We are amazed at how simple human kindness can open people’s hearts to share their personal stories and their desperate need for God. Matthew 22:37-39
We have many opportunities to preach the gospel and care for the least of these in Indianapolis, the surrounding suburbs, and around the Midwest. Here’s a glimpse of the ministry:
In the Winter, we minister in downtown Indianapolis in areas frequented by homeless people. We serve them hot coffee and food and give out coats, sleeping bags, and Winter tents in Jesus’ name.
The focus of our ministry is evangelism and discipleship. We do this through our website, podcast, YouTube channel, itinerant preaching at Christian fellowships, Bible studies, and open-air evangelism. Oftentimes, we are in downtowns, on college campuses, and in areas where people gather. This has opened up opportunities for many conversations about saving faith in Jesus. We have a weekly inner-city Bible study to disciple believers in the East side of Indy. Will you pray for our ministry as the Lord leads? We will give regular updates and praise reports on this page. All for Him, Howard & Erika
Winter 2024: We’ve been invited to preach the gospel at Wheeler Mission Indianapolis on many occasions this Winter. We usually have plenty of doughnuts & coffee or pizza, and the good news is preached to upwards of 50 men. Several have asked for prayer, and a few had questions about coming to faith in Jesus.
Fall 2023 Our inner-city Bible study is in its 10th year. A dear friend and fellow minister, Pastor John Blatzheim, and I co-labor and lead the weekly Bible studies. If you live in Indy or visit the area, we’d love to have you fellowship with us on Thursday mornings!
July 2023: We were in downtown Indianapolis on what was turning out to be a weekend of extreme temperatures. While there, we gave out dozens of cold drinks and sandwiches in Jesus’ name. We gave out many gospel tracts and Bibles. We had an opportunity to preach the gospel to many people and prayed with several. I pray that seeds were planted that will result in people coming to saving faith.
July 2023: My wife Erika and I went to Slovakia to visit family, and we also had an opportunity to visit the Czech Republic and Austria. We connected with several Christian friends for fellowship and encouragement. While there, we gave out dozens of our gospel tracts that we translated into Slovak. I also had an opportunity to preach the gospel in Vienna, where hundreds were gathered on the streets and plazas of the old downtown.
On our way!
Preaching in Vienna.
Tract in Slovak at 9,000ft.
January 2023: My dear friend, co-laborer, and brother in Christ, William, and I went out yesterday to help homeless people the Lord led us to. We met Lonnie, who was an older homeless man. We talked with him for a few minutes and asked him where he was sleeping, and he replied, “On the street.” We noticed all he had was a backpack. No tent or any real shelter. We asked him if he would like a real Winter tent. He told us he would but couldn’t because “Some police and other people out here will chase him off or get it from him.” We noticed Lonnie was soft-spoken, timid, and even somewhat fearful. We gave him a restaurant gift card and prayed with him. My ministry partner William noticed Lonnie had on open-toed slippers. We asked him to stay put and that we’d bring him back some warm shoes, and he said okay. When we returned, he had left already. I felt really sad for this dear man because you could tell that he’d been through a lot on the streets and was frightened.
Later in the day, we met Jessica, a young, homeless, and kind lady. She didn’t have much except for a backpack and a thin tent. She told us that she was living in the woods. William and I spoke to her for a while, prayed with her regarding personal struggles, and asked her if she’d like an insulated Winter tent. She was happy to receive one, and we gave it to her in Jesus’ name. Please pray for Jessica.
December 2022. A co-laborer brother and I were in downtown Indianapolis on a frigid day, giving out Winter coats, gloves, and many cups of hot chocolate and presenting the gospel to several people. Here’s one new friend; we gave him a coat and shared the gospel.
Outreach Update: Winter 2022. A dear brother of mine and co-laborer in the faith accompanied me to the areas around downtown Indy to look for people in need of Winter tent shelters. We met several people on February 11th, including a lady named Renee. William and I saw her sitting on a curb with her backpack and sleeping bag. As I approached her, she said, “I’m not a prostitute.” I told her not to worry because I was a friend who wanted to help her. We had a conversation about what brought her to the point of homelessness. She was drug-free, had no crimes, and fell on hard times after the death of her boyfriend. This was a broken woman at the end of her rope with obvious pain etched on her face.
She broke when William and I explained the gospel to her. She said she was a believer and prayed every day. We offered her an igloo winterized tent, but she told us she didn’t need it, as she had a friend’s cab of a pickup truck to sleep in. She told us she was very hungry and hadn’t eaten in a while. We gave her several gift cards to nearby restaurants and prayed with her.
We met a homeless man named Eretrae. He has nothing to his name except a torn Winter coat, backpack, and plastic grocery bags. Backstory: William and I prayed that the Lord would lead us to people who desperately needed these tents. As I returned to my car to get a gospel tract, I heard William ask him what he was doing. The man replied, “Going to find a tent.” That’s an answered prayer! William told him, “We’ll bless you with a tent in Jesus’ name!” I asked him where his sleeping bag was, but he told us he didn’t have one, so we gave him one. We shared the gospel with him and prayed with him. Tears came down as we prayed, and he told us, “I know God loves me; no one has done this for me.” Here’s a picture of the man with his new tent and my ministry partner, William.
Outreach Update: Winter 2021. We gave out many Winter coats and four Polar-rated Eskimo tents to people who were cold, desperate, and living on the streets and under bridges. We prayed for them and helped them in Jesus’ name. The 1st photo is of me after testing one of our Eskimo tents overnight, sleeping in 25-30 temperatures. These tents are warm! Here are some of the people we met during ministry downtown:
Outreach Update: January-March 2020 We’ve had several opportunities to set up downtown and give out coats, sandwiches, coffee, and Bibles. I also prayed with several people and shared the gospel with others. We’ve also continued our weekly Bible study in the inner city partners in housing.
Previous outreach: *A young college-age man stopped by the ministry table, and I asked him what he thought about eternal life and heaven. He told me that he prays in the morning and hopes God, “whichever God there is, hears him.” He had many questions about eternal life and religion. He wanted to know what differentiates Christianity from some of the other religions and Islam in particular. This pleasant young man was genuinely seeking answers and the truth. We spent about 10 minutes together, and I clearly explained the gospel to him. I told him that Jesus is different from all other ‘would-be’ gods in that he told us that he is the only way to God and eternal life.
Moreover, other religions base going to heaven on works and what we do, while Jesus paid for our sins in full on the cross. I gave him a Bible and our ministry’s contact information. Before he left, I challenged him to take Jesus as his word and seek him wholeheartedly.
*I met two men who were friends who were recovering heroin addicts and had been clean for two months. They were both in sweatshirts and without coats. They both received Winter coats in Jesus’ name. Most importantly, they both said they were new believers and wanted prayer to stay off drugs and live for God. We prayed that the Lord would give them the strength to stay clean and live for his glory.
*I met a pleasant young man who came by for a doughnut. He said he’s been going through a difficult time lately. I asked him if he knew Jesus as his Savior. He said that he’s trying to do better and going to church. With his answer, I don’t believe he understood the gospel and what it is to be born again. We discussed the gospel and what it means to repent and rely on Christ’s righteousness alone for salvation.
I met a nice lady and her fiance. She had no gloves, but now she does. 
*A young man stopped by the table. He told me he stayed at Wheeler Mission (homeless shelter) for a while but now lives independently. I asked him if he knew Jesus as his Savior, and he told me he was from Alabama and knew about the Bible. He seemed hungry for the gospel, so we discussed what it means to be born again. I gave him our ministry information.
*A nice young lady I met told me that Jesus is her Lord. She did explain that she’s been going through a tough time lately, as she just got one conviction cleared and now working on the other. She said she wanted to know the Lord more, so I encouraged and prayed with her.
*A young couple came by the table, and they didn’t have Winter coats but were only wearing light jackets when it was in the low 20s on this day. We were able to give them both warm coats in Jesus’ name. They both said they knew Jesus as their Lord but needed to get into fellowship.
*I met a nice lady who came by for coffee and told me that she knows the Lord but is hurting now. She said her dad is her best friend but is extremely sick and in a coma and is angry at God about this. She wanted me to pray with her so she wouldn’t be angry and for God’s strength to get through this difficult time so we could pray together.
We gave out six men’s coats, four women’s coats, hats, and gloves and served 40 cups of coffee and dozens of doughnuts in Jesus’ name. I had the opportunity to pray with several people and witness several more about the saving power of Jesus.
*Thanks to Square Doughnuts Carmel for your support; what a blessing in 2019.
Check back soon for Indy outreach updates!
Outreach Update:
* I prayed with one couple in particular, and they were both believers. They were desperate and homeless. Neither one had a Winter coat, and it was very cold, so we gave one to both of them. They were just hired for a job and wanted prayer to make it through a tight time financially.
*
I spoke with another man who told me he was backslidden and was a minister’s son. This dear man was heartbroken because he said he didn’t know the way back to Jesus and that he’s sinned so much that he didn’t think he could return. I briefly shared the history of David, Paul, and the thief on the cross and told him Jesus could save to the uttermost and that no one, including him, was beyond Jesus’ saving power.
*I met a young lady who was curious about the table and thought what I was doing was nice. I turned the conversation toward eternity and asked her if she knew where she was going when she died. She didn’t, and she told me she’s made a mess of her life lately and needed hope. I explained our hopeless situation before a holy God, and she understood she was lost without Jesus. We talked about what repentance and salvation mean. This young lady understood and wanted to be saved after counting the cost. We prayed together, and she believed and confessed Jesus as her savior. I was able to direct her to a Christ-centered church in the area.
*We served many cups of coffee and dozens of doughnuts. I had the opportunity to pray with several people. We also gave out over 20 Bibles, seven coats, four hats, and four pairs of gloves. The best part is we presented the gospel to several people.
Check back soon for recent ministry updates!