Look on the Fields: Cast Thy Bread on the Waters

Reprinted with permissions:

Truth and Tidings, August 2013 issue and 

Gaius Goff

She had been widowed for 15 years and had worked hard to make her living at what she knew best as a wife and mother. If she had a dollar for every loaf of bread she made, she would be quite well-off. He was a preacher of the gospel and his wife had died a few years previously. God in His kindness and wisdom brought these two people together and they married "in the Lord." Now, together as older people they were starting a new life and she wondered how to best connect with the people in the community where they lived. Baking bread wasn't her hobby; for years it had been a necessity in order to feed her large family and to help make ends meet.

"How can I connect with the people in this community? I am a stranger to them. They have lived here all their lives and now I am married to one of their own people; everyone knows my husband is a gospel preacher."

One day when baking bread, she decided to make some extra loaves and take them to the neighbors. Each loaf of bread was made by hand and formed with the care of 50 years of experience. Then she and her husband took a loaf of bread to the neighbor's door and he introduced her to the neighbors as his new wife. With few words and a very nice smile she greeted them and a neighborly bond was formed. Now she is on a first name basis and speaking terms every time they meet. Sometimes they take a pot of stew over, and now the neighbor is occasionally bringing them some expression of neighborliness back. The neighbors now count it a privilege when they are asked for help in some project.

Now, before Christmas every year, 70 neighbors receive a loaf of bread, made from scratch, and formed with a desire that they might see and know the love of Christ through the work of her hands. When she walks through the town everyone knows her. The post-mistress said to us, "When she walks in, this place lights up." When she and her husband go to deliver packages containing a Via magazine, an assortment of tracts, and a calendar, every home is open in the town. All the people respect them even though they won't come to hear him preach. Whenever they need help of some kind they know there is an older couple in their community that genuinely cares for them. They are "peculiar people, zealous of good works."

This is "casting your bread upon the waters."

In most cities, doors are closed to people who folks don't know, even those living in the same apartment building. But it is surprising how the smell of freshly baked bread can open a door. A small jar of homemade jam, or a little bit of molasses in a container in a basket with a nice towel around it to go with freshly baked bread right out of the oven, is very hard to resist when someone from down the hall and the second door to the right offers it with a nice smile and a first name.

"Oh, just keep the basket if you want it. But if you want to bring it back sometime, come on in for a cup of coffee or tea. And maybe the basket will get filled up again. I like to bake, but we are getting older and don't eat as much as we used to. Do come and visit us. We are just down the hall and the second door to the right."

This is "casting your bread upon the waters."

In a fairly upscale suburb of a big city, a new family moved in just across the street. When the moving truck got there it was almost noon and the moving men and the new family were carrying things into the house. A soul-winner packed up a container with sandwiches, carrots, and celery sticks, and some peanut butter to go with it, pieces of cheddar cheese, two thermos bottles of coffee, and one with hot water and some tea bags, and a pie - and went across the street.

"Hi, I'm your new neighbor right over there and it looks like maybe it is time you all had a rest and something to eat. I'll just spread this cloth over the front steps and you all get some strength back. I'll pour the coffee. By the way, my name is ... and I live right over there. If you need a phone or to get on line, feel free to come on over. I will be home all day. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know. Otherwise, I'll just stay out of your way while you get settled. I know all the folks around here and if you need a bunch of hands for anything, just let me know. We will all be glad to help, and welcome to the neighborhood."

This is "casting your bread upon the waters."

Much of the privilege of reaching people with the gospel is done without fanfare and sometimes without a word of gospel testimony being spoken the first few times we meet. A casual word about praying or going to "church" after awhile gives a new acquaintance a little understanding of who you are. "Good works" and soul-winning go well together. Don't spread yourself too thin. Take time to pray each day that the Lord will allow you to make contact in some way with someone. If the person is a Christian, rejoice in the blessing of "doing good to all men, especially those of the household of faith." There may be several days go by when you have not been able to make a connection with an unbeliever. At least use the phone to call one of God's saints who may live alone and have a talk about something that can cheer their heart. If you have someone of special interest in your life, ask for prayer and if possible pray over the phone with that person.

Fellowship in prayer is part of "casting your bread upon the waters."

VBS (Vacation Bible School) in the Park

Submitted by Victoria Drive Gospel Hall, Vancouver, BC

Concept

Children on summer holidays usually have a lot of free time and parents often welcome any diversion to occupy them as the summer wears on, especially if it is “educational” in nature, or it captures their attention. The opportunity to conduct children's meetings outdoors is well worth trying. Summer weather in most places is usually suitable for being outdoors, and there is no need to transport children if there are children in the area.

Another important consideration is the development of interest in young believers for gospel work. What better way to spend a summer's day than to be involved in bringing the gospel to others, and it could result in expansion of the children’s work and blessing for the assembly. Young people should seek the fellowship and support of their elder brethren before embarking on any gospel work, and in turn, elder brethren should encourage any initiative shown by young people in whom they have confidence. 

History

In 2010, the Victoria Drive assembly in Vancouver tried this in an outdoor basketball court of a housing complex close to the hall. This resulted in contact with a large family that continue to come to the Sunday School, so it gave encouragement to try it again.

In 2011, the work expanded to two city parks, with a week in each one. The response was encouraging, and the weather cooperated so that no day had to be cancelled. Again, new children were acquired for the Sunday School. 

In 2012, young brethren and sisters felt they could handle four week-long series in four parks over July and August. Three were in the evening and one in the afternoon. It was wonderful to see some parents listening to the gospel who had never before been in the Gospel Hall. Again, the weather was phenomenal. Between the four efforts, some 179 new contacts were made, with a few of these becoming regular attenders at Sunday School.

Venues

Public parks would seem to be an obvious choice for most places. It would be wise to check with the parks department about regulations for public gatherings in case a permit is required. It is unlikely a permit is required for a small group as long as the area chosen does not interfere with any scheduled event. 

Choosing the location is critical. It would be wise to scout for an area that is frequented by children. The nicest park may not necessarily yield the best response. It may also be a consideration to go to an area where your assembly already has contact with children. These could form a core group of attendees who would in turn encourage friends to come. 

Other venues that could be considered are school grounds, or common areas in housing developments, both of which would likely require prior approval. 

Personnel 

To make a VBS effort appealing to children it will require some effort and creativity. If an assembly has members available during the day, a morning or afternoon session could be possible. If not, evenings would result in more help from those who work during the day. 

Theme

It was decided that the VBS should have a theme or focus, the same for all four efforts. This helped in the choice of verses and messages, and also made it easier for the children to learn systematically, to make connections and better retain what was learned. 

Format

Each session was 1-1/2 hrs. in length, Monday through Friday. Activities were organized for the children, and contrary to usual practice, it worked well to have activities immediately after singing and praying with the children. Once they had run off their energy, they were quite contented to participate in the quiz, learn a verse; then listen attentively to the message. Each session concluded with refreshment. 

On the Saturday afternoon following the Friday session, a barbecue was held to which children and parents were invited. There was no activity planned for this day, but the opportunity was not missed to give another gospel message. 

Equipment

Whatever equipment is used should not require a moving van. Everything should be portable or collapsible. Basic equipment to consider is:

1.       A table and a couple of chairs (folding preferable) - for registration/refreshments
2.       Tarp - this is used for children to sit on in case the grass is damp, but it also defines the exact place where you want the children to sit. If it is large, it can be folded to suit the size of the group (have children facing away from distractions as much as possible).
3.       Folding canopy - 10 x10 or 10 x15. This is not a necessity, but the main advantage is that it provides a focal point for the event which conveys to passers-by the perception that something is happening here. However, it could have several other uses: 1) shelter for a small group in case of a shower. 2) a source of shade in the absence of trees or buildings. 3) a cover over the registration table. 4) a backdrop for the speaker - if used with one side attached, it can serve as visual barrier for the children or to attach visuals to.
4.       An easel - for chorus sheets, white board, flannel graph, etc.
5.       Additional equipment may be required to support whatever activities have been planned - eg. sports or crafts. 

Advertising

On the Saturday that preceded each VBS week, about 600-700 small, colorful invitations were distributed in the areas immediately adjacent to the park. 

The Weather

Surprisingly, for Vancouver, a session has never had to be cancelled for rain for three summers, although on a couple of occasions, a tarp was erected to ward off a shower. It would be wise to keep an eye on the daily and log-range forecast, and have a contingency plan in case of rain, or to make it known that each session is weather permitting. 

Admittedly, there may be some climates that are not conducive to being outdoors. The weather could be too hot like Tombstone or too cold like Tuktoyuktuk. However, most parts of North America have some part of the day that would be pleasant enough for this kind of activity. 

What Measures Success?

Yes, it would be wonderful to see a child saved during a week of VBS, but maybe our efforts are only part of series of things God will use to reach a soul. Results cannot always be seen, and sometimes results are delayed.  "… that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." John 4:36

Don't be unduly excited or discouraged by numbers. The largest session this summer was over 100 children and parents, but for the last week, there were about 12 children plus two or three adults. It may have been a wrong choice of location, but what if one of those 12 children, or a parent, was saved as a result?

Victoria Drive Gospel Hall  (click to email) Vancouver, BC

Shopping Mall Gospel Booth - Antigonish, Nova Scotia

Dale Swan, from the New Glasgow, NS assembly filed this report for the lostsheepfinders blog at our request. Have you ever thought of asking the shopping mall administration in your area to allow you to set up a booth? Some shopping malls do not allow such a booth – but do not assume they will turn down your request. Pray about it. The Lord is able to open the door for you.

Antigonish is a town with a population of 4200 on the north shore of Nova Scotia. It is home to the highly regarded Canadian St. Francis Xavier University. St. FX houses people from all over the world. The town is often referred to as the 'Little Vatican' by some living there due to the large Catholic population. The ‘Little Vatican’ appears in some of the local tourism advertisements.

There is no New Testament assembly in Antigonish to our knowledge. There is an assembly in New Glasgow and one in Blues Mills (Cape Breton), but they are 45 minutes away from the town. If we are to see people reached for the gospel, we are to go to where they are. (Mark 16:15) “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Gordon Cummings (Blues Mills Assembly) was able to get into the university in Antigonish a number of years ago and was able to distribute literature for quite some time. Then a few years ago Hans Steffensen organized a booth in the Antigonish Mall with seven or eight of us helping out.

The fall of 2009 was when we started talking about doing some more Gospel work in the town. We discussed the possibility with the Christians in New Glasgow and other assemblies in the Maritimes. We called the shopping mall and spoke with the administration to see if we could set up a booth to give out Biblical literature, including Bibles and texts. We were granted permission right away.

With this permission granted, we started planning the booth and what we would display and give away. We chose a Saturday in May for our first booth and it happened to be Mothers’ Day Weekend which generated a lot of traffic.

A number of Christian volunteers showed up from various assemblies to help out. We held a second Saturday Gospel booth in the mall in June, making improvements in our display as well as our location in the mall. Many people stopped by to talk to us and we had conversations with others who had little or no contact with the gospel.

We had such a great turnout of volunteers we were able to cover most of the town with Seed Sower texts. We are leaving the results to the Lord, for He and only He is able to bless in salvation. We trust that this is an on-going work that will continue and grow for His glory. That is the goal each time we have had a booth and distributed Seed Sower texts there.

Renette Chiasson, one of the volunteers shared her experience. "A lady from Laos (south east Asia) had never heard the gospel before. I had never read John 3:16 to anyone and have to explain (from scratch) who "God's Son" was. Incredible!"

Perhaps you have a town or an area on your heart where you could do something similar. You may have the privilege of sharing the Gospel with some who will never sit inside a building to hear a Gospel message preached. It may start out small but imagine if the Lord was pleased to work in your area in the gospel! Wouldn’t it be nice to say I have done what I could, “the Lord gave the increase.”

Hamilton, Ontario Invites Community In

The local assembly in Hamilton, Ontario (Nash Road Gospel Hall) moved to a new building in a new location during the past twelve months. In their ongoing efforts to connect with their  new neighborhood and to build relationships, they have invited the community to a barbeque and a tour of their renovated facility. If you have any questions regarding the response of the community to this effort you can email Paul Glenney.

(Click on images to see larger version.)

Hamilton, Ontario - Multi-pronged Gospel Approach

Paul Glenney of the Nash Road Gospel Hall (Hamilton, Ontario) kindly submitted the post below. The Christians who once met at the Hamilton Road Gospel Hall moved to a newly renovated facility in November, 2009. The post below deals with the transition and the assembly's gospel efforts in the community.

Here is a brief chronology of events since moving into the new building. It is only ten minutes from the former Kensington Avenue Gospel Hall so we have been able to maintain some contacts from the area. The lady who lives beside the old hall is picked up each Sunday night for the Gospel Meeting, unless she is unable to attend. Some children are also picked up in the area.

In the months preceding our move we delivered, as well as mailed, to apartments in the area a Seed Sower John 3:16 text (5x7) and a card indicating that we were moving into their neighborhood. We moved November 13-14th and the following three Saturdays had a craft class focusing on Christmas crafts. Then on December 13th we had the Christmas dinner.

It is hard moving into a new area and trying to make contacts. It is slow but we are in it for the long run, in the will of the Lord. To the neighbors on each side of our building we took a gift basket with texts and literature in it. We thanked them for their patience and understanding with us during the months of construction with its noise and dirt. It is really just another way of trying to gain the confidence of the people. We delivered about 800 baskets along with an annual calendar which had all the Sunday School and Gospel meetings marked for each Sunday in addition to special events such as Mother’s Day luncheon, Sunday School picnic and the Christmas program for 2010. Again these are small steps.

We are not getting many folks in from the area yet but we keep working at it.

Regarding our Christmas Program, we have tried this for a few years and are very thankful we have.

We have a full Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings.

We try to time the Program (with the children saying verses or recitations relating to the coming into the world of the Saviour and his death at Calvary) for about 7PM. This is the time of our regular Sunday evening Gospel meeting so if some of the neighbors unknowingly come for the Gospel meeting, they will still get the Christmas Gospel message. The recitation of verses is followed by a speaker for the children and parents - again with the focus on the birth and death of the Saviour.

For this Christmas program, we get a large number of unsaved in which normally do not come to the meetings. It is fair to say conservatively we had in at least 40 unsaved adults that we normally would not get in. In all we estimate we had between 230 – 250. The Christians were encouraged by it and in the will of the Lord we plan on it again for 2010.

We hope in the spring/summer to have a community barbeque on our front lawn/parking lot again with tents with texts, cds, literature, etc. The purpose again is to make contacts in the area. We are getting some inquiries from the website as well. (See link for Hamilton, Ontario under Websites)

While we have not yet been able to connect fully with our new neighbors we are continuing with the expectation that we will.

Regarding the renovations to our new location, our project manager, Mike Da Silva, is a Christian. We have arranged a Sunday evening for Mike Da Silva and his son to speak in the Gospel. We are using this as an opportunity to invite all the trades and tradesmen, our real estate agent, etc. that worked on the building to the gospel meeting, tour the building to see the finished product and have a luncheon. Will they come? we don’t know but here again we are trying to use this to make some contacts for the Gospel’s sake.

We carry on a Spanish Gospel meeting once a month on a Saturday followed by dinner. We always have some unsaved in for which we are thankful.