Young Evangelists Hold Meetings in Martinsburg Church

Four kids aged 11-14 and a young adult led out in an evangelistic series recently at Chesapeake Conference's Martinsburg (W.Va.) church.

Story by Samantha Young

They are among 13 members who participated in ShareHim training to provide continuous evangelism in the Martinsburg community. The lay evangelists held 19 meetings over the course of a month. Caleb Johnson, 12, says he got the idea for the series after attending a witnessing seminar held by Gary Gibbs, Chesapeake's evangelism director. He then recruited his uncle and some friends to help.

The group practiced their sermons to prepare for the meetings and invited the congregation to bring their friends. The church also sent invitations to nearby homes. The promotions paid off, drawing a crowd of more than 200 on opening night.

Tom Boggess, Martinsburg church pastor, says that eight individuals are now participating in follow-up meetings, and five are preparing for baptism. “I really enjoy speaking up front,” says Johnson. “I get a little nervous at first, but once you’re up there, it’s cool.”

The group is already planning a youth rally for next spring.