MAD Live Event in TN today

I completed a MAD Live Event today at the Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville. There was a small crowd out, but it was well received. Lord willing I'll be able to come back sometime and do one for a larger group.

We completed our first MAD Live Event in WV tonight

We completed our first MAD Live Event in West Virginia tonight. 107 people attended. These are some awesome, God fearing people and we enjoyed spending some time with them.

MAD Live Event completed in Boyertown, PA

I finished a MAD Live Event for a group in Boyertown, PA today. One man gave his life to Jesus Christ at the training. Praise God!

MAD Live Event in Penn Yan, NY

Completed a MAD Live Event for the folks in Penn Yan today. They'd like to have me back for an Old Testament seminar sometime in the future. It was a nice surpass to see my friend Ron Woudenberg surprise me at breakfast before the training.

Our 22nd State just got booked!

I am praising God tonight. A lady at a church in Naples, FL attended the MAD Live Event on March 9th. She gave me a lead to her home church in MI. Much to my surprise I actually got put through to the Pastor when I called. We had a nice conversation and he liked what I shared. So he just booked me to come to MI in June. This will be our first time ministering in MI and the 22nd state that we have taught in.

MAD Live Event tomorrow in PA

MAD Live Event part 1 tomorrow from 1-3 PM at the Colebrookdale Chapel - 2108 Farmington Avenue Boyertown, PA 19512. Part 2 is next Tuesday same time.

MAD Live Event in Caldwell, NJ today

We did a MAD Live Event for our old friends and supporters at Christ Chapel of Essex. They meet at the Caldwell College. One young lady (a teen) who's been struggling with some serious issues, gave her life to Christ today. It doesn't get better than that!

MAD Live Event in Netcong, NJ today

I completed a MAD Live Event today at Grace Church on the Mount in Netcong, NJ. We had about 50 people attend and we received amazing feedback as God touched hearts and lives. The Senior Pastor wants to bring me back next year to do it on Sunday for the whole church (about 1,100 people), and he wants me to do a Walk thru the Bible Old Testament seminar as well. Praise God!

In NJ this weekend

2 MAD Live Events this weekend in NJ. Saturday beginning at 9 AM I'll be at the Calvary Church on the Mount in Netcong/Ledgewood area. Sunday I'll be at the Christ Chapel of Essex, meeting at Caldwell College beginning at 10 AM.

Safely home after 4,300 miles of ministry on the road

600+ miles today in my truck and arrived safely home. We thank the Lord for all of his blessings and protection. Amazing how a truck feels like riding in a Rolls Royce after 3,000 miles on a motorcycle seat! After Bike Week ends, we will be following up with the 3 guys from the motorcycle shop to continue to water the seeds we planted and see if we can lead them to faith in Christ.

Safely back in SC!

The Lord blessed us with another perfect day to complete our return from Florida to West Columbia, SC today. In all we did about 3,000 miles on the motorcycles. Today we prayed for our waitress Kim when we stopped for breakfast. At a gas station, Ron connected with a couple on a motorcycle from Georgia. He shared the Gospel with them. At another gas station farther north, a lady from Michigan came up to me to talk about motorcycles. She bought a Softail last year and can't wait for the snow to be gone so she can ride. I shared a Gospel of John with her and she committed to read it.

Ron and I are amazed at God's goodness. We have been on the road since Feb 19th. We have not had to rent a room for even one night as brothers and sisters in the Lord put us up. Many of these couples fed us and did our laundry. We planted a ton of seeds and were even blessed to return to the soil we planted in to water the seeds. We saw a number of people surrender their lives to Christ at the MAD Live Event and we were blessed to teach it 5 times while we were in Florida. He provided us with almost perfect weather and complete safety. We are now in West Columbia, SC. The bikes are loaded in the trailer for the long ride back to PA tomorrow. We are trusting the Lord for more Divine appointments along the way. Thank you for praying for us!

All praise to our God!

Yesterday's ministry and today's travels

Ron and I finished our last day of ministry at Bike Week yesterday. Ron had the opportunity to have a long conversation with a 6th employee at Cycle Gear. He gave him a Gospel of John, then a New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs when we returned to the store later. I was able to water the seeds I had planted with Mauro and Sal while we were there. We had other opportunities to share during the day as well.

Today we covet your prayers as we pack everything up and ride the motorcycles 3-400 miles back to Columbia, SC to load the truck. Lord willing we'll arrive safely in PA tomorrow. Our ministry is not over as well fully expect God to connect us with others in our travels as we live the evangelistic lifestyle.

The Single Difference That Makes a Hero

Tyler's story really touched me and he showed me what makes someone a hero. In this case-an eight-year-old hero. Since he didn't have school on Martin Luther King Day, Tyler went to stay at his grandpa's trailer for the night. He wasn't the only one. Nine people slept that night in that little trailer.

Tyler woke up with a fire next to him. The blanket covering his four-year-old cousin was in flames. Tyler worked fast to get his loved ones out of that trailer. He and six of his relatives made it outside. His grandfather and uncle didn't. And his disabled grandpa needed a wheelchair to get around. Well, with Tyler's sister trying unsuccessfully to grab his hand, the little guy ran back into the house now engulfed in flames. He was not going to let his loved ones die in those flames.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Single Difference That Makes a Hero."

Tyler's body was found next to his grandfather's and his uncle's in the next room. The boy's mom said through her tears, "It looked like he had his arms around his grandpa, trying to find a way to carry him."

The superintendent of the district where Tyler was a 4th-grader summed it up pretty well. "According to emergency personnel, Tyler was the person who discovered the fire and tried to wake the eight other people in the residence at the time. In bravely and selflessly giving his own life, he was able to save the lives of six others and he is truly a hero."

At sporting events, very common in our country, we hear the word "hero" bandied around a lot. But little Tyler truly shows us what the word really means-self-abandonment. From Tyler's trailer fire to the collapsing Twin Towers of September 11 and virtually every rescue we've ever heard of, that's the difference that makes a person a life-saving hero-caring so much about not letting people die that you forget about yourself. It's not about me; it's all about the people in danger.

Not just people in a burning building but people we know. Who are today one day closer to an unthinkable eternity because they're one heartbeat away from having to pay the eternal death penalty for their sin. Which Jesus already paid! The Bible says, "The Lord Jesus gave Himself for our sins to rescue us..." (Galatians 1:4). Hanging on a cross, He paid for our sin so we can trade the hell we deserve for the heaven we could never deserve.

But somebody has to tell them they're in need of rescue; that God's only Son loves them enough to die for them, that Jesus is reaching out His hand for them, that they only have to grab Him as their only hope. In our word for today from the Word of God in Jude 23, God summons us this way: "snatch others from the fire and save them."

But sometimes we're with doomed people we know for years and we never tell them about our Jesus. They stay lost because we don't tell them the way home. And they'll be lost forever if we remain silent. It's because we're afraid; afraid they won't like us anymore, afraid of what they'll think, afraid we'll mess it up, afraid they might laugh at us or reject us. Did you notice all the fears that keep us from going in for the rescue have one thing in common? They're all about "me"; what might happen to me if I try to rescue them.

And that's where the hero difference can be the difference between heaven and hell for someone we care about. Self-abandonment; caring so much about not letting them die that you forget about yourself. Because you're more concerned about what will happen to them than what it might cost you.

I've stood by the casket of someone I never told. It's one of the most awful feelings in the world. I can't have that back. But there are people around me who still have a chance. They just need to know what Jesus did for them.

Our orders from God are so clear. "Rescue those being led away to death" (Proverbs 24:11). The consequences of holding back are awful: "He will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood" (Ezekiel 3:18).

There's still time, though, if I will just forget about myself like my Savior did.

Final Live Event in Florida is in the history books

We completed our fifth Make a Difference Live Event in 3 weeks in Naples, FL today. We had 52 people attend and 2 people gave their lives to Christ at the Live Event! PTL!!! Ron and I left and drove 254 miles back to Daytona arriving safely. We had a few close calls with some idiots (sorry)....but that's the only way to describe the way they drive. Going through Orlando at night on Interstate 4 was an interesting experience. We stopped for dinner and prayed for our waitress Jessica and her husband. We'll spend the night with my cousin and head out early to test drive some bikes and meet the guys from the Cycle Gear store to water the seeds I plants a few days ago. All the while we'll be looking for new opportunities to share our faith with people.

Safely in SW Florida!

As we started out this morning it looked like it was going to be cold. The sun warmed things up quickly and we had a beautiful day for our 280 mile ride to Naples. I bought a neck gaiter/face guard to help me avoid the sun. It was nice not to have to put sunblock on. See selfie. We stopped for a late breakfast and got to pray for our waitress. Her name is Reba. She is a sister in the Lord and is pregnant with her fist child - due in October. We continued on our way and had a detour for a car vs mc accident. Someone didn't look and pulled out in front of the Ohio man riding his bike. He T-boned the car and from what I understand, he was not seriously hurt but did have to go to the hospital for treatment. We stopped for gas and the flatbed carrying his bike came into the gas station. See photo. We are staying with Conway and Evelyn, formally of NJ. Ron and I set up at the church and are awaiting a pasta meal with our hosts.

Cold = Hurt

Words of wisdom from my friend Ron: "Heat is uncomfortable. Cold hurts." 49 degrees to start our day on the bikes. I guess "hurting" is in our future for a while.

Wrong seat!

We were greeted by drizzle this morning as we began our day of ministry. It was cold and windy most of the day. After having breakfast and praying for our waitress Patti, Ron and I headed over to the speedway so we could visit vendors and share Christ. We were able to share our faith and a Gospel of John with a number of vendors. Ron and I each had some one on one encounters with people who stopped and started conversations with us. We took our hosts to dinner tonight to thank them for the lodging for the week. The selected the Golden Coral. We had a nice meal and several of us went to grab a dessert. I walked back to the table and sat down. No one had returned to the table yet. I looked at the table behind me and it was empty, just as it was when I left. There was a gray sweatshirt kind of garment on the chair next to mine. Ron was wearing a gray “something” as I recall. I stretched out the arm of the sweatshirt and thought….this looks too small to be Ron’s. As I am sitting there eating this small ice cream cone, something just doesn’t feel right. Am I in the right seat? A woman walks up to the table and gets ready to sit on the other side of the table. She looks at me and says, “I think you’re at the wrong table.” I said, “Yes, I am!” I got up and walked around the corner and found the right table. Too funny.

Tomorrow promises to start cold…around 50 degrees, but will warm up as the day progresses. We have about 300 miles to ride tomorrow to get to Naples in time for dinner with our host family. We’ll do a MAD Live Event on Sunday at the Berean Baptist Church, then ride back to Daytona, arriving late Sunday evening. We covet your prayer for safety, no mechanical issues or accidents and for God’s Spirit to move mightily in the hearts of the people there.

Best day of ministry yet!

Ron and I woke up to some rain today. So we donned our rain gear and headed out to breakfast. We had a waitress named Becky and we shared a Gospel of John with her and prayed for her and her Mom Kathy. We then went to Destination Daytona to check out the vendors. I saw the butt "Buffer Booth" and wanted to stop there and let Ron look at the gel pads to see if one of them could make him more comfortable on the long rides. In the course of conversation, it turns out that Pete lives in Ephrata, PA...about 20 minutes from my house and Jim lives in Mechanicsburg, PA. Jim is a Catholic and Pete is an Agnostic or Atheist (he wasn't quite sure). I had a great conversation with each of them, sharing my testimony and the plan of salvation in detail. I gave Jim a Gospel of John and I gave Pete the One Second After You Die book.

We eventually ended up at the Cycle Gear store to help them move their inventory into a U-Haul truck to make room for the Bike Night tonight. I had volunteered to help them when we were in the store yesterday. Ron and I cleared the showroom section ourselves...moving boxes of helmets, boots, bike covers, AVT jacks, and wheel chocks into the truck. Several of the store employees organized the goods in the back of the truck as we brought it in. When we were done, the manager, Mauro, and the 4 other employees were a little stunned that we came down to help expecting nothing in return. We just explained that we wanted to serve. I went to the back of the store to get my helmet and met Sal in the back room. If I judged by appearance, he would have been the lease interested in what I had to share. Boy would I have been wrong! He had tattoos all over and up his neck and he was a pretty big dude. I started a conversation with him and gave a complete Gospel presentation and my testimony. He hung on every word and was shocked and very interested in the fact the he could know for sure where he was going to spend eternity. He seemed VERY concerned about his eternal destination. I shared the Gospel of John with him and he saw the other book in my hand (One Second After You Die), and asked if he could have that one as well. I said, "sure" and gave him one. He said he would keep them with him and he would definitely read them today. We talked for a total of about 10 minutes and he asked if he could have my number if he had questions. ABSOLUTELY! He kept thanking me and I hope to hear back from him. I then went to each of the other employees, Jim, Omar, Aaron, and Manager Mauro and shared my testimony and the Gospel with them. Jim had some interest. Omar and Aaron not so much. When I finally got to Mauro, an Italian Catholic, he too, hung on every word and we never broke eye contact through the whole discussion. I gave him my phone number as well and we'll see what the Lord does! What a day...thank you Jesus!

Ministry Update

Yesterday Ron and I traveled from site to site offering to help vendors set up for Bike Week. We got no takers but people were genuinely touched by our offer to help. This opened the doors for us to share our faith in Christ with them. I got a referral from a MAD Grad in Montvale, NJ with someone in Port Orange. Ron and I met the contact and his pastor for lunch yesterday. This may be a place we can minister next time we are in the area.

Today we will be looking to share with the people whom God connects us with, and at 3 PM, we will be at the Cycle Gear Store helping the manager and staff to clear their showroom to make room for a Bike Night Event. There will be 5 people there that we will serve and have an opportunity to share Christ with.

Update

Ron and I have shared Christ with a number of people yesterday and today. We scouted out several vendor areas and asked people if we could help them set up...no charge...just to serve. Some did not need help, but we plan on helping the staff at Cycle Gear to move their store inventory this Thursday to prepare for a motorcycle event to be held in their store. We will also be helping some vendors set up their booths tomorrow at the Speedway.

Ministry Milestone Reached This Past Weekend

Ministry Milestone reached - as of this past weekend, we have equipped over 20,000 people in 20 states and Canada in 372 MAD Live Events. All glory to God!

A VERY Cool Divine Appointment!

We completed the MAD Live Event at the Port St. Lucie Bible Church today, packed the bikes up and prepared to head 155 miles north to Daytona. We stopped for dinner on the way and prayed for our waitress and her teenage daughters. We left her a Gospel of John with a nice note in it with a good tip.

As we left the restaurant, the temperature was dropping so I thought it would be best to replace the mesh riding jacket I had been wearing with my leather one. That way I wouldn’t have to stop and change as the temperature continued to drop. Ron kept his lightweight jacket on and we continued north. After awhile, my gas began to get low and I thought we’d need to be stopping in the next 20 miles or so to refuel. Ron passed me and pulled in front of me. as we traveled up Route 95. I followed him for a little while, then pulled out to pass him. As soon as I pulled out he put his right turn signal on to exit, so I pulled in behind him. Ron got off the exit and pulled into a gas station. It was pretty empty except for a Mercedes parked on the side of the building. I began gassing my bike and the man from the Mercedes came over to me and asked if I knew where the closest repair shop was. I asked him what the problem was and he said he didn’t know exactly, but he was overheating and other things were not right. I said I would take a look at it and suspected he had a problem with his serpentine belt. I opened the hood of his car and shined my light behind the radiator and the problem was obvious. His belt was shredded. I reached in and pulled out a handful of spaghetti like black shreds of his former serpentine belt and said, “Here’s the problem.” He wasn’t going anywhere tonight. We discussed his options and he said he was going to get a tow and get someone to drive him home 180 miles south. I detected a familiar NY accent and asked where he was from. “Brooklyn” he replied. I told him my Dad was born and raised in Brooklyn. I asked what their names were, and he said “Mike and Gina”. I introduced Ron and myself and asked if I could share something with them and he said, “Sure.” I pulled out a Gospel of John and briefly explained what it was. He told me he was a Catholic and I explained that I was too, but that I had found the truth, briefly explaining the difference between religions and a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. I told him that I was sure that I was going to Heaven when I died and I wanted him and his wife to be there too. I then asked him if I could pray for them. They looked at each other and said “yes”. I put my hand on Mike’s shoulder and Ron put his hand on Gina’s shoulder and I prayed for them, thanking God for allowing us to meet them. I also said that even though this was an inconvenience for them, that this was ordained of the Lord so we could meet them and share Christ with them. There was more content in the prayer and when I concluded the prayer, Gina was in tears. She crossed herself, said, “thank you” and walked back to her car. Mike also thanked me and we walked away. I turned and saw Gina in the car and I waived goodbye to her. She waived back. After we remounted the bikes and began to leave, I glanced back and they were sitting on a picnic bench reading the Gospel of John! How cool is that! Praise God! This Divine appointment made the perfect ending to our day. I can’t wait to see whom we get to meet tomorrow!

MAD Live Event in Jupiter

We did a MAD Live Event for the folks at Harvest Bible Chapel, one of James MacDonald's churches in Jupiter today. Tomorrow we are doing one for the Port St. Lucie Bible Church, then its on to Daytona.