Cincinnati, OH (July 25-30)

This is the last blog for me this summer. I could not have asked for a better group to go out with. Cincinnati PowerPlant was phenomenal.  The participants were so energetic and happy to be here serving the Lord. We saw some amazing things happen—a bus broke down but God just had a different plan in store for a church to get home.  One group didn’t know what they were doing from day to day, but God prepared them nonetheless.  The temperature was rising daily but God took care of us.  Youth groups got significantly closer working together in extreme situations.  The truly amazing things that happened are the final statistics.  Of course, it isn’t about numbers but it’s always nice to see what the group did as a whole. I hope you’ve enjoyed the blogs this week. All the glory be to God!

Final Statistics:

• 4 Church Plants & Ministry Teams
• 4 Participating Churches
• 83 Participants
• $269 Offering

Participant Decisions

• 4 Rededications
• 4 Service as Summer/Semester Missionary
• 13 Interested in/Committed to Church Planting

Community Decisions

• 710 Presentations of the Gospel
• 6 People with Questions about a Relationship with Jesus
• 13 People who are requesting more Information
• 62 Number of tracts handed out
• 602 Bibles handed out

Everyone here has been officially challenged this week. There’s a group that wasn’t sure what they were going to do at their ministry site this week, but God didn’t let them fall. There was a group that was supposed to talk and evangelize to people in the park; not many were there. Some people just didn’t have enough to do at their site yesterday. HOWEVER, no one is discouraged. Seeds are being planted in Cincinnati regardless of the effects that will happen tomorrow. Many times that is the thing that can discourage a participant. Prayer walking is a common act at PowerPlant. It’s a wonderful thing, but sometimes it can take a while to see results. In most cases, results don’t happen until the kids have left PowerPlant and gone home to their beds. We try to make sure they know prayer walking is crucial, standing around at the park waiting for someone to talk to is crucial. God is going to do amazing things because of this week; He just may not do it right away.

We are also hoping some seeds were planted in lives last night as we had the Concert of Prayer. Instead of the main gathering, we had a time for the groups to pray about 1. Their personal relationship with the Lord right now, 2. The ministry site they are helping with this week, 3. Hometowns, the cities everyone came from, and finally 4. The nations. It really turned out to be the highlight of the week; many students’ hearts began to stir about possible missions and church planting opportunities in their future. We hope and pray that the seeds that were planted in the students hearts during the Concert of Prayer will be watered by God and sprout into church planters or missionaries–whether that be abroad or right at home.

According to locals here in Cincinnati, it’s hot here! Being from the south myself, it’s not too bad. However, when students are walking around passing out door hangers, it can get hot quick.  Today the teams were sent out into their community to help with specific needs of a church planter.  In order to pray specifically for your loved ones here, below is a list of what church is working with who:

• Brownsville Baptist Church – Red Door and Rolling Hills Baptist Church
• First Baptist Church of Edgewater – The Bridge Oxford
• Parkview Baptist Church – Origins
• Pleasant Ridge Church – Red Door and Rolling Hills Baptist Church

The speakers have really kicked off the week. Last night Steven Staten spoke on we’re just watching UNLESS God’s awakening.  Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor in vain; unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.” This morning, Dave Dorr challenged the students to evangelize back home. In order to do that, everyone’s house should be built on solid rock (Matthew 7:24-27).  Staffers can already tell these guys are making the students think about what’s really important in their life.

Four different states are represented this week. We’re coming together with one common cause: to build His Kingdom.  Pray the students can step outside of their comfort zones. All summer we’ve heard amazing stories about shy kids finally talking to a stranger by the middle of the week. Why not pray for the shy kid to talk to the stranger at the beginning? We are going to be at four different sites.  One of two things will happen: we will help that community tremendously, or they will help us. PowerPlant really needs some people, and some people really need PowerPlant. Pray for Cincinnati PowerPlant 2011.

• Brownsville Baptist Church – Brownsville, TN
• First Baptist Church of Edgewater – Edgewater, MD
• Parkview Baptist Church – Tuscumbia, AL
• Pleasant Ridge Church – State Road, NC

Now I have the honor of introducing you to the babysitters for the week: Jon Morgan is the Audio Visual Tech. Meaning, he takes care of the sound, sets up the worship center, and will make a video at the end of the week. Christina Marrero is the Office Manager. You know how you filled out a bunch of paper work and gave it to your group leader? Yeeahhhh, from there it goes to Christina who sorts through it all. You can find her lurking from behind her laptop most of the week.  I’m Schyler Habowski, the Program Specialist. I will narrate you through the week to the best of my abilities via this blog.  Some pictures will be posted so loved ones back home can follow along! I do lots of little things here and there to make the project run as smoothly as possible.  And lastly, Brad Bartlett is the Music Leader. On top of leading us with his (angelic) voice, he’s the team leader for us summer staffer’s.  That basically means that whenever we mess up, it’s on him. So far everything this summer has been incredible. He’s leading us well!

The guys above us are the real deal.  Oliver Hawkins and Dennis Holmes have been working on this project for months. They both have a huge passion for this ministry. Oliver is the Project Coordinator and planned everything having to do with lodging. Dennis, the Ministry Coordinator, planned everything that the participants are doing during the day. As the head honchos they’ve covered every loose end.

This week isn’t about us, though. This is about reaching out to the busy, lost city of Cincinnati.