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An Infectious Spirit and a Culture of Prayer
Hannah Foster, member of New Hope OPC (Frederick, MD), was, in one sense, nervous leading up to her trip to the Boardwalk Chapel. She shared, “To be very honest, having never been to the Chapel before, first of all I thought, ‘I’ve never done cold-turkey evangelism. That’s really intimidating.’ Second, I thought, ‘I’ve heard of this place, they have this thing called the Heaven and Hell machine that they set out for people. What is that about? What kind of methodology is this? What is their theology like?’”
The Boardwalk Chapel: "Etched in Our Hearts"
Beyond the breaking of the waves, over the old planks of the boardwalk, amidst the loud noises of a carnival and the smells of a fair lies a small chapel, preaching Christ to anyone who would listen. This herald of the gospel is the Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood, New Jersey. It was established less than a decade after the founding of the OPC and has continued ever since. Its building is neither flashy nor new, but its message is timeless. My wife and I experienced this firsthand when we visited the chapel this Summer.
Never Alone
Seth Van Noord, member at New Hope OPC, Green Bay, WI, was greatly encouraged by his time at the Boardwalk Chapel. Though he was challenged by the proposition of evangelizing in a public space, he was comforted by and thankful for the community of believers by his side all along the way. Read his testimony below.
Nowhere Quite Like It
What can I say about the Boardwalk Chapel, except that we love it? Even though our church has to travel quite a long distance to get to Wildwood from Matthews, NC, we keep making the trip happily because there’s nowhere quite like the Boardwalk Chapel. Sure, we can practice evangelizing anywhere, but evangelism is best “caught” in addition to being “taught,” and the Chapel is a veritable beehive of spiritual zeal and equipping. Every two years I bring a fresh batch of new faces to discover the warmth of the Chapel’s missional Christian fellowship, and to begin their first forays out into the intimidating world of cold call evangelism. In all of this, God has never left us disappointed, as each year we return with stories of God’s power and a desire to apply what we’ve learned back home.
STM 2023 Wrap-Up: Short-Term Missions, Long-Term Blessings
Summer 2023 is gone just as quickly as it came. However, for the first time in multiple years, OPC Short-Term Missions is thankful to be able to look back on a summer full of teams traveling around the globe to assist missionaries, engage in evangelism, and to reach the lost with the gospel. This year, over 200 short-term missionaries went out to six locations: Quebec, Canada; two Czech Republic locations; Western Ukraine; Lanham, MD; and Wildwood, NJ.
2023 Short-Term Missions Mid-Summer Update
So far this summer, one Short-Term Missions team has traveled to St. Georges, Quebec to serve the local children at the St. Georges English for Kids Camp and six teams have served at the Boardwalk Chapel in Wildwood, NJ. Here's what they have to say about serving the Lord, reaching out to the lost, and spending a part of their summer on mission!
Ready to Share a Powerful Gospel
One helpful aspect of the School of Evangelism is that the teaching is accompanied by daily evangelism. This past week at the Boardwalk Chapel we saw guests and staff for the summer assemble, digging into the Word, studying evangelism in the theoretical and the practical. Some who came are experienced evangelists, and others are novices.
Evangelism Everywhere
“Gospel-sharing starts right where you are, and it goes out from there. Evangelism isn’t reserved for far-away mission trips—evangelism should be a part of the Christian’s daily life,” says Tyler Detrick, pastor of Light of the Nations OPC in Dayton, Ohio. This convicting statement is not mere sentiment for Pastor Detrick but is strongly supported by his demonstrated passion for and work in the area of evangelism and missions.
The Boardwalk Chapel: Teaching through Reaching
As each summer day comes to its end in Wildwood, New Jersey, the sun fades and is almost seamlessly replaced by twinkling fluorescent bulbs all along the boardwalk. Running the length of Wildwood beach, the boardwalk attracts vacationers with two-and-a-half miles of enticingly aromatic food, boisterous music, carnival games, and intriguing storefronts. Stepping out on the boardwalk ushers a tidal wave of sensational entertainment upon its entrant. Yet, situated in the midst of it all lies one storefront that does not fit in with the rest. Above its awning, a light shines on a simple sign that reads “Boardwalk Chapel”.
The Boardwalk Chapel: A Unique Experience
“The teaching at the Chapel is definitely Gospel-centered. It’s speaking the truth to others, and the need to speak it in love. Not argumentative, not from a place above them because we’re sinners just like they are. The boardwalk is another awesome experience for the rest of the teens.”
OPC Short-Term Missions is Making A Comeback in 2022
No doubt you’ve noticed the near-depleted list of short-term mission opportunities the past two years due to COVID restrictions. But praise the Lord, things seem to be changing and we’re encouraged! According to the travel site, Kayak, as of November 24, 2021, the borders of five countries are now open, with no restrictions. 166 countries’ borders are open, with limited restrictions, and only 53 countries’ borders remain closed.Maybe you have been waiting in the wings for restrictions to lift in order to serve in an international short-term missions’ capacity. This may be just the time for you to jump into—or back into—short-term missions service. Missionaries, serving near and far, have spent much of these past two years without the encouragement and blessing of regular visitors—vital for their health and the success of the mission.
