Wow has life been going by! Recently, Janalee and I celebrated 45 years of marriage and Forerunner Ministries 43 years.

Over the next few months, or however long it takes, we want to share with you stories and testimonies from this 43-year journey, remembering what the Lord has done and is continuing to do; giving testimony to the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord.

Janalee and I were married June 1981, in Detroit Lakes, MN, and were involved at Northern Lights Missionary Outreach, Pastor Fred and LuAnne Soyring. In 1983, after much prayer, fasting, and counseling, we accepted the call of God on our lives; to live a life of faith in God for our provision and to minister to His people.

During our time seeking the Lord as to what He had for us and what we felt He was calling us to do, my mom shared a scripture verse, Zechariah 4:10, about not despising the day of small beginnings. Looking back this was a foundational scripture along with Revelation 3:8, “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it…”

There’s another story behind walking through the open door of ministry opportunity and trying to make things happen, but eventually we were free to launch out.

In June of 1983, we gave up our apartment, put what we had in storage and headed out to what seemed like the unknown.

Our first stop was Baudette, Minnesota, where our friends Pastors Dave & Mary Lee Gens pastored Church of the Living Water. We had known them from our days in Detroit Lakes and our very first recording, “There is a Beauty”, was recorded in their living room. They were Forerunners in answering their call to Northern Minnesota to start a church. So it was very special to make our first stop in Baudette.

The church met in an old barn with no electricity. We don’t recall everything from our first meeting/concert, but do remember there was a sweet spirit there that night and we knew the meeting was over then we were invaded by the local mosquitoes!!

POST #2

Our first summer on the road full time as Forerunner Ministries, took us as we like to say, “coast to coast with the Holy Ghost”! We covered nine states with meetings and concerts at camps, youth groups, home meetings, Full Gospel Business Men’s meetings, and churches ranging from interdenominational, Lutheran, Baptist, and Mennonite.

One of the foundational works the Lord did in us that summer was introducing us to street evangelism. It all started in New York City with Pastor Harley & Jan Swartout and Redemption Ministry Center. I had attended Compassion Bible School with Harley & Jan in the 70’s before they headed to New York City to start a church.

I’m sure there have been times when you have called and cried out to the Lord asking for help now! New York City was one of those times for me when Pastor Harley asked me to close the street meeting one night. I needed boldness, love, and the gospel message now! People had been drinking and dancing to the music going on, but when I gave the invitation, they came forward. I remember being led to just say, “put your cigarettes and drinks down and come and receive Jesus”. And they did! I tell folks they got saved and I got delivered from fear and launched into street ministry.

Thank you, Pastor Harley & Jan, for throwing us into the battle and launching us to the streets!

In Southern California the Lord connected us with Soldiers for Jesus, run by Ken & Bill Henderson, two muscular, bold, and anointed men of God. The Lord connected us with them over the next eight plus years doing evangelism in Southern California and around the country.

I remember once in Seattle, Washington, we were at Pikes Place Market doing praise and worship and preaching the gospel. The police came and told us we could sing but not preach. We needed a song that would preach. Brother Bill and I looked at each other, and we both got a simple Caribbean style tune to John 3:16. We’d sing the verse then our chorus was spelling out eh name of J-E-S-U-S with Bill calling out things like “you’ll be saved” in between. It became our anthem street song over the next few years.

Thank you, Ken & Bill and Soldiers for Jesus, for taking us in and continuing to build on the foundation of street evangelism the Lord had established.

POST #3

As we continue to remember our ministry journey, Ephesians 2:8-10 (NKVJ; bold print is our addition) comes to mind.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

The fall of 1983 through the spring of 1985, we continued to tour the United States doing meetings and concerts in small towns/rural areas and working with other ministries in outreaches in Southern California and New York City. 

The following is a quote from our July 1984 newsletter.  “From April 25 to June 28, we covered 13 states for a total of 7,015 miles.  We had 29 concerts, participated in six additional meetings, helped at three street meetings, Bible studies, and a ten-mile walk-a-thon.”  During the fall of 1983, we recorded our third recording, “Little by Little” at a studio in Federal Way, Washington.

The spring of 1985 brought a change of direction for us along with relocating.  April 1985, after selling our vehicle, we loaded a little U-Haul truck with what possessions we had and left Northern Minnesota for our new home in Redlands, CA.  We would be working with a local church in Redlands, doing street evangelism with the Soldiers for Jesus, and continuing to travel as Forerunner doing meetings and concerts.

The evangelism thrust was about to begin! 

POST #4

During the late 1980’s – mid 1990’s there was an evangelism thrust, primarily to the streets, across the United States.  During these years, we traveled and worked with many ministries and churches doing evangelism in various cities.

One of the cities was Hollywood, California.  SOS Hollywood outreach was hosted and run by Ron & Judy Radachy, directors of the Oasis of Hollywood. 

There are so many stories and memories over the years of doing evangelism in Hollywood that it’s hard to pick a story to share with you.  I do remember one night our team was at a bus stop singing and witnessing.  A man, I believe his name was Smiley, came by quite drunk and joined in with the singing.  He stayed with us for quite a while and then we asked him if we could pray for him.  He said to go ahead, and I began to lead him in the sinner’s prayer.  As he started to repeat the prayer, he stopped me and said, “I can’t do this.  I’ve done this hundreds of times at the shelter.”  He paused and teared up and said, “I just asked God to send somebody by so I could sing.”  At that point, we all teared up and continued singing. 

Some sow and some reap.  Songs were sung and this man’s prayer was answered.  Another night in Hollywood.

Another time, behind the Oasis, our team sang to a young homeless, teenage girl with a shopping cart full of all her belongings.  Same thing; prayers over her and the presence of God was there.  The liquor store parking lot next to the dumpster was another spot of praise and worship.  Someone in the apartments next door heard the music and came down for prayer.  All of this before we even got on Hollywood Blvd with the outreach teams where we worshipped, the presence of the Lord came, and ministry happened.

It wasn’t always easy but thank you to Ron and Judy for hosting this outreach in that special season of evangelism.  Thank you, Ron and Judy, for your ministry all these years to the youth, families, and needy in Hollywood.  You are a tremendous example of faithfulness.

POST #5

As we continue to report on our season of evangelism, we want to mention that the outreaches to these cities were not just onetime events but happened yearly for quite a time span.  The testimonies and pictures we share are just a tidbit of what happened over the years working with many different churches and a tribe of evangelistic ministries.

Psalm 105:2 & 5, “Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works!  Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders and the judgments of His mouth.”

For many summers we would travel to New York City with the Soldiers for Jesus and work with Pastor Rick and Arlene DeRio, Abounding Grace Ministries, at the Jesus Loves You New York Outreach; ministering in the Lower East Side and Manhattan parts of New York City.  There are so many stories from the many years of outreaches here. 

I remember a night in Times Square, the heart of New York City, with the nightlife and crowds of people.  We had a team of 30 or so right in the middle of all this.  We jumped in and just started singing and praising the Lord one song after another.  It was like a surprise ambush!  I don’t recall all the stories except there was a lot of prayer for salvation, healing, and deliverance.

Another memory was when we were finishing up one night in Times Square and the bus had arrived to pick up the team, we had to go.  Bill Henderson, aka Manna Man, from Soldiers for Jesus had a half mile hailer (small amplifier) which he was preaching from.  Bill told me we needed to catch the bus.  I said, “preach!”  He told me, “No Mark, we’re going to miss the bus”.  I said, “preach!”  Bill preceded to preach and as he did, a homeless man heard this preaching from a distance and was drawn to it.  Bill prayed for him to receive Jesus.  The man then told Bill that he was on his way to the subway to throw himself on the tracks, but then he heard this voice talking about Jesus.  This man’s soul and life were saved, and we still caught the bus! 

One unforgettable memory happened in Tompkins Square Park.  So much was happening there with the drunks, homeless, and strife between the neighborhood and people in the park.  Riots broke out and even made the national news.  While on a plane from California to Jesus Loves You New York Outreach, I was reading the USA Today paper and saw a small section with the headlines, “Riots in Tompkins Square Park”.  Knowing we were going to be ministering there, I confess that faith was not rising in me!

Sure enough, we were ministering in another area when Pastor Rick DelRio told me the park stage was set and to go do some music and get things started.  As we were singing NYPD helmeted police entered the park.  At one point the Lord directed us to go near the homeless base camp and pray.  The Holy Spirit had our group kneel and lay on the ground to pray.  As we were doing this, I saw a light, which I wish had been the light of God, but instead was the light from a local news camera filming these crazy Christians!  Have you ever had your heart beat so loud you think others can hear it?  That’s what I felt.   Then the Holy Spirit reminded me of David and his battle with the Philistines when the Lord instructed him to wait until he saw the rustling in the trees.  I looked up at the trees and not a leaf was moving.  At one point Pastor Rick announced from the stage that we were here to let them know that Jesus loved them.  He also had t-shirts and coffee packets to hand out.  I told the team to grab the items and that we were going in.  As we entered the encampment, they were open and non-confrontational; prayer and ministry were able to happen.  The wall came down.

Thank you, Pastor Rick & Arlene DelRio, for your years of faithful service with Jesus Loves You New York outreaches and as pastors at Abounding Grace Christian Center.

POST #6

During our time living in Southern California, we were closely involved with the Soldiers for Jesus, an evangelistic organization with directors Ken & Bill Henderson. We ministered with them in evangelistic outreach events from local Southern California to across the United States. One occasion I remember was when we were in the Seattle-Tacoma area of Washington state. One night in a detention facility Ken & Bill and the team were doing their power feats prior to preaching the gospel. I don’t remember how I got roped into being involved, being the smallest of the muscle guys, but one of the feats was to rip a large yellow page phone book in two. Ken coached me how to hold the phone book in the right position and rip a few pages at a time. He kept encouraging me saying, “you got this, c’mon!” and lo and behold I got through the whole book. I threw it in the air, pages flying everywhere! The place erupted and we had their full attention in the preaching of the gospel. Another time was on a flight to the National Street Ministers Conference in Dallas, Texas. While returning to my seat, Bill asked me if the gospel should be preached throughout the world. I said, “yes”. Then he asked me if I should obey God. Again, I said, “yes” with no clue what was about to happen to me. During the flight I remember thinking that I didn’t really feel like talking to the person next to me. The plane started its descent, with a little turbulence, when suddenly, I hear this voice loudly saying, “Excuse me ladies and gentlemen. I was just talking with my good friend Mark, and we are preachers going to a conference in Dallas, and we wanted to ask you ‘what would happen if this plane crashed? Where would you go?’” I don’t remember the rest of what he said because after getting over the fear and initial shock, my first thought was “my God they’re going to think we are radical Christian terrorists, and the FBI or local agents will be waiting for us in Dallas! Needless to say, I leaned to the guy next to me and said, “well I guess you already know my name and we had a short, open conversation about the things of God. Psalm 138:3 & 8, “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.” “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.” It was an honor to serve with the Soldiers for Jesus for 10 years; preaching, teaching, training and doing the call of God on our lives. Thank you for the special friendship and for building on the foundation of evangelism in our lives.