Moments with missionaries: Falcon, Colorado

Falcon, Colorado

Steven H. Prahl

Before our church’s grand opening in October 2016, we held three “preview” services to get used to setting up our equipment and chairs in the school we were renting for worship. It was the week of our last “preview” worship service when God gave us an opportunity to do what I call “granola bar evangelism.”

That day, shortly after everyone had gone into the gym for worship, one of my daughters went into the hallway and saw two girls grab some granola bars from our hospitality area and run out the door. My daughter told my wife, Jill, who followed them out. The girls were getting on their bikes, but one had a problem with her bike. Instead of accusing them of stealing, Jill offered to help. She found a granola bar had fallen into the gears of the girl’s bike in her attempt to make a “dine and dash” getaway. The object of her sin had literally derailed her! Jill helped her fix her bike and told the girls that they didn’t need to run off. They were welcome to come in for church anytime. The girls said, “Okay,” and took off on their bikes.

Eight minutes later, those same girls and three other kids walked into the middle of our service! They sat down, and during the next hymn I went and talked to them. I asked if they wanted to go to FoundationKIDS (our Sunday school), which was about to start during the sermon. They said they didn’t know what Sunday school was . . . they had never gone to a church in their lives. They went to FoundationKIDS and stayed for the rest of the service, adding their loud “Amen!” at the end of the Lord’s Prayer.

After worship, all five kids (ages 6-13) asked to help with our door hangers that day promoting our grand opening. I told them they had to ask their parents if they could go, expecting their parents would be skeptical and likely say no. In minutes, they were back with their parents’ permission! They were awesome helpers, running from house to house and even taking invitations home for their parents and friends.

Those same five kids came back two weeks later for our grand opening (without their parents). Since then, they have consistently come back to worship with us, even asking if they could come to our Bible Basics class for new members! Better still, they regularly bring friends to worship! They wear the T-shirt from our grand opening to school and are always eager to shout, “Hey, Pastor Steve!” when they see me.

That Sunday, with much of our attention and energy focused on preparing for the grand opening, God gave us a great reminder of why we are here and doing what we are doing. He also reminded us that we never know whom he will bring into our lives and how he can use what seem like “chance” encounters—hungry kids coming to play on the school playground during church—to give us opportunities to witness.

Steven Prahl serves as a home missionary at Foundation, Falcon, Colorado. Foundation had 95 people—50 of them local prospects—at its Easter service this year.

Author: Steven H. Prahl
Volume 104, Number 7
Issue: July 2017

Copyrighted by WELS Forward in Christ © 2021
Forward in Christ grants permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be printed for use in a WELS church, school, or organization, provided that it is distributed free and indicate Forward in Christ as the source. Images may not be reproduced except in the context of its article. Contact us