Thanksgiving Thoughts & Wisconsin Ministry Spotlight

by | Nov 27, 2019 | Christian Growth, Discipleship, Evangelism, Podcast, the Gospel | 0 comments

As Christians, when we come to know and believe the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved, we begin to slowly grow in our faith and knowledge of God. As new creations in Christ, we are now ambassadors for Him and members of the kingdom of light.

We read in the Bible about faith and actions, we read about being the hands and feet of Jesus in our communities, and we read about being salt and light in this dark world.

Big churches can have an impact in these areas, but it’s often small, local ministries who are on the front lines reaching people right where they are and doing some of the work megachurches are not able to do. 

There are many reasons for this, so today, in this season of Thanksgiving, we want to count our blessings as we look at some practical ways we can love our neighbors and reach those who are lost and hurting with the love and truth of Jesus Christ.

TODAY’S GUEST

Sarah Christensen founded Frontline Harvest Ministry from a small Bible study that began in her home over ten years ago. Recognizing the fact many hurting and lost people were uncomfortable going to a church, a local outreach seemed to be the answer for drug dealers, strippers, prostitutes, addicts, and former prison inmates who felt outcast in society and unwelcome in traditional churches.

Moving to the Christian community center at 515 S Monroe Avenue in Green Bay opened new doors for those who wanted to know about Jesus and learn the Bible through programs like church services, street outreach, community events, a women’s home, home study groups and dinners, children’s ministry, women’s Bible study and mentoring, prayer meetings, and Hands and Feet Dance Team events.

As a former dancer, Sarah created the Hands and Feet Dance Team, which helps bring healing and transformation to young girls so they can take the Gospel and love of Jesus back to their communities through service to God.

SEGMENT 1: We hear about Sarah Christensen’s testimony and the hard life she had while growing up.

SEGMENT 2: We hear about the mission God placed on Sarah’s heart which became the four key areas of Frontline Harvest Ministry:

    • Evangelize – “our heart for the lost and broken to know Jesus leads to a lot of outreach”
    • Equip – teaching God’s Word, women’s Bible study, dinners
    • Disciple – “meet one on one multiple women a week”
    • Serve – feed and shelter homeless women

We also discuss some practical applications of each and share examples of ministry.

Frontline Harvest Ministry needs: 

Click the link to the Facebook page for more photos, ministry examples, to help with donations, and for contact information.

Note from Sarah:

There’s a home that needs to be rebuilt, and we have two properties now. One is on Webster Avenue in Green Bay, the “Harvest Home.” There is so much space downstairs to build lots of rooms for women to live, and there is a dance studio in there, praise God! It’s really another miracle…  I really appreciate the opportunity to share the goodness of God and encourage others! May God be glorified!

SEGMENT 3:

THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS

Top Ten Ways to advance the Gospel at Holiday Gatherings

Dreading those awkward family dinners this Thanksgiving and Christmas season? Unsure about how to tactfully bring up the real reason to be thankful or what Christmas really means? Here are some ways to advance the Gospel at Holiday Dinners:

Abraham Lincoln Thanksgiving Proclamation (source)

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict;

…and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged; and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State