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| THE WANTED MAN NEWSLETTER: April 29, 2002 Volume 1 No. 2 Newsletter of Rev. Derek L. Cromwell, Music Evangelist ***** Table Of Contents: 1. Letter From The Wanted Man 2. Concert Schedule 3. Featured Story 4. Featured Bible Study 5. Featured Interview with Chad Benkert 6. God's Plan of Salvation 7. Conclusion ***** 1. Letter From The Wanted Man Howdee All, For those of you returning from last month, welcome back; and thanks for forwarding the first issue to so many others. It resulted in many new subscriptions. For those many of you who are new, welcome aboard. I hope you enjoy this newsletter. I also invite you to visit my ministry website at: http://www.thewantedman.com. Wow, a whole month has passed since the last newsletter. It doesn't seem possible. But so much has happened since the last issue. Here is a brief update. The concert at Immanuel Baptist Church in Grand Rapids went very well. Many thanks to Pastor Dave Westover for inviting me, and many prayers and best wishes to him as he moves on to other ministry opportunities. The next recording project is coming along nicely. I have chosen a studio, and I have been contacted by yet another studio interested in recording me. An agency in Nashville has requested copies of the new project as soon as it is ready. That is a really exciting prospect, and I am almost afraid to contemplate what it could mean! My sister in law, Kimberly Cromwell, has finished writing her first book, entitled "A Woman’s Journey To Abundance (Inner and Outer Transformation for Life to the Full)." I was honored to review the manuscript for her at several stages as she developed it. It is excellent as it fulfills is purpose of ministering to young women as they seek to be Godly women. Information on how to get this book will be coming as soon as it is available. There have been a couple of tragic events that have occurred as well. A friend of mine, Rev. Bob Burkhart, passed away this month. He was serving as the Pastor of the Niles Avenue Baptist Church, where I was Minister of Youth when I first came to Michigan. Please pray for his wife and children, and for the church as they come to terms with their profound loss. My brother Brian, his wife Kimberly, and their children, lost their home and all their possessions in an explosion and house fire. Praise the Lord, none of them were home at the time of the fire, but they lost all their material possessions. Please pray for them as they regroup. God's Grace is truly Amazing, because even with these tragic occurrences, God still shows his Power and Provision. Kimberly will be joining this ministry in a very important role in the very near future. The fire has only strengthened her resolve to allow God to use her. And with everything else, my wife and I have decided to create the Derek Cromwell Evangelistic Association as a non-profit corporation and apply for tax-exempt status. So like I said, a lot has happened. And there are a lot of things that are just about to happen. Please pray for us as we seek to do God's will and share His Good News with others. In HIS Service, Rev. Derek L. Cromwell, Music Evangelist The Wanted Man Phone: 219-248-9791 Email: derek@thewantedman.com WebSite: http://www.thewantedman.com Derek Cromwell is a music evangelist with 18 years experience in the ministry and over 25 years in the music industry. Originally from the hills of Kentucky, Derek resides in Buchanan Michigan with his wife Brenda, and their daughter Elizabeth. Derek is the Staff Evangelist for the First Baptist Church at Berrien Springs, Michigan. For booking Information, call 616-422-2029 or 219-248-9791, or email at bookings@thewantedman.com. ***** 2. Concert Schedule Upcoming Appearances of The Wanted Man. Sunday May 5th, Wildwood Baptist Church, Buchanan, MI Bringing the Morning Message Sunday Evening Concert Saturday May 11th, Harmony Baptist Church Saturday Morning Anti-Occult seminar with Youth Saturday Evening Anti-Occult seminar with Parents and Youth Sunday May 12th, Harmony Baptist Church Sunday Evening Concert For more information, visit the Concert Dates page at http://www.thewantedman.com/Playdates/PlayDates.asp ***** 3. Featured Story The Sneeze They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-three students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt. Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and moms freely brushed away tears. This class would not pray during the commencements -- not by choice but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it. Read the rest of this Story here: http://www.thewantedman.com/Stories/Story.asp?title=The%20Sneeze Read other online Stories here: http://www.thewantedman.com/Stories/Stories.asp ***** 4. Featured Bible Study I Am Somebody (Chapter 2) (Week 1) Christ Gave Himself For Me This is a central theme of the entire New Testament, and it receives major emphasis in the book of Hebrews. Christ became human like me - Hebrews 2:14-18 [Since the children, as he calls them, are people of flesh and blood, Jesus himself became like them and shared their human nature. He did this so that through his death he might destroy the Devil, who has the power over death, and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death. For it is clear that it is not the angels that he helps. Instead, he helps the descendants of Abraham. This means that he had to become like his people in every way, in order to be their faithful and merciful High Priest in his service to God, so that the people's sins would be forgiven. And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself was tempted and suffered.] Booklet, I Am Somebody, Copyright (c) American Bible Society 1992 Read the rest of this Bible Study here: http://www.thewantedman.com/BibleStudies/BibleStudy.asp?title=I%20Am%20Somebody%20(Chapter%202)%20(Week%201) Read other online Bible Studies here: http://www.thewantedman.com/BibleStudies/BibleStudies.asp ***** 5. Featured Interview With Chad Benkert [Editor: This month’s interview is with Chad Benkert of y2kj Ministries and Director of The Eclipse, a Christian Youth Center/Street Ministry that is located at 114 East Front Street in Buchanan, Michigan. If I were to draw any kind of parallel to what they do, I would have to characterize their work as an "EXTREME" version of Whit’s End, from the Adventures in Odyssey weekly radio program from Focus On The Family. Y2kJ ministries has been in existence since 1999, and The Eclipse opened up in August 2001. Chad and his wife Dana, are partners in this ministry and with the help of Jason Little, Cleve Epperson, and the rest of their staff, they minister to the youth in Buchanan with their unique "EXTREME" approach to ministry. I interviewed Chad on a Saturday morning just as he and his staff were starting the cleanup from their weekly Friday Night concert. On the wall was painted a huge mural with their slogan, "It’s All About Jesus!" As I interviewed him, it was evident that those words are more than just a slogan, but a way of life around The Eclipse. What follows is an edited version of nearly an hour of conversation about their work. The interview was full of laughs, humor, heartfelt expressions of concern for the youth of this world, and desire to lead them to Jesus Christ. I must admit that it was one of the most interesting meetings I've had in many months, and when I left, I knew I had another friend in the ministry. Thanks, Chad for allowing me this interview.] [The Wanted Man]: Chad, in way of introduction, could you please tell our readers a little about yourself? [Chad Benkert]: Ok, do we have all day. I mean, that’s a loaded question. [TWM]: Can you summarize? [CB]: Ok... I'm Chad, I believe in Jesus, and I believe everybody needs Him. That’s the summary. I grew up in the church, my Dad was the choir director and my Mom was the organist, you know... I was the "church boy". I remember thinking when I was like eight, "Man, I never want to grow away from Jesus!" Then, of course, I got out of high school and into college, and I started doing all the "fun" stuff. [Editor: He shook his head and was quiet for a few seconds as he complete that last statement.] Then I got married to my wonderful wife, Dana. That was, "Wonderful Wife Dana." Make sure you get that down. [Editor: From the background the staff members, who were eavesdropping from different parts of the room, began adding comments like "Awesome wife, Dana" and "Incredibly Cool wife, Dana."] We got involved back with the church, but nothing major. I was the Sunday School Director, but I was still just a person going to church. Then, back in ’97, I went to Stand In The Gap, and that’s when God reminded me of my past, and my future. When I was 13, I was called into the ministry. I remember the day. He reminded me of that. I just went home and said, "There are going to be a lot of changes," and she just knew. I guess by my smile and, I refer to it as like when Moses came off the mountain and they could see the radiance of God from his face and they just knew...; that’s what I refer to that as. We just made a major lifestyle change from then. We knew that whatever we were going to get into, we weren't sure yet, it wouldn't be a high paying job so that we'd have to totally change our financial lifestyle. So from that moment on we just started changing. We got rid of all of our debt, and went down to a lifestyle where we could live, and work, for free. Well, from there, God called us into youth ministry. [TWM]: How would you characterize you theology? [CB]: People misunderstand me every time I say this, but I'm a Liberal-Conservative in the fact that I'm very conservative in my thoughts and beliefs, but I'm liberal in my grace. [TWM]: What kind of Christian work have you been involved with before y2kj and The Eclipse? [CB]: I grew up in a very "ministry active" family. My parents used to have their own music ministry where they would travel around to churches and sing, have us sing, and my dad would evangelize. Well, through a few different processes I worked at a church as a part time youth minister, then I went into the Wesley House in Dowagiac, which was a youth outreach. But my vision of youth outreach and the churches was a little different in that I was interested in leading them to Jesus and I didn't care where they ended up in church, as long as they ended up in church... and that was a definite difference, so I decided to leave. In the meantime we had already started y2kj Ministries, which was a bunch of youth pastors coming together to have a contemporary worship service for their kids. In time, some of the youth pastors moved on from their churches and it turned into more, I hate to label them, but street kids started to come more than the church kids. That’s when I knew were my calling was, it was to win lost and unchurched kids. [TWM]: What sparked the idea for The Eclipse? [CB]: When we were at Dowagiac, we had a full time program going there. When I left the Wesley House, I did this full time, and we had, every night, a different program somewhere else. We never had a building. We prayed for a building for two years. Then we got kicked out of our biggest building where we had our Friday Night program and started coming up here. There was another group already meeting here in Buchanan, and our group outnumbered their group because there wasn't anything really happening here. After a while, the ministry people here said, "You know what, you guys should just take this over." They were only doing the Friday night thing and they couldn't keep up because they had other lives and responsibilities. They knew what they wanted to see here, and they love what’s going on here now. So they said, basically, "Why don't you just take the building?" I said it would take an act of God to get me to move to Buchanan. In August, we came to spend the weekend... and we never spent another night in Dowagiac. We didn't move out of Dowagiac ‘till October. We just opened the doors, and we never left. We reached more people in the first week here than we did in the whole time in Dowagiac. In the first week, we tracked over one hundred different kids, and that was before we even had our grand opening. We used to track everything but we stopped because we couldn't keep up. [TWM]: Where did the name, The Eclipse, come from? [CB]: The name came from Samantha [Editor: He pointed out Samantha, one of the girls that now works on the staff at The Eclipse.] We were all sitting around throwing out names looking at magazines and going, "The Siding, The Deep, The Launching..." She was just sitting there and said, "The Eclipse." We looked it up in the dictionary and it said, "When two heavenly bodies collide." When Dark and Light collide, that's what we are, we're The Eclipse. But instead of the dark covering the light, it's just the opposite. The LIGHT covering the dark. [TWM]: What methods of ministry are you using to impact lives in this ministry? [CB]: We try to do some "Friendship Evangelism" as we label it here. I'm not going to condemn or hate a person, but I'm going to tell them what I think, and I'm going to tell them my beliefs. You can get into all the issues, but drugs is an easy one to touch here. I'm totally against it, I think it’s a sin, but if a kid walks in I'm not going to tell him, "You're a sinner and you going to hell so leave!" I'm going to tell him, "Come on in," the first time, and just show God’s grace to him. As I get to know him, though, that’s when I start to say, "Hey, you know, you've smoked today, you can't come in today." As far as programs go, on Friday nights we have bands. That is our biggest night by far. Our idea of Friday Nights is of an entry level into the Eclipse. The Minimum your going to hear is me saying from the stage, "Jesus Loves You!" And on the wall there i says "It’s All About Jesus!" We bring in about a 50% Christian and 50% non-Christian mix. They just come in here to have fun, or some come ‘cause they know the band. We try to get them interested enough to get them to come back during the week. We have Bible Study on Thursday Nights. Saturday Nights we have "EXTREME Worship," which that’s geared more for the Christian. We still have an evangelism focus, but it’s mainly discipleship. Wednesday night we combine with a local church and every other Wednesday night they bring their youth group down here and have their meeting. Our biggest ministry is just being available. We just let kid’s meet us, let them know we care about them, and once we've proven it... we explain why. In the process we explain why, too. Some kids walk in the door and, well, I'll be strait-forward, some are just a patience thing. Each kid’s different, each adults different, it’s not just kids we deal with here. [TWM]: I understand that you book both local and national talent for you Friday Night concerts. Who are a few of the names that will be appearing this year? [CB]: We have three bands that are like our standard around here. Of all the independent bands in the area, Missing Days has the biggest name around here. Way Of Able is another independent band that’s really big around here. Their like an ‘80s rock. Their older guys, like in their 30’s. [Editor: I tried real hard not to take that personal.<GRIN>] Then there’s Nickie’s Best. They're a group of 15 year olds. Their probably one of the biggest calls for a youth band. As far as big bands, we have a lot of big bands that have been coming through here. The first one was KJ52, which is a rapper who was just here again last Friday. Then there’s Buck Enterprises; 40DT; Justified, that was a big one; Hangnail. We are having our second tour come through here. The first one was the Brand New Tour which had Calibretto 13, Buck Enterprises, and Sidewalk Slam. We have our Blind Ambition tour coming in, and that’s The Huntingtons, and Buck Enterprises again. Also we've got Rod Laver, and Bean Bag. We've just got a lot coming in. For the bands that we have to pay for, we say five dollars at the door, but about one-third of the people actually pay. If they have the money they can pay, but if they don't have the money, we're not going to turn them away. Our goal is to cover expenses, we don't make any money... we lose on concerts, but it’s worth it ministry wise. At the KJ concert there was 10 kids make confession to Christ! Actually when he was here in August, 30 kids accepted Christ. That was our first concert. We started in with a bang. Every time I book a concert it’s an act of faith, knowing that God’s going to provide our needs somehow. And I don't just go out and say, "Hey I want you, and you, and you...," I'm really picky. I want bands and people that are going to minister, and that’s not necessarily just on stage. It’s "What are they going to do when they get here?" and "What are they going to do before they leave?" and "How are they going to hang out with the kids?" That’s the common theme here. [TWM]: What results are you seeing from this ministry? [CB]: Most of the kids that come to Christ don't do it on their first time here; but when they do it, they do it for real. In the last two weeks, the harvest has been ripe. We've had 15 kids make confession to Christ. Out of those 15 kids, 14 of them have been kids that have been coming here. Only one was a first timer. [Editor: At this point he showed me his Bible. Each time a kid makes a commitment to Christ and shows lasting evidence of that commitment, he has them sign the front inside cover of his Bible. Since they opened in August of last year (about 8 months) there have been about 80 young people that have taken Jesus into their hearts!] I have the kids, when they make a decision, to sign my Bible. And not every kid that raises his hand or makes a decision signs this Bible. But it’s the one’s that, well, it’s kind of like an accountability thing. When they sign it, it’s in rock. We go for heart changes, not decisions. We want kids to change their lives, not just say "Hey," raise their hand, and it not mean anything. [Editor: Chad went through the list of names and dates, and told me something about nearly every kid and event on his long list of signatures.] [TWM]: If the Lord tarries, what do you see in store for future ministry efforts? [CB]: The Lord has given me a vision for this ministry, and a vision beyond the present. Our goal is to see a million Eclipses all over the world. Really I say that only partially in jest, but it could happen. We've always said we think too small. So if I were to say I'd like to see an Eclipse in every county of Michigan, I'd be limiting God. All I know that God has led my wife and I to go places, kind of like a church planter. We consider ourselves missionaries. We see building this up and having people move in that have the same passion for this ministry. However long that takes is how long it takes. Probably also this summer I will be going to other areas and just sharing our passion and our vision with others. All it takes is one couple that has that vision to take that step of faith. It’s a major step, but it’s just one step of faith and you have this ministry. There is no reason we should be alive financially. Our income does no match our expenses, but the lights are on, the gas is paid... God has been good to us. I see different types of youth ministries all over. Some may just be a venue [for Christian Music]. I already see Kalamazoo having a Christian Music thing. I already see that as a passion in my heart. And I see Jason [Jason Little] and Cleve [Cleve Epperson] as they grow in their faith and grow in the knowledge of doing this. Their passion is to have their own building and ministry. [TWM]: What words of advice or encouragement would you offer to anyone who feels led to take an "Extreme" stand for Christ, but unsure of the impact they could make for the Kingdom work? [CB]: I wasn't sure, either. It just blows my mind that God has been able to use us to make this kind of impact. My advice is to take the step of faith. If God is calling you to do something and it doesn't make sense, that’s ok, because even what we can do doesn't make sense. Just take the step of faith. Just Do It! [TWM]: Are there any other comments that you would like to make? [CB]: Yes, to your readers. Just because someone is reading this article doesn't mean they have Christ in their lives. Just because you go to Christian websites and Christian clubs and Church doesn't mean you've made that personally relationship with Christ. So I can't be in any interview or anything without making a plea for that. So, to those who are reading this, if you don't have Christ in you life, now is the time. [Editor: I could not have wrapped up the interview any better. If you want to learn more about Chad Benkert, y2kj Ministries, or The Eclipse, they are located at 114 East Front Street, Buchanan, MI 49107. Their phone number is 616-695-1626, and Chad's email address is chad@attheeclipse.com. The web site is http://www.attheeclipse.com. If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, read on. His plan of salvation is the next item in this newsletter.] ***** 6. God's Plan of Salvation Did you know God has a plan for you? The plan He has is called Salvation, and it is a free gift from the God of Creation to YOU through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ! Why You Need Salvation! Romans 3:23 tells us that; ". . .all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." And 1John 1:8 says, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Do you believe in heaven and hell? Matthew 25:31-34 and Matthew 25:41 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides [his] sheep from the goats. "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, `Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, `Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:" Did you know there's only one way to heaven? John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" 1Tim 2:5 "For [there] [is] one God and one Mediator between God and men, [the] Man Christ Jesus." So, how can I be sure I will go to heaven? John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." If you feel God is speaking to your heart right now, please pray this prayer "Jesus, I believe You died on the Cross for me and that God raised You from the dead. I believe You took upon Yourself the punishment for my sins and my guilt. I know that You are the only Way to Heaven, and now I ask You to forgive me of every sin and come into my heart. Jesus, I now make you LORD of my life... I will love You, serve You, and obey You all the days of my life. Thank You Jesus, for dying for me and giving me a new life in You. AMEN" If you have sincerely prayed this prayer for salvation in faith, believing that Jesus is the Living Son of GOD, the Bible promises that you now are a Child of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Please locate a local church and speak to a Pastor. Also, please email The Wanted Man at testimony@thewantedman.com and tell me of your salvation experience. I want to rejoice with you and pray for you as you begin your walk with Christ. ***** 7. Conclusion We hope that you have enjoyed our second edition of the newsletter. This is Deb Dixon the new editor of the Wanted Man newsletter. I did not have much to do with this one but I am real excited about what I will be doing in the future. I hope you will be back to see what we will come up with next. See you next time. ***** To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send an email to Newsletter-Remove@thewantedman.com. To subscribe or to re-subscribe to this mailing list, send an email to Newsletter-Add@thewantedman.com. We encourage you to forward this newsletter to friends and family, and only request that you forward it in its entirety. If you have received this as a forward from a third party and wish to subscribe to this mailing list yourself, send an email to Newsletter-Add@thewantedman.com. Do Not write messages in Emails to Newsletter-Add@thewantedman.com and Newsletter-Remove@thewantedman.com. These addresses are processed automatically and are not read. If you wish to send us a message, email us at info@thewantedman.com. Copyright (c)2002, The Wanted Man http://www.thewantedman.com
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