Good News in Sandals
Mobile Chapel
The greatest preacher who ever lived wore sandals and didn't own a suit and tie. He went where the people were and spoke to them wherever they were. His name is Jesus.
Fear of not fitting in can be a strong deterrent, and Satan uses that fear to keep unsaved people away. In today's world, many people fear the thought of joining or even visiting a church. They may not want to put on a suit and tie, or feel their lives are too messed up as they are. They fail to realize we are all pretty messed up. Only God can fix our messes.
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How do we battle this problem? We take the church to the people, just like Jesus did during his earthly ministry. And suits and ties will be strongly discouraged! Shorts and a Hawaiian shirt will allow us to meet people on their own level.
Our plan is to create a "Mobile Chapel" that we can take to wherever people gather. Our intended use is beach evangelism, as well as a truck stop ministry. We have been provided with a bus to use as our Mobile Chapel, but it needs a few repairs and modifications in order to be useful.
Rev. John M Grier, Jr.
Who is Jesus and why should I care?
In today’s fast paced world of instant gratification, high tech communication, and electronic devices that allow access to the internet from anywhere, at any time, why should I care about someone who lived 2000 years ago? How could anything He did all those years ago affect me today? These are all great questions, and the answer is actually quite simple. But first, a bit of background information.
The very first words of the Bible are “In the beginning, God.” This four word phrase tells us two things. One, the world had a beginning. Two, God was there at the beginning. He actually created the world, the universe, and everything in it. When He had created the world, he created a man and a woman and placed them in a garden. Very quickly Adam, the first man, and his wife Eve, the first woman, rebelled against God. This act of rebellion brought sin into the world. All of their descendants, including you and I, have been born into sin.
What is sin?
Sin is simply doing what God says you shouldn’t do. I know what you’re thinking: “Everyone does it, how bad can it be? If God truly loves us, He’ll forgive us, won’t he?” Well, that’s where Jesus comes into the picture. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” About 2000 years ago, God sent His only son, Jesus, to be born as a flesh and blood human. He grew up like any other child did in those days and became a man. But there was a difference. Jesus lived his life without sin. He suffered a horrible death as a sacrifice for our sins.
Why would Jesus do something like that? He did it because he loves us and wants us to be with him when we die. The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This simply means that the price of sin is death. If you commit one sin in your entire life, you are guilty. The price of that one sin is death. But Jesus died in our place, allowing us to live forever.
There are many religions in the world, certainly I can get to heaven from one of them, can’t I?
John 14:6 Jesus said to him “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Yes, there are many religions in the world, but Jesus is the only way to get to heaven. Some of the other religions may sound appealing, and some may even sound similar to Christianity, but don’t be fooled. Jesus is the only way to have eternal life.
Ok, how do I get in on this eternal life?
In order to have eternal salvation, you must acknowledge you are a sinner, and simply ask God to forgive you of your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Close your eyes, bow your head and say something like this: “God, I know that I am a sinner and deserving of death. I know Jesus died on the cross for my sins and I thank you for that gift of sacrifice on my behalf. I ask for your forgiveness for my sins, and want to live for you. Lord Jesus, I ask that you come into my heart and save me from my sin. In Jesus name, Amen.”
If you have put your trust in Jesus Christ to forgive your sins, congratulations, and welcome to the family of God! Get a copy of the Bible, or download a Bible app. As you read it, you will find that it speaks to you, giving you advice on how to live your life in a way that pleases God.
Then Jesus came near and said unto them, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Ministry updates
The bus in the image at the top of the page is our bus, donated from True Life Church in Jessie Lake, Minnesota. Pastor Ken Scott, along with his wife and three children, drove the bus to our Jacksonville, Florida location...a distance of 1750 miles! Praise the Lord for His provision, guidance and mercy along the way.
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The trip was not without problems. The bus is 22 years old, and had been sitting in the frozen north for a year or so. Ken worked diligently in making repairs and getting the bus to run. When it was running to his satisfaction, he loaded his family into it and set off on an epic journey, trusting in God to bring him here to Florida, and provide a way to get back home again.
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Right away, they noticed the turn signals were inoperable, and try as he might, he simply could not figure out what was wrong. To this day, we still have not ironed out that little problem. Did I mention the bus has no heat? That's not really an issue here in Florida, but in extreme Northern Minnesota, the first week of April has temperatures below zero. When they set off, his children were wearing snowmobile suits and were wrapped in blankets to keep warm. It was four degrees BELOW zero when they left. That's -4 fahrenheit, in case you were wondering. Mighty cold for this Florida boy!
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Several hundred miles into the trip, the exhaust pipe fell off. Near the end of the first day of travel, in Illinois, the water pump quit working. They managed to get to a motel parking lot and check in for the night. The next morning, Ken walked about a mile to the nearest part store and purchased a water pump, which they happened to have in stock...for a 22 year old bus! He carried the enormous, very heavy part back and began the process of disassembly right there in the motel parking lot. Praise the Lord the motel staff allowed him to remain there to finish the job.
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Due to the engine size and configuration, and the fact that the bus has a Ford Van front end on it, the engine is not easy to get to. Ken had to remove nearly everything above the water pump at the front of the engine just to get to it. And many hours later, he got the part installed only to discover the pump was designed for a vehicle that had a single belt on it, not the two that the bus has. As a result, he had to walk over a mile again, to Home Depot, where he bought a grinder and managed to grind the "fins" down enough to allow the engine to function. After yet another night in the motel, he completed the assembly late the next morning and they set off.
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A bit over a thousand miles later, and at 3 o'clock in the morning, they arrived at our door in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, weary and excited to be here. Ken and his family spent a week with us, enjoying the Florida sunshine and beach life. For their return trip, Ken was in need of a vehicle, so his plan was to buy a used vehicle here in Florida, and drive it home. With only a week to find the right car, they did manage to make a purchase and returned to their home. We were very sad to see them go!
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Thank you once again Ken Scott, and the good people of True Life Church for their very generous gift!
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Now that God has provided a bus, what's next?
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The bus pictured at the top of the page is a computer generated rendering of what we are thinking for the outside of the bus. It will have to be in the form of a wrap, which will cost several thousand dollars. In addition, several major repairs need to be made. For example:
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1 -- The turn signals still elude our attempts to repair them.
2 -- The body frame is weak, causing the floor to sag on both sides. The bus body needs to be lifted up, and several lengths of steel need to be inserted and welded in place to strengthen the floor.
3 -- The bottom step in the passenger door is week and in need of repair.
4 -- Very important here in Florida...the bus has no air conditioner.
5 -- There is a slow drain on the batteries, which cause them to drain away to nothing in a few days of non use.
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Our cost estimate is a very conservative $8000, but may very well increase as we get into the actual repairs.
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What can I do to help?
We are a 501c3 charity, and as such, any contributions are 100% tax deductible. You can mail a check to:
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Good News in Sandals
2575 Intrepid Ln N
Jacksonville, Beach, FL 32250
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Thank you for your generous help!
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