Positioning Churches for Unstoppable Growth
(L-R: Jacob, Johnny, Abigail, & John David)
Dear Partners, Family and Friends,
Happy 4th of July! 244 years ago, our determined leaders declared independence from Great Britain to establish these United States of America. Over these 244 years, through civil and foreign wars, economic depression, political fallout, a sexual revolution and epidemics, we have always rallied as a nation to become one people. If we have ever needed something to bring our nation together, it is now! Riots in our streets, unemployment at depression era levels, a pandemic that seems to be gaining a second head of steam and a looming election that has everyone on edge. Over these past three and half months, Karen and I have been working diligently with many pastors, evangelists and denominational leaders to ask, in a season of change, what is the role of the evangelist in the shifting church culture? What we have seen, has been so hopeful and so engaging that we want to share it with you.
Training for War
An army that is not trained for war will never know the depth of the fight that they are facing. You must know your enemy to be able to identify and defeat them. We have found that many churches are so disproportionately trained in evangelism, that they want to simply stay in the barracks and never enter the battlefield. Jesus said: follow me and I will make you fishers of men, not just keepers of the aquarium. H.O.P.E. Outreach (Hour Of Power Evangelism) is supernaturally positioned for this hour. We are training, organizing and mobilizing the army of God for real community influence. In the state of Alabama, we are scheduling, right now, meetings to bring multiple congregations together. This will be a coordinated outreach weekend to assist many churches at one time. We could potentially touch many thousands of people in one weekend. It will include a Friday night Holy Spirit rally, a Saturday morning outreach and then a Sunday morning soul winners service. It will conclude with a Sunday night celebration service with all of the churches.
“People are looking for comfort,
peace, and security in this hour.”
HOPE outreach, that the Lord gave to us while we were pastoring the City Church of Mobile, is taking center stage in this effort. The goal is to help every church with the HOPE outreach process to touch their community after this event with a systematic, simple and yet a fully sustainable outreach process. It is so exciting to imagine the possibilities. Will you please dream with us and for these great ministry weekends across Alabama?
If we never train for battle, we will never be ready for battle. The battle is for the souls of men. The war will be won as we share the message of the gospel one-on-one and heart-to- heart with people all around our churches and all across this state. The fight is to mobilize the army for influence. We do not win wars sitting in the barracks. We must mobilize. In all of our travels, we have seen, that many pastors are not personal soul winners. They often
get bogged down in the daily maintenance of church ministry, which is very important. This is where the evangelist comes in to serve the church, train the army and mobilize for war! Because this ministry was so deeply involved in this process already, the Lord has positioned us for real influences in many states all across the nation. As the fall of the year arrives, it seems we will be able to ramp up again to help churches in these regions to reach out to their Jerusalem. Pray with us that these city outreaches will be successful. It is our great hope that many will be saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and that the churches we are honored to serve will come alive to a real passion for evangelism.
Widows and Orphans Ministry:
Another Unexpected Blessing
Karen and I have always been involved in the ministry to widows and orphans. James 1:27 says, “religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” As many of you know, I have started a lawn business during this pandemic. Many of my clients are widows, and they have taken to me as “their own personal evangelist” who comes to their homes. It has been so sweet to minister to them as I make their lawn beautiful. I have recently completed a raised potting bed for one of our widows, she is 81 years old and alone here in Mobile. This helped her so that she did not need to bend over to plant her garden. She called me a few days ago and just harvested her first tomato. She was so excited. What a joy it has been to care for their lawns, pray with them and assist them with many other needs. I have helped them with better ways to get their prescriptions, household repairs and much more. It has been an unexpected ministry.
We are also deeply involved in the Hope House here in Mobile. It is a home with 6 mentally challenged adults. They are all void of a biological family and alone in this home and under the care of a house mom. Their families are either deceased or have completely rejected them. We have started taking them out to lunch on Saturdays. It is like Christmas when I drive up to the Hope House. They are all waiting outside at the mailbox for my arrival. They all pile in my car and off we go to McDonalds, Zaxby’s, Wendy’s or other local fast food locations. I tell them silly jokes and make them laugh for just a moment. Then, I pray with them. When I drop them off, they are so grateful and appreciative that it makes me weep as they all stand waving as I pull away from their home. It is difficult situation where they live. We are asking several churches to help us adopt this house to elevate the function of the home and bring joy to those who live there. We are planning Christmas in July for them on July 11th. Pray that this day will be a day of happiness and celebration. They are smart and capable adults who suffer with mental or emotional challenges. Pray that this ministry will grow and expand to other homes in Mobile. If you would like to help us with the Christmas in July, you can help with the following items, or designate a gift for this event:
- Used Refrigerator (or new)
- Used Washer and Dryer (or new)
- Games (card or board)
- Undergarments (men and women large and extra large)
- Socks (men and women large and extra large)
- Clothing for 2 ladies and 4 men (large and extra large)
I will give you a report next month how this event unfolds. What an unexpected joy this has been to help our widows and our orphans in Mobile, Alabama. Because we were so focused on travel to other areas over these past years, we missed this real need right here in our our city. Pray that we will lead them to faith in Jesus and that we will be a source of joy for both the widows and the orphans.
Please visit https://johnnyjerniganministries.com today!
This is what you support when you support Johnny Jernigan Ministries. We are helping churches with evangelism strategies and mobilization to reposition for success in a pandemic church culture. We are also ramping up for real ministry to widows and orphans here in Mobile. Please, ask the Father what you can do to help us fulfill this calling. We have not received regular financial church support as a ministry for over 3 months now. It has been a challenge, but our God is so faithful! Your giving propels us forward to fulfill these type of ministries. The scripture says, “How can they hear unless someone tells them AND, how can they go unless they are sent?” The telling and the sending are both equally as important as the other. We will go, we simply need your help to send us.
Churches are waiting on us. Widows and orphans are waiting on us. Will you help us continue these needed ministries? We are in such a season of uncertainty. Fear and confusion are rampant. People are looking for comfort, peace and security in this hour. That is why we must be a loud voice for the gospel so that many will find rest in a wonderful relationship with Jesus. Please pray that the Father will use us to be a light in this darkness and that souls will come to faith in Jesus! We love you all and count it all joy to be your evangelist. We pray a 100-fold return to you for helping us. Shalom!
Evangelists Johnny and Karen Jernigan Psalm 27