Thanksgiving is here. It is a time in this country when we celebrate giving thanks to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ, for all the blessings which he has bestowed upon us. I am told that schools now are telling students that the Puritans gave thanks to the Indians, not to God. Schools are omiting the most important fact about this wonderful holiday and that is that God needs to be honored for all the blessings that He gives us. But, if you tell students something enough times, and over a long enough period of time, they will believe anything to be true. Even that there is no God or that there are many ways to heaven.
The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Psalm 14:1
Some students are being told that it is extreme to believe in the God of the Bible and that Christians show hate by sharing the Gospel with others, telling them there is only one way to go to heaven. Students are told to be tolerant but they don’t seem to want to tolerate Christianity when it comes to repentance and faith in the only God that can save them on Judgment Day. They don’t like it when they are told to stop sinning and living in their wickedness as a response to the love of Christ and the mercy that He has poured out by being the sacrificial Lamb of God for our sins. What a mighty God we serve. One that can save us from hell and from sin. It is so sad to even hear professing “Christians” saying that they will always be addicted to pornography, drunkenness, fornication, lying, laciviousness, greed, pride, pot smoking, heavy metal satanic music, etc., when in fact there is a way that has been freely offered by God, to be made free from the bondage of sin. How precious is that joy and that personal relationship that each of us can have with the Creator of the universe who spoke his creation into existence, making everything in six literal days and then resting on the seventh. He is Sovereign and Just. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Let us give thanks for the mercies that are new everyday, and rejoice always. May He bless you and may His name be lifted on high.
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 Cor 5:11
I thank God for all of you and I thank God for all that He has blessed us with as believers in Jesus Christ. This truly is a time of thanks! I thank the Lord that He allows us to bring the Good News of the Gospel to the lost so that the captives can be set free. I believe this nation has become quite complacent with its faith in Jesus. But I believe that He wants to revive us and get us back to that relationship that we once had with Him. I believe that this nation is slipping further and further from the Christian foundations in which it was built. But I also believe that God is still in the business of mercifully pardoning, saving souls, and making people new in Christ.
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Isaiah 29:13
Are we thankful enough to share the Gospel with those that we love the most? If we are so thank-full than I believe we should be willing to share God’s love with all that we encounter. Family is the hardest to share with. It is easier to share the Gospel with a stranger. But we should challenge ourselves and take the opportunity to tell someone, even a family member, the wonderful Good News during this Thanksgiving season. Surely if we are thankful for the love of Jesus in our lives, then we should be willing to share it with others. Let’s tell them about being born again and how God has set you on that straight and narrow path!
Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Haggai 1:5
Tell them about your once love for sin and how you now hate it and won’t go back by the power of God. Tell them about that cross and how Jesus gave up his life as a sacrifice for sinners commanding them to repent and put their absolute trust in Him. And tell them in love, that a due punishment does await those who do not respond to what God has done. There is rejoicing in heaven for just one sinner that comes to repentance and puts their faith in Christ Jesus. May the Lord be blessed during this Thanksgiving season.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Jn 3:16
On a different note I have to point out that the Lord has been using the Gospel to really impact these campuses we have been preaching on. Praise the Lord! Lots of conviction, questions, soul searching, and encouragement to the saints have been some of the amazing fruits of our family sharing this Good News with these lost souls on the these campuses and in the streets. We made it through the east, midwest, west, and now we are on the west coast. It appears as though we will make it into California this school year which will be a real blessing. Last year we just had too many campuses leading up to California, so Christmas break had already started prior to us arriving. Next week we should be starting the week at U Cal Berkeley on Monday and from there we will just wait on the Lord as to where to go.
After leaving South Dakota we headed for Lincoln, NE where we met up with the Wissman boys. They come from a family of thirteen children! Their family travels around the country singing in churches and preaching the Gospel. We heard them while we were in Pennsylvania at Rehoboth Christian Fellowship in Allensville, PA. The way that the family harmonizes each song and shares about Jesus, repentance, and faith is wonderful. The youngest is only three years old and she sang right along with the rest of the family. Most of the family members play instruments as well. So when we met these boys in their home town in Nebraska, it was a blessing to have them go to the campus with me and sow some seeds. While preaching, I noticed them handing out tracts and witnessing to the university students. We had a very cordial meeting that day, which, when it happens, is somewhat of a relief. Quiet meetings are always appreciated. The students were raising their hands prior to asking questions and were respectful and polite when opposing my responses. I even got to meet the son of an attorney friend of mine who is a Christian. He goes to school there and it was a delight to meet the next generation of a Christian brother coming up and walking out his faith.
We have really had the opportunity to put the travel trailer to the test in winter conditions this year. This RV that we have can be used in all weather conditions including almost two feet of Colorado snow. The snow accumulated in about two days and melted just about as fast. I spent early mornings and evenings shoveling and sweeping the snow off of and around the RV. We did get to go skiing for a couple of days so that was a blessing for sure. Driving the RV in snowy mountainous conditions is not something that I would recommend anybody to aspire in doing. It is difficult and treacherous. The campus at the University of Colorado in Boulder (CU) and Colorado State University in Fort Collins (CSU) didn’t even flinch at this nasty October weather. Classes were in full swing and so were the students and their objections, questions, and support. I had thought that students wouldn’t want to stand around in the cold and wind, but just the opposite is true. At the University of Colorado, I stayed until 6:00 pm and probably could have stayed later! But after six hours of preaching, singing, handing out tracts, and even praying with one student at the end, I was exhausted. Both of these campuses have very good free speech policies so I could basically just preach to my heart’s delight which was a joy. At CSU, quite a large crowd gathered and very predictably one of the biggest discussions we had was on the age of the earth, evilution, and the possibility of there being many ways to God, other than the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The students want us all to “coexist”, but they want to exist without Christians. It was argued that Christians are naive and misinformed. I explained that I know what being misinformed is all about. I was misinformed for 40 years! Now I can proclaim the Truth in love and pray that the Lord will give increase as He promises in His Holy Scriptures.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36
University of Wyoming in Laramie was another wonderful campus to preach on. There is a registration policy normally to do free speech, but by the grace of God I was able to have the registration process waved and I was allowed to preach without going through the normal operating procedures. I went two days and met a kind brother there named Sam Martin who witnesses and preaches on the campus. The days I was there he was right there also in the trenches answering questions and doing follow up while I preached. It was a real blessing to have him there sowing seeds. On the second day, a nice sized crowd of students and faculty gathered and one of the loudest most foul-mouthed hecklers I have ever met helped gather the crowd. Hecklers usually don’t know it, but when they are loud, obnoxious, and confrontational,it helps to get people interested in the meeting. This man was no exception and I actually had to caution him that if he was going to be as loud as he was for any length of time, that he had better start speaking from his diaphragm muscle or else he was going to hurt his voice if he kept up the volume from his throat. I also added that he must have gone to heckler’s school because he was doing an excellent job. Unfortunately, he used many filthy words which I asked him to please not do. At one point, I just sat down and listened to him as he ranted and raved. Many students came up to me afterwards and thanked me for coming to this campus and even a professor came up to me and thanked me. He said that from his classroom he could hear me clearly for two days singing and preaching and said that he was blessed to hear the Gospel being preached on their campus. I cried when he told me this. Sometimes I wonder if anybody at these schools loves Jesus. I wonder if anybody l trusts in Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. So for this professor to encourage me, was a real lift.
In Cheyenne, WY we worshipped at a church with some believers where we had gone to last year. It was a blessing to see them all again. Craig and Diane Baumann had us over for supper as well which also blessed us. They have 10 precious children. This is a church that sings hymns angelically and in perfect harmony. And very slow singing so I could actually sing my part in harmony with the other baratones. The message was powerful. Ken Lowry preached on repentance and to not let the tear of repentance leave your eyes. Wow, I love getting fed when I go to church.
The University of Utah, as some of you may remember, was extremely difficult for me last year because it is where I went to college as a ski racer just off the ranks of being an athlete on the U.S. Ski Team. This year would prove to be no exception, but the Lord really helped and gave me the strength to share the Gospel with the power that only the Holy Ghost can give. As I entered the campus I went directly to the offices of the ski team. Fortunately they are in the same location as they were 25 years ago. I asked the secretary if I could speak with any of the coaches and she was kind enough to inform the one that was in the office that I was there. He was the assistant coach and came out to the lobby and was excited to have me visiting, but was on the phone with Europe and asked me if I could return later. I explained that I was busy as well and didn’t think I would have time later but very briefly shared God News with him and gave him three Gospel tracts. He thanked me and had to go back to his office. As I left,t he secretary who had overheard the entire conversation made it a point to say thank you to me. I left the building and as I walked towards the lower campus where I would continue the day in sharing the Gospel. I cried out to the Lord in thanks for allowing me to sow some seeds in an area that has quite hard soil. Also the fact that the secretary thanked me was very encouraging. I ended up not preaching, but witnessing one on one for the rest of the day and handing out tracts. The students I spoke with all thanked me for telling them the truth about Jesus Christ and what the Bible says about judgment day and salvation through Christ alone! Praise the Lord.
We drove from Salt Lake City on to Idaho and stayed with the True’s for 12 days. It was wonderful spending time with them again as we did last year. We had some sweet times of fellowship together and we were able to go to the last few days of the revival meetings they were having at their church. I was also able to preach at Boise State University, fly to Dublin, Ireland for 5 days, and back to Idaho again. Lisa and William had a great time at the True’s during my short trip overseas. Will enjoyed homeschooling alongside Kent’s younger siblings. Before I left for Ireland, I preached at Boise State University two times – once during the day, and then Kent and I went back to the campus one evening. This was the first time for me preaching at a college campus at night! There are plenty of students attending night classes, so it is very worthwhile. We met up with another brother, TJ O’Brien and his wife, that evening. It was a fruitful night and a blessing preaching, witnessing, and handing out tracts on that campus.
So Pat Necerato asked me to accompany him to Ireland for a project that he is working on to document open air preaching. It was a time of preaching, witnessing, and interviewing. Additionally, we attended a couple of sessions at the Sermonindex revival conference. I was truly blessed and encouraged to be a part of these interviews and hear these men pour their hearts out while elaborating and explaining their passion to proclaim the Gospel in the open air. Ireland is a spiritually dark place if you haven’t heard. Some of the photos below might describe Ireland better than I can put into words…here are also some photos from our recent U.S. travels:

This was how the campus looked prior to me preaching at the University of Colorado and at first I thought perhaps no students would gather. It was very cold and snowy but The Lord gave me the strength to preach for six hours in this frigid winter wonderland to gathered students.

Our view from the Walmart parking lot in Broomfield Colorado. Sometimes Walmarts are a real destination resort for us with spectacular views!

This professor had heard me preaching and singing for two days from his third floor classroom, and after I finished the second day at Laramie he came up to me and thanked the Lord for bringing me to the campus to preach the Gospel.

This man had most languages in tracts and Bibles and offered to supply me with all the resources I needed. The woman in the photo is a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ and hands out tracts daily in the city of Dublin

Jeff Rose negotiating with the "garda" in the club district of Dublin. The garda told Jeff that he was offending people. Jeff explained that the Gospel is offensive and we were allowed to stay.

Yuri and Yuri from Russia were just walking by and stopped to thank us for preaching and prayed with me asking for the Lord to protect me, & use me in Dublin

Pat Necerato (far right) preaching in City Center Dublin. The man in the center may have been demonic, we are not quite sure
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out… Acts 3:19a
After having returned from Ireland, I was burdened to go back to Boise State University and share some more Good News with the students. So I went one more time during the day, and then Kent, his bro Andrew, and William and I went back during night classes. These boys were witnessing machines! It helps so much to have laborers out there with me. In total, I was able to preach at Boise State four times. During one of the days, I had set up the little refreshment station with some books that Mark Cahill provided for me to hand out to students, some lollipops, Gospel tracts, and my traveling case that has some real eye catching bumper stickers on it. I couldn’t have been preaching for more than twenty minutes or so and no crowd had gathered yet. A professor named Dr. Louis “Somethingorother” walked up and asked if he could interview me with a recording device, regarding young earth and my Biblical beliefs that the earth is approximately 6,000 years old and that there was a catasrophic flood that covered the entire earth as a judgment from God. He must have heard from students from the week before that I had been asked my position on this because I hadn’t even brought it up in the message I was preaching on this particular day. He recorded our conversation and amazingly the Lord really gave me the words to share with this man. I got to quote Scripture, give testimony, answer his questions, and debate. His arguments regarding genome, common ancestry, etc, was like watching a man in battle with an unloaded gun.I really like the man and we ended up parting on very cordial notes. There was a young girl who was there listening and tried to jump into the converstation at times. He seemed to know her but I can only assume that. What happend later on was just too funny. I preached for five hours and at one point I took out a sign that says “evolution is a lie”. This same girl had been there for most of the meeting and walked up to the bench I was standing on, grabbed my evilution sign while it leaned against the bench, and walked calmly away with it. I asked her to return it and, as the crowd watched her walk away, she simply didn’t care that she was stealing in broad daylight. This is the third “evolution is a lie” sign that I have had stolen from me. I guess people either really love it or hate it depending on how you look at it. On one of the evenings there at Boise, a young woman in the crowd explained that she is a youth pastor and that she thinks that what I am doing is really wrong. After some discussion we discovered that she believes that even Muslims are going to heaven and that the Jesus they believe in with Islam is the same Jesus Christ of the Bible. I explained that as a teacher, the Bible says she will be under a stricter judgment (James 3:1). She became very upset at that point. There were a couple of people in the crowd who became very sympathetic to her. Actually, I was sympathetic too. I was sorry to see her so upset. I do pray that she will consider those Scripture. There is a broad path being taught and the idea that we don’t need our sins forgiven and that we don’t need to turn from our sins at all. But of course as true believers we know that this is not the case and that it is a narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14). Well, otherwise this campus is one of the most respectful campuses that I have been privileged to preach on. Students have genuine questions and have a real desire to hear what the Bible says about God. Many of the students thanked me and asked me not to leave. I told them that by the grace of God I would return next year…
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. Acts 7:54
Following Boise State, we spent two days at University of Washington in Seattle. Even in the pouring rain the students gathered to hear the Gospel. The first day I preached outside of the student union building. It was a grassy area with other religious booths set up. No big crowd gathered, but the main heckler was a jewish man that told me I have a comic book understanding of the Bible. We ended up having a nice heated discussion regarding the God of the Bible being Elohim – three in one. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. But that was really it for the first day, other than a couple of great 1-2-1’s and a couple hundred tracts were handed out.
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Isaiah 58:1
The second day, however, the location changed. I went to Red Square in the middle of campus. I tried to lift my voice like a trumpet proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ across an enormous brick area. I sang and preached and many students gathered on this second day. I was utterly amazed that, even though it was raining cats and dogs, the students stayed outside – most without raincoats or umbrellas! We had some great discussions on the inerrency of the Holy Bible, catholicism, homosexuality, the atonement of Christ, and true repentance. It was a great day and many students heard the Gospel. While in Seattle, we stayed in the church parking lot of the Covenant Presbyterian Church for three days. The brothers there were so kind to take us in and willing to let us park our RV there. It was flat and safe and really that is all we need for parking.
At Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR, Randy and Roger from a local church (where I was able to preach this last Lord’s day!) joined me along with a few of their children. They joined me last year as well. It is a real encouragement to see pastors preach in the open air. Both of these men have such a loving and calm demeaner about them and the students responded really well to them. At a couple of different points, we had a nice sized crowd of some really interested students. The policeman that I had met last year was willing to take a tract from one of the children, so I thought that was a real blessing. We were able to stay with Roger and his wife and their 5 children in their driveway again this year. We enjoyed wonderful fellowship together.
Portland State University was absolutely one of the darkest campuses I remember preaching on last year. This year it didn’t seem quite so bad. Perhaps it was because a young Russian named Victor came up while I was preaching and reached out to borrow my Bible. I thought that either he wanted to abuse it or hopefully use it. Well, he ended up using it and empowered by the Holy Ghost he preached quite eloquently to the students who were extremely confrontational and hostile. A couple of hecklers were very angry and foul-mouthed and Victor just took it in stride. One man that claimed to be a Christian was using extremely filthy words and was saying things that I wouldn’t repeat. But he helped the crowd gather and get larger.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28
In the last hour or so, there were several Muslim students that sat right in the front row of the benches that are stationed at this stage-like student area. They did not like it when I told them that Jesus Christ is God. But the Gospel was preached and I believe God was glorified. After I finished preaching, three young men came up to me and thanked me for being on this city campus. We prayed together and I rejoiced to know that not only were they encouraging us, but one of the young men remembered me from last year. Another of the young men regularly shares the Gospel by publicly proclaiming it in the open air. What a genuine blessing to meet these young soldiers for Christ.

Refreshment station at Boise State University. All ten books from Mark Cahill, and all 70 lollipops were gathered up by the students. At the end of the day, many students took Gospel tracts as well.

Cody (age 9) handing out tracts at Oregon State University. Nearly 2,000 Gospel tracts were handed out at this campus!
This just in from Pat Necerato:
Brother Shawn,
I want to say thank you for your prayers for our ministry at the abortion
clinic. During our last visit, we spoke to two women.
The first was “Natalia.” She is 20 years old and was going in for an
abortion. We spoke to her and learned that she already had two children and
was 3 months pregnant.
We learned her mother had been praying for her. We shared the gospel with
her and presented her scriptures regarding her unborn child.
She began to cry and felt remorse for what she was about to do. We
immediately called “Emily” who is a sister in the Lord (there were no other
women with us.) Emily spoke to her and after about 15 minutes on the phone,
she decided not to go forward with the abortion and got on the bus and left.
About 5 minutes later, we had a similar situation. A woman decided not to go
in. We of course shared the gospel with her as well and pray they will both
repent and believe.
Please continue to pray as God leads us to this planned parenthood each
Thursday am.
In Christ,
Pat
Encouragement from Saints:
Dear Shawn Holes,
I am a current Freshman at Oregon State University. I want to thank you for the powerful speech you gave today outside of our library. I am a very strong believer, and sometimes the ideas that a secular university puts on a student are very overwhelming. It made me very happy to see someone willing to argue and defend Christianity the way you did. You have given me the courage to talk to my fellow hall mates about Christ. Thank you so much for all you have done, you truly are a blessing.
And one more:
Sir, I wanted to thank you for coming to my school today. Our campus is truly a Godless community. I am amazed at how hostile the students get when they hear the truth. The Bible predicts that though, so probably shouldn’t be a surprise.
| Also here is a video from Darrel Rundus giving away $20,000. Beth Morris from Ohio won by naming all ten commandments in a row in less than 20 seconds! |
Thank you sincerely for your continued prayers and financial support. Really, we cannot do this type of ministry without you. May the Lord bless you as you go and serve your King. We love you all dearly.
Shawn Holes and family
Filed under: Evangelism | 3 Comments »



















































