Gospel 4 Kids, Inc.

PO Box 7477

Surprise, AZ  85374

(602) 799-5479

gospel4kids@msn.com

www.gospel4kids.com

Delivering God's Good News to Children

Dear Friends, 

Time really does fly by quickly!  It seems like just a few days ago I was mailing out the Summer Newsletter and asking for prayer for the upcoming VBSs.  Then all of a sudden the VBSs are finished and I am preparing for the new school-year ministries!   

It was a great summer of ministry, but it was also a very exhaustive one for me for various reasons.  I am thankful for the strength the Lord gave me (Philippians 4:13) and want to THANK YOU for your prayers and/or financial support of Gospel 4 Kids (G4K) which also enabled me (and Nicki when able) to reach almost 1400 boys & girls with the Gospel this summer!  Praise the Lord (PTL) for the 116 who were counseled and received Jesus as Savior and the 5 who were counseled for assurance of salvation!  At least 65 more children also raised their hands indicating they prayed to receive Jesus as Savior!  

The 3 VBSs in June were those I was the missionary/evangelist for the week and had the opportunity each day/night to share the Gospel with all the children and help with Christian growth using the daily Bible point.  There was another VBS in June where I went for one night and was able to share the Gospel to all of the children.  Each of these VBSs had a different theme and I was able to adapt the theme with the Gospel message.  

The 4 VBSs in July were those I conducted the whole program (and Nicki when able) along with helpers from sponsoring churches using the “Avalanche Ranch – A Wild Ride Through God’s Word” theme.  The daily Bible points learned during Avalanche Ranch were: God Is Real; God Is With Us; God Is Strong; God Is Awesome; and God Is In Charge!  Unfortunately, the Kids Camp at a Phoenix daycare which was scheduled the first week of August was cancelled. 

We gave away 1656 Gospel bracelets & tracts and over 300 other types of Gospel literature.  112 Bibles supplied by G4K were given to children who did not have one of their own.  Over 60 more Bibles were given away by churches who supplied them.  We also gave away a lot of nice prizes earned by the children for their attendance; bringing their Bibles each day; learning their Bible verses; doing their daily challenges; and bringing visitors.

The summer months are the busiest time of year in ministry for G4K and have the most expenses.  One of the first questions I am asked is, “How much do you charge to do VBS?” (or any ministry event).  By faith, ALL of the ministries of G4K are FREE and it is always amazing to see how the Lord provides!  This summer was no exception!  A lot of churches challenge the children to bring in missionary offerings during VBS.  Two churches this summer collected offerings for G4K and over $1300 was brought in!  These are boys & girls helping other boys & girls hear the Gospel!  G4K also received very generous gifts from other churches for the ministry provided them this summer!  Finally, a very generous gift was given by a regular supporting church which paid for G4K’s liability insurance for another year!  All of these gifts plus the regular support & special gifts received from individuals helped meet the ministry expenses through August 23^rd!  We trust the Lord will continue to meet the ministry expenses for the remainder of the year!

I want to share with you some other praises & highlights that took place this summer.

I received an e-mail that read, “I just wanted to share words of encouragement of what the Lord had done. A young man (probably going into 6th grade) brought his cousin to VBS this year. His cousin, apparently, was a very angry and "mean" person. This young man wrote our senior Pastor to share with him that he wished VBS would be 3 weeks longer. His cousin made a dramatic change in his life by going to VBS (he met Jesus!). He cannot believe the difference in his cousin.  How we give all the glory to the Lord!!!”

Nicki & I were not sure how many children would come to VBS at our home the week of July 19-23.  After passing out flyers/permission slips to parents in our neighborhood, we knew of only 3 children who were coming for sure (plus Faith & Aaron).  Two of those children were our neighbor’s grandsons visiting from California.  PTL, we ended up having 19 children enrolled that week!  A church in Surprise was not able to have VBS this summer asked if they could have kids come to our home!  There were churched & unchurched kids who came!  PTL for the 4 children who received Jesus as Savior that week including our neighbor’s older grandson from CA! 

Word-of-mouth has been the most effective way all these years for G4K to partner with other churches, organizations, and individuals.  This was the case involving the last VBS of the summer.  A lady from a church where I have done ministry at gave G4K information to her relative at another church and I was contacted to conduct a VBS for them.  Because it was the first time this church was holding a VBS at their location in Glendale, they had no idea how many children would come.  PTL Nicki was able to help me each night along with helpers from the church because there were 46 children enrolled that week with 11 receiving Jesus as Savior!

I always encourage the kids who have received Jesus as Savior to wear the Gospel bracelets they are given and share the colors of the Gospel with their unsaved family & friends.  It was encouraging to learn recently from a dad who said his son did just that with his grandmother who is not saved.  The dad said the grandmother did not pray to receive Jesus as Savior at that time, but he was thankful his son was sharing with her!

The month of August has been used by me to get caught up with the ministry administrative work that piled up over the summer.  I also conducted two Leading A Child To Christ 2-hour training classes and partnered with a youth sports organization to give a Gospel Presentation at an event they held. 

The phone calls & e-mails have been coming in to schedule monthly Christian school & daycare chapels for the new school-year; monthly Awana counsel times; a Gospel Party at a Missionary conference in November; and Gospel Presentations at two ministry Christmas Parties in December.  BUT, there are still many available dates I need YOUR HELP to fill! 

If you would like to learn more about the ministry events G4K provides (Gospel Parties, GospelFests/VBS, Gospel Presentations, Open-air Evangelism, and Teacher Training), please take a few minutes to view our web site.  I would love to have you contact me to schedule a ministry event in your home, church, or place of ministry!  I would also appreciate if you would pass along G4K information to a friend, church leader, Christian school or daycare administrator, etc. so they too can learn about G4K and schedule an event.  Remember, ALL ministry events are FREE, but donations to G4K are accepted.

If you have an e-mail address and would like to receive periodic e-mail updates from me, please send me an e-mail to gospel4kids@msn.com so I can add you to my address book.  Please be sure to include your first & last name in the e-mail so I know for sure who sent it.  All my e-mail updates are originated by me and not forwarded ones and will help keep you more up-to-date in between printed newsletters.

THANK YOU, too, for your prayers for our family!  Nicki & I are thankful we did not get sick this summer, but Faith had a fever and more fluid in her ears and Aaron had croup again and is currently getting over a runny nose.  Your continued prayers for our health are appreciated!

Nicki and I are thankful both sets of grandparents were able to watch Faith & Aaron throughout the summer when I needed Nicki to help me at a VBS!  The week of August 9^th (my birthday was the 10^th) we were able to take Faith & Aaron on some outings around the Valley.  We went to the Sea Life Aquarium in Tempe; the Children’s Museum of Phoenix; bowling; Peter Piper Pizza; and the first preseason football game for the AZ Cardinals!   It was a fun week and we were thankful for all of the free coupons we were able to use!

Faith enjoyed participating in 3 VBSs this summer (2 at churches + 1 at our home).  She learned all of her verses and loved learning the different songs & motions from each VBS!  She was able to take swim lessons this summer through the city of Surprise and did really well!  (The doctor said it was ok even with the fluid in her ears.)  She is now more comfortable being in the water.  Nicki recently started up again with Faith’s preschool homeschooling.  Faith is doing a great job sounding out and reading several words.  She loves to draw, color, and make crafts.  She already started Awana Cubbies and will be taking ballet & tap lessons again starting in September.  She cannot wait to turn five on September 19^th! 

Aaron was able to participate (as much as a 2½-year-old can) in 2 VBSs this summer (1 at a church + 1 at our home).  I would ask him each night after the church VBS what he did and his reply was, “Play and eat!”  Aaron enjoyed spending time with the grandparents by himself the week he did not go with Nicki, Faith, and me to VBS.  His potty training is still ongoing.  Nicki has him in underwear when they are home.  Unfortunately, he still is not telling us when he has to go, but he does a good job of going when we take him.  Aaron enjoys “having school” along with Faith and does a good job!  He cannot wait to turn three on December 16^th!

Nicki started again to substitute teach this week (August 23^rd) with a half-day on Monday.  She told the school she would be available on Mondays & Tuesdays most weeks this year.  We are thankful for the extra income and for both sets of grandparents willing to help watch Faith & Aaron on the days Nicki is called in so I can continue to work.

THANK YOU again for your prayers and/or financial support! 

For God’s Glory,

Dave & Nicki Evans

P.S.  You can view more photos of Faith & Aaron on the Family Photos page.

If you or your church would like to send a Special Gift to this ministry, checks should be made payable to Gospel 4 Kids and mailed to PO Box 7477, Surprise, AZ  85374.  All donations to Gospel 4 Kids are tax-deductible, and a year-end statement will be sent for all donations received.  If you feel led to become a regular financial supporter on a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly basis, please contact us and we will send you a regular support pledge card to fill out.

Thank you for taking the time to view our web site.  If you have any questions or would like to partner with G4K in any way, please call 602-799-5479 or e-mail us at gospel4kids@msn.com.