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THE BOARDWALK CHAPEL

SUMMER WORKSHOP IN EVANGELISM AND DISCIPLESHIP

(on the boardwalk and beaches of Wildwood NJ)

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THE MESSAGE As symbolized by the logo, the Boardwalk Chapel is preaching the cross of Christ along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. What joy there is in seeing men and women respond to that message.

WHEN IT ALL BEGAN In the early 1940's, Rev. Leslie Dunn stood on the beach of Wildwood, NJ with a vision: a vision to reach, with the Gospel, the thousands of tourists who were visiting the shore each summer. Originally called the "Gospel Pavilion," the Boardwalk Chapel conducted its first services in July of 1945. Now, (following two weeks of training) a staff of assistants and volunteers testify on the boardwalk, on the beaches and during the nightly services. The work is a ministry of the Orthodox Presbyterian Churches of New Jersey.

GOALS It is the goal of this work to glorify God by proclaiming the Gospel so that people are brought to Christ and added to the church. Specific goals for this year:

To train 25 people in the work of evangelism

To distribute 30,000 tracts

To distribute Bibles and Christian books

To present the Gospel through personal contact to a least 2,000 people

To have our home missionaries follow-up meaningful contacts

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STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, to be the Word of God, and it's doctrine of salvation to be the perfect and only true doctrine of salvation.

We believe that Christians must abhor themselves and come humbly before a holy God, trusting for salvation, not in themselves, but in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

We believe that Christians must acknowledge Jesus Christ as sovereign Lord and that in reliance on the grace of God, must serve Him with all that is in them, put to death their sinful nature, and lead a godly life.

GENERAL INFORMATION - VOLUNTEER STAFF
The evangelism program is open to any person 18 years or older who has repented of sin and has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, is trying to structure his life and thinking according to God's infallible revelation in the Bible and is a member in good standing of a Bible believing church.

1. The program is a twelve-week program involving:

Two weeks of training
Ten weeks of ministry

2. Each person in the program will:

Have Sundays off as a day of rest and worship (no secular work permitted)
Have one additional day off from Chapel activities during the week

3. Everyone is expected to:

Have daily Bible reading and prayer
Attend all Sunday services of Calvary Church
Attend all scheduled Chapel and staff meetings
Use and develop talents during the summer
Submit in the Lord to the assistants and director

i.e. in all areas of life that is deemed appropriate for the furtherance of the ministry (habits, dress, and relationships)

Stay until the end of the summer program (circumstances permitting)

4. Except for special circumstances, staff will reside at the Chapel dorm & each staff member will:

Need to bring bedding (sheets, pillow cases and blankets... nights do get cool)
Need to bring dress-up clothing for the evening program - slacks, shirts, dresses, blouses. Sweat pants, sleeveless dresses, tank tops, T-shirts with logos, or sloppy attire are considered inappropriate dress. Two night a week a creme-colored Chapel polo shirt will be worn during the program.
Share a room with one or two roommates
Participate in cooking, cleaning and upkeep
Be supervised by a summer assistant

5. The cost for the program:

$ 420.00 for meals, cleaning supplies, fellowship night activities, and Chapel polo shirt.
Travel to and from Wildwood

6. Preference will be given to those applicants who can work full-time in the Chapel ministry during the course of the summer. It would be best to raise a portion of or if possible your entire support and to have sponsors contribute to your financial needs for the whole summer. $1500 above the $420 cost is recommended as the support figure for the summer. Contact the director for help in this. Staff needing to find summer employment are permitted to do so. Hours are limited to 40 per week. If possible, though, it is hoped that staff will not have to work.
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THE BASIS FOR EVANGELISM

1. We believe that man is spiritually deaf, spiritually blind, and spiritually dead, and therefore God must do something before man can hear, see, or live. God receives all the glory for man's salvation. (Eph. 2:8 & 9)

2. We believe that God, of His own purpose, has from eternity determined to save a definite number of mankind, from every tribe, tongue, and nation as individuals, not for any merit or work of theirs, or any value to Him of them, but by His own good pleasure. (II Tim. 1:9)

3. We believe that Christ suffered for all the sins of all His sheep in the whole world, and none of them will be lost. (John 10:26-28)

4. We believe that God's almighty power is such that He can overpower man's will in such a way as to cause sinners to willingly come to Him. (Ps. 110:3)

5. We believe that God powerfully keeps those whom He saves. (Rom. 8:35-39)

6. We believe in summary, that faith is man's duty but it is not within his ability (John 6:44); that eternal life is a gift that is in the hands of a sovereign giver (John 17:2); and that man's decision is a result of what God does by His Word and Spirit, and thus men lay the crown of their salvation at God's feet and not at their own, so that none should boast. (I John 4:19)

TRAINING WEEK - The first two weeks of the summer program are spent in a time of training you physically, spiritually and mentally for the coming summer months. The following is a list of the topics that have been taught over the years.

        1.    God Is In Control ~ A brief summary of the Sovereignty of God and its comforting effects for the Christian.
        2.    Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God ~ God is sovereign, but we evangelize.
        3.    Prayer ~ Its importance to the Christian in general, to our work specifically and encouraging hints for proper prayer.
        4.    Setting Goals What ought to be our goals for the summer and the future? Setting Goals ~ Workshop
        5.   The Atonement ~ The glorious doctrine of the finished work of Christ
        6.    Apologetics ~ Simple straight forward exposition on knowing what and why we believe what we do. (four seminars)
        7.    Elements of the Gospel ~ The main points of the Evangelism Explosion, Miller & Lutz outlines. Elements workshop ~ Memorizing the outline and sharing it with others.
        8.   Giving a Testimony ~ Biblical basis and the chapel 3 point outline. Testimony Workshop ~ Preparing and Giving short testimonies
        9.    The Order Of Salvation ~ The Biblical (reformed) outline of the order of salvation and its importance in evangelism.
        10.    Street Theater ~ A presentation of the Chapel form of skits (simple, brief, and biblical) Street Workshop ~ Producing skits with practical skills
        11.    R.C. Witness ~ The teaching of the Roman Catholic Church; how to approach
        12.    The Cults ~ A brief outline of Mormons, J.W.s, Hari Krishna, Moonies, New Age (Hints for witnessing to cults in general)
        13.    Dunn House Living ~ Guidelines for living at the Dunn House Dormitory
        14.    Follow-up ~ Keeping tract of contacts
        15.    Boardwalk Evangelism ~ How to witness on the Boardwalk
        16.    Chapel Evangelism ~ How to use the Chapel for witnessing
        17.    Holiness ~ It is a delight to keep God's Commands
        18.    Church History - Brief overview.
        19.    Church History - OPC
        20.    Church Membership - The necessity of being accountable to God's chosen leaders.
        21.    Sin ~ What is it and what to do about it.
        22.    Idols ~ What are the idols in our lives?
        23.    Singles Scene ~ Meeting the challenge of living sexually pure lives.
        24.    Quiet Time ~ The importance of daily devotions and hints for success.
        25.    Discipleship ~ Helping one another in the Christian community.
        26.    The Real Work World ~ Transferring the summer experiences to the work place.
        27.    To Carry On the Work ~ What to do when the summer is over.
        28.    The Occult ~ A brief look at what is happening in the U.S.
        29.    Homosexuality ~ Review of the increased tolerance of this sin and how to deal with contacts.
        30.    Jewish Witness ~ A unique opportunity.
        31.    Common Objections ~ To the Gospel message.
        32.    Read the Bible for All Its Worth ~ Practical guide to scripture Reading
        33.    Islam ~ A summary of a fast growing religion in America
        34.    Jehovah’s Witnesses
        35.    Hermeneutics ~ The method of interpreting what the Scripture teaches.
        36.    Unity ~ A simple guideline for the Christian’s response to this Biblical command.
        37.    Post Modernism ~

Note: Approximately twenty of these seminars are given each summer.

THE HARD WORK - Being a volunteer on the staff of the Boardwalk Chapel can be one of the most difficult jobs in America. If you must find local work to meet some of your financial needs, the pressure to be a dependable workman along with being a faithful and persistent "evangelist" at the Chapel is indeed great. But most staff testify that their summer at the Chapel is one of the best ever. (See A Night on the Boardwalk)

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TO APPLY FOR THE UPCOMING SUMMER
When applying for a volunteer position at the Chapel, please do the following:

Fill out the application and write brief but complete answers.

Fill out the "Recommendation Form" and get it to your session or leadership board so that they might recommend your coming to the Chapel.

If you desire a scholarship application please request one on a separate sheet of paper.

Questions or information? Call Jon Stevenson the Director. He accepts all collect calls at 609 522-5616

Wait patiently until the end of April when final decisions are made concerning the staff. However you may call anytime to inquire about the status of your application.

Notify your church by way of a letter or a personal visit so that they might begin to pray for you and possibly contribute to your support. The recommended support is $1500.00 for personal needs + $420.00 for the Chapel program costs.

IMPORTANT DATES

THE BILL WELTE MEMORIAL FUND
In August of 1986, Bill Welte (age 64) was singing at the Boardwalk Chapel as he had so often done for more than 20 years. "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" was one of his favorites, and this arrangement was a stirring one as it ended "Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." Bill collapsed into a coma moments later and in two weeks went to be with his Savior. Gifts given in his memory are set aside in the Bill Welte Memorial Scholarship Fund. Each year one or more volunteer staff will receive aid towards their meals or other special needs as a result of this fund. Please ask for a scholarship application if you feel it would make a significant difference in your decision to come.

THE BOARDWALK CHAPEL

Jon W. Stevenson, Director

4312 Boardwalk, P.O. Box 602

Wildwood, NJ 08260

Phone: 609 522-5616

E-mail[email protected]