We are back in Eustis, Florida from where we base out of this trip. Last week was powerful again and I can not describe how I feel in words. It is like a warm feeling in my heart but I am also a little bit tired. Still blessed and thankful to be able to do what we are doing today. It goes beyond my understanding that God has spared me and even more that He can use someone like me.
Daytona Bike Week
Last Monday and Tuesday we hooked up with some fellow Christian musicians at Daytona Bike Week. We played together for three hours those two nights at Hang Dawg Saloon on the other side of US1 from the legendary Iron Horse Saloon. It was so great to meet Skip Frye, Mark Mason, Suzan Miller Mason, Scott Hazen, Harley Lameroux and Ricky Kemplin.
We were all there on a mission from God. At these events things has to be handled a little bit different than on other events. Bikers are Bikers. We did not preach or share from the stage. We just delivered music from the stage and that way we draw the crowd there. They got our attention and we announce the free cd:s that were available in front of the stage or some of the brothers from Sons of God were handing them out to people. It turned out to be a great way of doing outreach at an event like Daytona Bike Week. We have to use wisdom and use the tools that draws the peoples attention at places like this. We do not hit them in the head with the Bible.
It was fantastic two nights and on Wednesday we hung out on Main Street and had some good talks with people. The wonderful thing with America is that people talk to strangers and I love it. When you get someone on the hook the discussion always ends up to talking about the past and most important of all share the testimony about what Jesus did when I laid on my deathbed 11 years ago.
Recovery meeting
Friday evening we had a recovery meeting with clients from four recovery homes coming to Northland Church in Eustis to listen to the message. It was a great night and it opened up to another opportunity, to be back there for a Celebrate Recovery meeting next Monday. Last Friday I really felt that I would have loved to give them all something personal and the idea of making a free cd started to grow inside of me.
Gatornationals
This weekend we were at Gatornationals in Gainesville. One of the major race events in the country. I guess close to 100 000 people visited the race during the weekend and Saturday night we had a small concert in the pit area with Allen Racing Team. We did not know what to expect but the outcome was good. People stopped by and listened.
Sunday morning we had two chapel services with Team RFC / Racers for Christ. One at 7:15am and the second one at 8:00am. The second one was packed and people were standing outside the hospitality tent listening to the word of God. I sang and shared in the beginning of the service and it was all well received.
It is all about going out
More and more I feel that my place is outside the church but I still need to be and connected to the local churches. In this case we work with local ministries and at big events there are people from all over the world. Still Team RFC is a big organisation so there is follow up when needed.
When we do smaller outreach events it is very important to do it together with local churches and ministries as we do the ground work. As we did at Bike Week we were there to get the peoples attention. It is the same way we do here. We come in and help the churches get the peoples attention and our prayers are that the people then will get connected with the local church. For us it is all about being out there were the people are and after Bike Week and the CD hand out there and my longing for giving something to the recovery people I have decided to give it a try. We are planning on making a cd with a couple of songs from each album and at the end of the CD I would share my story and teach about SALVATION. These cd:s would not be commercial, they would be hand outs. I remember myself when someone gave me a Larry Howard CD way before I was saved and I still remember that the music ministered to my heart.
We want to go deeper and give the one who listens to the cd the opportunity to welcome Jesus Christ into their lives and also follow up on this. I think the time has come when we just have to have that raw faith and take this to another level.
PARTNERING
We have two more weeks over here and currently we are in need of funds to be able to complete our mission over here. We are around $2000 short on this trip to break even. We are also looking for partners for the hand out cd and we are looking at printing 5000 copies to start with for the price of $2100. If your company or business would love to have your logo on the cd and partner on this shoot us an e-mail. Monthly or one time donations is easiest to do through PayPal in the right side navigation bar. You can also visit our donations page.
We are excited and we are looking forward. The two coming weeks are going to include more recovery meetings, Daytona Spring Rod Run, a Hot Rod Show in Ocala and a visit to the Finnish Pentecostal church in Lake Worth, Easter Thursday and Friday. After that we are returning home to Finland for two weeks before it is time for Germany but more about that later.
God Bless You All!
Pontus J. Back
