The Montana Youth Rush program partnered this summer with local churches to reach their local communities for Christ. More than 20 students took on the privilege of carrying God’s truth door to door to more than 20 cities and towns in Montana. As part of their outreach work, they invited people from six communities to attend the Shadow Empire weekend seminars presented in partnership with the Voice of Prophecy and local church pastors.
Four eastern Montana churches — Glendive, Hardin, Miles City and Sydney — hosted the Shadow Empire series. Church members had the opportunity to meet influential people in their communities who are looking for answers to Bible questions.
Montana Conference is excited to be partnering with our young people to reach our territory. Throughout this summer we have seen many answers to prayer as doors are opened, books are placed in homes, and people are making decisions to study the Bible with local church members. This summer our young people have been learning by experience that they are not alone, that all of heaven is interested in saving the lost. We are told to look to the Lord for aid, the Holy Spirit will attend us. Angels of heaven will accompany us, preparing the way.
We have seen this true in many instances. For example, one of our students met a former believer in Butte who had become an atheist. Through the conversation, she was able to point him back to the Great Controversy and was able to leave him with a DVD, Theodicy, which answers the questions he had about the origin of evil.
In Kalispell, a student happened to give a small Steps to Christ to a UPS driver. Later that day, the driver stopped in front of a home where another student was sharing the books with the woman of the house. When the driver recognized the book as the same one given to him, he asked the student to visit his home just a few blocks away in about an hour when he got off work.
When the student stopped at his home, the driver commented on how happy the students were and shared how he too wanted to have that same joy and peace. He took several books, and the student encouraged him to attend the local Adventist church.
Ellen White tells us to expect just such miracles: “If we recognize Christ as the One who is with us to prepare the way, the Holy Spirit by our side will make impressions in just the lines needed” (Colporteur Ministry, p. 140). “As they plead with the Lord to help them, He will guide them to those who are seeking for the light. Christ will be close beside them, teaching them what to say and to do. By comforting others, they themselves will be comforted” (Christian Service, p. 152).
“All over the world men and women are looking wistfully to heaven. Prayers and tears and inquires go up from souls longing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in” (Acts of the Apostles, p. 109). “Go to your neighbors one by one, and come close to them, till their hearts are warmed by your unselfish interest and love. Sympathize with them, pray for them, watch for opportunities to do them good” (Christian Service, p. 116). Offer to pray with them. Offer lessons. Maybe it starts with just a listening ear.
We are looking forward to what God has in store for Montana Conference as we work with Him to reach the people of Montana. We are very grateful to the young people, many from Montana and others from as far away as Hawaii and Florida, who chose to take time out of their summer to learn, to grow and to share Christ with our communities.
This work helps our young people to be prepared to work in their local churches and communities as they travel home at the end of the summer. Several of them are also going to work in other countries as foreign missionaries, like Egypt and Cambodia after this summer. We are excited for them and look forward to learning the rest of the story as we watch God working on hearts and lives of the people in Montana.
Marshall McKenzie, Montana Conference literature ministry director, with Rosemary McKenzie and Judy Benjamin
The Montana Conference is grateful to the Voice of Prophecy for making the extra effort to work with local churches to make these events possible.
Montana Youth Rush workers bring enthusiasm to their summer of bringing God's good news to doors all over Montana.
