Matt Fisher and family. Matt and I met a couple of years ago in NYC while he was there to evangelize with his church. We have been dear brothers ever since. We try to visit the Fishers while we are in Pennsylvania and additionally Matt hits the campuses with us while we are there.

Shawn Holes preaching at a camp meeting in Warsaw, Ohio. Merciful God!

Gene the bus driver came and listened to me preach at Ohio State University. I had never met him before but he asked if I would drive his laps with him around campus and talk about Jesus. I obliged for two hours! I even preached to to passengers while we drove around.

Pastor Jerry Mawhor preaching at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.

Pastor Scott and his family along with Adeena Marx. William, Lisa and I enjoyed authentic Indian food. Pastor Scott reaches out to the battered women and children in the city of Dayton. Additionally, prayer is prioritized in his ministry.

Newlyweds - Brother Judah Marx and his wife Edina. Judah is the associate Pastor at Soul Winners church in Dayton, Ohio. I met Judah two years ago on the streets of Dayton. He is an open air evangelist. His pastor allowed me to preach at the Wednesday evening service. I preached James chapter 3.

Shawn Holes witnessing at Miami University Ohio

Judah Marx at Miami University Ohio. Repentance is not an option, it is a command.

Jerry Mawhor at Wright State. Many students were "free thinkers" and were trying to convince us that nothing is real. There is no proof of truth or reality, according to these men and women. But the Gospel was shared and God was exalted. Please take time to pray for the lost souls of our young people going to secular universities.

A quick update:

Lord willing, tomorrow morning we head over to Kentucky to attend the deeper conference.  There is a great Walmart in the neighborhood near the conference where we have stayed before, so we are well acquainted with the area.  This was very last minute for us to make plans to attend this wonderful event.  I am thankful that I will have a chance to be fed for a couple of days prior to going up to Chicago to visit my parents and preach in the Windy City.  I hope to preach at a train station in Glen Ellyn, IL as well as a couple of close by campuses in addition to preaching in downtown Chicago.  From there, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota are on the near horizon.  We are praying about doing a couple of days of revival meetings in homes and of course visiting campuses while in Wisconsin.

What a blessing it has been to be in Ohio.  The camp meetings went really well.  I was given much liberty from the Holy Ghost to speak freely.  I was absolutely totally 100% dependent on Him to lead me. And this last week we preached on four universities which is where my real passion and burden is.  These students are the future Mommies, and Daddies, businessmen, teachers, lawyers, and laborers that future generations will based off of.  what do they believe?  What do they trust?  What will the future hold for sinners that die in their sin?

October 8-10, Jesse Boyd of Full Proof Gospel Ministries is having an outreach event in Hickory, North Carolina.  There is an Oktoberfest going on in the town during that weekend.  More laborers are needed, so if you are able to come help, we welcome all who can come!  Housing and evening meals will be provided. Please contact me for more information.

Thank you for your continued financial support.  We cannot continue this ministry without you.  And thank you for continuing to pray for us.

Bless the Lord-oh my soul!

Shawn Holes and family

We had a wonderful week going out to campuses here in Pennsylvania. Many young people have heard the Good News of Jesus Christ.  There was much opposition and resistance, but also some seeds which were sown have landed on fertile soil.  I pray that fruits of salvation will be born out of young people giving their lives to Christ.

Several brothers pitched in for us to get a vehicle to tow the RV this year.  It needed some repairs and Joe Necerato is currently working on the Excursion to get it road worthy.  By the end of the week we should be in Ohio for those camp meetings I had written about in our last post.  I believe the Lord has me right where He wants me (on my knees).

We are constantly broken as to how the Lord uses the public proclamation of the Gospel to save souls and to magnify His glorious Name.  It is a worthy message to share and we are blessed to continue to share it.  Brothers came from a few states this last week and as much as I prayed for the Lord Jesus to be magnified and souls to be saved, I also prayed that the fellowship would be dear and an encouragement to the men that were in the trenches.  Needless to say we were blessed.

I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Psalm 30

'Joe's Garage' Joe digs in to the finer details of getting the Excursion road ready...

Sunrise prayer walks in the farmlands of Pennsylvania have been a blessing

Robert Parker at Bloomsburg University

Don at Lock Haven University - unfortunately a campus pastor from New Life Fellowship was telling people to not listen to us and to move along. We pressed on and lifted up our voices!

Our team on the first day at Penn State. Throughout the week we had a variety of brothers and sisters join in on the joy of sharing the Gospel from as far as North Carolina.

Jesse Boyd from Full Prof Gospel Ministries at Bloomsburg University preaches to students

Lisa witnessing to a student.

If these students are not born again then they will go to hell according to Scripture. They are the future moms and dads of this world we live in. What do they believe? How do their lives represent what they believe? Will they stop aborting their babies? Are they serving the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength? Is Jesus their King? We will see...

Shawn Holes preaching at Rehoboth Christian Fellowship in Allensville, PA. A message about living for the cares of the world vs. living for Jesus Christ was shared as an encouragement to all those in attendance.

Ken Fleck preaching at Penn State University. Many homosexuals, evilutionists, scantily dressed girls, atheists, professing Christians who were both for and against the Gospel being preached came out to hear the truth about Jesus Christ. We only spent two days on this campus but much more time is needed to plough the soil of this hard hearted campus. They boast of their ranking of top five in the country for best party schools. Is it based on how many people lose their lives in drunken car accidents or overdoses? Or maybe its based on how many sexually transmitted diseases are spread each semester. Are we ready to meet the Jesus Christ of the Bible?

Robert Parker preaching at Shippensburg University. Eight teachers came out and wore shirts saying "silent witness" and stood in front of the preachers.

We have stayed at Joe & Gen Necerato's for two weeks. It is a blessing to have fellowship in the name of Christ. Pat Necerato and family are shown here on the left and Joe on right. Lisa and William are center rear...

Brothers and Sisters.  As I write this I am both filled with joy and yet I also have a warning for those professing Jesus as Lord and Saviour.  I am filled with joy because of what Christ did for us by dying on the cross.  He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities… A new birth awaits the sinner by the grace of God and His sovereign plan of salvation.  I am thankful that old things are passed away, BEHOLD all things are become new!  Miracles of miracles, I rejoice with great praise for the Lord Jesus is alive!  I thank God for being merciful through the blood of Jesus Christ. Oh how wonderful it is to follow Jesus and how I love to tell the story of Jesus and His love.

However, brethren, the view of God, of Scripture, of what a Christian walk should look like Biblically appears to me to have gotten infected!  Spiritual disease has permeated itself into the church.  Sin is in the camp and mushy messages from the pulpit are not helping matters and in fact it is making things worse.  Cultural relativism and humanism abounds, so beware. Beware the culture is running the church!  Don’t think that your church is exempt.  Examine yourself for be sure your sin will find you out.  Our beautiful and once God fearing nation is drifting without a sail and we are headed for the rocks of despair because of so much sin.

Our churches in this nation have found entertainment to be its joy. No longer is Christ their suffiency.  The clock runs the service instead of the Holy Spirit.  A nation where abortions abound even by professing Christians.  A nation where elders and preachers continually are admitting that they are soaking their lives in pornography and adultery.  Churches in America even have women pastors when the Bible is clear about our roles.  Who will stand up for Jesus?   Who will be a voice for God and not be afraid to speak out against atrocities?  It is shocking how sin abounds in the lives of those we refer to as Christians.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:16-17

The grief is almost too much to endure.  Our youth don’t obey their parents.  They have short attention spans because they have been raised by having sat for hours in front of the “helivision”.  Children attend public schools that teach atheism, evolution, and tolerance of homosexuality and every kind of sexual perversion.  They are taught that it has taken God’s creation billions of years to get this far.  And parents think nothing of it!  Hey, I went to public school, I speak from experience.  Young people will spend hours playing games at Christian youth groups and only a few precious minutes in the Word of God.  Christian women and girls are showing off their skin, lingerie, and cleavage and attend church while dressed this sinful way thinking that it is the “style”, so it is ok.  Cleavage is fine to display to the world?  This is no joke, look around and see the shame.  And husbands and pastors are not saying anything about it.  If they were, they would preach it from the pulpits.  What has happened to holiness? Modesty? Righteousness? Purity? Godliness? Joy?

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 2 Cor 6:17-18

I believe joy is being robbed from people because of their lack of obedience to their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Professing Christians are living in SIN, willfully!  Churches are afraid to confront sin head on anymore.  The sinner is told to take two tablets per day instead of the pastors preaching “get on your knees and pray”.  We are a “quick fix, get it taken care of at no cost to you” society.  Joy is being stolen by satan while he convinces the believer that God is no longer in the business of doing miracles.  Sinning saints are being taught that instead of being changed, they will continue to be chained!

Does the man who is saved from the burning building show appreciation and thankfulness by running back into the building?  Does the man who saved him sit by idle and as he returns to the burning building to get burned again and probably die just say,”He just loves burning buildings.  He just can’t help himself.  Maybe someday he will be able to stop running back into them…”  Friends, we are dealing with fire here and it is hell fire.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12  This walk with Jesus Christ is a serious spiritual endeavor.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:7-10

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 1 Peter 2:9-11

There appears to be a watered down Christian world view that many people are using to justify their lack of fruit as they are claiming salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.  The worldly Christian is justifying sin! Plain and simple.  He is enslaved to it.  He is not believing in freedom from his sin but believing he is free to sin!  I can hardly stand by and watch so many be deceived.   The born again believer claims the same Jesus as the worldly saint and the two are eternities apart.  The secret sinner is a wobbly sinner and they love their sin.  Their faith is built on a shifting foundation.  Why aren’t we warning people.  Why aren’t we disturbed by such lukewarmness in the church.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51:12

James, the half brother of Christ, said he found joy in trials and temptations.  He knew that it would strengthen him and keep him relying on Christ daily so that he would be given the strength not to sin. James said that, A double minded man is unstable in all his ways Js 1:8

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:14-15

Repent and have faith in Jesus.  There it is.  Really plain and simple.  You must be born again!

I believe that secret sin is keeping the believer from having the joy of Christ in their life. The fruits of the Spirit are NOT being used as a check list to examine ones self.  It is being used as a way to excuse oneself.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Gal 5:22-24

The secret sinner says, “well, God is just taking a bit more time with me.”  ”I haven’t quite been given enough self control to stop looking at pornography.”  ”drinking beer with the fellas is fine because I’m not getting drunk”,  ”I have to cheat on my taxes”, “I just can’t stop yelling at my wife, I just need more time”… Be sure your sin will find you out!

Are we only reading what the fruits are in the book of Galatians and then just moving on throughout our busy day?  Should we not be reading about these fruits and asking,”are these fruits in my life”  ”are they abounding?”  Or are we reading verse 24 of Galations 5 and coming under conviction, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” How beautiful is that 24th verse.  There is assurance and joy and peace in that verse.  A believer in Christ Jesus has crucified the flesh, the Bible says so.  If you have a problem with verses like that don’t get mad at the pastor, take it up with God!  How strange the world now looks.  How distant the desires of the flesh are to those who are in Christ.  The beauty and the freedom there now is in the desires of our heart.  A testimony is given and by those in Christ it abounds.  The joy of knowing Jesus in this way is beyond anything that could have been described or detailed to us prior to dying to ourselves and carrying our cross daily.  The cost has been counted and now the fruits are apparent!

The secret sinner has no joy in Jesus because he has no wisdom and doesn’t fear God. Someone asked me recently if we should use the word awe  instead of fear so that we can relate to people and not scare them off to describe our response to knowing God and believing in the truth about Christ.  The Bible says fear!  We need to stop taking the bite out of the sharpness of God’s Holy and perfect Word!  We need to fear God.  I believe if we feared God we would obey God as the writer in Proverbs describes for us to do (Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. Proverbs 3:7).

The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. Psalm 34:7-9

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Is a secret sinner really wanting joy?  Does the secret sinner really love and fear God? Our whole duty is to fear God and keep His commandments.

My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments. Psalm 119:120

What about grace?  You may ask where the grace of our Lord is in the message that I share in this blog update.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:11-13 Grace teaches us to do certain things as the Lord says in the above verse of Titus 2:11-13:  -stop being ungodly  -stop lusting after the world  -be sober (grave, serious, temperate); life is not one big joke-stop kidding so much  -follow after the righteous teachings of Jesus (do them)  -do it NOW!  In this life!  delaying and looking for excuses later will be too late. -look for the return of Jesus!

A broad way is traveled by many professing Christians. Many believing that it is this broad way that is acceptable to God perhaps because many around us are on the same road. Friends, Christ did not pave this broad way with His blood.  He paved the narrow way with His blood.  The broad way will lead you to HELL.

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Matthew 15:7-8

The narrow way leads to life.  It is through one man and His name is Jesus.  It is displayed to the world by your outward testimony and fruits of faith.  Have you no desire to be separate?  Have you no desire to be no longer a friend of the world?  On the narrow way is the born again believer on his walk with God, and will for the most part be hated for it.  You will be viewed as extreme, intolerant, legalistic, and an outsider.  As a narrow way believer Jesus cannot be just your Saviour but He is your Lord.  As a narrow gate believer you will obey Jesus and NOT be a secret sinner.  You will hate your sin, run from your sin, and be given new thoughts. Do broad way Christians still get to go to heaven?  Of course not. Wrath is to come!  God’s glory is at stake.  You must be born again…

And so it is.  The world awaits your demise secret sinner and for the most part the American church tolerates it.  Even the world knows that your joy is not real.  The world holds its breath for you to walk away from your faith and be ensnared to sin.  The world wants you to use the culture as the standard to be measured by and not use Christ as the standard.

When God saves you, he saves you radically.  Death to life, converted and transformed.  The power of God in your life will transform you from the inside out.  The Holy Ghost will actually indwell you.  Do you desire the Spirit of God to reside in you?  How much room have you allowed for Him to come in?  Is there so much sin in your life secret sinner that The Holy Spirit couldn’t possibly reside there?  You will be given new desires and you will run from your sin as a born again Bible believing God honoring Christian.  You will actually read your Bible and prefer it over all other forms of reading. Hating even the thought that you were at one time enslaved to SIN.  Change is actually demonstrated by the works that you have in your life and there will be fruits of salvation.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 2 Corinthians 5:11

You do not have to be a willful, deliberate, careless sinner.  Modern day churches will tell you that struggling with pornography is just that, a struggle.  Your sin is not refered to as sin it is called struggles… you are told that many men have the same “struggle”.  I have a question for the reader.  Does your your wife just have to get used to you looking at pornography?  Googling at women on the internet?  What does she think of you and your secret sinning.  What does your wife think of you going out with the fellas and drinking beer?  When you come home you lie about how many drinks you have had and just brush it off as her deserving to be lied to because she is just too nosey!   Is that a sign of holiness for you to be guzzling beer and watching the game for hours with the fellas away from the family?  Is your cigarette a sign of holiness?  Secret sinner, does your wife think that your life that is viewed at the church gathering is the same as the one that she sees at home?

Christian beware:

Consider how many churches will look at anything that is counter cultural as extreme and therefore legalistic. Being counter cultural cannot save you.  Neither can not sinning save you.  You become counter cultural and stop your enslavement to sin BECAUSE YOU ARE SAVED.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Lk 6:46

Churches are now telling their congregations that Gospel tracts don’t work anymore and open air preaching is not biblical or at least outdated, and that going door to door is only an opportunity to invite people to church not an opportunity to share Good News with a hell bound sinner.  Churches will tell you that we don’t need to share the Gospel we have to just live it out in our lives so that people will see Christ in us.  Now that is contrary to Scripture.  You may be told from pastors and fellow Christians that Scripture relating to not doing certain things are pretty much just recommandations from God but certainly not commands from him.  You will probably be encouraged that you are a Christian because you asked Jesus into your heart, you said a prayer, therefore you are a Christian.  A prayer never saved anybody, only God can save souls. You will be told that you are just a struggling carnal Christian if you have willful sin in your life.  You are told that you used to sin but now you just struggle.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

Dear reader.  We must call sin what it is.  It is the transgression of God’s law.  When we struggle it may be something like, your finances are tight.  Or perhaps there is an injury or disease in the family.  But please lets call sin what it is.  I truly believe that we must address sin head on.  Call it what it is and then realize the consequences of it, death.  The Bible says that it is a narrow way.  Are we walking the narrow way?  If so, good.  If not, bad, now go before God and turn from the sin.  Get a change of mind, He will grant it to you.  Trust in Him for deliverance and for a new life and for salvation and He will save you!  CRY OUT TO GOD!  He is so merciful and yet He is calling us to repentance and faith in Him!

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. Psalm 101:3

Secret sinners justify gossip, holiness is outdated, movies are fine to watch even though blasphemy and “love scenes” are in the movies.  Television is good because it helps you relax even though the shows that you are watching are filthy, and really all it is, is watching sin unfold before your eyes.  Watch how excited men get while talking about the baseball game that was on TV last night.

Secret sinners don’t have God glorifying relationships with their wife.  Your wife will never submit to you because she is not satisfying you.  Secret sinners make jokes about their wife to people and people laugh.  You would think that women would be keepers of the home so as to raise up God fearing children while the husband earns a living for the family.  But no!  Slavery to debt and wanteness put both man and woman in the work force so that women are out in the work force away from the family. Secret sinners don’t like women wearing dresses or skirts because it seems legalistic and allow their wife or daughter  to wear revealing clothing and lingere is sticking out from her shirt…

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Isaiah 55:6-8

Friends, today is the day of salvation.  Let us preach from the roof tops what has been whispered in our ears.  These truly are end times, so let’s live like it is.  The harvest is rich for the harvest.  Who will we tell this world the truth about Jesus and a life that is enslaved to Him.  The world has ensnared the young men of the church and carnality is keeping them from serving Jesus.  I believe that in these hard and trying times we need men that are willing to forsake all and go tell the story of Jesus and His love, to warn sinners of the wrath to come.  We need to tell people that their lives can be radically converted for the Lord’s glory. The joy of Christ abounds and victory is at hand.  We are saved to share with the world what Jesus has done in our lives.  With testimony, comes profession of faith.  Paul said all he knew was Christ and Him crucified.  To live is Christ and to die is gain, Paul said.  Is Christ our all in all?  Do we need a wake up call as believers and really start believing? Our God is an awesome God.  Lord, let us believe.  Let us trust.  Let us have joy that surpasses all understanding.  Let us repent and be holy.  May God have mercy and may He be glorified!

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  Psalm 16:11

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalm 32:11

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. Psalm 89:15

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16

………………………………………………………………………………

So where have we been for the last couple of weeks?  Well, we have been in New York City with Repent and Witness reaching out to this lost and dying generation with the Gospel. Click here to find out more about the camp and perhaps next year you may like to attend!

It was a wonderful opportunity to tell people about Christ.  A couple of situations stand out as being amazing.  One man who was living in Union Square Park and was homeless, repented and made a profession to walk with Jesus.  He followed us each day as we went from location to location.  And one of the evangelists reports about a woman that was witnessed to in Washington Square park that made a profession of faith with a real repentant heart.  She had HIV and just a real hard life.  After repenting she told her husband he needed to repent too.  He didn’t want anything to to with Jesus. And one of the evangelists has been following up with her since the RW outreach…

“Danielle was sadly gang raped and that’s how she initially got HIV. That weekend, it became AIDS. When she was crying out to God she said that she was beat in the face “the other day” because she would “not give up her body”.  She also said she only had a “few days” to live because her T-Cell count was low and she was a drug user. I still lift her up and pray she is saved and healing with the encouragement of her father, who she says is a Christian. Also, that the Lord saves the husband, too and they can have a holy relationship unto God!”

We also did Subway preaching, ferry preaching, park preaching, witnessing 1-2-1…it was just beautiful.  I believe Repent and Witness is already taking applications for next year so don’t delay in signing up soon.

Recently we also got to preach in a couple of downtown areas.  One was in Ithaca, NY where I went with Adam Sabo, Paul Colgan, Nathaniel Hawkins, and Will Holes.  It was a Friday night and people were milling around the downtown area.  We handed out tracts, witnessed, and preached.  The highlight of the night was witnessing to two Jehovah “false” Witnesses.  Two men approached me after I handed them tracts and acted as though they were just interested in asking questions.  As the conversation unfolded, I began to realize that they were trying to corner me with their craftiness and deception and falsely witnessing to me.  Fortunately, I had a few verses written in the back of my Bible that helped quite a bit so that I could be prepared and boldly stand for the truth about Jesus Christ.  Unfortunately, they do not believe Jesus Christ is who He says He is.  It ended up being a very good conversation as I got them to admit that we do disagree and only one of us can be right, but not both of us. They also admitted that if they were wrong in their beliefs, according to what the Bible states regarding eternal punishment in hell, then they would be spending an eternity there.  The next day I returned but this time I brought the p.a. I had no problem with the police or any type of city official as far as using amplification.  The police just stood by and watched and kept the people who gathered in order!  I had no idea if I would be allowed to use amplification, but it helps sometimes because I can be more conversational instead of having to strain my voice to be heard.  One man came up to me and wept in my arms.  Another came up and asked for prayer.  I also answered a woman’s questions who was admittedly a pot smoker but claiming to be a Christian.  I gave her some Scripture to read and challenged her to obey what she reads.  It was a beautiful day!

Last weekend I went to a Riverfest in Sunbury, PA.  I drove a half hour to the town hoping that the festival would draw lots of people to hear the Gospel.  As I arrived, I realized the the streets were closed off and for such a small town there were tons of people.  A prayer station was set up with three men so I walked over to encourage them to continue in their battle of obeying the Great Commission.  The one man asked what I was about to do, I guess because he saw that I was carrying my Bible!  So I explained that I was about to preach.  He was so thankful to hear that I was going to preach that he stopped witnessing to the woman he was with and on the spot prayed for me to have strength and to preach boldly.  I walked away encouraged and the Lord lead me to a spot that was on a corner only a couple hundred feet from their prayer station.  Well, I lifted up my voice and thanked the Lord for all of His blessings.  I preached right out of the Bible and wouldn’t you know it a crowd gathered.  One of the best hecklers I have ever encountered confronted me in my preaching.  He was really nasty.  Other hecklers came as well, mostly foul mouthed ones.  But other people stood and listened and asked questions and then Christians showed up!  It was a great day.

Click on images below to enlarge:

Repent and Witness evangelists '10

Shawn Holes NYC preaching with Repent and Witness -we were allowed to use amplification as the masses walked through the line to take a boat to Liberty Island

preaching the Gospel in Washington Square Park NYC with Repent and Witness

Will Holes seen here photographing Miles and Katie Lewis' wedding. Pouring rain did not stop us from getting some great shots.

Buffalo Valley Christian Fellowship annual picnic. We were able to attend and had sweet fellowship with our believing brothers and sisters

More Pennsylvania brothers and sisters

Will Holes helps the brethren butcher 55 chickens

Here are some wonderful Scriptures that I pray will draw you closer to the Lord.  May they be an encouragement to you!

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Psalm 51:1-2

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 2 Timothy 4:2-5

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Romans 6:6

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1 John 1:6

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Ephesians 5:11

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:16-17

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:17

May we be small so that He may be great.   To be dead to our old selves and to experience the new life in Christ!  We owed a debt we could never repay. Jesus Christ paid it in full.

There are a few campuses that the Lord has lead us to again this year in Pennsylvania and of course the Univ. of Vermont.

Schedule:

Mon. Aug. 30 Penn State, PA

Tues. Aug. 31 Penn State, PA

Wed. Sept. 1 Loch Haven, PA

Thur. Sept. 2 Shippensburg, PA

Fri. Sept. 3 Juniata College, PA

Tues. Sept. 6-9 Prep for Camp Meetings

Fri.-Sun. Sept. 10-12 Ohio Camp Meetings

My prayer is for sinners to repent and have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I want to see a great awakening on the college campuses.  If you are close to these campuses please invite many others to attend as well and forward this schedule on to other believers.  We need more laborers that are willing to do 1-2-1 witnessing, handing out of tracts, and perhaps the Lord would call some to preach.  Women and children may attend but they must be warned that vulgarities and stiff necked God haters will abound.

I will be departing for Ohio on September 8th for three days of camp meetings.  They have asked  me to preach four messages over three days.  The Lord is stretching me and I am requesting your prayers…  I am counting on the Holy Spirit to give me utterance.

From there be it the Lord’s will,  we will be in Ohio for a while then continue to travel to more campuses and yes, street corners, churches, parks, etc., lifting up our voices to proclaim the Good News of our Lord across this dark sin drenched nation of ours.  We are in prayer about preaching in 2o states prior to the Christmas college break.  Some of the campuses we have been to, and others we will be preaching on for the first time.  May God be brought glory as obedience to His great commission is always on our hearts and lips… evangelism is not an event it is a lifestyle.

Run the race as if to win and don’t look back.  Our Lord Jesus has promised to return, I pray we are ready.

Your brother in Christ,

Shawn

The last five weeks my family and I have had the most blessed time together in preparation for our daughter’s wedding.  We will cherish the time we’ve had with each other, our new son-in-law, and his family.  And what a blessing to have had so many precious friends and family here for the wedding. It was wonderful!  We are still praising God.  I will write more about this…

During our time here we have also made time for witnessing and preaching. We thank our Saviour in being given opportunities to make Him famous.  Many God ordained opportunities to share the Gospel have taken place. The Boise area is a great place for outreach!  Why is it so great?  Well, one reason is there are many mormons we get to witness to and share the Gospel with.  Another reason is that most everybody gladly takes tracts and thanks us for handing them out.  And the police are very supportive of our first amendment rights.

Bro. TJ Obrien preaching in downtown Boise

We have some opposition, but for the most part we have many people coming up to us and thanking us for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  While preaching two weekends ago on the downtown streets here, I was approached by three women.  All of them told me that what I was doing was wrong.  One said that two girls down the street were crying because I had preached that the jesus christ of mormonism was NOT the Jesus Christ of the Bible.  And believing in the mormon jesus on the Day of Judgment would not save them.  I tried to explain that I was sorry that somebody was crying.  I would have loved to talk with them more.  During this time, several people had come up to me thanking me and four different people gave me refreshing drinks so that I could continue to preach in the hot Idaho sun.  Well, it didn’t take very long before the women were all at once yelling at me and one began using extremely foul language.  Friends, what these women did not see is the many people that actually would stop and listen that day.  What the women did not see is the week prior I had a wonderful conversation with an atheist for about two hours. What the women did not see is how I spoke to a woman after preaching and after seeing her demeanor go from hateful to hungry for the truth, got her name and told her that we would pray for her.  I started wrapping things up and she began to cry and break down almost begging that we pray for her immediately because she said she had fallen so far away from God and into sin and needed to repent and trust the Saviour.

Bro. Mike reaching out to the homeless

The cross is an offensive message. But it is a message of redemption and offers the only true hope and peace and joy and forgiveness.  That God Himself would offer forgiveness of sins and eternal life because He died in our place.

We need to continue to press on and get this Good News to the lost as well as be an encouragement to the saints!  Time is running short.  We have one life to live and it will soon be past.  But only our lives lived for Christ will last!  What those women on the street who were so opposed to the Gospel did not see is that there was spiritual warfare going on all about us as satan was trying to deter people from surrendering their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ to find forgiveness and victory over sin.

Recently at Kent and Eliza’s church, we sang this hymn that Charles Wesley wrote. The words are so powerful:

Five bleeding wounds He bears; received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me:
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,
“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

What mercy our God has poured out on us.

On another note, Kevin Borden and his family are here from California for a couple of days.  He is a preacher who enjoys preaching in the open air.  After he got done done preaching this weekend, he spent over and hour with a young man that actually had vampire teeth!  Crazy, but true.  But the vampire man was broken and asked many questions about Jesus and eternity.  Praise the Lord.

One of the times that we were preaching and witnessing downtown, a police officer, who remembered me from last year, came up to us on the street.  He was with his two daughters and he thanked me for continuing on with our ministry.  He had seen us on the college campus here last year and recognized us. He was such an encouragement.  He explained to me that many people are religious in this area, but not necessarily born again. He even asked us to attend his church sometime, so we obliged this past Sunday and were blessed.

So…last weekend I walked my daughter down the aisle to be married. What a blessing and an honor it was.  Just prior to walking her down the aisle, I just started sobbing.  I could hardly even look at her because she was so beautiful! As we held each other she said, I love you Daddy.  I could not even reply for quite some time but finally I mustered up, I love you too.

I was excited, thankful, and humbled at the privilege of handing our daughter over to her husband.  She is now Mrs. Kent True.  We are grateful to the Lord that He has given her a godly husband.  We are thankful that they both remained pure as the waited on the Lord for their spouse.  She is prepared to be a help meet and to love him, honor him, and respect him .  He is prepared to cleave to his wife, to love her, honor her, and cherish her.  They are so in love with each other and in love with God that it makes me weep just seeing how beautiful a pure and sanctified marriage can be.  Their wedding and marriage is a testimony to those around them, in the body of Christ and outside the body.  Their commitment to each other will be a demonstration of their love for Jesus. They will be putting each other’s needs first, they will need to be all forgiving, and they will have to love each other through every circumstance that comes their way.  They will do this through Christ, their Saviour!

What a picture marriage is, of God’s covenant with His people.  Can we love Jesus too much? No!  Of course we can’t.  Impossible.  If we love Jesus as much as we say we do, then we should be doing everything for Him.  Our words should be backed up with actions.  We should be, well, in the world’s eyes…different from the world.  We should be hot for Jesus Christ NOT lukewarm.  The world and the church may look at us as extreme because we stand for righteousness and we share our faith.  We will be looked at as extreme because the “normal” Christians don’t do something as radical as handing someone a Gospel tract or turning from all known sin in our lives.  We should have a brokenness and be humble before the Lord Jesus.  If we love Him, then we should be abandoned to ourselves and desiring to obey Him. If we love our spouse, we should do things for our spouse that put their needs, desires, and wants first.  As we know, God has not changed.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Marriage hasn’t changed either.  Worship the Lord in your thoughts, and words and deeds.  Continue in His Word.  He promises that it will keep you being in love with Him.  Jesus said, If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.  John 8:31-32

If man is supposed to love his wife as Christ loves the church, willing to lay his life down for her, is it possible for man to love his wife too much?  Shouldn’t our marriages look like our love for Christ?  Should we so love our spouse that the world will desire that same love in their lives?  Christ demands that we die to ourself. Beautiful.  Marriage is the reflection to the world of our love for God.  It is a full time ministry in and of itself.

Are there husbands that are willing to lay their own life down for their wife? As Christ is returning for his bride, can husbands say that they really have a bride that they are absolutely sold out to and in love with and willing to put her needs first?

Love starts with Christ.  The only way to love your spouse in a God honoring way is through the love of Christ.  Love succeeds by actions and it starts in the home.  If you have a ministry to serve God whole heartedly in the home with your marriage and it truly is your ministry, then you will avoid the misery of the world.

Well, with all the preparation we did for this wedding last weekend it makes me stop and wonder how much preparation we are making for our meeting with Christ.  Are we ready for Him to return?  Are we ready to meet Him on that day?  Are we spending time and resources and sacrificing our all for His coming?  Are we expecting Him to arrive and return for His bride at any possible time?  Our prayer might sound something like this… Lord, I pray that I am ready to meet you.  I am so excited, and filled with joy.  I love you more than words can describe.  I have abstained from my fleshly desires and have laid everything aside in awaiting Your arrival.  I can’t believe that You would return for me.  I am not worthy.  Lord, give me the strength to persevere and to press on in waiting for that glorious day.  I know you are good on your promises and I will be good on mine.  I wait.  I wait.  I wait. Lord I love you.

Mr. and Mrs. Kent True photo: jzphotography.com

Here are some wonderful verses on marriage…

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.  Genesis 2:24

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.  Ephesians 5:21-33

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  Philippians 2:3-9

Proverbs 18:22 says, Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.  Proverbs 5:18

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.  1 Corinthians 11:3

What a blessing marriage is!

So…what is next for us?  After Repent and Witness we are prayerfully seeking the Lord as to how we can be in New York City for a couple of weeks prior to colleges opening in early September.  Additionally, we are hoping to spend time in Pennsylvania with some brothers and sisters in Christ.  Beyond that we believe that our burden for these young people on these secular universities will be our mission field again this year.  We are praying for a great awakening on these campuses.  Our schedule is not very nailed down yet, but our hope is to go to even more campuses than last year prior to the Christmas break.  Please contact us if you want us to join you in worship at your church or if you would like us to come to your campus to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Shawn Holes with wife Lisa and son William at Eliza and Kent's wedding

Let us rejoice in His kindness and mercies for Jesus Christ is the Lord of Lords!

Our plans for NYC are different this summer. The last two summers we have spent much of our time in NYC preaching in the open air and witnessing to lost souls. This summer it looks like we will not be there as much.  Thankfully there will be men to pick up where the Lord had us.  I have been able to go to NYC twice since being home so that has been wonderful.  The most recent time was just a couple of days ago.  I lost my voice however, after only two days.  We preached practically non stop which included preaching on the subways, ferries, Battery Park, and of course my favorite, Union Square.  It does not appear as though we have sound permits for Union Square this year but it did not slow us down from sharing the gospel and the response was pretty much the same as usual… large crowds.

Prior to coming home a month or so ago, we were on the road for approximately eight months. Much of that time was spent pulling a travel trailer across the country. We preached in 25 states and traveled through many more, preached in five countries, drove 28,000 miles, preached in 12 churches, 2 abortion mills, 43 college campuses (many of them more than one day and several for a few days), traveled to the UK twice. We preached repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We preached against cultural Christianity, and preached to professors, athletes, atheists, angry christians, and loving sinners, wealthy people and poor people, evolutionists, women that kill their babies, feminists, humanists, backsliders, Harley riders, old, fat, skinny, tall, short, proud, blasphemers, and back biters. We preached the joy of knowing Jesus and what it means to have counted the cost and being born again. We preached the law to the proud and the grace of God to the humble. We preached that the narrow way to God is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and that without repentance there will be no salvation.

So we press on and our days are surely resting in the Lord.  I pray that we are dwelling in that secret place…

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalm 91

One of my strongest prayers and most fervent is that the Lord would save souls.  That Jesus Christ in these last days would be lifted up and show Himself strong. That mankind would humble themselves in His sight and be broken and contrite.  That true repentance and faith would dwell in the lives of men and that faith in Christ would be the only thing that men are trusting in.  I realize that in my own life that a cost has been asked of me.  I realize that the cost is my life.  I am commanded to surrender.  I heard one man say recently that this is a war that can only be won by giving up.  I pray that I will understand that coming after Christ means dying.  That I must deny what I want and give it all to Him.  That in following Him, He will give me the strength, and the words and the courage, and the means to carry on.  My prayer is that the Lord would allow my life to count for something glorifying to Him.  That I live above reproach, not lukewarm, not compromised.  Oh, Lord have mercy on me a sinner and give me utterance to speak your truth into the lives of so many lost souls.  Allow this feeble man to be an encouragement to the saints.  Lord, may you be blessed!  Amen.

This photo is of the abortion clinic in Orlando where Scott and Patte Smith have been going for years.  The man in the white t-shirt brought his girlfriend here to murder her baby.  Many of the conversations we have with people are actually quite cordial. And some turn away! But man I spoke to after I shared the gospel with him said he was a Christian but that he just didn’t want the baby.  He was going to have his girlfriend kill her baby… sad, that “christians” are killing babies.

Murder Mill in Orlando Florida

Jesse Boyd and his family have a ministry called Full Proof Gospel Ministries.  We got to visit Jesse and his family along with his parents and his brother and their church while we were in North Carolina.  We really had a great time worshipping together and going out intot he streets to share the Good News. Jesse is currently in Canada traveling with his six year old daughter and Bishnu from Nepal.  His wife and other children will be joining them soon. Jesse and Bishnu translate the Bible into Nepalese.  You can learn more about FPGM by going to this site. click HERE.

The Boyd Family from Full Proof Gospel Ministries

Kris Estep is a man that I have met on a couple of occasions.  He is a young pastor that loves to share the Gospel with people. He drove to meet me at Appalacian State University along with Jesse Boyd and another brother.  We had a smaller crowd but many great questions.  So many of the students are smoking pot, getting drunk, sleeping around… and they for the most part reject Christ because they would rather sin than serve Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour.  Many are even calling themselves christians.

Evangelist Kris Estep

Shawn Holes preaching at Appalachian State

Brad Grant and family live in Wisconsin and Brad is a bold brother that wants to serve Jesus Christ with all his heart.  He has run into some persecution for wanting to tell people about the only way to heaven.  We had wonderful fellowship with he and his family.  After meals he would open his Bible and give a lesson to the children.  It was so encouraging to see them all sit quietly and behave while they were being taught. We then would sing hymns!  Oh how beautiful.

Grant Family in Wisconsin

This is a photo of my family minus our daughter, my brother’s wife and their daughter.  But we had a great time. I was allowed to share a resurrection Sunday message at my Mom and Dad’s home to my family, praise the Lord.  My dad is not in good health so it would have been VERY difficult to get him all ready and out the door and off to church.  So we worshipped at home.

Holes Family minus a couple people that couldn't be there

Eliza and friends at bible college (they all wore yellow for the photo!)

Lisa and Will at the local restaurant here in Saranac Lake NY

The Buffalo Valley Church comes to NYC to do outreach and were kind enough to ask me to join them. We had a great day in Washington Square Park singing, witnessing, and preaching.  The young people from this church all sing and from my perspective I believe they have great voices.  It is a real witness to have Christians coming into this big city and sharing their faith so willingly.  As I have said before, NYC is untapped for evangelism.  We need more laborers to go into this great harvest field.

Washington Square Park

This is a photo of Caleb Green sharing the gospel to a group of people in Washington Square Park.  There were many questions and we have the answers through God’s Word!

Caleb in Washington Sq Park

I was asked to preach in a home church that Dale Demary has started.  It was great because these people are hungry for the Word of God and allowed me to preach.  Following my message we had a brief intermission and then Bishnu and Jesse Boyd, who were traveling through the area, shared about their ministries.

Bishnu in home church

Dale Demary

Jesse and Bishnu

Here are a few photos from the most recent trip I just took to NYC… This first photo is of me preaching for approximately an hour, and then the crowd gathered which is the second photo of course.  Many people will ask me how do you get crowds.  Well, my answer to that is to keep preaching!  Keep preaching, keep preaching, keep preaching.

"before" in Union Square, NYC

"After" in Union Square, NYC

Jeff from Ohio preaching on the ferry for his very first time. He came to the city with a small group of believers to go out with Tom Kiser. Tom was kind enough to allow me to tag along.

Saints from Ohio, my son Will, Tom Kiser hitting the streets of NYC

Captain Hook ended up giving his life to the Lord! This man really only has one arm.

Tom Kiser from Go Forth Alliance preaching in the open air in Battery Park NY

Well, may the Lord bless you.  Please contact us for prayer or if you feel lead please leave your comments on the comments section of these updates.  Thank you for your financial support.  You know we press on with your help.  Without it we stand still.  So thank you so very much.

Blessings,

Shawn and family

Praise the Lord we have all returned safely from having gone to the UK for 16 days.  It was a joy to serve alongside so many men who love Jesus and are willing to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.  God is moving in this very spiritually dark part of the world and we are praying for more laborers and for a great awakening and revival.

Many of you took the time to encourage Lisa while I was away.  Thank you.  It is hard to be apart and even harder when we are in situations of frontline evangelism.

My family and I are back on the road together and will begin heading north. Lord willing, we will be in Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, and Illinois.  My dad’s health is failing as he is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s and in hospice.  So we will be cutting our travels a bit short in order to go and visit my mother and father in Illinois as it may be the last time we see him.  We will continue to be preaching on campuses along the way.  Please be in prayer that the Lord opens doors for us to continue to share Good News with the lost!

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.

Below I have included some photos of the trip so click on any image to enlarge.  I hope you are encouraged.  Feel free to contact me any time.

In His grip,

Shawn

The view from the ferry as we sailed from Scotland to Ireland

Shawn, Lisa, Will, Eliza, and Kent True at airport as I was getting ready to leave for the UK

Evangelist Donnelly lives in Belfast. He hosted us and his church supported us.

Kevin Borden from California preaching in Glasgow

After preaching one day, I took these young people to McDonald's. They were drug users, foul mouthed, and confrontational. But after some burgers and fries, we hit it off and the next day a few of them came out to hear us preach again!

Desmond preaching in city center Belfast

We handed out New Testaments and also distributed thousands of Gospel Tracts.

Belfast movie crowd hears the Gospel from Desmond

Scott Schones witnessing in Belfast

Edinborough drunk and preacher Jeff Rose

We visited the church that John Knox preached at! It was really nice also to preach outside of it for all the tourists to hear the Good News.

Kevin in Edinburgh! Notice the two men listening from their window

Dale preaching to park people. He's the guy standing in the lawn on the lower right of the photo.

Noman the Pakistani Scot preached to the bar scene on Saint Patrick's day in Edinburgh Scotland. We preached from this monument which is the location where many men and women were martyred for their faith in Christ between 1660 and 1680's.

Robert Parker in downtown Glasgow, Scotland

Donnelly preaching in Glasgow

Donnelly witnessing to some youth

Ken Fleck preaching to many in Manchester, England

Robert Parker in Glasgow

Scott Schones sharing to a Scot

Jeff Rose in Glasgow

Noman in Glasgow

Brother Dale from England preaching in Edinburgh Scotland

Jeff preaching at Highway to Heaven Church in Belfast

Preacher Jeff Rose

brother Jimmy and Jeff Rose

brother Ken Fleck

brother Ken Fleck sharing with Jehovah Witnesses

Pastor Kevin Williams preaching to us in his home

Zoe and Pastor Kevin Williams. We stayed in their home while preaching in Manchester England

Kevin Borden praising Jesus in Manchester England

Mike Stockwell preaching in Manchester England

Rob Baird in Manchester England

Donnelly preaching to the people waiting for the train in Glasgow

Evangelists Scott Schones and Kevin Borden

Scott Schones preaching to the train people in Glasgow

bro Scott Schones. Scott knows so much Scripture by heart that when he preaches he is mostly quoting Scripture. Very beautiful and powerful.

Jeff Rose in Stirling, Scotland. A bagpiper came by to try to divert the crowd but we had the half mile haler that we turned on once he became our detractor. It was our last day on tour and one of our best days in the streets of the UK!

Tea and Jesus! Most people in the UK have only half of this equation right.

front- Kevin and Ken. back- Donnelly, Tim, Robert, Scott

One of our many group photos. All in all I believe we had fifteen men traveling at different times while in the UK

bro Tim was probably the most inspiring man we had on the trip for me. He was behind the camera recording and encouraging almost the entire time we were in the UK.

One early morning as I was out on a walk I got to witness to these two mormon young ladies from Scandinavia.

a local man who I met on a morning walk in Workington, England

Mike Stockwell witnessing one on one in Workington, England

Rob Baird preaching in Workington England

A typical setting of all of us stuffed into a room discussing theology, praying, reading, and fellowshipping at some point during each day!

Shawn and team leaving the Glasgow High Court

Yesterday (March 18th) I was arrested while preaching the Gospel in downtown Glasgow Scotland.  I spent a horrible night in jail and all I can say is that it was just miserable.  Too many details from this specific incident occured for me to list here.  I will say however that what it came down to was that two people were supposedly offended when I said that homosexuality is a sin against Jesus, therefore the arrest.  I was given two options:

1- plead guilty to some really trumped up charges and possibly pay a small fine of hopefully only 50 pounds or so and go home by Monday as planned or

2- plead not guilty and have to spend up to 8 weeks waiting for the trial NOT being allowed to leave the country with no guarentee of winning the case.

I chose option number one.  Big bummer though. The fine was 1000 pounds.  Thats 1600 US dollars.  The Christian men I am here with along with ten or so Christians from the area that we have never met who heard about this crazy arrest and false charges all pitched in and paid the fine for us!

So thank you for your prayers and please know how dearly we love you all.  I will keep you posted soon with video and photos from this outreach when I return, Lord willing.  May the Lord bless you.

Shawn and family

…this just in from bro. Pat Necerato at gostandspeak.com :

” Wanted to give you a quick update on the film project, “Go. Stand. Speak: The Forgotten Power of the Public Proclamation Gospel.”

First, the website http://www.GoStandSpeak.com is just about ready. Videos, clips and eventually a complete trailer for the film will be released over the coming weeks. There is some stuff  you can check out now about the project at the current site, plus a short preview clip with Jeff Rose, Paul Washer, Greg Gordon and Shawn Holes.: See it here:
http://gostandspeak.com/blog/?p=117 “

So now for  a VERY brief update…

I am praying about having a “Broken and Burdened” outreach  in NYC the third week of June or so.  I will keep you all posted on that but basically you must be there… five days or so of fasting, praying, preaching to each other, and preaching to the lost.  This is for seasoned God fearing men that need to be fed and have a time with other brothers that are like minded.  Please pray about attending…

We have recently preached at Texas A&M, Sam Houston State University, and University of Central Florida.  The Lord has hammered into these young people the Good News of Jesus Christ through the preaching of His Word!  Large crowds have gathered and we have had many wonderful conversations with people regarding the love and grace offered to the sinner through the redemptive blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Much of our time in Texas was spent with the Texas Boys and of course Ron Allen and his family.

Additionally we have preached in the streets of cities and been to the killing center in Orlando Florida with our good friends Scott and Patte Smith.

As a side note: go to this site if you need a good Bible reading plan.  I have it emailed to me each day:

http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.html

Click this photo to view a video of one of the Texas Boys Jake Gardner preaching in a home church a couple of Sundays ago.  This is a very timely message and I hope you are encouraged by how the Lord lead him to preach it just moments prior to him taking the pulpit…

click this photo to watch the video

Jake, Sean, Ryan, and Munroe- click this photo to watch bro. Jake preach a message that the Lord lead him to share just moments prior.

This is a brief video of brother Ryan and brother Sean preaching at Texas A&M.

Sean Morris at Texas A&M

Sean Morris preaching at Sam Houston State University

Sean "the hammer" Morris (one of the Texas Boys) preaching at Sam Houston

Jean, John, and I preached to the clubbers in Houston. As I took this photo of Jean sharing the Gospel, most of the people turned the opposite direction! What were they hiding from? Hiding from God will not be allowed on judgment day! Please pray for this lost and perishing nation!

I met a brother named John at University of Central Florida and joined forces by going to the streets of Orlando proclaiming the Gospel to sinners with our voices amplified. The message was heard for several blocks! Police would come by and were encouraged by the preaching!

Our team of saints went to breakfast after preaching outside the abortion mill in Orlando. In two days of being a witness for our Saviour Jesus Christ, SEVEN women turned away from murdering their babies! Praise the LORD! We serve a great KING! He is worthy...

Lisa has written an update on her notes page.  Please consider taking the time to see what The Lord has placed on her heart to share:

Laborers- bro. Richard, Jeff Rose, and Scott Smith

Jeff Rose witnessing at U of Arizona

Scott Smith preaching at U of Arizona

Shawn and childhood friend Bill Lahr met up in Tucson and talked about old times

Jeff thundering it out at Northern Arizona University!

Shawn Holes at Northern Arizona University

Shawn Holes at NAU

Jeff from: www jcryministries.org at ASU

Patte Smith witnessing at ASU

Scott Smith at ASU

Jesus is Lord- Shawn Holes at Arizona State University

Edwin and Anna Lo (William Holes photographed the wedding and I assisted)

Prayer Stop- Darrel Rundus and Mike Sweigert sharing Good News

Girl giving her life to Christ

Night time prayer stop on Mill Ave. in Tempe AZ

He is Risen! NM State University

Believe! Ryan Ringnald sharing at Univ. of North Texas

Witnessing to the illegals and unwanteds while they wait for work at a convenience store. A couple of the brothers knew how to speak Spanish so that was helpful...

Shawn Holes, Sean Morris, Ryan Ringnald, Jake Gardner, Josef Urban

The "Texas Boys from: www.youmustbebornagain.org singing for JOY at U of North Texas

Trust in Jesus! The Texas Boys sharing the Gospel...