The Ministry of Christian Concourse - Section 2

Our Mission

Since our beginning in 1991, the mission of this ministry has been to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to see Christian believers of all races and denominations relating and working together as children of the same Father. We seek to equip and empower Christians to encourage, exhort and build each other up in their faith in Jesus Christ - across the spectrum of theological orbits of Christianity. All of our endeavors incorporate tools that bring believers "in the trenches" together in meaningful activities. The single greatest factor in world evangelism is the unifying love that we have for one another. We strongly believe that in God's eyes, though there are many local assemblies, there is only one Church in each locality. And we are equally convicted that our Heavenly Father wants us to act like it! It is our prayer that these efforts will, in a great way, effect that reality.

The prayer of our Lord just before His crucifixion is the Biblical foundation for this mission:

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. " John 17:20-21

Our Outreach

We are missionaries called by the Lord to minister in three areas:

Care Facility Ministries

Christian Concourse conducts "church services" in many long-term care centers throughout Hampton Roads. Each audience is interdenominational - they are microcosms of the answer to Jesus' priestly prayer quoted above.

We also offer inspirational presentations and workshops for Christian groups who wish to expand their understanding of the volunteer needs of care facilities and their residents. We publish nursing home ministry aids in which we attempt to cover the full spectrum of volunteering and ministering needs in all types of care centers with an emphasis on the spiritual dimension of care for the residents.

Our materials are produced and assembled with the help of volunteers and provided without charge. They are not only given to those who attend our workshops for nursing home ministry, but to anyone who requests them from our website, to activity directors of care centers and to other volunteers and ministers we meet. The ministry aids include:

A Handbook for Nursing Home Ministry - this is the book you are reading: a comprehensive collection of ideas, information, guidelines, resources, tools and programs.

Our Hymn Book - Large print. 31 timeless hymns and 5 Christmas carols in large print bound in paperback. These come with an instrumental two-CD set with all the songs that are in the hymn book.

Christian Christmas Carol Booklet - 12 old favorites - great for caroling at a facility. Comes with an instrumental accompaniment CD.

We manage a computer lending program for care center residents. With the help of a faithful volunteer, Jeff Hadsell, we are able to receive donations of old computer equipment, reassemble them and place them, free of charge, with activity departments and residents of care facilities. The machines have many games, the Bible, and basic productivity software on them when we send them out.

Accepting donations of items approved by nursing home staff, we distribute "Care Packages" that are given to the residents of facilities. For a list of such goods, and a description of this program we refer you to this topic in Section 10.

Christian Concourse is participating with the Christian Fellowship of Care Center Ministries. This is a growing association of representatives of nursing home ministers from across the United States and Canada. Membership is for those who are ministering in a regional outreach involving more than one congregation and more than one facility. The purpose statement for CFCCM is: As a Christ-centered fellowship, we are committed to gather to provide encouragement for leaders of care center ministries. We do this through spiritual renewal, networking, fellowship and sharing resources. If you are involved in regional nursing home ministry, please consider participating with CFCCM. For more information on membership and upcoming meetings call us at 757-714-3133.

Original Christian Poetry and Testimonies

Christian Concourse Ministries publishes and distributes poems and testimonies of sincere Christians via a booklet titled The Journal for Jesus' Sheep. We print and assemble all publications ourselves. The Journals are given without charge to anyone who requests them. They are also available on our website. Authors are encouraged to share their work with us. If we select a particular piece for publication, our only requirement is that the writer sign a copyright release form. There is no charge to the author for his or her work being published.

Small-group Bible Study and Prayer

Chapter & Verse

We promote and facilitate small-group Bible study in an inductive-study format. Using a system developed by Jerry Johnson called Chapter & Verse, we provide the setting and the tools for believers to share their walk with the Lord and their observations from Holy Scripture on topics specifically relevant to their individual lives. Chapter & Verse is a "true" inductive study using a "true" seminar-style model. This means that we do not tell you or lead you to draw our conclusions from the Bible and, with oversight by an experienced participant, all members prepare for the same subject and share their work on an equal basis with their peers. This system provides a unique opportunity for Christians to develop personal discipline and integrity in their prayer life, their Bible study habits, and their interaction with fellow believers.

That the World May Know

As our schedule allows, we offer a tremendously rewarding video series by Ray Vander Laan, That the World May Know. Exploring the fascinating geographical and cultural backdrop for scriptural events and personalities, we discover their significance to us today. The video takes us to actual settings in Biblical lands with Ray's teaching illuminating, life-changing "faith lessons."

Prayer Meetings

The impact that the Church has in the secular community, including the nursing home arena, would be greatly enhanced if we worked together on a harmonious, multi-denominational basis. For this reason, and to this end, we promote and facilitate interdenominational, community- based prayer meetings, prayer retreats and ministry leaders' prayer groups.

For more information concerning any of these activities of our ministry, please contact us today.

The Leadership of Christian Concourse

Jerry and Dar Johnson - Jerry is the founder, president and Director of Ministry of Christian Concourse; an ordained minister in association with the Evangelical Church Alliance; and a former Associate Minister with Churchland Christian Fellowship. He received a bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from St. Leo College. Dar is his dear wife, trusted counselor, administrator, assistant and co-worker in the ministry. As members of Hampton Roads Activity Professionals Association we provide a liaison between the Christian community and this organization of area activity directors.

Larry McAdoo - Board member and secretary of Christian Concourse; retired Chaplain, U. S. Navy; ordained with Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. Larry received a bachelor's degree in Bible/Ministry from Manhattan Bible College in Manhattan, Kansas and a Master of Divinity from Lincoln Christian Seminary, Lincoln, Illinois. He ministers in local facilities with a true pastor's heart of faithfulness and compassion.

David Ensley - Board member and treasurer of Christian Concourse. Mr. Ensley is the Residential Supervisor and Safety Coordinator for Waste Industries, Inc. He loves the Lord Jesus and has a burden to see this ministry flourish to the glory of God.

Our Support

Everything this ministry does and all the materials we publish are provided without charge. The people to whom we minister in nursing homes cannot support us. We do not ask poets to pay us for sharing their work and we do not require others to pay us to read their poems. Our Bible study system, in its entirety, is available without charge on our website. We rely completely on the support of Christian friends who see the value of what we do and are willing to help us financially.

By God's Grace, the positive difference this ministry makes in the lives of others is significant and real...and eternal! Our expenses are real, too. In addition to our personal support, paper, ink, the raw materials for CD duplication, printing and office equipment, phone and internet service, and vehicle maintenance are all costly. The demand for our materials is increasing exponentially as more learn of the resources we provide. Our production to meet these demands is directly proportional to the financial sustenance we receive. We invite you to prayerfully consider supporting this Christian labor of love.

Christian Concourse Ministries, Inc., is a non-profit corporation registered with the State of Virginia and classified as a 501-C3 tax-exempt charity with the IRS. Your monetary gifts and the fair-market value of goods donated are tax-deductible. References and our financial statements are available upon request.

We sincerely pray that this humble handbook will minister to you. And, we pray that it will aid you in some way to be a greater blessing to the precious care facility residents to whom you minister.

For more information or to get involved in this exciting field of ministry contact us today. Phone: (757)714-3133

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