily upon our hearts to take this ground for the Kingdom of God and to infiltrate this area, used so strongly by the enemy, and immerse it in the Spirit and Truth of the Lord!!! We know that it will not all be easy, but we can do all things and my Word tells me that "WHATSOEVER I LAY MY HAND TO SHALL PROSPER!!!" This work will prosper and NOT fail. If my God and King is going before me (and I know He is because he has given us this vision) and He is for me ...then tell me....WHO can be against me???!!! Praise the Lord!!

We have it so heavy on our heart for this whole area of Elkhart that we just have to go forward until we begin to see change and then...KEEP ON GOING!!! We began to lay the ground work last fall by walking the streets of this project area and meeting and praying for these people face to face. It was so amazing! We were meeting teens, young mothers and fathers, we met many, many children and elderly and even met quite a few drug dealers and users who, by the way, were some of the most respectful!! This is the power that the Lord grants when we walk in humility and servitude in LOVE one for another. I am continually in awe of the power and grace of my Lord.

Our goal is to begin to step out into the Washington Gardens area again the first part of April. We want to begin by going out and walking the streets again on the Friday eve. before our outreach to make the people aware that we are going to be in the area. Also, we will be setting up canopies so that they will have a place to come into for a real church service!!! We are so excited about this. We want not only to bless them with food and prayer, but we want to disciple them with the Word of the Living God. They need to see that we are serious about them and our God. It is important that we hold them accountable and that they see us being accountable for what we are sharing with them. After all, talk is cheap...actions are what they are looking at.

We are going to be holding Friday night meetings (for now) at our house until we can find the place that will facilitate us and others that will be coming in. We are beginning a "Discipleship" course that will last for the better part of 2 years. This means that it is going to take commitment and discipline! All are welcome, but you must be certain that you are willing and able to commit yourself and time to such a task. The Word says that "to whom much is given..much is expected". Where is your EXPECTATION at? We hope that it is in the Lord.

We are very excited about this "New Beginning" for us all and we hope that you will be too. It doesn't matter to us about numbers or size when it comes to this ministry, because God is in full control and He knows what He is doing! Thank the Lord. The only thing that matters to us is that we are pleasing unto the service of our Lord and Master and that we help Him to increase the Kingdom of Heaven and in doing so we will decrease the Kingdom of Hell. We are thankful that God found us worthy of such a task as this and we intend to do all that we are able to do to fulfill the plan He has for us. How about you? Are you ready to strap on your boots and take some high ground? Are you ready to say "Not my will, but your will be done" to the Lord? Is there anything that is more pleasing or rewarding to the Lord than to see His children flowing together in harmony and unity to see that the task gets done and we help Him to bring home one more prodigal? I can't think of ONE thing that we could do in this world and of ourselves that could even come close to doing the will of our Father.

We have been very quiet before the Lord and we have asked many, many questions of Him. When we didn't know what to do...we just kept on keeping on. It has been so quiet at times, we thought that the stillness would deafen us, but then God would speak. We have fallen under judgement and ridicule of man and that's o.k. We know that this is just part of MAN'S way, but know this...we will not be moved by it. We know that God is our source and our hope. Without Him there is just no need to even try. We are human and we know that we need Him. So, we intend to follow Him as closely as possible and to complete this work that He has begun in us! How about you? Would you like to be a part of this? It is truly an exciting time to be alive. there is so much going on around us in this world and God has found us fit for such a time as this. Rejoice!!! Our redemption is drawing ever so much more near!

Our plea to you is to get stirred up and on fire for God! The time is now. He desires to use each and every one of us in the giftings and callings that only HE has given us. Think about those special gifts , won't you? You and only you can reach that certain someone that is out there lost. You are that particular laborer that someone is praying in to a special some one's life. Will you be there to answer the call???? Are you willing and ready to answer to the One who called you and you denied Him? It is not easy all the time, but it is about eternity all the time! please consider these words written to you from the hearts of two people that just simply chose to answer the call and surrender unto the greatest King of all. Let's take as many souls with us as possible and let's start right here in our own backyard. Elkhart, indiana.....HERE COMES THE SON!!!

One Word: AMAZING!!!!

2008-02-11T19:52:00.000-06:00

Mardi Gras 2008 was such an amazing experience!!! This year was only my 2ND time down to the "BIG EASY". Pastor Lance and I had gone together back in 2006 right after Katrina and all the devastation. This time, it was totally different. When we went back in 2006 there was such a sense of desperation and need for HOPE that it seemed that no matter where we turned to minister - we were accepted. Not so in 2008.

This year as we prepared to return to New Orleans there seemed to be a sense that something was different. We didn't know what it was, but Pastor Lance and I could just knew that something was going to happen. He kept telling me that he felt that this year I would be the one to go - without him!! I strongly disagreed. I could not see me in that town under those circumstances without my husband! Never say never. When will this truly sink in? Well, it did come to pass and Cole (my son) and I were the only two from our family that made it. Go figure.

We started out by flying into Daytona where we worked with the music team and from there we traveled by bus and van for 12 hours over to New Orleans. What a trip it was! Once there we began to set up for a temporary stay at CELEBRATION CHURCH where we had cots to sleep on and clean, warm showers to clean up in and it was a great blessing. While we were there we began what seemed to be an amazing family reunion and all these RAVENS from around the country just began to descend upon the area and what a time we had!!!

Although I had not seen many of them for a good while , it was as if no time had passed! Like God had made time stand still until we saw one another once again. He is so gracious. However, time had passed and there was a lot to catch up on - and so we did. We talked and laughed and shared until the wee hours of the a.m. and then when we got up we started all over again. It was such a great time of refreshing!!

After two days at this location we transferred over to another place that was quite a bit smaller, but it had a kitchen facility and we all got a much better understanding of up what "up close and personal " really means. There were literally just curtains separating the men's room from the ladies. It was hysterical!! All the snoring and other noises - It definitely kept things interesting.

After we set up camp there we began our true mission for which we were there. It is all about SOULS!!! We set up our musical equipment and got our hearts and minds prepared with word and worship and we hit the streets! It was so exciting. There was, I believe, some 150 - 180 of us at our most highest numbers and it was a sight to behold when you heard us and saw us coming down the streets of New Orleans singing Amazing Grace...How Sweet The Sound... people would just stop and stare - and some would join us in song. It was the presence of the Lord coming to that city of darkness and people could not help but to take notice!

From Friday night to Monday it was non-stop ministry time with breaks only to sleep for a few hours and to shower and eat and then back out we went. So many souls and so little time. There were such great miracles taking place in so many lives. There was one man who had been deaf since birth and as Pastor Sam was praying for him his ear popped open and he began to repeat everything that he was praying and saying!! Why should we be so shocked? After all, He is God.

There was another man that rededicated his life who had been a missionary and had been called to serve in Vietnam and had fallen away because of the scars from that war. After we ministered to him he began to break down and weep and began to pray on his own and ask the Lord to be with him and to forgive him and to accept him back into his fold. He wanted to right the wrongs in his life and return to his God!!! And the list goes on and on!!!!!!!!!! Praise the name of the Lord....forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Monday morning rolled around and it was time for us to begin our journey home, I have to say it was a difficult thing to pull ourselves away from such a Godly atmosphere. You see, while I was there, away from my husband, the Lord made one thing VERY clear to me and it was this: He desires that, and in fact commands in His word that, I would have no other gods before Him. This means not my husband, not my children, not my parents, not my ministry, but that only He shall be my God and my source. This was a hard pill to swallow, yet it brought me a great amount of comfort and peace. I realize that God gave me my family and for this I am so truly thankful, but without Him I have absolutely nothing!!

This year was a mile marker in my life and one that I believe that the Lord ordained for such a time as this. He is never late, but always right on time. I thank God for the AMAZING time of ministry and Revelation and I pray that we may all have more moments like this in all of our lives. After all, they are what draw us unto the realization that "we must decrease so that He may increase".

IF YOU CAN USE ANYTHING LORD...

2008-01-02T21:39:00.001-06:00

These are some words from one of our favorite songs that we sing. We tend to sing them with the thought that if God can use an animal or if He can cause the rocks to cry out He can surely use me. Couldn't He? that's a pretty loaded question isn't it? He should be able to, but can He? So many times when we sing these songs we are moved by the emotion or the music that we forget that the only thing that keeps us from the very thing that we are singing about is ... ourselves! We look beyond ourselves and our poor positioning (because of our attitudes, wrong living or thought life, our very sin nature that we allow to rule us) and assume that a most Holy God will just over look our sin and elevate us to a place of use with nothing more than a prompting from a song we took 3 or 4 minutes out of our day to sing to Him? No. In spite of all the nice thoughts we like to believe, you know the ones - they're the ones that justify our sins and help bring that feeling of complacency - God will not be mocked.

So, where do we stand? Wow! This is an in your face question. Why should He choose to use you or me? What do we have within ourselves that could possibly surpass the ever amazing abilities of God? After all, He is not surprised by your talents - He gave them to you. So, what do you think? Do we dare venture a brazen assumption that He needs us? I don't think so. He is THE CREATOR - He doesn't need anyone. However, He does tell us, in His word, that He does love us and that His desire is that not 1 would perish. This would lead one to believe that He truly does desire to be our Father and that we would dwell with Him. Thank you Lord!!!

God has given each of us a free will and with that comes the ability to choose which path we will take in this life. Do you realize how great of an opportunity this is? I don't mean that it is a wonderful thing that we can choose to go the "low" road so to speak, but what I mean by "great" is just that - this is so huge or "great " of a decision that it not only impacts our lives , but the lives of countless others around us who we may not even be aware are watching!!! This is massive!!!

The Word of God says that it is appointed once for a man to die and then the judgement. We will stand before the throne of our creator and stand there alone and naked. He has seen all that we have done and all that we never repented of. He will hold us accountable for every idle word and deed and I truly believe that will apply for all those that we "helped" lead down the same "low" road.

Now, this road that I'm talking about surely doesn't apply to us faith talking, spirit walking, bible toting Christians. Does it? After all, we don't fall into the same category as the "un-saved". We have the blood of Christ. We sure do and that's even more reason to walk the talk. How will anyone who is not saved ever be able to see the hope of salvation through Christ when we who profess to be saved act and talk and walk just like the rest of the world? Why would God want anything like that? He said in His word that if you love the world you will hate HIM!! So I ask you... which one will it be???

Let's be like Paul. When he was Saul he was operating in this worlds system and ways of thinking, but when he was radically changed all who knew him noticed!! Does anyone notice a change about you? Does anyone want to have a life like yours? Do we exemplify the faithfulness of God in our lives? Are we truly trusting Him to be our provision and are we giving Him the praise and thanksgiving that He so greatly deserves even when we haven't even seen the answer yet? Let's get radical. Let's let God take the lead and tell us "how to" and "when to". let's get so consumed with a passion for Him that the former really can apply and when we open our mouths to sing these words...He will !!

IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS

2007-11-25T09:14:00.000-06:00

As we sit and reflect back upon this Thanksgiving and the family time that God has blessed us with, we understand that not all feel so blessed. What is it that makes us feel so "thankful"? Is it the food? The family? The time away from work? Or is it something so innate that we just cannot deny it? As we spent some amazing family time this week end, we began to realize what God's idea or "ideal" of thankfulness might be.

With all of the demands of life (family, work, ministry, relationships...) it can be very easy to slip away into a carnal abyss so to speak. God commanded us to "work" for six days and to rest on the seventh. Now, some may say that as Christians this word "work" means to do the "work" of the ministry - and we agree - however, some of us must "PUNCH THE CLOCK". So, what are we doing with this or these opportunities???

The word of God says that in ALL things we are to give thanks. Not in some things or when we feel like it, but IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS. I don't believe that as creatures of the king we do this. Jesus said that "If you love me you will keep my commands". God's written word is His PERFECT will for us and if we will follow it, it WILL lead us into all truth. The question is - Do we accept this as absolute truth?

As children of the King, pastor Lance, myself, and our boys are doing our best to apply a "thankful heart" to all of our daily walk. It is hard! We are not going to sit here and tell stories of our demise or "woe is me" situations because we are choosing to apply a thankful heart to our situations and our lives. It can seem very difficult at times, but as we continue on and hold steadfast it actually begins to produce life giving fruit and joy!!! Does this mean that we aren't tested? PLEASE! Let's be real. Life happens, but our God and His Word are real.

The problem with this idea of thankfulness and the lack of it (or it's true meaning) is that the hearts of people have waxxed cold. The true heart condition of this world is a sad one. Is there any hope? Yes. There is always hope. His name is Jesus. But the problem lies within the lack of understanding of the true meaning and purpose of the word THANKSGIVING. To be "thankful" of to give "thanks" has nothing to do with your recognition from someone, rather it is about the recipient recognizing the giver from whom the recipient receives. In other words, for example, look at a persons birthday - we often give gifts for just such an occasion. However, there is no written law that states that we must give gifts to a person or persons for this reason, yet, we do.

As a child growing up I always looked forward to birthday parties. It was a time of celebration and let's be honest here, a time for presents! We were by no means a rich family, but we always had enough. Growing up I can remember how my parents taught me to be respectful and thankful for all that I received. It was a privilege to have a party - not my right. I was taught that you did not ask for gifts, but you were very "THANKFUL" for those received and to those who gave them.
You see, nothing I did or said made me worthy of them bringing me gifts of honor. I was the one who should be honoring them for taking the time out of their busy lives and work time to spend with me. How lonely it would have been to spend my 6th or 7th
birthday with no friends. Are you beginning to get the picture?

Let's look at another special day that most of the Christian world celebrates and that is CHRISTMAS. Again, it is a time that much gift giving is done. The true history behind gift giving is to symbolize that which took place 2000 years ago in a small manger in Bethlehem. Somehow, though, it has become polluted with the greed and selfishness of this world. The three wise men traveled all that time and distance not because it was going to be the party of the century, or because the recipient was rich and lived in a great palace and had the right name and attire, but because they recognized that this was GOD THE KING incarnate and they were His servants and they came to give THANKS and HONOR to the one from whom all blessings flow.

This was a perfect example of how God intended for us to apply our thankfulness. These three men (who were, by the way, very wise indeed) understood who He was and who they were not. They recognized that without the King of Kings they were nothing. They came "into His presence with Thanksgiving and into His courts with praise" and God recognized them for their humility, submission and obedience. How much more could we ever hope for? If we will be faithful and trust Him with everything we have - from our lives, our children's lives, jobs, belongings - He will provide us with all that we need.

THANKFULNESS is recognizing that we are not here as our own entity or God. We are here because a great master and Creator saw fit to sculpt us and give us the precious gift of life. This is where the true spirit of thankfulness arises from. It's knowing that no matter what we do or don't do can change who He is and who we are not. It is understanding our placement in this whole scheme of things and realizing that we didn't even have to be, but He saw fit and called us forth. It is knowing that without one another, and God through us, we are not complete. For the Word of God says that "IRON SHARPENS IRON" and without our brothers and sisters we are less.

Let's take some time to reflect upon our lives (maybe even make it a lesson that you do with your family or friends) and ask one another and discuss with one another all that we have to be thankful for and then join together in a time of TRUE thanksgiving and praise. Let's understand what we MUST be thankful for because of the one who gives it to us. And let us serve one another with the spirit of thankfulness and in doing so we will honor the one who served us.

Washington Gardens - Here We Come!

2007-11-03T17:11:00.000-05:00

Today we had an amazing outreach! It started off at 11:30 a.m. with a crew of 6 and by 11:45 we had a couple (Pastor Lance & Brandy) out talking and inviting people to come out and join us. By 12:00 we were up and running! At first there were only a few people, but not too long afterwards we had a number of people - adults and kids- lined up and ready to partake.

We had several people out today that we made conntact with during our marathon. One of those people was Courtney. She is an amazing gal. She lives right in the front apartment there where we were set up and she came out to join us along with her little boy. She sat with Pastor Lance for quite some time and shared how she is trying to get her life in order and that she feels that her boyfriend (the father of her youngest) just isn't walking along side of her in these changes and she feels that some other "changes" may be coming. It is sad to hear, but it is also good to know that the Word that we have sown in is being effectual!

We also had several men from the mission come over and join us today. Two of which accepted JESUS! Praise the Lord! Pastor Lance and Brother Anthony(a.k.a. Bald Headed Jesus Freak) had a great opportunity to speak with and pray with them. They were hungry to hear the Truth! We were also able to distribute many, many coats and sweatshirts to these men. They were so very greatful and could not say "Thank you" and "God bless you" enough. It was so rewarding! One man came over to be with us evens though he had a broken foot. He said that he heard about us being there and wanted to be with us. He chose this over being with the others over at the mission during their own lunch hour. He was a true inspiration.

We had several kids out today and Pastor Lance was the biggest one there! When kids are around you can be sure that Pastor will be right in the middle of them. Today was no exception. There were serveral teen boys there today and they had all there "equipment" with them. There were boys with bikes, roller blades, and skate boards. Pastor Lance took it upon himself to show these young ones how to get it done! He was "Kickin' it old school"!!!:) By the way, they all thought he was nuts! It was so great!!!

At the end of the outreach, we had given out all of the food prepared with nothing left over. We served up a lunch of hot dogs, grilled cheese, chips, crackers, pop, and homemade cookies. And let's not forget about the candy! Everyone had a great time and our "chefs" (Layne and Cole) were busy all day!! Our "detail" crew (Brandy & Amanda) kept hoppin' and saw to it that everyone was taken care of. They even found time to grab a bite themselves.

All in all, it was a victoriously awesome day for the Lord!!

Just A Reminder....

2007-11-02T06:38:00.000-05:00

Just a quick reminder that we will be going out this Saturday (Nov. 3rd @ 11:00 a.m.) so come prepared to share the Word with someone. We will meet at Washington Gardens at 11:00 and "kick-off" the out-reach at 12:00 p.m. We will be serving up a warm lunch to all that join us.

Remember, also, that the Fall winds are now upon us, and although it is supposed to be a beautiful day, the temps will only be in the upper 50's so come dressed for the weather. and don't forget that if you have ANY warm coats or jackets bring them along. We will be giving out what supply we have to those in need. Also, don't forget that there are many children,of all ages, that need warm attire. so please give generously.

I am planning on baking cookies for the out-reach dessert, so if anyone else would like to help out with this and donate some good "home-made with love" cookies you can just let me know and it would be most appreciated! I want to provide something for the people that says "I care" enough to take the time to do something special for you. There is just something wonderful about home-made baked goods - wouldn't you agree?

Pastor Lance & myself are so excited and are looking so forward to this day of out-reach and we genuinely hope and pray that you will join us. Our prayer is that it will bring ETERNAL change to the lives of all that attend.

Would you prayerfully consider giving your support in SPIRIT & IN DEED this Saturday?

We look forward to seeing you there!

In service of the Lord,
Pastor Lance & Leigh / Ravens Midwest

Come One! Come All!!

2007-10-31T16:33:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, November 3rd, at 11:00 a.m. Ravens - Midwest will be stepping out on another "Out reach" in Washington Gardens. Pastor Lance and myself, along with Layne, Cole, Anthony LeBlanc, Amanda, Jeff and whom-ever else so desires to join us, will be stepping out, setting up, and serving the people!! Praise the Lord!!! We are sooo excited !!!! We are ready to get out there and share the love of our Lord.

We have been setting the ground work (so to speak) by going out into this area and mingling with the people. They know who we are and are ready to have us join them in there area. the one thing that has become crystal clear to us is that you cannot just go pushing your way in to some one's "space" and expect them to welcome you with open arms. They are suspicious of anyone and everyone and expect the worst of people. It's sad , but oh so true. So, we have taken time to get to know the area and it's ways. We are ready to start an invasion of sorts - JESUS STYLE!!!

We have been in contact with several men from the homeless shelter here in Elkhart, and as God would have it , it is located just a stones throw from the parking lot where we will be setting up for the outreach. God is so good! We are going back to the mission at least 1 to 2 more times this week with coats for the men, so we will be making sure that they understand that they are also invited on Saturday. Please be in agreement with us that many will come out and receive from Jesus. It should prove to be a wonderful day filled with love, laughter, and salvation. Please come and join us if you can. We would love to have you there and I can promise that you won't be disappointed! Come and be the loving arms of Christ to someone.

If you would like to join us or have any questions, please contact us at:
Home: 574-875-7070
Pastor Lance cell- 574-215-8940 (Elkhart)
Pastor Lance cell - 574-340-9716 (Mishawaka / South Bend)
Leigh's cell - 574-215-8597

Calling All Midwest Ravens...

2007-10-25T18:20:00.000-05:00

We need your help! Pastor Lance and I are beginning to receive multiple calls concerning the need for winter coats. If you haven't noticed, it is really beginning to cool down - and fast! there are many people who have little or nothing to wear with this change coming on and we want to rectify this. Would you please be gracious and go through your own closets and drawers and check out what you may have in winter attire that you are not using. I think we all could find something. Whether it be a pair of gloves, a scarf, a coat or two, or even heavy warm clothing - it will all be greatly appreciated.

The rule of thumb that we use around our house is that if we haven't used the item in more than 6 months to a year, then we can do without it! We live in a very gluttonous time and we feel that more is always better, but there is a lot to be said for simplicity and contentment. I can not be content if I have 5 or 6 warm coats and my brother or sister are in the cold with nothing to wear. If you are having a hard time parting with something just ask yourself "what would my JESUS do?". It kind of puts it all in to perspective doesn't it?

We appreciate all of you who help and support us in what ever way possible. All of those who pray, come out and physically support, those who give financial support, those who donate of their own belongings or other items, - in whatever way - we love and thank you so very much!!!
Pastor Lance and myself, along with Layne and Cole truly know what it takes to give of all these things (time, money, self...) and it does not go un-noticed or unappreciated. It takes ALL OF US to make a team and we feel we make a pretty good one. But this is not about how good we feel about ourselves. It's about what we can give of ourselves to help others change the way they feel about themselves and feel the love of Jesus - wouldn't you agree???

So please, please, please, take some time out (just a few minutes) of one of your busy days and root through the back of that coat closet, where you or no man has dared to go for quite some time, and pull out those jackets and coats, gloves, hats, and scarves and run them through the washer & dryer. There is someone out there who is a perfect fit for that item! And remember, let's give of our best - after all - Jesus said "So as you have done unto the least of these, you have done unto me".

Thank you for everything. We look forward to hearing from you SOON!!!!!!

Love in Christ
Pastor Lance & Leigh

Contact #'s : Pastor Lance - 574-215-8940 / Elkhart
574-340-9716 / Mishawaka -South Bend
Leigh - 574-215-8597 / cell
574-875-7070/ home

But For The Grace Of God...

2007-10-24T20:30:00.000-05:00

Today Pastor Lance received a call from a woman named "Angel". She was one of the many people that we saw out during our "Marathon for Souls" outreach. Amanda and I saw her walking by herself and something inside (Holy Spirit) told me to turn left instead of right (with the others) and go speak to her - so I did! I am so glad that I yielded to that voice and sought her out.

Angel is an amazing lady. She has a beautiful little baby girl and an aunt who lives near by. She felt that she needed to find a quiet and simple place to start her life over (leaving behind some bad memories) and raise her daughter. Since she has family here, she figured this would be the best place to be. It is because of this choice that God saw fit to bring us across each others paths.

When I spoke to Angel on Saturday, she was very quiet (in a humble manner) and very respectful. I introduced myself and Amanda and told her what we were doing there and about the RAVENS Ministry. As we talked, I asked her if she attended a church at all. She told me that she attends a local church up on the corner - the one her aunt attends. She said with her being so new to the area she just attended where her family attends. Sounds so familiar, doesn't it? Yet, there was something so special about her. Something precious and genuine.

As our week has progressed, we have been so very busy. Each day bringing with it all the cares and concerns that we all face. At times, stopping and wondering if through all of this we are doing anything that is really making a difference - and then - God does His thing!! Tonight we had a salesperson come to our door and do a demonstration. He knew that we were not buying yet he pressed on. We gave him the attention that was required for the demo, but when he was finished - we gave him JESUS. As it turns out, he is a believer and as the bible says "IRON SHARPENS IRON" and we took the opportunity to stir him up! Enough so that he took our card and he wants to go out with us on the streets!! Praise the Lord!!! We couldn't get him to stop talking about the Word !!!

After our "30" minute sales pitch (which lasted 2 hours) we offered him some supper, fellowship, and Word, and we said our"good-byes" and hopped in the car. We were on our way back over to Washington Gardens (where our marathon took place) at 8:30 p.m. Angel had called earlier today and humbly asked if there was any way we could help her out with some food. She was just trying to get enough to get her and her baby through until she can get a job and some money. She told Pastor Lance that she had spoken to me on Saturday and that I had given her our ministry card and told her to call if we could help in any way. So, she did!!

The boys and I went today right after work to the store and gathered together some groceries and we all went over together this evening and took them to her. she was so thankful and humbled. We were able to pray with her and for her as she is going to a few job interviews at some of our local radio stations here in the area. Angel holds a bachelors degree in communications and is hoping to land one of these positions that are available. PLEASE be in agreement with us as we agree with her for favor in these interviews. As I mentioned earlier, she has the most beautiful baby girl and it is her desire to provide her with a good life. We are also asking anyone with children's clothing - girls / 12 months and up /especially a winter coat - if you have any items please contact us so that we can get these items to Angel as soon as possible. The colder weather is closing in rather rapidly now and she could use our help.

So, be encouraged my brothers and sisters! When we feel as if the cares of this world are swallowing us up and we feel as though we have nothing to give - remember - it's not what we have in ourselves, but what God can do through us when we will yield and get ourselves out of the way. I thank God for who He is and all that he continues to do through us in spite of ourselves! I thank god for Angel and for the "door to door" salesmen, and for all the opportunities God sees fit to bring our way. After all, but for the grace of God go I.

Love in Christ

Marathon For Souls!

2007-10-20T21:13:00.000-05:00

TODAY WAS A FANTASTIC DAY IN AND FOR JESUS!! WE DECIDED TO TAKE OUR MARATHON TO THE STREETS OF OUR INNER-CITY PROJECTS. IT WAS BETTER THAN WE COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED! WE HAD A TEAM OF ABOUT 12 AND WE TOOK THE STREETS BY STORM. WE ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON GARDENS AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 A.M. AND WE THE STREETS. THERE WERE NOT MANY OIT...YET..., BUT WE DIDN'T ALLOW THAT TO STOP OR DISCOURAGE US.

AS SOON AS WE EXITED THE VEHICLES, THERE WAS A YOUNG COUPLE ON THERE STOOP AND WE IMMEDIATELY APPROACHED THEM AND BEGAN TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF OUR SAVIOR WITH THEM. COURTNEY WAS VERY RECEPTIVE AND WAS EAGER AND READY TO HEAR WHAT WE HAD TO SAY. SHE WAS RIGHT WHERE SHE NEEDED TO BE TO ACCEPT JESUS....AND ACCEPT HIM SHE DID!!!

AFTER WE ENCOURAGED THE TWO OF THEM FOR A GOOD 30 MINUTES OR MORE, WE BEGAN OUR "MARATHON" AND TOOK THAT PROJECT BY STORM. NEXT, WE APPROACHED A DEAR SISTER WITH 2 OF HER 4 TEENAGE GIRLS. WHAT A TIME THAT WAS. PASTOR LANCE AND MYSELF ALONG WITH AMANDA & BRANDY TRULY ENJOYED OUR TIME WITH THIS SISTER. SHE WAS SO ACCEPTING OF WHAT WE HAD TO SHARE AND ENDED OUR TIME WITH HER BY RE-DEDICATING HER LIFE TO THE LORD!

AS THIS CONVERSATION CAME TO A CLOSE, I AND AMANDA APPROACHED TWO MORE YOUNG WOMEN - YOLANDA (AGE 16) AND JACQUELINE (17). WOW!! THEY WERE SO AWESOME. THEY HAD SUCH GENTLE SPIRITS. WHAT AMAZED ME WAS THAT JACQUELINE PRAYS EVERY NIGHT, BUT HAD NO IDEA HOW TO MAKE JESUS HER LORD AND SAVIOR. WHEN I ASKED HER ABOUT THIS AND EXPLAINED THAT IT IS SIMPLY ASKING HIM TO COME INTO HER LIFE AND BE HER SAVIOR - HER RESPONSE WAS "THAT'S IT? THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO DO?" IT LITERALLY BROUGHT AMANDA TO TEARS. IT WAS AS IF A LIGHT CAME ON IN HER SPIRIT AND SHE RAN AT IT!! BOTH GIRLS ACCEPTED JESUS RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET IN THE PROJECTS!! ALL GLORY BE TO THE KING!!

MANY MEMBERS OF THE TEAM HAD GREAT ENCOUNTERS WITH MANY SOULS TODAY. BRENDA AND DIANE HAD ONE WITH A SISTER THAT HAS BEEN CLEAN FROM HEROINE FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS! AT FIRST SHE WAS VERY STAND-OFFISH, BUT BY THE TIME THEY WERE DONE SPEAKING WITH HER SHE WAS HUGGING THEM AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO COME BACK REAL SOON. PRAISE GOD!!

PASTOR LANCE AND JEFF SPENT A LOT OF TIME MINISTERING TOGETHER AND PRAYING WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. ONE SUCH PERSON WAS MIKE. HE WAS YOUNG MAN WHO DESPERATELY NEEDS JESUS. HE RECENTLY MOVED HERE FROM CHICAGO TO ESCAPE HIS BAD SURROUNDINGS AND CONNECTIONS. HE HAS SEEN MOST OF HIS FRIENDS MURDERED BECAUSE OF THEIR LIFESTYLE CHOICES!! THEY SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME WITH HIM, BUT IN THE END, HE REFUSED TO PRAY - HE SAID THAT HE JUST WASN'T READY YET. WE PRAY GOD'S MERCY UPON HIM AND THANK GOD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPART HIS INCORRUPTIBLE SEED INTO HIS LIFE! THEY ALSO SPENT SOME TIME TALKING TO A SISTER IN THE LORD WHO SAW SO ENCOURAGED BY WHAT WE WERE DOING THAT SHE GAVE $40.00 TO US TO BENEFIT THE CAUSE!!! THIS WAS A HUGE GIVING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS SO LITTLE. MAY GOD BLESS HER ABUNDANTLY!!

BY THE TIME WE FINISHED WALKING AND WALKING THE AREA, WE HAD WALKED20 OF THE REQUIRED 26 MILES OF THE MARATHON. SO, WE TOOK OFF ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE WE WERE AND WALKED ANOTHER 10 MILES! WE ENDED UP BACK OVER BY THE "TOLSON CENTER" WHICH IS A COMMUNITY CENTER LOCATED ACROSS FROM WASHINGTON GARDENS. THERE WE RAN INTO A GROUP OF 6 BOYS WHO WERE JUST HANGING OUT AND WE WERE ABLE TO TALK AND SHARE WITH THEM. WE HAD SUCH A GREAT DAY!!!

ALL IN ALL, WE HAD ONE OF THE BEST DAYS IN THE MINISTRY AND OF MINISTRY THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD!! NEVER HAVE I EVER SEEN SO MANY HUNGRY AND WILLING HEARTS GATHERED IN ONE LOCATION. IT WAS AS IF GOD JUST OPENED UP ALL THE DOORS AND PUSHED THEM RIGHT INTO OUR PATHWAY!! THE FIELDS ARE TRULY WHITE UNTO THE HARVEST! WE ARE SO THANKFUL THAT GOD HAS FOUND US FIT AND WORTHY TO BE USED IN THIS WAY - FOR HIS HOLY PURPOSE. OUR GOD IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!! ALL GLORY AND PRAISE BE TO HIS HOLY NAME!!! GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

We Are In Daytona Beach

2007-10-02T03:18:00.000-05:00

Eileen and I arrived in Daytona Beach at 1:00 a.m. Sunday the 30th of September. Our apartment is not ready yet so we are staying with Pastor Alex and Holly Hill in Ormond Beach. The move was a real challenge but I believe that it would be for anyone. The moving company was a horrible experience (Nationwide Movers). They were very good to work with until it was too late for us to change our mind about anything. They charged us $1300.00 more than the original price which they said would "most likely" be less than the original quote. Anyway, that part is over and we are pressing on toward the calling that the Lord has given us. Our old e-mail address is no longer good, you can contact us @ pastorterry@BigGrace.com. Our cell number (574) 612-6800 is still good. Our temporary address is 1117 Shockney Lane

Ormond Beach, FL. 32174

We thank God for our monthly supporters and we ask that any of you that have supported RAVEN Midwest in the past would continue with your support there. Pastor Lance & Leigh will be a blessing as they head up the Midwest.

We have been extremely busy since we arrived and have not been able to make many calls or e-mails. We have many outreaches coming up in the Miami area and in New Orleans for VooDoo Fest in a couple weeks. We have Biketoberfest here in Daytona next week.

We will be in touch soon!!!!

Graphics On The Van

2007-09-11T18:08:00.001-05:00

A huge thanks to Tony & Nita Huguley for getting the graphics on the van today!!! They also did the job just for their cost which was very minor. The van looks absolutely awesome!!!! Check out the pictures.

CALLING ALL RAVENS, SUPPORTERS, FRIENDS, FAMILY & JESUS FREAKS

2007-09-06T20:54:00.000-05:00

GREAT NEWS!!

Announcing: Pastor Terry & Eileen Shuff have sold their home!! God is so Faithful!! They will be leaving on September 28 to head to their new home in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Since time is of the essence we (Pastor Lance & Leigh Prathaftakis) along with the Midwest Raven Team will be hosting a "Blessings" open house on Saturday, September 15th. Please come and join us so that we can bless them with an awesome send-off filled with love. Pastor Terry and Eileen have been so faithful in their service to the Lord and have given so much of their time and lives. Won't you accept our invitation and come share in a fun-filled day of food, fellowship, games and swimming (weather permitting)!!!!

The Word of God says that we are to study to show ourselves approved - without a doubt , we know this to be true of these two. They have been so faithful in the little and God is promoting them into much!! Praise the Lord!! So please come!! We desire to spend the day with you. It will be a day to enjoy and remember!!

This celebration will be held at our home located @ 61514 CR15 in Goshen, IN. and will last from 1:00 - 6:00 p.m. It will be open house style so you are welcome to come whenever or come for the whole afternoon. You are welcome!! We can't wait to see you!!

Please R.S.V.P. by Wednesday September 12th. Our e-mail is layneandcole@hotmail.com or you can call us @ 574 875-7070.

SOLD!!!!

2007-09-05T20:11:00.001-05:00

This is the day that we have been waiting for. The first and only offer was the one. We will close on Friday the 27th of September and then we are on our way to Daytona Beach. We really want to be able to see our friends and family on Saturday the 15th for a cookout and a time of fellowship. We will have an e-mail going out very soon with the details. Eileen and I thank you all for your prayers and support. It has been a blessing to minister in this area for the last nine years but it is time to move on. We know that Pastor Lance and Leigh and the rest of the "Midwest Crew" will continue to take it to the streets here. God Bless!!!

Hitting The Streets For Jesus In New Orleans

2007-08-16T20:41:00.000-05:00

We had a great time witnessing for Jesus in the French Quarter and on Bourbon Street this past weekend. Jeff Sobieralski and I went down to hook up with the RAVEN Gulf Coast Team, Pastor Troy and RAVEN Deb. We were able to see the Lord work in amazing ways.

My brother, Pastor Thomas and I had a great time witnessing together

Audrey who WAS a tarrot card reader on Friday night until she gave all of her tools of the trade to Pastor Troy and she gave her life to Jesus that night. She gave her table and chairs to someone else in the area. She would have her two little kids down there with her as she did the devil's business. NO MORE!!!

Pastor Troy and Billy pray over Mel who Audrey testified to then he was waiting for us when we showed up with food for Audrey and the kids the next day. Audrey had already testified about what the Lord was doing in her life and Mel wanted some of the same. Mel is now in a rehab in New Orleans that we work with. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

Janice who operates the rehab house "Jesus's Miracle Power" sits on a bench in Jackson Square as we minister to others. Janice was a witch years ago and for the last 13 years has been living for Jesus!!!

Jeff and I share at Jesus's Miracle Power Rehab House.

I ministered to Nathaniel who is homeless and has a number of addiction problems. He is not willing at this time to give up what he is doing and give his life to Jesus.

Sabrina Eskine and Albert minister to a waiter in Cafe Dumonde.

Pastor Troy and I pray with a young brother in Jackson Square who had a divine appointment with Jesus that night. He knew it was his time to give his life to Jesus and get right.

I called this young woman and a number of other women out on Bourbon Street for the way they were dressed. She was showing much more on the other side and I talked to her about the dangers of Matthew 5:28 (if a man looks at a woman with lustful thoughts). She told me that she was not dressed that way to get men to look at her. She was a little upset early on but I was really able to show her and her friend how they were not lined up with the Word of God even though they professed to be Christians.

I minister to another young man that thought he was "ok" but on a straight track to hell!!

The place in the background "Word Famous Live Acts" is a place where people can go to watch lives sex acts on stage. Husbands and wives will enter this dump together. We ministered to many people here.

Come join us in minstering on the streets of Elkhart tomorrow night starting @ 9:00 p.m. Call Pastor Terry if you have any questions @ (574) 612-6800.

Shemeka

2007-08-08T20:42:00.001-05:00

I had a very sad experience today while ministering on the streets of Elkhart. It was very hot so there weren’t many people out but while circling through the Marion & Harrison area I noticed a female looking at every car that passed. As I passed by she made eye contact with me and a little fake smile came over her face. I did what many do in that area and circled back around the block and parked and waited for her to come to my window. I call people that do that for sexual reasons “perverts”. Of course that was not my reason for doing this. A 27 year old mother of 3 little kids came to my window. I said “what’s up girl” then she said “you tell me”. I said “girl what is your name”? She said “Meka” and then she said “can I get in and share that air conditioning with you”? I stretched my hand out to her and said “I’m Pastor Terry”. Tears started to well up in her eyes. She had some knowledge of Jesus in her background. I told her that this is not the plan that Jesus had for her life and that she was letting the devil pimp her out. I told her that one of these guys could take her and abuse her then leave her out in a corn field for dead. I then asked her what habits were forcing her to sell her body to whoever wanted it. She told me as many do that crack was making her do this. She also used alcohol, marijuana or anything else to cover the pain that she had in her life. With three kids never had a man wanted to be a father. What had caused her to go to the streets and do what she does? I had to stop putting this together because I received a call from Shemeka. When I answered the phone she said “Pastor Terry, I have to get out of here and go home”. I asked what was going on and where she was at and she said that every since I talked to her (a couple hours earlier) that she had not been able to do anything. She just needed to go home. I told her to give me 20 or 30 minutes and I would be there. I immediately started thinking of who I could get to go with me and the ones that I tried were not available. I then prayed “Lord you know this situation, just guide me through it”. I then went and picked her up. She chose to sit in the back seat because Eileen was not with me which was good. We talked on the way to her sister’s apartment and she said that she wanted to meet with us and get her life on track. I prayed with her when we arrived at the apartment. We look forward to her call and hopefully helping her to get her life on track.

NEW VAN IS HERE!!!

2007-08-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

I got back from Waterloo, Iowa last night at around 11:00 p.m. with the van. It is a 1999 Dodge Ram 3500 15 passenger. It runs very good, the only thing that I found wrong with it was bearing in the left front sound like they are bad. It goes in this week to get that taken care of. There are some minor things that need some attention but overall we were blessed. It was listed on e-bay for $5000.00 with a buy now price of $4500.00. Mike Christie the previous owner is a Christian and has a heart for the streets. I told him what we do and he checked out the website and he liked what he saw. He gave us the van for $1500.00 and a $3000.00 tax donation right off. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!

I was gone (and up) a total of 40 hours to go first by Pastor Lance relaying me to Jeff that took me to the South Bend Airport to catch the South Shore train into Chicago. The train left @ 9:40p.m. putting me into Chicago at 11:00 p.m. Chicago time. I started walking down Michigan St. and in a very short time I heard a guy yell "my buddy" and it turned out to be Joe, a homeless guy that we have fed on a number of occasions. I talked and ministered to him and "Foots" another female homeless that we know for a while then went a short distance and met another homeless guy that I helped get into a cheap hotel so that he could get a shower and some good sleep. I then had about 16 blocks to walk to the Greyhound Station. I was so blessed by first seeing the homeless friends and thinking how Jesus must have felt when he would arrive in a new land. I was really touched by that. I also rejoiced as I walked those 16 blocks thinking that when he says that he will protect us he surely will. There were times that I looked behind me because it was so quiet then I would hear a noise but never did fear come in. I would check to see if there was someone back behind me that I could share Jesus with. I arrived at Greyhound and there was many people standing outside. This was exciting and I thought that I would get my ticket then go back out and minister. I was inside a short time when there was a bunch of commotion then sirens and police cars and ambulances. Someone had been shot right outside the door. At that point everyone was directed away or inside so I stayed inside. A family of seven caught my attention because they had a number of huge suitcases like they were moving or something. I could tell that the mother was very upset by what the ticket agent was telling her about the bags. I asked another attendant what was going on and he said that there was a bag limit and a weight limit. I could tell that the family was struck hard. I had a $50 tucked back just in case I needed it and I felt the Holy Spirit directing me to give it to them. When they cleared the line I was able to stop them and ask them what had happened and they told me that they were charged $225 for the bags. I told them that the Lord had directed me to help and handed them the $50. The mother was shocked that I would do that and after just sharing the love of Jesus for a minute they walked off. I was able to share Jesus with many over the course of the trip so it was awesome!!! We are so excited to get everything done with the van and get out with it.

Next outreach is August 25th at Harrison & 5th in Elkhart. We are looking at starting @ 5:00 p.m. to draw more people in. Come join us!!!!

ELKHART - 5TH & HARRISON OUTREACH

2007-08-04T19:27:00.000-05:00

We had our first outreach in this neighborhood that is on a fast pace down slide. Efforts are being made by our wonderful Christian mayor to make changes here. People's lives are being destroyed by alcoholism, crack cocaine, meth, and prostitution being the major players. With most of our weekly efforts concentrated on this area we were expecting a bunch of people to come out. We were set to start at 12:00 and when that time came there was hardly anyone around. Shortly after that we had a bunch of people show up and all of us were busy ministering and serving the people.

The food was on, we fed the people polish sausages, hotdogs, grilled cheese, chips, hostess snacks, candy, pop, and water. Another great job by the team consisting of Pastor Lance & Leigh and the boys Layne & Cole, Michele Santiago, Brenda Huff, Diane Wimmer, Tony Huguley Jr., Jimmie Hickman, Jeff Sobieralski, and Joe & Chris Peterson who joined us for the first time.

We handed out Bibles to all that wanted them. Many of the kids received Bibles. If you have a source that you can get Bibles for us it would be greatly appreciated. We go through alot of them.

Bobby is a brother that I have known for a while now. He loves the Lord and knows the Word but has a hard time staying focused. Pray for Bobby because he could be a mighty warrior for the Lord if he was to put everything together.

Pray for Troy also, he loves the Lord but is struggling with some habits that are really messing his life up right now. We sat for a long time talking about Jesus and he ate up every word along with 4 polish sausages and a couple grilled cheese. I will be ministering during the week to Troy and two of his friends at Troy's house.

Jeff ministers to a couple of young guys in the background while Diane checks (and analyzes) everything going on.

A cute little girl enjoys a hotdog.

We had alot of kids come out today. It is so important to get Jesus into them with all that they see around them in this neighborhood.

We were setup in the parking lot of the old Linda's Hideaway Bar which is one of the vacated buildings on Harrison St. This brother is stocked up with things to take home also.

Some of the people came from the Faith Mission and are homeless right now. The young man to the left lives with his mom there right now while they try to find housing and she tries to find a job.

BRENDA ministers to Dennis, another guy that loves the Lord and has a history of serving Him in the past but has been hampered by habits and a relationship that are is attempting to destroy his life.

Leigh offers assistance to an elderly gentleman. Tony carried his food back to his house for him. The food line gets busy!!

This is an area where we will be concentrating on helping these people to have relationships with Jesus. We will not be back there for an outreach until Saturday, August 24th. We will be working the streets at various times between now and then. Our next outreach we are looking at a 5:00 p.m. start with live music to attempt to get even more people.

I will be heading to Chicago tomorrow evening on the South Shore to spend the night ministering while I wait for the 6:30 a.m. Greyhound bus to Waterloo, Iowa to pick up our new van. PRAISE GOD!!!!! We are so excited about getting another van!!!

Friday morning Jeff and I will fly out for New Orleans to hook up with Pastor Troy and the Pastor Don and Pastor Thomas & the rest of the RAVEN GulfCoast Team to minister on the streets.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOUL PATROL

2007-08-04T07:14:00.000-05:00

It was a busy night on the streets of Elkhart last night. It was Pastor Lance, Jeff and ministering the uncompromised Word of God. I had one guy that showed up intoxicated and said that he was a "Russian Catholic" then later said that he was "Russian Jewish Catholic". His main deal was that he wanted to me know that he was "devout". I told him that he was in eternal trouble. He responded no way I am Catholic as he pointed to the church across the street. He told him that he was on his way to hell if he did not repent of his sin and get right with the Lord. He got upset and this point and went into the bar. He came back out with his carry out beer and came right back up to me. This time he started using profanity and I then told him "see man what is all of that about"? He went back to the "devout Catholic" business again. I then took one from Pastor Troy and said "if you are a good Catholic quote me one scripture out of the Bible". A confused look came over his face and then he said that he couldn't. I then told him that it is sorry that you want to call yourself ok with the Lord and you are drunk, can't quote one scripture from the Bible and you call yourself a devout Catholic. He then started to see where he really stood with the Lord. The sad part is that most Catholics think they are going to heaven because they are Catholic. Most are misguided and lost.

Pastor Lance and Jeff ministering to a young man whose mom had just passed away. They spent quite a while with him telling him that alcohol was not the answer to dealing with things. Jeff is giving him contact information to help him in the future if he wants it.

Jeff ministers to Luis. They have developed a friendship this summer. Jeff says that he is a man that knows the Word of God but is hurting greatly inside.

Today we will be at the corner of Harrison & 5th Street in Elkhart. We will feed all that show up. This is a very heavy crack area with many prostitutes. I have been working this area for the last 5 days preparing for today. Please pray that people will come to know Jesus today!!

UPDATE ON MIDWEST

2007-07-29T21:30:00.000-05:00

It has been 3 weeks since our accident. We are expecting good things this week!!! We are finally wrapping up with the insurance company. I know one thing from all of this and that is that I don't like Michigan's "no fault insurance". For being in an accident where we were just at the wrong place at the wrong time we sure took a beating financially. We had put nearly $3600.00 into the van over the past year. The mechanic said that we would have a hard time finding one in as good condition as that one was. The inside didn't look all that good but mechanically it was sound. It had only 20,000 miles on the rebuilt engine that we had purchased. We will not get anything close to what we had in the old van.

Anyway, enough of the old and we will talk of the new. I hope to be going to Iowa by the middle of the week to pick up our new van (1999 Dodge). This vehicle is owned by a Christian. We have talked on the phone a number of times concerning the van it sounds like it is a good one. He has all the paperwork on everything that has been done to it mechanically. He has been working on a deal on selling a house that would give him some extra money and along with that he has not given me a final price yet because he wanted to do the best he could do for us. We hope to be fairly close in price with getting the van and still be able to get the miscellaneous things done also. The trailer will need a little more work but overall things are looking much better. Thanks so much to those of you that were able to help us with finances and a huge thanks to all of you that have continued to lift us up in prayer.

For anyone that would still like to help financially you can click below for PayPal or you can send a check made out to RAVEN MIDWEST to:

RAVEN MIDWEST
1121 Bay St.
Elkhart, IN. 46514
Thanks & God Bless!!!

What Has the Church Become?

2007-07-27T02:48:00.000-05:00

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith." 1 Timothy 1:17-19

2007-07-22T13:14:00.001-05:00

POURING OUT THE LOVE OF JESUS

UPDATE ON RAVEN MIDWEST'S VAN---WE NEED YOUR HELP

2007-07-17T16:22:00.000-05:00

We are wrapping things up with the insurance company concerning the van. We are still in need of $3500.00 to get back on the road again with another van. As I mentioned previously, our van is on the road 6-7 days a week. We need a good van and have settled on one in Iowa. The owner is a Christian and is holding the van for a short time to give us a chance to raise the money.

We ask that you prayerfully consider making a tax deductible donation to help us make this purchase.

IT IS TIME TO GET READY NOW!

2007-07-14T22:35:00.001-05:00

RAVEN NEW ORLEANS XII

Mardi Gras Outreach

February 1-5, 2008

Many people (Christians) wait until the last minute to pray about what they should do or where they should go. Why not PRAY now so that you will be ready to GO THEN? I have heard many people call their own lack of preparation, "God closing the door."

The BIBLE says, "I (Jesus) have set before you an OPEN door." Rev. 3:8 I don;t know who is closing your doors but it certainly is not Jesus! His doors into the Harvest Fields are all standing WIDE OPEN and awaiting labors who are willing to go!

We need you on the TEAM that is FULFILLING THE DREAM in 2008! We are believing God for an outpouring in the French Quarter and on Bourbon Street of the Holy Spirit as His servants take the message of the Gospel to the streets of that City.

Contact: Pastor Troy for details on coming or on bringing a group from your church or ministry. Raven@BigGrace.com (504) 202-0939

Washington Gardens Projects Outreach.

2007-07-14T21:20:00.000-05:00

The Midwest Team was back out on another outreach today. The thought came to me to cancel the outreach just because things were so out of order after the accident. We received several calls encouraging us to not miss the outreach. Jeff and I took a drive through the projects on Thursday and I knew we needed to be there for the scheduled outreach.

A huge thanks to Jeff & Tanya Sobieralski for setting up getting a truck to pull the trailer today. Jeff attended the outreach even though him and Tonya fly out tomorrow to Equador for a mission trip. That is dedication!!!Jeff was a huge blessing helping out in whatever area he was needed today. It was his first daytme outreach. Also, a big thanks to Jeff's step-dad and mom for the use of the truck. We are still waiting to settle up with the insurance company so that we can pursue purchasing another van.

It had been a while since we have been in Washington Gardens and it was good to be back. We had several people tell of the impact that the ministry has had there. They asked us to come back more often which we will.

The Washington Gardens Projects is a place where the kids have two strikes against them just by being there. There chances of living a good life depends so heavily on them getting Jesus into their lives. Not many dads are present and single moms struggle to make it. Drug dealers are present nearly around the clock.

This little girl has a dad that struggles with drugs and alcohol. We have been at their apartment when she has cried wanting her daddy to stay out of jail and to stay home. Her mom had become a friend of ours over the years.

I would say this little guy is sagging!!

Bad hair day or is it suppose to be that way???? He is a good kid and was helpful tearing down and cleaning up.This mom with her baby was so happy that we were there today.One of our "regular" little sweethearts. She is such a special young girl!!The kids are so special!!! This is my little buddy "Pooh Bear" (James). We was the first one there today and ended up spending the whole day with us. Pooh and I have been close for a couple of years. His dad lives in Chicago and you can tell it hurts him when we discuss it.Jeff had talked these young guys to get in a picture with me and secretly told them to put perfume swabs on my head. Tony Huguley Jr. also jumps in. The team did a great job today. Michele Santiago, Brianna Santiago, and Jimmie Hickman were back out today after being involved in the accident last week.Diane Wimmer talks with some of the local residents.

Brianna Santiago along with her mom Michele have been such a huge blessing to the ministry. They are two that you can count on being there to serve Jesus week after week. They both have wonderful servants hearts.

Brenda Huff, another of those that are ever-ready heads up the food line with Eileen out for a week.

Pooh Bear relaxes with Tony Jr. at Diane & Brenda's after the outreach.

We are back in Benton Harbor, Michigan again next weekend.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOUL PATROL

2007-07-13T23:40:00.001-05:00

We were back out on the streets tonight in Elkhart. Jeff and I ministered non-stop from 9-12:30. The people were thick and their minds were twisted. We had one guy that stood before us and quoted Psalm 1 word for word then as we talked with him he said that it didn't really matter what God you were serving as long as you were only serving one God. Jeff was mainly talking to him and did a great job of ministering the true Word. He was one of those guys that most likely thought if he quoted scripture that we would think he was all together and leave him alone. He found out that it wasn't so.

Jeff and I ministered to this mentally handicapped man that was getting ready to walk in an area where he most likely would have been beat up and robbed for crack money. We called his mother to pick him up and while we were waiting for her we found out that he lives in Goshen but comes to Elkhart on the bus to try to find prostitutes. We talked with his mother and found out they he gets enraged with her sometimes beating her because she will not give him money so that he can get prostitutes. He admitted to Jeff that he hits his mom and we ministered to him about the eternal danger he was in. He understood because at times he would start to cry. This was a very sad situation.

Modeling a new shirt......What do you think PT??????

Back side. We will have a price soon from Tony (Brenda's brother) if anyone is interested in purchasing one.

We will be in the Washington Gardens Projects tomorrow (Saturday) from approximately 11:15 till 2-3:oo serving food and ministering to the people. Come join us!!!

BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN OUTREACH

2007-07-07T23:02:00.000-05:00

We had another awesome outreach in Benton Harbor today feeding around 150 people and getting some awesome ministry in. We were so blessed to have Ed & Wanda Baker in from Canada to be part of the team. They hit the streets with us on Friday night also. We are developing many relationships in Benton Harbor and that opens the door for good ministry. Eileen and I with Nick and another regular. Nick (blue) has an alcohol problem. We ministered the uncompromised Word to him today.

Ed cuts up watermelon that was a big hit on this day in the 90's.We had a bunch of kids as usual.PRECIOUS!!!Eileen with a new friend that helped us with serving food.This couple were awesome to share the Lord with. They had so many questions and you could tell the false teaching that they had in the past. For the lady it involved "Jehovah Witness" junk.Wanda with a couple that she ministered to. Wanda ministered to many throughout the day.
Brenda & Diane follow us to Benton Harbor on the Harley's.Brenda HuffDiane Wimmer, both of them are a huge blessing to the RAVEN Midwest Team.

Nita and Casey Huguley were a huge blessing on the serving table yesterday prepping grilled cheese sandwiches. Tony Huguley was also a blessing ministering during the day and then helping get the trailer back to the house for us after the accident (see blog below).

Our next outreach is next Saturday in the Washington Gardens Projects in Elkhart, Indiana.

MIDWEST TEAM INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT

2007-07-07T20:14:00.000-05:00

We had a fantastic outreach but an extremely rough day today. We were involved in an accident today with many of the team being injured but no one was transported to the hospital. So we were blessed! We ask that you pray for the young girl that pulled out in front of us. We have not received a call yet from her father on her condition. She was transported to the hospital by a medic unit.

We think that the van is totaled. All of the doors were jambed shut. Again, we were so blessed that no one was seriously injured. Please pray for Ed & Wanda Baker from Canada that was with us along with Michele & Brianna Santiago, Jimmie Hickman, and Eileen & I. Eileen needed to have stitches to her leg but she declined. All the team is sore with different injuries.

The above picture is the young girls vehicle. One of the officers said that she just missed being seriously injured.

We will give an update on the outreach soon.................

FRIDAY NIGHT SOUL PATROL 6-29-07

2007-06-30T00:08:00.000-05:00

It was another awesome time of ministry tonight on the streets of Elkhart. We were back in the parking lot of Louie & Kelly's Bar @ Prairie & S. Main Street. Tonight's team was Pastor Lance, Jeff and his friend Josh and Pastor Terry. We had a visit from brother Steve Ignowski, Larry Christopoulas, and Kevin.

We have so many people that say that they go to church and that they pray. The devil has people really believing that they can do all this mess and still make it to heaven. They are on a fast track to HELL!!! After getting an assist from Pastor Troy on the phone for a scripture that I could not find it was on!!! The scripture being:

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

When I told people that their prayers were an abomination to the Lord if they were not doing His will and following the laws of God they refused to believe me. When I told them that I would show them the scripture in the Bible they would get very upset and try to justify what they are doing by twisting the Word. This goes on all the time but praise God we always get some that will listen and let the Word sink in. Pastor Lance spent quite a while ministering to this brother. His heart was pierced and the night that he thought he was going to have was changed by the Word of God!! Pastor Lance did an awesome job of ministering to him. I had a chance to minister to him also and it turns out that I have known his brother for years. He wants to get his life together and start living for Jesus. We gave him our numbers and will follow up with him.

Jeff and Josh minister to a hispanic man passing by on a bicycle.

Pastor Lance and I ministered to Ernie for a long while tonight. Ernie has had a good deal of training in the Word but he just needs to take out that book that he has added and that is the Book of Justification. Ernie is getting close to giving it all up for Jesus. Please pray for him for problems with lust. We believe that he is going to be set free and that he will be with us ministering the Word!!

We are at the same location every Friday Night if we are in town. We start @ 9:00 p.m.

East Coast Evangelism Boot Camp

2007-06-29T11:28:00.000-05:00

We had an awesome time last weekend in Pennsylvania and Maryland. We traveled nearly 1500 miles and ministered to many. We had Pastor Lance & Leigh Prathaftakis along with Layne and Cole, Brianna Santiago, Jimmie Hickman, RAVEN Deb along with Eileen and I making the trip. Many lives were touched for Jesus in Baltimore on Friday night then in York, Pennsylvania on Saturday and Sunday. One of the places formerly called "The Jungle", now called "The Promise Land" is a neighborhood with many kids and it has the drug dealers and gang bangers along with alcoholics and drug addicts. We spent quite a bit of time there and I was able to talk to some of the same people that I had started relationships with last year. It was so good to see the kids of this neighborhood again. We called the men of the neighborhood out of their homes to be real men and stand up for the Lord!!!

Here is part of team that attended the boot camp.The team circles up for prayer before hitting the streets of Baltimore.Eileen ministered to this man that was sitting on a park bench.Brianna Santiago on her face before the Lord during praise & worship prior to hitting the streets.
Layne & Brianna with a man that they witnessed to.Ed, Wanda, and Emily Baker from Canada minister on the street.

Pastor Lance, Donna (RAVEN EastCoast) and I minister to a guy that was trying to get his life on track.

Pastor Brandon Romero (Director of RAVEN Southwest) chilling out. Pastor Brandon is always a blessing to minister with.

Eileen ministers to one of many that were involved in satanic worship in Baltimore @ Falls Point.

This lady rededicated her life to Jesus.Pastor Sam blessed me with being able to minister the Word at his first service in Fireside. This lady (Courtney) gave her life to Jesus during the service then went back with us and was baptized that night.Eileen and I minister to people that were sitting out on their porch in the old "Jungle". The last door on the right is a drug house. We ministered to them each day and each of them refused to accept Jesus in their life. They love their sin more than Jesus dying on the cross for them.Pastor Brandon gives his testimony in "The Jungle".Jimmie Hickman does face painting with the masses of kids in "The Jungle".

This is one of the buildings close by. This is what awaits many of the youth. We took pictures of kids as young as 7 years old as they threw up gang signs. We ministered to them about the dangers of being involved and that these gangs were a trick of Satan. Praise God that Pastor Sam & Lucy along with the rest of the RAVEN EastCoast crew has made this area a priority for ministering.

This little girl, Elizabeth was one that I spent time with last year. She is so precious!!!

Pastor Troy calls out the men of this neighborhood to come out and stand up for Jesus!! Pastor Sam, Pastor Brandon and I all took turns ministering to the males to become men and leave their sin and give their lives to Jesus. Some took the bold step and came across the street. Pastor Lance was blessed to be able to lead Elizabeth's uncle to Jesus.

Pastor Troy gets into some painting. The kids loved it and had such a good time. They hate to see us pack up to leave. There is not much there for them to do and the chance for them to succeed in life are dim. That is why it is so important to get the life changing message of Jesus to them.

Leigh spent the majority of her time on the food tables. She takes a break here to get a paint job from Pastor Brandon.Eileen with another one of the little precious ones.Pastor Troy prays for healing for a lady that had heart problems.The kids are so awesome!!!!

Our next outreach is on July 7th in Benton Harbor, Michigan. We will again head for Silver Beach following the outreach (weather permitting). Call Pastor Terry (574) 612-6800 or Pastor Lance (574) 340-9716 if you need further information.

A scripture to think about:

1Peter 4:18 - And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

FRIDAY NIGHT SOUL PATROL

2007-06-16T09:38:00.000-05:00

IT WAS "STOP ALL THIS MESS IN THE NAME OF JESUS"!!!

It was a wild night on the streets of Elkhart, Indiana last night. The temperature was hot which brought the people out. Conviction was falling on people last night with just our mere presence. Spirits were rattled to the point of cussing us out just because we were representing Jesus in the devil's camp. The people were going in and complaining to the owners of the bar. The bartender very respectfully came out and told us that we had to leave. I then told him that we were not leaving but that we would move the van from their parking lot and then we would return to the sidewalk which we did. So after nearly 9 years of ministering there we will no longer be able to park the van in their lot. No big deal!

There were homosexuals that pulled into the parking lot and as I approached their vehicle the spirit was so present. I had my Bible opened to 1Corinthians 6:9-10 and as they exited their vehicle I called them over and immediately started reading the Word. When I got to the part talking about the effeminate and homosexuals they immediately jumped into their vehicle and said "we gotta go"!! That foul demon homosexual spirit could not stand to listen to the Word of God!!! Even the lady that Eileen had been ministering very effectively to, after she got into the homosexuals vehicle became violent and confrontational with us as they pulled off.

The devil has so many people fooled just by thinking that they can go sit in a church building on Sunday and they can still go to heaven after following the devil the rest of the week. We were intense with showing them what the Word says about their situation and very few would look at the Bible. Many know what they are doing is flat wrong but they want to argue. We are telling them, "let's look at what the Word of God says" and then the anger kicks in. With some we were able to share that the reason we are there is that we do not want to see them go to hell. Some hearts were pierced but most last night were wanting to debate or just cuss us out.

Eileen ministers the Word to a lady.This is sad that people will drink to the point of not even being able to function. More than that is that they are served until they are in this state. Jeff ministers to a couple of young men. Jeff has been a blessing to the ministry and has been steadfast in serving on the streets with a heavy load of things at home, work and attending college. Jeff ministering to a man that wanted to change the Word of God to fit his sin. (above and below) Eileen ministering to a lady that has been a regular for us unable to escape the devil's trap so far.

We will not be on the streets locally next week. We will be with RAVEN EastCoast hitting areas in Pennsylvania and also the streets of Baltimore, Maryland.

We will be back in two weeks on the streets of Elkhart, starting at 9:00 p.m.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOUL PATROL - 4 HOURS OF NON-STOP MINISTRY!!!!!!! WOW!!!

2007-06-09T08:05:00.000-05:00

What a night of ministry last night!!! The streets were busy and the devil was busy on the streets!!! It was just Jeff Sobieralski and me. We could have had another dozen out there on the team and everyone would have been busy. It was difficult getting the time at the beginning to pray over the night. There were those that just came to us because they are tired of their life and are seeking a life with JESUS. We were outside Louie & Kelly's Bar located at Prairie & S. Main as usual on Friday nights. Beer, liquor and wine, destroying people's lives!!! People on their way straight to hell and where are the messengers of God at? I could not imagine doing anything different on a Friday night. What could actually be more important or more rewarding than serving the "King of Kings". I know that this is not the only way to serve but it is so awesome that it is addicting. Worldly affairs will never stand in the way of serving my JESUS!!!!

Jeff has been so hyped about being able to serve JESUS on the streets. This brother works, goes to school, has a lovely wife (Tonya) and craves being able to serve Jesus. He is new to the ministry and he calls at least once a day to see what is going on and how he can serve. I love this kind of drive to do what the WORD requires us all to do. In the picture Jeff is ministering to Mark showing him what the WORD of GOD says about his situation. Mark recently moved here from down state and he is getting a rough welcome to the area. Mark was intoxicated but he came to us because he wanted to talk about Jesus and tell us how much he loves Jesus. We ministered to him about the alcohol and that the enemy is trying to destroy his life. He was so broken as he wanted to leave it all behind last night but the enemy was tugging hard on him. I told him after he went inside and bought a bottle that what he needed to do was give me the bottle and go home and get back into the Word of God that he confessed he loved so much. He struggled with that but the enemy again won him over and he went home. He struggled so bad walking away from us. He knew that he was messing up. The phone rang this morning at 7:45 and it was Mark. His words were "you wouldn't believe what happen to me last night". He went on to tell me how he went home and started drinking then 2 prostitutes visited his apartment. While they smoked crack and he continued to drink, he excused himself to go to the bathroom. He had told us earlier that he did not carry his wallet to the bar because of having a large amount of cash in it. While he was in the bathroom the "ladies of the night" helped themselves to $400 cash that was in the wallet. He said that he wished that he would have listened last night. Eileen and I will be going there tonight to minister to him at his request. He wants to put all the junk behind him and start living for JESUS!!!!

We had Felecia last night who again you could tell that she loved the Lord. She got involved in our witnessing to another man and she quoted scripture along with mixing profanity in it. She asked the Lord for forgiveness as we told her that the two don't mix. I know her pastor and we discussed what her pastor would think about where she had chosen to spend the evening. I told her that by the way she was dressed that men would be showing sexual interest in her. Her reply was "that doesn't matter because I have a partner". Yes, she is a lesbian thinking that because she prays that she will not go to hell. You could watch the battle that went on through out the night with her as she at times wanted to do the right thing but kept giving into the enemy. Several occasions throughout the night, being in another females arms right in front of the bar. She would continue telling us that because she prays "fervently" that she is not going to hell. We led her to scripture proving that she was wrong and the demon just started rising up in her more. I will contact her pastor to let him know what is going on and to encourage him to tell her that she has to repent of the lifestyle that she is living.

There was Troy and LeAnn who just pulled into the parking lot for help. Troy said that I had led one of his friends to the Lord and that his life was all messed up. He said "can we meet with you to get on lives on track". I told him absolutely and we will be hooking up soon.

There was Drew who was just riding down Main Street on a bicycle and he was led to stop. He was suffering with cancer and emphysema and we prayed with him for healing in his body. Drew new JESUS to a point but had been under some teaching that was not very good.

There was Terry who walked right out of the bar and asked if he could have a BIBLE. He then went back into to the bar to come out later and point with his middle finger up to God believing that Jesus took his mother's life. We ministered to Terry for quite a while explaining that whole situation to him. We talked about his family and he told us how much he loved his family (he had just got out of jail for assault on his wife). He later got into a car with two women as we reminded him about how much he said he loved his family. The enemy tried bring discouragement to us because of all the time we spent with him but Terry just decided to follow the devil's lead and continue to destroy his life.

There was Tweezy who was living his life for the devil after being brought up with the knowledge of the Lord. He told us what he was doing and we told him where that life would lead him. Tweezy chose to follow the devil last night.

Another situation with another female that told me that she was "sanctified" as she entered the bar dressed much like a prostitute. I know her pastor also and I warned her of the dangers of doing what she was doing. She went in to buy a bottle of pop and with that she said that she was not doing anything wrong. We warned her again that she was stepping into the enemy's camp and that she was taking a big chance. We prayed over her for a battle that she was having with asthma then she left the area.

There were many, many more that we ministed to. We got off the streets around 1:00 a.m. and were just pumped over watching the LORD move throughout the night. We were oh so thankful that he would use us to minister HIS WORD. Come out and join us to see how truly awesome this is!!

This is what everyone got to see right in the middle of the parking lot. The "SWORD OF THE SPIRIT" right under the wiper blade to be of quick reference. Every car that drove by on Main St. could see it also.

WE WILL BE BACK OUT AT THE SAME LOCATION NEXT FRIDAY AT 9:00 P.M.

Benton Harbor, Michigan Outreach 6-2-07

2007-06-04T20:28:00.001-05:00

BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN OUTREACH

2007-06-04T12:16:00.000-05:00

Another great time of ministry in Benton Harbor, Michigan this past Saturday. We had an awesome team hooking up with us also. Pastor Tom Tekker and his wild for Jesus bunch from The Potter's House of Deliverance in South Bend, Indiana were back out with us again. Suzi and Nikki from Metro Praise Church in Chicago took the drive across interstate 94 to hook up. We thank Pastor's Joe & Nancy for giving their blessing to the girls to be part of the team. Nikki told me that she had a choice between graduation parties and serving JESUS. No real decision.

As usual in Benton Harbor things got busy. We fed somewhere around 2oo people. We had a team that ministered the Word powerfully to the people. There are so many people that have alcohol and drug habits that are headed straight to hell while somewhere around 16 churches within 10 minutes of where we set up sit inside the walls doing little or nothing. We did not see anyone from another church the whole time that we were there. People ask us why the churches in Benton Harbor do not do what we do. Our reply is that we do not know, it is not about us and that it is all about doing what JESUS would do!! We take them to Matthew 25:35-40 and show them what Jesus said to do. We that represent R.A.V.E.N. Ministries are just being obedient to the Word of God. The Potter's House has that same heart for serving the KING OF KINGS!!!!

Pastor Tom Tekker of The Potter's House of Deliverance in South Bend, Indiana ministers to a couple of the locals. Pastor Tom is an awesome man of God. He recently made the trip to New York City with us and it changed him and his church. He is a "rare" type of Pastor that actually has a building and gets outside the four walls to reach the lost. This pastor also came back out with us that same Saturday night to minister outside of the 112 Club and in the McDonald's parking lot on N. Main Street.

If churches don't wake up and start reaching those that are lost on the streets what will be the future for the little ones like this precious baby girl???

Sister Leigh with more of the many, many youth in this area. The local church must wake up to help stop this generational curse that has been put on this area. I stood up in a church on Sunday night in Benton Harbor to remind the people that there is a great number of people outside the church walls on their way straight to hell if the church does not get outside of the walls. Many of the churches in that area are so wrapped up in introducing Bishop so and so, Deacon so and so, and Elder so and so that they have no time to do anything else. You see alot of garbage (denominational rituals) that Jesus would have no part of if he was here on this earth!! Many spend money on fancy cars and clothes while others in the area do not even have a meal to eat! Again, it is time for "church people" to WAKE UP!!! Benton Harbor is not the only place this is happening, it is happening everywhere!! If there isn't this kind of Jesus-less things going on in another place your having the "GRACE WITHOUT GROWTH" meetings going on. Don't try using a scripture with hell in it in one of these places because it would be considered a cuss word. They think having church is passing out cup cakes and singing Jesus loves me. WAKE UP CHURCHES!! I do praise God for the few real churches that are out there that truly preach and teach the Word of God!!! Along with that goes getting outside of the four walls of course. I will take this a step further and that is if you are not getting outside of the walls I strongly believe that you are in SIN. James 1:22 tells us to not be mere hearers of the Word but to be DOER'S of THE WORD!!!! I also believe that there will be many in the churches that will stand before the Lord and hear "depart from Me, I never knew you" if they do not wake up. There will be blood on many peoples hands because they did not do what they were called to do on this earth. (Ezekiel 33:8) It is time to get the sugar-coated frosting off of the WORD OF GOD and get real people!!! What usually happens now is that people un-subscibe to our e-mails and I am sure that some will with this message. That is ok though because the one's that un-subscibe truly don't have a heart that chases after God anyway.

Eileen with Suzi and Nikki, our buddies from Metro Praise in Chicago.

Who will help this little one to not grow up selling her body on the streets or to not end up sucking on a crack pipe?? We will keep going to try to make a difference. She is one of the reasons that we are not seen at birthday parties, graduations, and weddings to name a few. It amazes me that everyone is so busy doing "their worldly things" and living "their life" that little ones like this are born with two strikes against them and so few will take one of "their Saturday's" to try to make a difference. Some will at least donate some money to help the cause but more and more are even stopping the donations. Don't worry the Lord has dealt with me concerning begging from "the Christians" for finances to run this ministry and I am not going to ask again. I have said that it is the hardest thing in this ministry to do. I am glad that I do not have to do it anymore! If you can live with yourself as to why you don't give or why you have quit giving it will just be something that you have to live with. Again, thank you so much to those that help us to continue to go each weekend. You are a true blessing!!! We know that the Lord will provide all that we need.

Eileen prays for a young man. There are few "real men" in sight in this area. Who is going to help this young man to not end up like the majority??

The joy it brings to face and body paint these kids. This little girl came up to me later and asked my what my name was. She then told me hers and told me how much fun she was having. She was such an awesome little girl. She has two strikes against her living in this area. Who is going to help her?? Who is going to help her mom to be able to live right so that she has a better chance? Who is going to find the dad and try to get him on track so that this little one can have a daddy in her life. There is a different kind of daddy waiting down the street to detroy her life when she gets a little older. Wake up "CHURCH PEOPLE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suzi and Nikki get involved in the painting. They also brought balls and other things for the kids. WHO IS GOING TO HELP THESE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GIRLS?????

She touched my heart with just wanting to get to know me. She is so precious!!! How can anyone not think of helping her to live a good life? Thank you JESUS for giving us the opportunity to serve you and be BLESSED as I was by one of YOUR little ones.

Pastor Tom, Brenda, and Steve pray over this lady that has so many challenges and problems going on in her life. One is that her son is serving a life sentence in prison.

Eileen and Leigh with the same lady who was the winner of the $25.oo gift card that we raffled off. We started doing this to be able to hold the people in longer so that they can be ministered to.

Brother Shawn Hooker along with his wife, and Troy and his wife, Michele pray over a lady that has a crack addiction that is totally destroying her life. She was in the process of losing her home. Where is the local church??

Our next outreach in Benton Harbor will be on July 7th. Please come out and join us in seeing what a blessing it is to bless these people.

LET'S GET OUT OF THE SEATS AND ONTO THE STREETS!!!!

Friday Night Streets In Elkhart, Indiana

2007-06-04T11:46:00.000-05:00

We had a great time on the streets of Elkhart Friday night. We ministered the uncompromised Word of God. We ran across these two brothers (talking to Eileen and Steve Ignowski) that were Christians and were out for a walk. They spent some time with us giving their testimony of what Jesus has done in their lives. We invited them to come and be part of the team sometime.
Eileen with Derrick, Terrence, and Stanley (far right). Stanley has a crack addiction that is slowly killing him. We have ministered to him over the years but he chooses his drug over Jesus. He keeps coming to us each week so we will keep praying that he gets the victory or the drug before Satan takes him out.
This guy in the red tried professing that he is a Christian and kept trying to rearrange the Word to fit his sin.
This is another guy that has serious addiction problems. He will talk with us about the Lord, many times in tears then return to what is destroying his life. I ministered Proverbs 26:11 to him this time. "As a dog returns to his vomit, a fool returns to his folly".
The team consisted of Brother Steve Ignowski (taking the picture), then from the left: Pastor Ken, Derrick, Jeff Sobieralski, and Eileen and me.

Brother Jeff brought Pastor Ken and Derrick with him. Jeff has been teaming up with us and has been a blessing to have as part of the team. This brother loves Jesus and loves reaching out to the lost on the streets.

We will be back out on the streets next Friday night around 9:00 p.m.

INCREDIBLE OUTREACH IN NEW YORK CITY

2007-05-30T19:01:00.000-05:00

We returned Monday evening from an incredible time of witnessing for Jesus in New York City. We had a team of around 30 hit various locations in the city. Our team had representatives from California, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Indiana, and Canada.

Representing RAVEN Midwest were Pastor Lance Prathaftakis along with his boys Layne & Cole, Pastor Tom Tekker from The Potter's House of Deliverance in South Bend, Shawn Wiend also of the Potter's House, Reverend Darrin Meador from Chicago and Eileen and I.
Here is part of the group in Time Square where we witnessed often.

Rev. Darrin prays over one of our military people.Pastor Tom and George (RAVEN EastCoast) minister to a man on the streets.Pastor Lance & Pastor Tom minister to a man on the streets.Pastor Tom and Shawn Wiend (with his sword in his hand) take to the streets!Brother Shawn with Pastor Thomas Derrick of RAVEN Gulf Coast in New Orleans.

To be finished tomorrow.........................................

REACHING THE LOST IN NEW YORK CITY

2007-05-30T18:50:00.001-05:00

BENTON HARBOR OUTREACH VIDEO

2007-05-20T21:28:00.001-05:00

BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN OUTREACH

2007-05-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

We were back in Benton Harbor, Michigan at the corner of Broadway & Empire again today after what seemed like a long winter. We will be ministering in Benton Harbor all summer. It was good to see so many of the old faces. The team did an awesome job today with so many people coming to eat and get supplies. We ministered to so many people today. We fed a mass of people till we ran out of food and drinks completely. We went through 112 polish sausages, 88 hotdogs, 80 grilled cheese sandwiches, chips and other snacks along with many cases of pop and water.
The team unloads and sets up for the outreach.
It was good to have brother Anthony LeBlanc out with us today.

Eileen ministers to a brother that was a regular at last years outreaches. He still wears the hat that we gave him last year.

Jimmie Hickman is in charge of the trailer and he does an excellent job of organizing and taking care of the equipment.

We had a large group of people in a hurry which had the grill area hopping. Layne & Cole Prathaftakis took over the grill duties with Layne cooking grilled cheese and Cole doing the polish and hotdogs. They did an awesome job today cooking non stop till everything was gone.

Brenda Huff works the food line. Brenda is a huge blessing to the team.Eileen prays for a brother.
I prayed for Nick who has had some health challenges and is battling with an alcohol problem. Nick spent a couple of hours with us today. Pastor Lance, and Anthony with Pat who wants to be part of the team in Benton Harbor. She was a blessing to have around today.A large group gets together for prayer. This was awesome!!!Eileen did face painting today for the kids.A couple of the kids that had their faces painted.

The kids really enjoyed having their faces painted. This is an area that does not have much for kids to do. The alcohol and drug problems are huge. We have to reach the kids for Jesus to be able to turn this area around.

Brother Anthony was on his guitar today!Chris Connell was with us today and he did a great job on the food line.

Tony Huguley Jr. (Big Tony's son) and Brenda's nephew was out with us today for the first time and he was a big help. He has recently relocated and we look forward to having him as a new member of the team.

Sister Leigh with one of the ladies that she ministered to. Leigh and Brianna Santiago were on the grilled cheese crew today. This is one of the less popular duties, a big thanks to them for handling that area today.

We ministered to and prayed with many people today. The Lord really moved out there. We will be in Benton Harbor again on June 2nd. We will continue to build relationships with the people of Benton Harbor to win them to JESUS!!!! Next week we will be on the streets of New York City for our annual outreach there. Please pray for us. Several of the team could still use some financial help for this trip. If you can help click on the button below. We will be returning to weekly outreaches scheduled into August. We sure could use your financial help. Get connected to helping reach the lost for JESUS. We appreciate your prayers for the outreaches also.

GOD BLESS!!!!

MARCH AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

2007-05-13T07:09:00.000-05:00

We were set up right across the street from Washington Gardens at The Tolson Center in Elkhart.
The food line was long, we fed somewhere around 250 people. This was a blessing from us to the family of Aaliyah Joiner, the young girl that was killed accidentally by another young relative. Here is a clip from the article in The Elkhart Truth about the event.

ELKHART -- Senseless violence does not have to happen, and more than 250 people came together Saturday morning to spread this message to their brothers and sisters in north central Indiana.
Aaliyah Joiner, 11, was accidently shot to death by her cousin on Dec. 4, 2006, and her memory and a new foundation in her honor brought together fellow students at Hawthorne Elementary for an anti-gun violence rally called "Never Forget!" They marched from the school to Tolson Center in Elkhart along with teachers, parents and concerned citizens.

Sister Leigh with one of the little guys. Leigh spent alot of time with him talking to him about knowing Jesus and knowing that he is saved.

The team serves the people. We had many little kids out there yesterday. We must get God's Word into them. This is the only real hope for them. We encouraged many of the adults to get out on the streets where the problem spots are and to minister the Word to the people.

Next week we will be at the corner of Broadway and Empire in Benton Harbor, Michigan. This is always an awesome outreach and our first one for this spring. We will follow that outreach with a team gathering at Silver Beach in St. Joseph.

If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation to the ministry click on the button below or send your check to:

RAVEN MIDWEST

1121 Bay St.

Elkhart, IN. 46514

John is in PRISON!

2007-05-12T11:27:00.000-05:00

Mark 1:14-15 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
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I have come bring you news that has eternal implications. News that should have been expected and has long been looming on the spiritual horizon of this nation and beyond.
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JOHN IS IN PRISON
THE TIME IS FULFILLED
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND
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You may be wondering what I mean by the statement "John is in prison"
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The same spirit that sought to silence John the Baptist as he went about preaching in Jerusalem, Judea and all about the region of Jordan- has too been loosed on this nation (and world for that matter).
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And just like in the days of John the Baptist- this spirit has been loosed everywhere from the church to the seats of government. It is a spirit that seeks to:
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1. Silence the truth
2. Impede the Power
3. Harden the heart
4. Blind the Eyes
5. Satisfy the Flesh
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>>Silence the truth by offering a pastel pink substitute for a blood-red gospel- we have so sought to reach the masses and fill the seats of man-made ministries, that we have diluted the life changing truth into a heart hardening, seeker-friendly, mealy mouthed rhetoric- void of any
conviction, commitment or compassion
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>>Impede the power by creating a prayerless church- the Body of Christ had substituted the intimacy of the prayer closet for the pageantry of the prayer service. We have rented airplanes to fly over cities with anointing oil and left the tear soaked fox holes of the quiet place. We have claimed to pull down strongholds, while all the while we have fortified the enemy’s encampment
with our faithless prayers and lack of brokenness before God. What was once THE source of revelation- has merely become a token, obligatory censor of man-made clichés and self indulgent petitioning.
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>>Harden the heart by preaching a self-centered, self-gratifying gospel- the church has inoculated themselves against the word that changes lives, by changing the Word to fit their own lives. We preach financial prosperity to the spiritual destitute. We preach authority to the spiritually rebellious and we preach victory to the spiritually dead.

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>>Blind the eyes by disguising the stench of death with an aerosol of "all is well, all is good and all is of God"- the church has filled the air with a wanna-be aroma and have said to themselves "We are doing the work of God" all the while thousands upon thousands are plunging headlong into hell- The church has ceased to invest in souls and has instead invested in flashy campaigning and slick salesmanship. The rotting fragrance of what was once a vibrant, violent, victorious church has been buried under the gravestone of church programs and scheduled revivals- When Revival truly comesˆ it won't be because the church has penciled in three days in early June!
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>>Satisfy the flesh by preaching grace without growth, manifestations without maturity and salvation without self-denial. The Roman Road to salvation has been bulldozed in favor of a superhighway full of twists and turns and plenty of exits, just in case you don't like the particular road that you’re traveling.
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JOHN IS IN PRISON!
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Matt 3:1-12 "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,[2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (have you ever heard that preached?) [3] For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness,(Saints we are not too unlike the Children of Israel when they found themselves looking across the wilderness and into the promised land-the church though hasn't been crying in the wilderness- the church today has had a dry-eyed view of their promised land) Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [4] And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.(this speaks of humility and consecration) [5] Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, [6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. [7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: [9] And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. [10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ("John is in Prison") [11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: [12] Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
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The church today has called for the head of John the Baptist on a platter!
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1 Tim 4:1-2 Paul the Apostle said "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
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2 Tim 4:3-4 he says, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
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JOHN IS IN PRISON
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All the elements that were alive and well during the ministry of John the Baptist have resurfaced as we face the end of this millennium.
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1. The same Pharasitical order of cold hearted religion is still there.
2. The same refusal to repent.
3. The same fruitless relationship with God.
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But when a remnant rises up in the midst of such hypocrisy it is bound to stir something up! When you put on your camel hair coat of prayer and you gird up your loins with truth and your meat is to do the will of your Father who is in heaven- and your declaration is make straight the paths of the Lord!
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That is when you will begin to see the crowds of your association effected by the Jesus that has come to fill your life! They will either repent or cry out for your head!
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Back to our text of Mark 1:14-15 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
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Once John is in prison- once you began to hear the world and the false church call for the head of the prophetic voice of the Bride of Christ- then you can rest assured that "the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand"
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What does it mean that the Kingdom of God is at hand? It means that the fulfillment of all time is imminent- that it- we are standing on the threshold of eternity.
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There is something that John said that rings in my ears and demonstrates to me a prophetic warning or signal as to the coming of the Lord.
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John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."
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John's decrease marked Christ's increase. I believe that the same can be said for that of the church- for years- and especially in this nation, we have had a history of religious freedom. We have had the opportunity to live in a country founded upon Godly principals and a value system taken from the Word of God.
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But, it is getting increasingly clear that, that freedom is slowly being taken away. That the influence and appeal that was once afforded the church is definitely decreasing in terms of societal impact.
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II Th 2:2-3 "... be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"
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We now have a court system that cries out the "separation of church and state" but in reality- the last days "Laodacean" church doesn't look much different than the state that they are trying to separate it from!
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DECREASE TO FACILITATE INCREASE!
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THEN OUR TEXT CONTINUES Mark 1:14-15 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
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Jesus then utters one of the most powerful words ever spoken on the New Testament.
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A word that has caused brother to turn against brother
A word that has caused nations to rise against one another
A word that cost John his head, cost Peter and Paul their lives and ultimately sent Christ to the cross of Calvary.
A word that holds so much power and offers so much hope- but is so
despised misunderstood and under applied.
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REPENT- the moral compunction to think differently.
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Recognize, Renounce, Reconcile, Reveal
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Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
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Mark 6:12 “ And they went out, and preached that men should repent.”
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Luke 13:3 “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
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Then Jesus made the final point....
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Mark 1:14-15 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
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”Believe the Gospel”
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believe comes from the same root for "faith" it means to be utterly convinced and committed to.
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Rom 1:16 " For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
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True belief produces true righteousness in your life.
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In your:
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Prayer life
Burden for Souls
Heart for the hurting
Study of God's Word
Commitment to the Body of Christ
Faithful giving
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John is in prison

2007-05-10T22:57:00.001-05:00

RAVEN INSTITUTE OF MINISTRY

& BIBLICAL STUDIES

We want to invite you to join us for an exciting, powerful and transforming time of Study in the Word of God. The Raven Institute is offering you an incredible opportunity to gain a greater understanding of God's Word while being "equipped for the work of the ministry."

Pastor Troy D. Bohn will be offering this study on the Book of Romans - free of charge - and LIVE via the internet beginning Monday, May 14th at 9:00 AM (EST). Pastor Troy will be joined in this live interactive study and discussion by Pastor Alex Hill and other in-studio guests each week in an indepth and practical look at what may well be the most important foundational book of the New Testament.

Each class will be one hour in length and will cover the historical, doctrinal, and spiritual elements addressed in Paul the Apostle's Holy Spirit breathed letter. This will be a great opportunity to see the Word of God unfold before your eyes as the Spirit of God brings you to a place of greater revelation and understanding.

The Raven Institute will offer a Certificate of Completion to all of those who participate and complete the final "open book" exam that will follow our last lesson. This high quality certificate is suitable for framing and will be sent to all graduates free of charge upon completion of all studies and course work.

In order to qualify for the Certificate, one must participate in no less than 80% of the online studies. The dates for the class will be as follows (subject to change due to Pastor Troy's travel schedule):

Mon , May 14th - Thurs, May 17th from 9:00 AM - 10 :00 AM (EST)

Tues, May 22nd - Wed, May 23rd from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (EST)

Tues, May 29th - Fri, June 1st from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (EST)

***More class times to be announced

If you want to participate and obtain credit towards your certificate of completion, you will need to email our offices at Raven@Biggrace.com prior to the start of the first class with your name and desire to join in. You will also need to go to Stickam.com and register so that you can join the interactive part of the study. This will allow you to participate in any discussions. You DO NOT have to have a web cam to participate in this class (but it is suggested). They can be purchased inexpensively at Wal-Mart for less than $25.00 and will make your time much more enjoyable.

We look forward to having you "In Class" next week!

Raven Institute Staff

MARCH AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE NEXT SATURDAY

2007-05-05T11:02:00.000-05:00

We have been asked to participate in the "March Against Gun Violence" next Saturday, May 12th. Our team will need to be at the Tolson Center on Benham & Chapman between 9:30 and 10:00. We will provide food and minister the Word to the people. Information about the event is below. Please let us know if you plan on being part of the team.

The Aaliyah Joiner Foundation
“Making sure that life is fair for all kids.”

Presents
A March against Gun Violence

What:
Family members, friends, community members, and anyone else who is concerned about the violence that has lead to unnecessary death and criminal activity in our community is invited to participate in a March from Hawthorne Elementary School to the Tolson Center . The March will be followed by speakers, food, music, and fun activities at the Tolson Center .

When:
Saturday May 12, 2007 @ 10am followed by a
NEVER FORGET! Community Rally @ Tolson Center (11-12pm)
Activities will end @ 2pm

Where:
March registration will begin @ 9:30am @ Hawthorne Elementary
March begins @ 10am
A NEVER FORGET Rally @ Tolson Center will begin @ 11am
Fun activities @ Tolson Center 12-2pm

Why:

The Aaliyah Joiner Foundation
“Making sure that life is fair for all kids.”

1) To work to pass laws and ordinances requiring the safe storage and locking of guns that are in the proximity of youth.
2) To prevent the unnecessary loss of life from gun violence.
3) To always remember the children and families’ that have been victims of gun violence.
4) To educate the community of the harm that guns have the potential of inflicting.
5) To produce events that will raise awareness of gun safety and education.

PICS FROM METRO PRAISE BLOCK PARTY IN CHICAGO

2007-04-22T21:54:00.001-05:00

METRO PRAISE BLOCK PARTY IN CHICAGO

2007-04-22T07:24:00.000-05:00

(Above) Leaders involved in the Saturday Outreach from left - Pastor Lance Prathaftakis, Pastor Joe Wyrostek, Pastor Nancy Wyrostek of Metro Praise, Pastor Tom Tekker of The Potter's House in South Bend, IN., Eileen and Pastor Terry Shuff.

ABOVE - The combined team of The Potter's House and RAVEN Midwest. This was our very first outreach together but it seemed like it was one of many. The two teams clicked and never missed a beat. Pastor Tom & The Potter's House crew were extremely helpful in making this very busy outreach a true blessing to the people. It is awesome to see the people that the LORD puts together to accomplish his work. In this team you have former inmates, former drug addicts, former prostitutes, former lesbians, former alcoholics and probably former other things. It just shows that anyone can turn their life around and be a blessing serving others for JESUS!!!

RAVENS - Brenda Huff, Bethann Darling, Eileen and Jimmie Hickman hustle to get food and drinks set up. A special thanks to Jimmie who has been going through some real challenges the last couple weeks. Jimmie is in charge of the trailer and he does an excellent job of making sure that things are in order and nothing gets damaged.

The people really came out to enjoy a warm day in the park with JESUS!!! We fed the people 50 pounds of bbq chicken, 160 polish sausages, 120 hotdogs, 12 loaves of bread for grilled cheese sandwiches, 20 pounds of baked beans, macaroni salad, chips, 12 cases of pop, and of course, lots of candy. We also provided the people with food and health care items to take home. Pastor Joe and Nancy raffled a $50.00 gift card off also.

The people were thick and ministry was awesome!!! Missy Miller ministers to one of the ladies.
Brianna Santiago ministers to some of the little kids.

Pastor Nancy leads children's sidewalk church.
Pastor Joe brought out his basketball goals and the court was very busy.

RAVEN Tony Huguley ministers the WORD to a brother in the park. This brother told me that Brother Tony had him thinking about some things and that it was time that he get back in church and get his life right with the LORD!!

RAVEN Jimmie Hickman carries blankets for one of the ladies. The blankets were donated to us by The Farmstead Inn in Shipshewana, IN. A special thanks to the manager, Micah Staley for thinking of us. The people were real excited about receiving the blankets.

Pastor Nancy holds one of the little ones while she gets her face painted.
Michele and Brianna Santiago were a huge blessing in the grilled cheese prep and cooking.

It was said that the kids do not get to use this park much because of the parents not letting the kids out with all the drug activity that goes on there. Many people commented that it was so nice to see the people be able to enjoy themselves in the park. This is the case in many of the neighborhoods that we go into. We must keep going to take back the ground that the enemy has stolen!!!The Potter's House provided roses for the women that came out. The Potter's House was such a blessing in many ways!!Pastor Lance shares JESUS with one of the little ones.

Eileen and Brenda minister to a local drug dealer (along the fence). He said that he was touched by what was going on in the park. He said that this was so much needed for the kids. They minstered to him telling him that he needed to change his life around and be a positive role model for the kids. They ended up praying with Tim to rededicate his life to the LORD!!!!

Our next outreach will be the first Saturday in May. I was told today by Pastor Tom Tekker that we will again be accompanied by the crew of The Potter's House!!! We will be in Ford Heights, Illinois. We continue to build relationships with the people of Ford Heights. This is the most depressed area of any that we go to. Please keep these people lifted up in prayer. A huge thank you to those of you that have helped the ministry financially. Those checks seem to come at just the perfect time. The Lord has always provided for this ministry and we know HE always will!! As I have said before, we have very few regular monthly partners of the ministry. Please prayerfully consider hooking up with us as a monthly partner. Just to give you an idea in the last 8 days of ministry we have made three trips into Chicago along with our local ministry. The cost for gas alone was $290.00. (that includes a full tank for the week coming up) People when you give to our ministry you are hooking up with touching many lives for JESUS!!!

Again, thank you so very much to those that have helped financially and those that have kept us lifted up in PRAYER!! GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!

You can give your tax deductible gift online by clicking on the button below.

Join us in NYC May 24-28

2007-04-22T01:57:00.000-05:00

Walking down a busy street one night the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, “What would you do if a young woman ran from one of these buildings and she was on fire?” I quickly responded, “I would do whatever it took to put her out.” Immediately the voice of the Lord came back at me, “THEY ARE ALL ON FIRE!”
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That experienced happened to me years ago, but it is often brought back to my memory when I think of the task that the Lord Jesus has set before us: “To deliver the lost and dying from the horrors of an eternal hellish torment.” The ONLY thing that can extinguish what may now appear to be the “invisible” flames of this final judgment is the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to a generation engulfed in the incendiary sins of this life.
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Isaiah the Prophet said in Chapter 5:14, “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth beyond measure.” Yet a chapter later when the Lord of Hosts Himself sought someone who would enter the blazing inferno of rebellion to offer the flame-quenching “Water of the Word” he said, “Here I am, send me.”
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On almost a daily basis we are called “into the flames” because there is a person “on fire.” They represent someone’s son or daughter, a wayward spouse, or that innocent enough looking neighbor. While the spiritual “accelerant” may differ in each of their cases, they are still being rapidly consumed by hells firestorm. But WE are the Fire Fighters of the Most High God!
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May 24-28 we are once again taking a team of “Smoke Jumpers” into the streets of America’s largest city: New York City – Population 12,000,000. A “Smoke Jumper” is a termed used by the Forestry Department for firefighters who risk life and limb to leap from airplanes into the midst raging wildfires. Satan sees these millions of souls as mere “kindling” for the fires of hell, but we see them as branches needing to be grafted into the ‘Tree of Life.”
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Perhaps you would like to “Jump With Us” next month? This outreach is open to all believers who would dare answer the call to do “whatever it takes to put them out.” The basic cost of the outreach is $125 per person. That will cover a place to sleep for (4) nights and your very own outreach team t-shirts. You will need to arrange for your own transportation to the city, purchase a subway pass, and your meals on the streets. (Email me with any questions or for more details)
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Maybe you cannot “Jump” yourself, but would like to sponsor a “Firefighter” to go as your representative? You can give to this cause by sending your tax-deductible gift to:
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Raven Ministries International
P.O. Box 1897
Daytona Beach, Fl 32115
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Or by donating online with a credit/debit card or electronic check by clicking the “Donate” Icon
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We have seen the Holy Spirit douse the flames upon hundreds of lives on the streets of New York City and are expectant of seeing many more snatched from the jaws of hell this year too. Can you join us? Can you help?
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Blessings,
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Pastor Troy D. Bohn
International Director

FORD HEIGHTS OUTREACH

2007-04-14T19:35:00.000-05:00

We had a great time in Ford Heights, Illinois today. From the time we pulled into the parking lot we had a flow of people. We ministered the Word and fed many and were also able to give many less fortunate people food to take home. We fed the people grilled cheese sandwiches, polish sausage, hotdogs, chips, candy, pop and water. We had bulk food such as beans, lentils, yellow peas, vegetable protein (all items that can be used to make soup), along with many personal care items, different kinds of candy, pasta, tomato soup to name part of it.

Ford Heights is located just south of Chicago. It is a very run down and depressed area. We have been told that it is one of the top poverty areas in the country. It has also been said that the homeless from the inner city of Chicago are driven out to this area.

This is common in this area where the police are arresting a young man. The police were out several times to this location across the street from us while we were in the area. The police are very respectful to us and thankful that we come into the area.

We were in a perfect area today where we could minister to at least 200 people. Along with the food we had a number of coats, shoes, and other clothes.The foodline was held down by Brenda Huff, Briana Santiago, and Leigh Prathaftakis.

Leigh prays with a couple that was struggling as many are in this area. Please pray for the people of Ford Heights.

Leigh takes some extra time to love on this lady.Pastor Lance ministers to a brother.

Young Tony Connell was a ministering machine today. He was constantly ministering to someone or helping someone get food to their car.

It didn't matter who, Tony was after them with the WORD!!!Layne and Cole were helping in a number of places as usual. Here they were taking over the grill duties.Cole cooking it up!!

Layne, Tony, and Cole tag team a brother with the WORD, they ministered to this brother for a long time.

Tony helps the people find coats.Reverend Darrin from Chicago prays for a brother.

Next week we have a big outreach in Chicago again. We will be at the corner of Divison & Cicero. We will be hooking up with Pastor Joe and Nancy Wyrostek from Metro Praise Church. We will have Pastor Tom and Malena Tekker along with their team from The Potter's House of Deliverance in South Bend with us.

We want to thank those of you that help make all of this possible. Several came forward and helped in the last couple weeks. A big part of that went to helping Pastor Alex & Holly with their move from Austin, Tx. to Daytona Beach. This is a very important move in furthering the ministry and setting up the RAVEN Training Center in Daytona Beach. Thanks again and God Bless you for all your help. We have outreaches the next four weeks and if you would like to help us financially you can click the button below. All gifts are tax deductible.

Ford Heights Outreach Rescheduled

2007-04-07T10:46:00.000-05:00

Today's outreach in Ford Heights, Illinois has been rescheduled for next Saturday due to weather conditions. We will leave 1121 Bay St. in Elkhart, Indiana at 9:30 a.m. All outreaches at this time of the year are weather permitting. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in attending this outreach so that we can plan for transportation.

HAVE A HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!!!!

Outreach This Saturday

2007-04-02T18:59:00.000-05:00

Outreach this Saturday in South Chicago. Let us know ASAP if you are interested in attending. We will be departing 1121 Bay St. in Elkhart @ 9:30 a.m.

ravens4jc@verizon.net

(574) 612-6800 (cell)

FRIDAY NIGHT STREETS!!!!

2007-03-30T23:37:00.000-05:00

We had another awesome time on the streets of Elkhart, Indiana tonight. Pastor Lance, Anthony LeBlanc, Steve Ignowski and I were busy ministering the WORD all night. Last week it was Pastor Brandon from RAVEN SouthWest and I and it was busy then too!! So many people profess to be a "CHRISTIAN" and then go into the bar. I started asking them if they were a "Christian" and when they would say yes I would ask them if there was a prayer meeting going on in there tonight because there sure was alot of "CHRISTIANS" going in there. All jokes aside, people just don't get it that the word "CHRISTIAN" means to be "CHRIST-LIKE" or a follower of "CHRIST". Conviction fell on many as we ministered GOD'S WORD. There was a brother wearing a shirt that had a big cross on it. The first time I saw him I yelled out "HEY PREACHA" and he just looked at me. The next time he walked by and said "don't say that man" and I said "brother, I just figured that anyone wearing a cross that big had to be a preacher. (I had seen Pastor Troy use that before) The next time I yelled out to him I could tell that he was getting irritated with me. This continued until he came by me again and said "I wish you would quit saying that because I know I am not living the life that I know to live. I am not living for Jesus as I have in the past". He told me that everytime I called out to him he was feeling conviction. I told him that he needed to get back to living his life for JESUS.

When I got there tonight Anthony was working with Curtis (one of our regulars) on his guitar.Anthony the Bald-Headed Jesus Freak's guitar.Anthony ministers to a guy that just came out of the bar.Pastor Lance joins Anthony witnessing to the same man.Anthony plays his guitar and ministers to the guy.
Brother Steve Ignowski hits another guy with the WORD after he comes out of the bar.

Pastor Lance ministered to Brother Tim Brown (a Christian rapper) who needed a little adjustment here and there on his preaching. Pastor Lance bought one of his CD's. This brother could be awesome on the streets if he gets some other things in order in his life.Some may call that a trash can but tonight it was my pulpit. The BIBLE will catch many people's attention immediately putting conviction on them. We ministered to many but two guys that really stick out that Pastor Lance & I ministered to was Charles (Tre) and his brother Marcus. We beleive that they will start joining us for outreaches.

Thank you JESUS for another opportunity to be used by you to minister YOUR WORD!!!

MICHIGAN ST/SOUTH BEND STREETS!!!!

2007-03-29T15:37:00.000-05:00

Pastor Lance & I headed for the Michigan Street area today to minister the WORD!! We were out to STOP the devil's control of this area!!
We were witnessing to the students @ The Crossing Alternative School when a lady stopped by to tell me that there was another lady @ McDonald's that wanted to talk to me. As soon as we got there it was on!!! We ministered the WORD to many inside the McDonald's. There was a group of 4 sitting in a section and I walked in and asked them "which one of you guy's love Jesus?". There were two guys and two girls and they were just hanging out. One of the girls (Carla) said that she loved Jesus and that was the only response that I got. I said to Carla "since you love JESUS I am going to give you a penny (cross penny). The other girl laughed and said "a penny" and blew me off. As soon as she saw Carla's penny she immediately wanted one along with the 2 guys also. That opened the door to be able to start witnessing to them.
RESULT - Louis gave his life to Jesus today. Louis was sitting outside by himself when we arrived and I asked him if he was ok, his response was "I'm cool" and I went inside. Pastor Lance and I started talking to him and he was very quiet and looked like he was mad. He finally started opening up to us and tell us that his life was messed up. We kept giving him the WORD and he said that he needed to change his life and get it right with JESUS!!!! He told Pastor Lance that he just felt that he couldn't be good enough and seemed to be always messing up.
RESULT - Carla gave her life to JESUS today. Carla was asked if she was to die today if she would go to heaven or hell? The became a reality check to Carla right away and she became very serious. She said that she wanted the assurance that she would spend eternity in heaven. She had the biggest smile on her face the rest of the time that we spent with her.
RESULT - Joe gave his life to JESUS today. Pastor Lance said that Joe was ripe for the picking and what made you sit down with me? He said that he opened up the BIBLE last night trying to search for something better. He was amazed that we witnessed to him after what he was thinking about last night. He feels that GOD really wants to use him!!RESULT - Jimmy was sitting outside when I went to the van to get something and when I was walking back in he stopped me and told me that he needed to get his life right with JESUS. I sat down with him and he told me that he was not being the husband and father that he needed to be. He said that he had a relationship with JESUS when he was in prison but he had fallen away and had gotten heavy into alcohol. Jimmy rededicated his life to JESUS today and said that now he wanted to live for HIM and get his life in order.We were able to buy a number of lunches for homeless and less fortunate people. Here is Pastor Lance with Buddy (right) and Steve (left). We were able to minister the WORD to them too!We spent some time with Teri (left) and Mary (right) . They are a couple of the ladies that we work with on a regular basis.We left McDonald's and ended up having to go back after running into another homeless guy (Rick). He had not eaten for a couple days and we needed to get him taken care of. We prayed with Rick to be able to get free from alcohol and to get his life on track. The first time we came across Rick was when he had been beaten up and was laying in an alley. We thought he was dead when we saw him but he turned out to be ok and we have been able to develop a relationship with him. Please pray that Rick will get set free from alcohol. His mom lives in South Bend but will not allow him around her if he is drinking.

DON'T FORGET - APRIL 7TH - SOUTH CHICAGO & APRIL 21ST - OUTREACH WITH PASTOR JOE & NANCY WYROSTEK FROM METRO PRAISE CHURCH IN CHICAGO.

WEATHER PERMITTING WE WILL BE ON THE STREETS ON FRIDAY NIGHTS

Sunday Morning @ The Potter's House & Sunday Night @ Metro Praise

2007-03-27T12:58:00.000-05:00

We had one wild weekend in Jesus starting with Pastor Brandon (RAVEN Southwest) and I hitting the streets of Elkhart, IN. Friday night. We had non stop witnessing going from one person or group to another for around 4 hours. That is church at it's best!!! Then we had a great time at El-Divino Redemor in Elkhart after picking Pastor Troy up at the airport. There were many of us that ministered there: Pastor Troy, Pastor Brandon, Pastor Lance & Leigh, Anthony Leblanc, Brother Steve Ignowski, and Brenda Huff. We were also glad to see Brother Andy VanArsdale from New Creation pop in.

Pastor Tom Tekker of The Potter's House of Deliverance and his wife Pastor Malena are an awesome couple and are on fire chasing after Jesus!! They have become good friends and partners of RAVEN Ministries. They have many people that have a heart for the streets and we will be hooking up with them in the parks and on the streets.

Pastor Malena leads some awesome praise & worship.Pastor Troy brought a powerful message as usual @ The Potter's House.

From the Potter's House it was off to the airport to pickup Eileen then we were on the road to Chicago. Fourteen of us headed for Metro Praise on 5405 W. Diversey. This is an awesome church also with Pastor Joe and Nancy Wyrostek heading things up.

The prayer team prepares the house for a night of radical praise & worship & ministry!!!

The sign says "Let's Get Radical" and that is exactly what happened!! Pastor Joe & Nancy have a church of mostly youth that are on fire for JESUS!!! Praise & Worship @ Metro Praise!!!

Pastor Joe Wyrostek who is another friend and partner of RAVEN. Pastor Joe has worked with the RAVEN Team in New Orleans during Mardi Gras on several occasions. He has some great stuff going on in Chicago. We will be teaming up with them for an outreach on April 21st on Cicero @ Division.

Nancy Wyrostek is an awesome leader also @ Metro Praise.Pastor Troy was intense as he delivered THE WORD!!!!!Pastor Troy demonstrates an example while he ministers THE WORD!!

We had a great time @ Metro Praise and when church was over then it was time for fellowship. We went out for pizza then and had a great time.

When we were leaving the pizza place a guy approached us that was hungry. We just happened to have left over pizza to give him but what he got was much more than that. Above, he pours out his 40 oz. beer bottle onto the street. He was also a heroine addict and told Pastor Troy that he was going to be going into a program. Pastor Troy told him that he had a program for him right now. He ministered the WORD to him and the man ended up giving his life to JESUS!!! (below)Pastor Troy and Pastor Brandon with the man after they led him to JESUS!!!!

It was then time to get on the road because we needed to be on the set of The Harvest Show at 8:20 a.m. We ended up getting home at 3:30 in the morning.

We were on time in South Bend.On the set!!! The show aired @ 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. last night.

Midwest thanks Pastor Troy and Pastor Brandon for coming in for a great time in JESUS!! We ended up traveling somewhere around 500 miles from Friday to dropping them off at the airport on Monday. They went home well rested as usual.

Outreach Dates Coming Up:

April 7th - South Chicago Outreach

April 21st - Metro Praise Outreach

We will be on the streets on Friday Nights now weather permitting.

Saturday Night @ El Divino Redemor

2007-03-24T23:17:00.000-05:00

The top three pics were of the awesome praise & worship at El Divino Redemor. (above) Some of the youth listening as Pastor Troy brought the WORD.
A sister in the Lord listens to the WORD.
A sister has a WORD for the church after we finished up.
More of the youth that heard a message on being a messenger for JESUS!!
Pastor Brandon brought a message of fire to the youth on getting right with the Lord and representing Him in the proper way.

Brenda told a story of a youth that she had witnessed to and he ended up getting killed.
Brother Steve Ignowski came out and hooked up with us and gave some good WORD to the youth.
Pastor Troy threw a strong message at the youth.
Pastor Brandon was intense!!!
The youth focus in on Pastor Brandon.

Brother Anthony LeBlanc gave a testimony of his life and what JESUS has done for him.
Pastor Lance & Leigh minister a WORD!!

We had a great time tonight with our hispanic brothers and sisters. We pray that the Lord stirs the church and that we will have many people from this church out with us ministering the WORD!! We need hispanics that can minister in Spanish. Right now we have no one that speaks fluent spanish. Who will step up? We look forward to an ongoing relationship with this church.

We will be at The Potter's House of Deliverance in South Bend on Sunday morning @ 10:00 a.m.

then we will be picking Eileen up from the South Bend airport and heading for Chicago where we will minister on the streets tomorrow afternoon then Pastor Troy will be ministering @ Metro Praise on the north side. We will return sometime late Sunday night or early Monday morning then we will be live on the Harvest Show @ 9:00 a.m.

God Bless!!

Pastor Brandon & Pastor Terry Hit The Streets of Elkhart

2007-03-23T23:52:00.000-05:00

It was a blessing to have Pastor Brandon come in town today from RAVEN Southwest in New Mexico. I drove him around and showed him some sites then it was time to hit the streets tonight. We had an awesome time ministering to somewhere around 100 people throughout the night. Many were pierced with the Word of God. Many professed to be Christians but we hit them withthe Word and showed them how they were not living a "Christ-Like" life.Pastor Brandon ministers to a young hispanic man that was hit with the Word to where he didn't want to go anywhere. He asked Pastor Brandon "why do I need Jesus" in his broken english.
Pastor Brandon told him why and he said that he wanted Jesus to come into his life.
Result............................A sign outside the bar which tells what is destroying so many peoples lives.
We pick up Pastor Troy this afternoon and then we will be on Hively ministering to a group at 6:00p.m.

2007-03-18T15:39:00.001-05:00

HARVEY, ILLINOIS OUTREACH

2007-03-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

We had a great outreach today with a team of around 20-25. The day started out very slow but things intensified as the day went along. It was chilly in the 30's with a pretty strong wind. We did see some snow flurries.

We had several that gave their lives to JESUS and the team prayed for many. We are doing a five city circle that will eventually tie many in the area together. We also do this so that we can build relationships with the people. Brother Harold Dade of the Chicago area has been setting up the locations. Brother Harold loves JESUS and is a joy to work with.

We had a large amount of clothes and a number of people showed up to get them. We fed the people ham & beans, cornbread, polish sausage, hotdogs, chips, candy, grilled cheese, and pop. We had food by the case for people to take home along with other personal care items.

We set up at Dixie Highway and Sibley Blvd.
Pastor Lance and Brother Harold Dade
Eileen with our longtime friend, Michelle Santiago (from New Creation Fellowship) who came out with us for the first time.
Beth from Voice Ministries was a blessing to have on the team today. A real servant carrying cases of food to people's cars.

Brenda with her brother Tony were also a huge blessing to the team today. Leigh prays with a woman. Caleb, a student at The Crossing Alternative School in Goshen came out today to do community service. Caleb was extremely helpful and kept busy all day. He was the best student that we have ever had out with us. Thanks Caleb!!We had a bunch of kids today!!! The all really enjoyed the hotdogs, candy, and pennies.

Rev. Darrin from Chicago was back out with us today and what a blessing he is. Rev. Darrin has worked with us in the past. He is here with Brother Harold praying for a man.

I had to get my picture with the little girl named "RAVEN". She was such a little sweetheart with her brothers and sisters.

There were times when we were very busy!!

Eileen and I with one of the areas "finest", this officer was a Christian. He stopped to eat with us instead of going to a restaurant.

Eileen and Brenda with a man that they prayed over. He was in tears and told them that they really helped him and touched him. Thank you JESUS!!Rev. Darrin ministering to another brother.We couldn 't have handled things without "Big Ben" who just happens to be on break.

To make it easier to remember, we will be in the Chicago area on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays. Come out and join us!!

Saturday Night - End of Bike Week

2007-03-11T09:42:00.000-05:00

The close of Bike Week was awesome on the streets. Above - Pastor Troy prays over a man.
This couple (black guy and woman with the hat) were a married couple that professed to be Christians. They both wore a type of profanity on them. We called them out for the non-Christians they were. She said that her church did not teach things that way and that what they were doing was fine with their pastor. I told her that if that was the case she needed to find a new church and even more than that her and her husband need to get right with the Lord.

I ministered to John (he called himself Saint John), far from that! He was cross of Catholic and Muslim (what a mess) and again he thought that everything he was doing was fine. Drunk and lusting after women, that is ok with the majority on the streets.
This lady wanted to show her breasts and also display the cross hanging around her neck so I was calling her out asking her about her representation of the cross.

This all started by the female in the back (Sabrina) coming up while we were ministering to someone else and she ended up getting hit by the overflow. She had her hands and forehead on my extended arm and she was crying and repenting of her sins. All three of them were extremely drunk!!!! Sabrina told me that she was brought up in a Christian family and that she was the only one that was not SERVING the Lord. We prayed for rededication for her and Leo. Meanwhile Pastor Troy has the rebellious one, Linda. The last thing that she thought she would be involved in this night was an encounter concerning her salvation. She wore a shirt that said "F__- you, you F__'in, F___. Believe it or not, she was also a Christian (doesn't is seem everyone is?????). She was one of those once saved always saved. Her and PT went at it with her justifying going down hill in a hurry!!
Linda broke down knowing that all her justification of the way she was living was all a lie.
Leo assists Pastor Troy in praying over Linda. Linda was there from San Diego for the big party and she ended up rededicating her life to Jesus!!!
All three of them were completely sober by the time we left them. Sabrina told me that she was very scared and worried as to how they were going to get home prior to coming up to us. She was so drunk that she was falling against a tent and I was having to help hold her up. Below- Linda was very thankful to us for calling her out. Pastor Troy did an awesome job of telling her what God's Word said about her situation.
Leo who had just started hanging around with the ladies got filled up and also rededicated his life to Jesus. Sabrina stands (on her own) in the background (with RAVEN Deb) sober and full of the joy of JESUS!!!!!
RAVEN Deb ministers to a couple of women that got up in a beer stand so that all the guys could lust over them. RAVEN Deb was giving them a tract with the scripture out of Ezekiel 16:15 which says, "But your beauty has gone to your head and you became a common whore, grabbing anyone coming down the street and taking them to your bed". How fitting!!!!! The one in the pink wanted to listen to what RAVEN Deb was telling her but the other one get distracting her. You won't believe it but she is a Christian too???????? I think that she was doing a better job of representing the "common whore".
Pastor Troy hits another guy with the WORD!!!
Justifying and Just A Lying!!! Later telling PT that the things he was telling him was true and making him do some thinking.
PT had this brother for a long time that did not agree what I had said to someone else. He was lined up over the next half hour or so on how his "Christian" walk was not right.

What I found with 6 days of ministering to this disgraceful group of bikers (that many think they are Christians) is that they are full of pride, arrogance, lewdness, profanity, drunkenness, whore-mongers etc. It has been said by many that they are just common folk and professionals, parents, grandparents, etc. What they are is SINNERS that need to REPENT and get right with the Lord. It makes no difference what they do next week, what kind of "good work" that they do. They are bound for HELL if they do not change their ways. 1 Corinthians 6:9 along with alot of other scriptures say so!!!!!

I also found that there are very few bikers that will boldly stand up for JESUS and call the others out for what they are. Most want to fit in and just go with the flow and I think that is sad!! Most can not even quote on scripture from the Bible and that is very sad!! One so called Christian that I asked to quote me a scripture could not so I asked him to complete this "Mary had a little lamb his face was......" and he finished with "white as snow" and I told him "isn't that sad, you know your nursery rhymes but you can't tell me anything about God's Word. He was very broken and said that he needed to make some changes in his life.

We look forward to hitting BIKE WEEK 2008 next year with a huge team!!!

FRIDAY NIGHT @ BIKE WEEK!!!!!!

2007-03-10T02:03:00.000-06:00

Tonight was awesome as we took over a heavily populated area nailing people with the Word of God!!!! Pastor Troy made up some awesome tracts just prior to hitting the streets that brought heavy conviction onto those professing to be Christians. Again the lust and lewdness intensified but any that were within hearing distance of us got hit with the WORD!!!

Kayla Bohn, Mary Siemer, and Brittany Durants (all teenagers) minister the Word and pass out tracts. It is awesome to see the youth calling people out and ministering the Word!!

Lonnie was very intoxicated when I first started talking to him. I prayed that he would be able to absorb God's Word as I ministered to him and I was able to see him sober up and begin to cry over his life that fell apart after being a spirit filled Christian.

I prayed that Lonnie would not listen to the lies of the devil and that he would devote his life back to Jesus. I told him that he needed to quit feeling sorry for himself and looking back at all of the failures in his life and look forward to tomorrow.
This big guy was so proud to show me his Christian t-shirt as he smoked his cigarette and hung out at the bar. He is just one example of many "boot-legger Christians" thinking that smoking and drinking is ok. They try to twist the Bible to cover their sins and this is sickening!!!!

The girls pass out tracts!!
Pastor Troy and Scott Durants minister to a young man.

Pastor Troy had this back slidden ex-spirit filled guy come back to talk about a tract that he recieved and he was ministered to and prayed over.
Kayla and Brittany minister to a young guy.
This guy chimed in on another guy that was witnessed talking about make the other guys be accountable for representing the Lord and Pastor Troy ended up checking out his status with the Lord. He brought Kayla over to assist.
Many people on a fast track to HELL if they do not repent and get right with the Lord!!!!
A new sign that Brother William Taylor of Durham, NC. carried.
RAVEN Deb ministers to a guy that told her of how messed up his life is.

Tomorrow night raps things up and it is expected to be wild. It is closing in on 4:00 a.m. and time to hit the sack to get ready for tomorrow.

10 Things To Fit In At Bike Week

2007-03-09T20:16:00.000-06:00

Top10 Things For “So Called Men” To Fit In At Bike Week

1. Must be full of pride.
2. Must practice smoking cigars prior to coming so that you can fit in and look tough like Clint Eastwood.
3. Must walk with your arms spread out like John Wayne going to a gun fight.
4. Must have your wife or girl friend dress like a prostitute so that you can walk her around like a pimp.
5. Must wear Harley clothes whether you have a bike or not.
6. Clothes must be two sizes small so that you look buff!
7. Must have some tats
8. Must know how to say the “F” word with just about every sentence.
9. Must know how to totally ignore any relationship with Jesus
10. If you do know anything about Jesus you must know how to be a “silent witness” or be “an undercover Christian”.

Thursday Night @ Bike Week!!

2007-03-09T02:06:00.000-06:00

People can hide behind the mask but they are not hiding from Jesus!!! One woman along with her husband or boyfriend went up to this guy and made out with him while her man looked on. This guy did not want her to take his mask off and it is hard telling what is on the other side of the mask and who knows what diseases this guy could be carrying?????

The intensity and lewdness level rose last night. It is amazing to see how many wives or girlfriends will make sure that "their man" does not miss looking at another woman's body. Pastor Troy made up a tract last night that focused on looking at a woman with lustful thoughts. It was interesting to watch the men look at the attracting picture on the front only to flip it over and get hit with the Word of Matthew 5:28 and Galatians 5:19-21. Many of the women actually look like prostitutes. I had two women that walked by me thinking that they had it going on and I stopped them and asked them if they were prostitutes. They became irritated and asked me why I would say that. I advised them that it was exactly how they looked. One said that she was appalled and that she was a married woman. I told her that, that was exactly why she shouldn't be dressed that way. There was also a dad that walked his young boys through and made sure they didn't miss seeing what dad got all excited to see. We called many "so called men" out on their lust over the evening. I also had a time calling out the ones that wore a cross around their necks and participated in the "devil's party". Thousands and thousands of dollars spent on their own personal God's.

We ministered around a different sign of Mike Seimer's that really stirred up some people. What people have to understand is that a sign is really like bait. It is used to draw the fish in, some will bite and some will not. There were 5 guys from the Dominican Republic that stopped and two of them stayed for a while to listen to the Word of God. Below - Pastor Troy and Mike pray for the two guys that stayed around.
Pastor Troy ministers to a guy that wanted it to be ok to live like the world and still be a Christian. He was very angry as Pastor Troy quoted scripture as to why the life style he is living is wrong. He knew nothing of the Bible and had no relationship with the Lord.
This guy (in the black leather coat) was very angry over the sign and was very convicted with his lifestyle

Pastor Troy and RAVEN Deb pointing to THE ONLY WAY!!

Wednesday Night @ Bike Week

2007-03-08T10:47:00.000-06:00

There is little or no fear of God around the streets at night here. Pride, arrogance, and lust fill the land!!
Pastor Troy and I minister to Robert who is set on spending eternity in hell!!!
Main Street was busy and full of sinners. We need a larger team next year!!!
RAVEN Deb and I minister to a couple people.
I watched the lust that nearly every man had for this woman selling beer just off the sidewalk. We were standing just down from her and I thought that if the crowd would disperse from around her that I would go and witness to her. Within a minute no one else was around her and I went up to her and said "it is really too bad that you have to do something like this". Her response was "sell beer"?? I warned her of the dangers that she was involved in, in reference to Matthew 5:28 that tells us that if a man even looks at a woman with lustful thoughts that he has already committed adultery in his heart and 1Corinthians 6:9 says that no adulterer will have any part in the Kingdom of Heaven. In her mind she said that she was not doing anything wrong but I left her with telling her what God's Word has to say about the situation!! As men of God we need to confront this type of sin boldly!! Most men will slobber and lust when they see this and that is disgusting to me!! Just after talking to her I walked up to two men over their heads in lust and quoted Matthew 5:28 to them and it was like two deer in headlights struck with the Word of God!!!! One started to make an excuse and I told him "forget it brother, I have been watching you"!!

Tonight is the night that things start to intensify!!! Another report tomorrow.

Bike Week - Daytona Beach

2007-03-07T09:02:00.000-06:00

We just completed our second night on the streets last night. Coming from Mardi Gras, this is a totally different type of ministry. You don't have the people denouncing Jesus but you have the people over swollen with pride and worshipping the god of Harley Davidson. So many make their bike their God and serve it. It seems like they would rather be dead than be with their bike. We have had several already that have given their life to Jesus. There are bikes everywhere!! I think about how all this money that people spend for these bikes could be used to further the KINGDOM????
Pastor Troy ministers to a young guy that was partying on the streets. RAVEN Deb and I led Deana to the Lord last night. She came down from New York to spend time with a guy that just wanted to use her. Deana was on her knees with us as she repented before the Lord!! Now all she wants to do is get back home and get her life on track. Deana grew up Catholic and lost! Now she is found and RAVEN Deb is going to setup an online discipleship with her.

This brother went up and down Main Street with his chopper. He had lights hooked up to it and it is very good on gas??????????? (Below) Pastor Troy with Mike from Tennessee who is always at Mardi Gras (familiar sign) and also Scott from West Palm Beach, Florida.

Pastor Troy and Deb ministered to this man who was homeless with his life all messed up and he was away from his 3 year old daughter who lives in Indianapolis.

Will told me that he hoped he was saved. I was able to plant a good seed in him showing why he wasn't saved and how the life he is living is not the life that Jesus wants him to live. He had a background with the Lord but had fallen away. He said that he was going to get back to a relationship with Jesus.

Christopher is homeless and living on the beach. He was trying to drown all of his sorrows in alcohol. He just got out of 6 years in prison, lost his mom, and has a sister that is hooked on crack. He came from a church that taught the "once saved always saved lie". He looked at me shocked with tears in his eyes as I told him that if he was to die tonight that he would spend eternity in hell. He absorbed the Word and said that he would call me before I leave so that we could spend some more time together. We bought him some food and headed out for the night. Actually, it ended up being 4:00 a.m. before we got to bed.

EXCUSE ME, ARE YOU JESUS?

2007-03-06T07:07:00.000-06:00

This was sent to me by my wonderful mother in law (Eileen's mom)

As you read this, think about what you would do!

"Excuse me, Are you Jesus?"
This is really powerful and makes one think!!!! A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago . They had assured their wives that they would return home in plenty of time for the ever important Friday night's dinner.
In their rush through the airport corridors, with tickets and briefcases in hand, one of the salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of Apples. Apples flew everywhere.
Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. That is, ALL BUT ONE !!!
He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was very glad that he had returned.
The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying. Tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She asked him, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, and pondered her question. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his mind:
"Are you Jesus?" Do people mistake you for Jesus? Is that not our destiny? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting scripture and going to church. It's actually living the word as life unfolds day to day. You are the 'apple' of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall.
He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit. Please take a minute and share this thought with others you know....Sometimes we just take things for granted, When we really need to be sharing what we know...Thanks!
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY and may JESUS keep You safe throughout all the days of your life!

Harvey, Illinois Outreach

2007-03-04T07:44:00.000-06:00

The outreach was rescheduled due to poor weather conditions. We will head for Harvey (South Chicago) area on March 17th. God Bless!!!

MARDI GRAS 2007 OUTREACH

2007-02-25T19:51:00.000-06:00

A shot of Bourbon Street where we spent alot of time ministering this year.

Some of the signs that people carry on Bourbon Street (above and below).

We had an absolutely awesome time in New Orleans recently. Sorry for taking so long to get an update out but we have been exhausted and dealing with some physical attacks but we are getting healed up and ready to roll!! We had many people that went to their knees right on Bourbon Street and repented of their sins and asked Jesus to take over their lives. We did an outreach into the Iberville Projects where a young man had just been shot in the head two days before we came in. New Orleans had 21 homicides prior to us being there so far this year with many of them being in the Iberville Projects but we know that when light comes in darkness must disperse!!! That's exactly what happened as we arrived to drug dealers and thug types hanging around the area only to have it be a area of people having fun, playing football, flying kites, and the little ones coloring in color books. We fed all that came out and had a great time of ministry to the people!!Mike & Josh Lechlitner joined the Midwest Team and here they are Live @ The New Orleans, Iberville Projects!! Other members of the Midwest Team with Eileen are from left Beth Haag, Kayla Bohn (RAVEN Southeast), Amanda Ostendorf, and Lacee Haag. Carrie Miller (below) was part of the team. That big beer is not mine but did belong to Brent in the red hat. He was there to go wild and party but he met Jesus that night and traded his beer for a cross penny. Pastor Brandon (RAVEN SW) and Pastor Rudy (RAVEN WestCoast) and I tag teamed Brent with the Word until he ended up on his knees right on Bourbon Street repenting of his sin and turning his life over to JESUS!!! (Below) (Above) We were there to tell them that there is only one way and that way is JESUS!!!! (Below) You can see the large amount of people that came out while I stand at the grill firing up some food.

I ministered to the guy in the blue and got him to realize that he was not the "Christian" that he said he was then as we were getting done he stopped the guy to the left and started ministering what I just had finished ministering to him.
We had awesome praise & worship daily at the camp prior to going onto the streets!!!Loading one of the two buses that we had this year and then heading for the French Quarter.A big part of the problem with New Orleans.Anthony LeBlanc (The Bald-Headed Jesus Freak) was another member of the Midwest Team.

Eileen stand with Damion who is from New Orleans. We ministered the Word to him and he repented and gave his life to Jesus right on Bourbon Street. He was also rehabiliting from injuries that he suffered during hurricane Katrina. We prayed with him for a complete healing!

A pause in the Iberville Projects football game as the players take a knee and pray prior to eating.The praise rally was awesome as usual!!!!Eileen loves on a little one in the Iberville Projects.

FORD HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS OUTREACH

2007-02-11T19:21:00.000-06:00

It was a cold day in Illinois yesterday!!!!! The temperature was suppose to hit 20 degrees and it never came close. The temperature at a bank we passed said 8 degrees and I imagine the wind chill was probably around 10 - 15 below 0. We had a team of 15 that did a great job serving and blessing the people of this poverty area. We served the people bbq pork, polish sausage, hotdogs, grilled cheese, baked beans, chips, cookies and brownies (made by Ellen), candy and pop. We should have made hot chocolate or at least something hot. We will next time!! We also supplied them with food items that they could take home, coats, and other cold weather gear.

Above - Brenda passes out items and ministers to some people.
We had the van running much of the time so that the team could get in and warm up when they needed to.

Looks like everyone staying tight to keep warm!
Amanda and Brandi worked on grilled cheese prep and passed out the baked beans.
We opened up a drive-thru service to the people so that they would not have to get out into the weather. They were touched as the team showed the love of God to them. We had some awesome ministry to the people as they sat in their cars. This lady stayed for quite a while and said that she was so full that she felt like she was going to pop. We were able to give them carry out to take home to the family members that were not able to make it.
My sister Connie made it out for the first time and got hooked. She said that she wanted to go the next time too!! That is a blessing to me!!
This little one (above) had a sweet tooth and kept stocking up on candy and cookies. Below - Auggie (from Chicago) ministers to a local brother.The team did an awesome job of keeping up with at times was like a traffic jam of people. They did a great job setting up and tearing down. Again, it was awesome to go out serve the people for JESUS!!! A big thanks to Brother Harold Dade (from Chicago) for setting up the location and continuing to work with us!!

Cold Weather Outreach

2007-02-06T17:37:00.000-06:00

The temperatures have been raw with wind chill factors down to -30 below 0. We ran across this family that was not dressed for the conditions but we were able to set them up for the most part. We are needing winter boots in a bad way. Many of the people are wearing tennis shoes and complain of their feet freezing. This picture (below) was taken near the Washington Gardens Projects. Tomorrow the management is allowing us to have an apartment until the cold weather breaks so that we can sort everything out and be able to take care of the people more effectively. The family below had to stand outside and wait for me to find what they needed and it may not look like it from the picture but it was very very cold!!!

The kids were all happy especially when they were hooked up with a pocket full of candy!
This gentleman was walking uptown in Elkhart wearing dress shoes when I stopped and asked him what size shoe he has and I just knew that he was a size 10 that I had in an insulated Polaris boot donated by someone at Grace Community Church. He was over-joyed!!
Cassandra got a coat donated by a buddy of mine that was his dad's before he passed away.
Wayne holds food that a family needed that had recently had a fire in their apartment building.
This is the type of house that many homeless flock to. The police department closes them down many times because of being a drug house then the homeless will find a way to get in.

There were foot prints around the above pictures. No one would be able to last long in the houses or the vehicle. They have found people dead in abandoned houses before.

If you still would like to help we need winter gloves and winter boots. We are doing fairly good on socks for now. The face mask type stocking caps are asked for often. Again, we so much appreciate all the help that we have received just in the last week. Thank you to The Elkhart Truth, The Goshen News, and Channel 22 for letting people know our needs. God Bless!!!

Saturday Coat & Warm Clothes Distribution

2007-02-03T17:43:00.000-06:00

It was very cold today (single digits) when Pastor Lance & I set out to check the streets for people unequipped for the weather. The wind chill was somewhere below 0 degrees and we were still able to find people that did not own coats walking the streets. One guy was wearing an insulated flannel shirt and I asked him where his coat was, his reply was right here meaning the shirt and that it was all he had. I threw him a very warm ski jacket and a big smile came across his face. He did not have gloves either and we were able to equip him with everything he needed.

As you can see from the above picture of Main Street in Elkhart that there were not too many people out on the streets.
The wind was blowing very strong to the point that when you did see someone walking most of them were walking backwards to keep the wind off their face.
We went to the Faith Mission to help them with some coats.Above - At times it was white out conditions and very hard to see.

This guy (below) rides a bicycle back and forth to work. He stopped us to see if we had anything really warm that people could see so that he would not get hit by a car. We just happened to have just the right coat. Thanks to Mr. Bowman in Union, Michigan!!! Below - We were able to get him some gloves and some food for his kids.
A huge thanks to all those that have helped us in equipping the less fortunate. We have had people coming to the house all week dropping things off and this all started with a church service at Grace Community in Goshen. We continue to get boxes in the mail full and we will soon be getting 3 boxes of socks and warm items from Texarkana. A representative of The Elkhart Truth (newspaper) dropped off a big box of socks yesterday. We had a gentleman 89 years old that came to the house and dropped of items.

Again, a huge thank you from all of us at RAVEN MIDWEST!!!!!!!!

Thank You!!!

2007-02-02T23:38:00.000-06:00

A huge thank you to all that contributed to our fundraiser for our Mardi Gras Outreach. Another huge need has hit and that is all the damage in Florida which was very close to Pastor Troy & Melanie's home. They did not have any damage but it was close. Pastor Troy was suppose to leave for Miami tomorrow to witness outside the Super Bowl on Sunday but he, Mel and Kayla will be leaving tomorrow to go and assist in the devastated areas. We will be sending financial help and that will be part of what was given tonight. If you would like to still give toward the outreach we will be taking part of it and sending it to Pastor Troy to assist with their efforts. Please help them to go and share Jesus and help with the needs of the people at this most needed time. Thank you for your help and God Bless!!!

News Article

2007-01-28T00:01:00.000-06:00

Church donates hundreds of coats

By: THE GOSHEN NEWS STAFF

Goshen, Ind — When a pastor asked during a message about love if Grace Community Church members would give up their coats, more than 400 coats were donated to a street ministry.The coats were given to R.A.V.E.N. Midwest Outreach Ministries, a street ministry run by Terry Shuff who works with the homeless and low-income families.“I network with a number of different churches, and some of the people that go out on the streets with me are in that church,” Shuff said.“They had a message over there given by their pastor about love and understanding. The question was, ‘Would you give up your coat?’ We ended up with more than 400 coats, so now we’ll pass those out to the homeless and less fortunate,” he added.The Rev. Jim Brown, lead pastor at Grace Community Church in Goshen, said he is presenting to members a series of messages with the theme, “I Live.” Sunday’s message was “I Love,” and he said he tried to create a situation so members could feel what it is to sacrifice.When he discussed the biblical directive to clothe those without clothes, Brown asked if members would give up their coats.“I have never been more proud or humbled,” Brown said of the response.He said more coats were donated, and some will also be given to the Hope Rescue Mission.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CHICAGO AREA

2007-01-27T23:25:00.000-06:00

We will be in Ford Heights on the 10th of February. Our last outreach just down the street from their in Chicago Heights was awesome and I believe this one will be also.

For anyone that is interested, I may take a team in to assist Brother Harold Dade in Chicago on Lower Wacker Dr. next Saturday, the 3rd. We will be very busy on the 2nd with our Mardi Gras Outreach Fundraiser which we hope to see you there. We need your help!!

If you are interested in either outreach please contact us ASAP.

Thank you & God Bless!!

Pastor Terry

(574) 612-6800

Chicago Heights/Ford Heights Outreach

2007-01-20T20:59:00.000-06:00

We had a GREAT outreach today in Chicago Heights (we were just outside of Ford Heights). We had a team of around 20-25 that were kept very busy distributing coats, blankets, and food along with much more!! We distributed close to 200 coats along with 75 pounds of chili, fried chicken, grilled cheese and other food, 60 blankets and many miscellaneous items.
The coat and clothes area was very busy taking 10 or so of the team to keep up with the people. A great job by the team today!!
People wanting coats were given a raffle ticket to keep order in the distribution.
A local man doing some shopping.
More looking for coats!!

The temperature was in the mid-20's and the steam is coming off the chili as Eileen dishes it out!Diane and Eileen work the food line which was very busy today! Brother Harold Dade (blue jean coat) who we are working closely with in this area, ministers to a man. Brother Harold is an awesome man of God. He lives in the area and he is the one that works with us as far as setting up the areas we go into. Brenda (red beret) worked the food line today also and did an awesome job!Zack on the left did a great job of working the coat area. Brother Anthony Leblanc and Pastor Lance ministering to the right.

Brianna and Layne work the foodline??? Wait a minute, Layne has never worked the food line before??? I wonder why he was on it ALL DAY today????Brianna Santiago passes out toys to the little kids!!Pastor Lance and Brother Anthony had the hard task of being food inspectors today?????A local lady holds one of the many beautiful blankets that were made by a group of ladies from a church in our area. Thank you ladies and the blankets were a blessing to the people.Pastor Lance prays with a young man. Eileen with a young man that she ministered to.Brother Jim Stickel and Dan handled the fried chicken cooking while their wives worked in the clothing area. Brother Jim busy in the food area along with Cole Prathaftakis cooking up the grilled cheese.Cami, Ed, and Zack finally get a break in the action in the coat area.Brother Jim ministers to a man.

After Mardi Gras we will begin going into this area every two weeks and also we will begin to birth "RAVEN CHICAGO"!!!!! We have some leaders that we believe are ready to step up and take control of the area. A calendar will be posted soon giving the dates!!

A HEART FOR JESUS!!

2007-01-20T20:49:00.000-06:00

The following was sent to Eileen and I from Brianna Santiago (daughter of Angelo & Michelle Santiago), a 15 year old with a heart for Jesus! She is such a servant and has such a love for the streets!! She was a blessing to have on the team today!!

_Terry&Eileen_

You guys are such a blessing in my life. Being able to go out with the ravens today was..... well it really impacted my heart. While I was there I had a revelation from the Lord, my calling from the Lord is to work with children. When I handed one of the youngest little girls a music box I gave her a hug and told her that I loved her and she looked at me with the biggest eyes and then I said you know what, Jesus loves you too, sweetie. He loves you so much, you guys the smile that little girl gave me broke my heart, tears came to my eyes and two words were given to me from God, Wake Up! Youth of America is sleeping and it hurts my heart, as I was watching all of the Raven members distribute items and pray with the people, I realized how on fire for God they were, why can't my youth, my friends, the children at my school, why can't we all have that same burning desire to be with God, to bring more souls into the kingdom. After being with you guys today, my heart aches with a terrible hunger to be with God. Luke 9:23-24 says If you come after me you will deny youself and pick up the cross daily, whoever trys to save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life to me will save it. Terry and Eileen I'm ready to lose my life for Christ. I want to be out there all the time, saving souls. Right now I'm so on fire for God I think I could write a sermon. I can't thank you enough for the wonderful opportunity, I want to go with you every chance I can get. I love you guys and appreciate all you do for God! YOU R BLESSINGS TO MANY NATIONS!!

Blessings to you and all who cross your path
Love
Brianna- a witness for Christ

PRAYER ALERT!!

2007-01-19T21:15:00.000-06:00

Leigh Prathaftakis's mom was put in the hospital last night. She had a heart attack today and is going to undergo surgery tomorrow or Sunday. Please pray for her and lift Lance, Leigh and the rest of the family up in prayer also.

Discipleship Classes Coming To South Bend

2007-01-18T23:50:00.000-06:00

Pastor Terry & Eileen will be heading up discipleship classes starting Monday, February 26th @ The Crossing Alternative School located on South Michigan Street in South Bend, Indiana. The classes will be every Monday night and the time will be from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The classes will be open to anyone interested in attending.

Coats for South Bend/Michigan Street Area

2007-01-18T21:29:00.000-06:00

Samuel received a new coat today and was so happy with the cold weather we are having.
Terri was very happy to get a coat today. She had a coat on that she had borrowed.

Buddy, a homeless man who pushes a shopping cart everyday picking up scrap was one that was blessed with a new coat yesterday. Buddy also has a coat for his partner, Steve. Cookie is overjoyed with cowboy boots (just her size), a matching hat and glove set and a new coat.
It has been very cold and the timing on the coats could not have been better!!
Debra received a new coat today. She had a huge coat on that she had borrowed from a friend because she did not own one. I was actually across the street talking to someone else when she asked me if I had any coats. She was so happy!!!
Ben is homeless and sleeping in an abandoned house. I have had a hard time getting him a coat and today he received one that was still on the hanger brand new!!
Ben started putting his hands in all the pockets and pulled out a $10.00 card for Burger King!! This really made his day!! This was such an awesome idea by someone to bless them in this way!!

We are desperately needing winter boots and winter socks if you know someone that can help us out. Many of the people are wearing tennis shoes and complain about their feet freezing. Last night it got down to 5 degrees. Call us if you want to help with this need!!! Thanks and God Bless!!

400 COATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-01-18T20:54:00.000-06:00

We want to thank the Pastor Jim, the rest of the staff, and the congregation of Grace Community Church for blessing us with all their coats. The staff and congregation responded to a message from Pastor Jim on love. The question was asked "would you give your coat to someone that did not have one" and the people responded by taking their coats to the altar!! Our ministry had been brought up as to being able to get them to people that need them and I got the call to pick them up!!! What a huge blessing this is because coats are one of the things that we have the hardest time getting.
The coats were packed into our van with just enough room for me to get into the drivers seat. I had several cave-ins on the way back home.
A side view of the trailer packed full 6 feet high and 12 feet wide!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a shot while we were loading at the church.
I could not see out of any windows except the front and drivers side. PACKED!!

We will be taking the coats into Ford Heights, Illinois (South Chicago) this Saturday. This is a very depressed area and we know that it will be a massive blessing to the people. Again, thanks and God Bless the people of Grace Community!!

MARDI GRAS 2007 OUTREACH FUNDRAISER

2007-01-12T21:57:00.000-06:00

MARDI GRAS
2007 FUNDRAISER

FEBRUARY 2ND @ 6:30 P.M.

@ THE CROSSING IN GOSHEN ON PIKE ST.

ALL YOU CAN EAT - RED BEANS & RICE - ETOUFEE - BBQ CHICKEN
(And much more other food for those that don't like spicy)

LIVE MUSIC

Come out for a night of fun and fellowship.
Bring your friends!!

Hook up with the RAVEN MIDWEST Team in winning souls for Jesus in New Orleans February 16th - 20th!!!!!!