You can find people waiting to hear good news in any crowd—but in a gathering of thousands, opportunities to share the gospel come in droves. Andrew, Regional Manager in Alberta and Saskatchewan, has taken to heart the mission to reach the masses. With the assistance of a local pastor, Andrew launched a powerful evangelism ministry initiative in the midst of a world-renowned event in his home province of Alberta.
The annual Calgary Stampede in mid-July is the largest and most famous rodeo event of its kind. Unfortunately, along with the excitement and festivities of this lively, patriotic celebration comes debauchery, drunkenness, and use of illegal substances. “During the entire ten days,” says Andrew, “there’s excessive drinking, inappropriate partying, and sleeping around. We thought during this dark time we could hand out Scriptures, share the gospel, and bring a bit of light.”
After months of prayer early this year, the Alberta chapter decided to answer the call, teaming up with Central Street Church, a local congregation in the heart of Calgary. With the participation of neighbourhood volunteers and numerous servant-hearted Albertan Gideon members, stampede participants were invited to share a free meal and hear the gospel, shared by passionate church leaders.
“Every night, we had a free BBQ with live music,” Andrew recalls. “We had a big tent, and many speakers shared their testimonies about how Christ changed their lives.” At the conclusion of each outreach night, prayer warriors prayed alongside hundreds of people, and many accepted Christ as their Saviour! Hundreds heard the good news of Jesus, and there are many new believers now regularly attending Central Street Church. The Spirit truly made Himself known through His people.
Recognizing that these human efforts were all for the glory of God, the Alberta chapter is extremely grateful for the overwhelming success of this outreach event. Domestic ministry can be a challenge, but the Lord’s hand is moving as actively in our home country as throughout the rest of the world.
Andrew Fewell is proud to represent the servant-hearted members of the Alberta chapter as they continuously spread the salvation message throughout the region, faithfully organizing Scripture distributions, chapter events, and gospel outreaches in hundreds of locations.
“There is such a high percentage of people who don't know Christ right here in our own cities. It’s our neighbours, coworkers, homeless people on the street, even people in our own churches who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus. God wants to use us right where we are. The mission field is here.”
And Kingdom growth is happening! Andrew is extremely passionate about the future of domestic missions; he hopes to see similar outreach events bear even greater spiritual fruit.