"If We Don't See You Sooner, We'll Certainly See You Later!"

Hello All!
This is it. As this is being typed, our final preparations for departure tomorrow are being squared away. Matt has everything set up for his flight to Atlanta, and Joel is packing for his drive back to Fort Wayne. It's been a terrific last week and we'll certainly remember all of the brothers and sisters in Christ we've met, but it's time to go home.
It's funny, but this trip has almost been like an allegory of the Christian life. Traveling this summer has shown us something. You see, when a person becomes a Christian, they become a pioneer, in the sense that they are far from home. As Christians, we are to bring the Light of The Gospel to parts overrun with darkness. One day, when we are done, God calls us home to heaven, but until then, we are never to feel at home in this world. Homesick Pioneers, that's what we are.
This last week was unusual in the fact that the pastor was gone almost the entire week. God blessed greatly, though, and we were able to knock on over 200 doors, presenting the Gospel countless times. We also were able to preach in the Wednesday night service, tag-team style. The church family has been so kind to us, especially the Cunningham family, for allowing us to stay in their home. Please pray for Bro. Dean Cunningham as he is having some health issues. We know he'll appreciate it.
Well, what more can we say about this summer? God has done something powerful, especially in our hearts. We have seen him move in the darkest of places. We have seen children hear the Gospel for the first time. God has changed lives, including ours. We serve a mighty and gracious God, who is still working in this world, despite what men may say. He's shown us that time and again. If only one thing could be said about what God has shown us, it would be this: He will provide a way, even when it seems impossible, to those that are devoted to following His will. Where God wills, God makes a way.
With that thought in mind, we leave you to see what God can do. Thank you again to all those who have prayed for us and supported us. It's been a pleasure Pioneering the Northeast with you.

Your brothers in Christ,

-Matt and Joel
Team Northeast 2009

"The Final Leg of The Journey..."

Hey all!
Sorry about the length of time that has lapsed between the previous post and now. We have been unable to access the internet until now. What a great we had in Jersey City! It was amazing to see God work in the lives of all those children. About ten children trusted the Lord as their personal Savior during vacation Bible school! All of the children heard the Gospel at least twice and were very encouraged in the faith. It was a wonderful time for all. God is so good!
We left on Saturday and began our drive to Ohio. We arrived around 10:00pm at the home of Dean and Corliss Cunningham, a family in Revival Baptist Church. They have opened their beautiful home to us for the remainder of our time here. We unpacked and got some rest. The next day, we met Pastor Jim Larger and his wife. They were celebrating the two year anniversary of the church's first meeting! We both were given opportunity to preach and had a wonderful time of fellowship with the pastor that evening.
Unfortunately, Pastor and Mrs. Larger have to leave this week, to tend to family matters in Texas. No worries, though; New Testament Church Pioneers are prepared to handle any change in schedule. Or at least we like to think so... Nonetheless, the pastor left us with a list of assignments and Lord willing, we will have them finished upon his return.
Today, we spent the day knocking doors in the nearby town of Pataskala, Ohio. God truly blessed as we were able to make some excellent visits and many people showed interest in attending the church services. Please pray that god will not only lead us to thse seeking a church home, but also those who need salvation. Also, pray for Pastor Larger and his family; he'll need safety as he is travelling this week. We are really looking forward to how God will bless this last week of our summer. Truly, He has something great in store.

Your brothers in Christ,
-Matt and Joel




This part of the country is a far cry from the streets of New Jersey!



We have adjusted to the countryside without too much effort, really...





The land is so beautiful out here. God's creation never ceases to amaze!

"The Adventures of Faith"

Hello again!
I hope this post finds you all doing very well. God has been very good to us this past week. We have been able to help very much with the Vacation Bible School going on at Trinity Baptist Church, here in Jersey City, New Jersey. It has been exciting, challenging, and absolutely wonderful. Tomorrow will be our last day here, so please pray that we will have a large turnout, and that if there are any children who do not know Christ as their personal Savior, that they will make a decision for Him before the end.
We have had a wonderful time here, teaching in classes, leading the kids in songs, doing object lessons, presenting the Gospel in numerous ways, giving our testimonies, and working one on one with the kids, as well. We also can't forget the Kayak Simulator that we built. Words don't do it justice.
The pastor was kind enough to bring us along to the First Annual Northeast Summit Conference in Southern New Jersey. It was a wonderful experience! The sessions were filled with practical, useful information and they were extremely helpful. Not only that, but we also saw several folks that we had met this summer, there. Pastor Chris Corrigan and his family from Sligo Baptist Church were there, as well as Pastor Erickson, Sarah Becker and several others from Jersey Shore Baptist Chapel. It was wonderful to hear how God was blessing in the churches we had come from and it was just refreshing to see some of our old friends again. God is good, isn't He?
Today, Pastor Hagedorn took, Daniel Miljenovik and us out on the Deleware River, to do a little Kayaking and Canoeing. It was a gorgeous day! we had a wonderful time just relaxing and enjoying God's creation and our company. Tomorrow, we will have an opportunity to travel to New York City with Daniel and do a little sight seeing, before VBS starts in the afternoon.
We are looking for a big day tomorrow, so please pray for us and for the work going on here in the church. This is not the easiest part of the world to work in, but God is able to supply all of our needs! Below are a few pictures of the last few days. Thank you for your prayers and support. Let's make this last week, the best one of the summer!

Your brothers in Christ,
-Matt and Joel



Here, we have our first run of the kayak simulator. No one was harmed in the making or operating of this device.





Here we are withour good pal and fellow adventurer, Daniel Miljenovik. Dan will be a Sophomore at Crown next semester.






Here's a snapshot of the auditorium decked out in VBS array.






Here, Dan is showcasing one of Matt's favorite new creations. Notice the similarities...

"Full Steam Ahead!"

Hey All!
It was a wonderful week with Pastor French, but the time has come to hit the trail. Praise God for the wonderful time we had conducting the Bible Club and for the great turnout. We peaked at 23 kids! Every one of them got to hear the Gospel and it is evident that God is ready to do something in Bland. We will continue to pray for the pastor and his family and that God will bless them in their efforts to spread the Gospel. Thanks again, for the wonderful reception you gave us!
Yesterday morning, after we said our goodbyes, we hit the road. It wasn't a terribly long drive, nor was traffic a problem. Praise the Lord, it was pretty smooth sailing! We arrived at Trinity Baptist Church of Jersey City, New Jersey around 5:00pm. We were met there by Pastor Richard Hagedorn and our fellow Crown Student, Daniel Miljenovik. We immediately jumped into action as the pastor laid out the schedule for the day. We'll be assisting with the Church's Vacation Bible School this week. We were assigned classes to asssist and other jobs as well.
The pastor and his family are allowing us to stay in their home, right next door to their house. Daniel is staying with us as well. Please pray that God will bless the attendance and the workers this week! Thanks in advance!

Your brothers in Christ,
-Matt and Joel

P.S.- Below are a few pictures of the trip so far. Enjoy!







The countryside in Virginia was beautiful!



We had a great time teaching the kids at the Bible club! Those songs never get old...

"Virginia is for Lovers... and Pioneers"

Hey all!
We left yesterday, headed for Bland, Virginia. It was hard leaving so many friends behind, but duty calls. it was a nice little trip, only lasting about two hours, which is a stark contrast to all of the other drives we have made. Below are a few pictures of the scenery. We arrived safely around 2 pm, at the home of Pastor Matthew French, a graduate of Crown. He and his wife and two children are in the process of beginning Grace Baptist Church, here in Bland. As of now, the assembly is being called Grace Baptist Fellowship.
We are so thankful for the warm welcome that we received from the pastor and his family. They made us feel right at home! We will be staying with them in their home for the remainder of the week. We will be helping get the word out about the church this week, by door knocking and hosting a Bible Club. We can't wait to see what God is going to do here!
Today, we began canvasing the area. The people here are predominantly Methodist, but were extremely friendly and all those that we talked to listened and took the invitations we handed out. We had several great contacts and they promised to be in the service on Sunday! Praise the Lord! We also met many families with children who were very interested in the Bible Clubs held on this Thursday through Saturday. Pray that we will have a good turnout and that Matt will be able to clearly present the Gospel in each lesson! Also, pray for each of us as we will both be preaching this Sunday. We are excited to see what God has planned and covet each and every on of your prayers. Thanks in advance!

Your brothers in Christ,
-Matt and Joel


Once again, we crossed the state line of Virginia. This area of the country is gorgeous!




This is the playground where we will be hosting the Bible Club this week. The merry-go -round works great, as the knot on Matt's noggin will prove...




Here is another view of the scenery here by the park. This stream flows under an old wooden bridge by the park.

"So Long and Good Night!"

Hey all!
Thank you so much for your continued prayers this last week! God has moved mightily here at Pleasant Island Youth Camp. It has been an absolute pleasure serving here these last two weeks and we are leaving behind many friends tomorrow. We must be moving on, however. We won't forget the memories we've made, though.
At the beginning of this week, we had the opportunity to serve in the Church that supports this ministry, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. Joel taught in the Teens Sunday School class and Matt worked with the younger kids in a Children's service. The people of the church have been extremely warm and open to us. They have certainly done their best to make us feel very much at home. We had a great time serving the Lord there!
Monday was registration and arrival day. We got up and helped with the final preparations for the campers, including picking up trash, cleaning up the dorms, and moving supplies. Around 2:30pm, the campers began to arrive. By the end of the day, over 40 children, 3rd-6th grade had registered. Our first chapel that day was conducted by Bro. Vince Button, a local pastor who has a heart for young children. He also has a knack for keeping their attention. We definitely learned a lot from him throughout the week.
Throughout the week we played games with the kids, ate with them, and helped them with their devotions and memory verse goals. We got to know a lot of them and were able to help some of them with different struggles. We also were able to get to know the other counselors, who were teens that had attended the camp the week before. It was wonderful to talk to them and encourage them about college. They also were an encouragement to us. By the end of the week, we had developed a great sense of brotherhood with all of the other staff members.
We had a great opportunity this week. We were in chapel on Thursday, and two little girls came forward during the salvation invitation. We both had the privileged of leading one of them to the Lord! It was so exciting to see God's hand moving over the camp! It was truly an answer to prayer and nothing less.
Friday was the toughest day of the week. That was when everyone said their goodbyes. It was a bittersweet parting. The hugs that the kids gave out made it all the harder. The night before, all of the counselors stayed up late, telling stories, showing pictures of the week, and eating junk food. Lots of memories made there. We won't soon forget it.
Saturday, we headed north toward Fayetteville, WV. We had made plans earlier in the week to go Whitewater rafting and that was what we were set on doing. By 2:30pm, we were on the Lower New river, on a crash course for excitement. It was a wild ride, and hopefully the pictures will develop well. Waterproof cameras are worth every penny...
Today, we were able to teach in the Teen Sunday School class yet again, this time with Matt preaching. Unfortunately, he went a little over his time limit... Afterward, we both assisted in the children's program again and then went out to eat with all of the counselors and Bro. Messenger. Tonight, we were able to work with the children again, this time showing Jonah and the Whale with balloons. It was a great time, for us and the kids.
Tomorrow, we will be making our way to Bland, VA, to meet with Bro. Matt French. We will be helping him for a week with many things, as he has just started a fellowship there, not even a month ago. It will be a very different environment, but it will be an excellent learning experience as well. We can not wait to see what The Lord has in store and covet your prayers.
Thanks in advance! Also, below are just a few snapshots from the last week of camp. Enjoy!

Your brothers in Christ,
-Matt and Joel



This is Bro. Vince Button, conducting one of the chapel services held everyday.



Bro. Nathanael Messenger is head of the camp staff and coordinates everything that is going on. He also has a really neat loudspeaker.




What would we do without the faithful registration table staff?




Here, Matt gets to put to use some of those old maintenance skills in the cafeteria.


Joel was able to give Evin, one of the other counselors, a hand putting the finishing touches on the rock climbing wall.

"Go West, Young Man..."

Hey all!
Sorry about the length of time between the posts. It has been nearly impossible to get online this last week or so. Hopefully, we can bring everyone up to speed!
God moved mightily during our stay in Boston. It has been wonderful to see His hand move and has been awing to know we had a part in the ministry that is continuing still. Our God truly is amazing and we cannot wait to see what is in store further ahead.
We have had opportunity to be involved in many facets of the ministry during our stay.
Thank you so much to Pastor and Mrs Corbin for your hospitality and kindness. We have certainly felt at home this week in Boston and it will be very hard to leave. We have had a great time learning about the heritage we have in this city and being able to build on that heritage by working for the Lord here. We were especially thankful for every opportunity we have had to preach and teach the Word of God.
On Monday, we left Boston and made our way to Elkview, West Virginia. It was a beautiful, yet tedious drive. After 14 hours of being on the road, we made it in to Pleasant Island Youth Camp! What a trip!
The camp, run by Bro. Nathanael Messenger, is aptly named. It is situated on a six acre island that is connected to the main land by a suspension bridge. We have just finished up the teen camp week and are preparing for the junior camp week now. God moved mightily this last week as several young people came forward and accepted Christ as their personal Savior. Many more came forward and made a decision for the Lord after the preaching sessions, which were conducted by Pastor Greg Locke of TN. Also during the week, Champion Baptist College's singing group came and sang several times for the teens. They were a great blessing to everyone.
Living in the dorms with the guys gave us the opportunity to get to know them and talk to them personally about what the Lord was dealing with them about. Several young men accepted the call to preach and we were able to pray with and encourage them. It truly encouraged us to see so many teens on fire for God!
Friday was a bittersweet day. It was sad to see all the campers go home but we were happy to know that they were going to represent Christ in their schools and homes. We are looking forward to what next week will bring and we'll be sure to keep everyone updated. Please continue to pray for us as we serve the Lord this summer. Thanks in advance!

Your brothers in Christ,

-Matt and Joel



The Scenery was amazing on the way here.




This young man's name was Cody. He was inseparable from us this week! He also was abig help by taking a lot of pictures of everything.