Open Bible Ministries
A Home Away From Home For Military Men and Women
Sunday Dinner November 2007
Dear Friends,

Let me introduce ourselves. Yvonne and I have been ministering to the military in various capacities for over 37 years. We really care about the men and women serving in our armed forces.

I met Yvonne at a Christian servicemen's center in California called the Port O' Call, where she was a hostess, and where, as a young 19 year old sailor, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. I served in the Navy for 20 years - 10 as an electronics technician and 10 as a Navy chaplain. You can read our testimonies by clicking here.

Our ministry is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Providing a "home away from home" for military men and women stationed in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area, we focus on building close personal relationships, eating together, fellowshipping together, having fun together, and even worshipping together. If you're stationed here, or are about to be stationed here, click on the family pictures at the right or in the "special family albums" section at the bottom of this page, and check out the photo galleries of our 'home away from home'. If you like what you see and would like to participate in our activities, contact us by clicking on the mailbox at the bottom of any page, send us an email to let us know who you are, and come join our extended family.

You'll notice we call our ministry a "church." Our definition of church isn't the traditional definition of church; it isn't a building where a group of people gather together for an hour or two on Sunday morning to worship. For us, church is about being a family. Learning, together, how to live the way Jesus wants us to live. Learning how to love Him as our Saviour and Lord, and learning how to love each other, and even learning how to love those around us who are not Christians. 

Every time we get together for any of our activities, whether to eat or play, or to sing or worship, we are "the church" coming together in Jesus' name. And, Jesus said, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." We're what's often called a house church (because most of what we do is in our house).

All servicemen and women are welcome to participate in our activities, regardless of your church affiliation, or even if you have no church affiliation. If you attend another church in the area, you're still welcome to join us. Even if you are not a Christian you are welcome to participate in our activities! Transportation is provided to and from the military bases in the area for those who need it. If you're stationed here and are married, you and your spouse are both welcome to fellowship with us.
 
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…”

Matthew 25:35-36

We're also available in "cyberspace" (as you can tell). Our objective is to help people in the military through pertinent articles on our web site and links to other resources. The articles are intended to make you think and stimulate discussion. We'll take the time to interact, via email, with those who choose to discuss any of the issues raised in our articles. If you have questions about faith, God, Jesus Christ, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, or Christianity in general, email us and we'll be glad to talk to you and help you answer your questions. 

Check out our featured articles below, and the articles listed in the navigation bar at the left (If there is no navigation bar at the left, click on the little house at the bottom of the page and it will take you to the full frame version of our web site).

In order to help meet the needs of military men and women, we network with military chaplains, other military ministries, and other civilian churches. We coordinate and cooperate as much as possible, while maintaining the distinctives that make us unique.

Providing training in ministering to the military is also an important part of our work. We've developed a training  course for those interested in starting a military ministry in their home or church; and we're available for consultation with other churches, missions groups, and individual families seeking assistance in reaching out to the servicemen and women in their communities.

Thanks for stopping by our virtual home; we hope you'll be back often! There are always new articles to read and new pictures to look at - maybe you'll be in them!

God bless,

John and Yvonne   :>)

Featured Articles:

A Soldier's Christmas  By Michael Marks (Copyright December 7, 2000)

Definition of a 'House Church'
If you're wondering why we consider ourselves a 'house church' read this paper for a Biblical explanation of what a house church is...

Why Should I Be Baptized In The Holy Spirit?
If you have a Pentecostal or Charismatic friend, and wondered what  they were all about, you need to read this article!

"In The Hard Times" By Chaplain Brad Lewis
A report from an Assemblies of God US Army chaplain In Iraq during the attack on the mess hall December 21, 2004.

How To Stand in a Threatening World: How Shall We Then Think? By Nathan Carr
With religion gaining recognition as an indispensable piece of any social or political dialogue how are Christians to respond in today's globalized religious conflict?

The "Submission Thing" By CAPT Al Hill, CHC, USN
The first of two sermons on the Biblical concept for marriage, delivered by Chaplain Al Hill at Little Creek Amphibious Base Chapel.

And Now: The Husbands By CAPT Al Hill, CHC, USN 
The second of two sermons on the Biblical concept for marriage, delivered by Chaplain Al Hill at Little Creek Amphibious Base Chapel.

Reaching The Military on The Web
How will you answer the question of the serviceman or woman who asks: “Why should I come back to your web site a second time?"

Rx - Prescription For Spiritual Health
Do you feel spiritually "blah" and out of sorts? Try this prescription for thirty days and see if you don't feel one hundred percent better!

Is Jesus Exclusive?
With so many gods in the world can't I believe in Jesus and a couple of the others too?

Is Jesus the Standard?
In a postmodern culture 'truth' is whatever I believe it to be...right?

Is It Really Urgent To Reach Your Family For Christ?
You may have less time than you think!
By Julie Williams

Developing A Pentecostal Military Ministry House Church

Where To Start

One of our goals is the development of a network of Pentecostal military ministry house churches. If you're interested in reaching out to the military in your community let us help. The articles in this section provide assistance for other churches, pastors, missions groups, or individual families with a heart for ministering to the military. 

Links
Government Links
Family Support Sites
Military Ministries
Videos to see:

The Climb

Time Changers
Recommended Books:
The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke  Roger Stronstad
More books
In His Service: A Guide to Christian Living in the Military Rick Bereit
More books
Special Family Albums
School of Music
Graduations
Weddings
Hospital Visits
Salvation
Water Baptisms
'Family' Visits
Spirit Baptism
Networking
Visiting Parents
Memorials
We meet at our house every week...
Come Join
Our
Extended Family!
Sundays

1:00 - 5:00 PM

Big Family Dinners!


Worship & Bible Study!
Saturdays

5:00 - 9:00 PM

Fun Night!

Bowling and miniature golf are regular parts of our activities. The evening always includes food (pizza, tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs)

Bowling


Miniature Golf

Board Games

And when we aren't bowling or miniature golfing we have a lot of fun together playing tons of board games!

Cash Flow!


Risk!

Jenga Masters!

Monopoly

 
Special Events!

We attend several special events that occur in the area, as a group, such as, the Ringling Brothers Circus, and Civil War Reenactments at the Endview Plantation in Yorktown, and Christian concerts.

Ringling Brothers Circus

Civil War Reenactments

NAS Oceana Air Show
Saying Goodbye!

The hardest part of this ministry is saying goodbye!
 
“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

1 Thessalonians 2:8


E-mail:
Home:
wagner@openbibleministries.com
Copyright © 2004 Open Bible Ministries, Inc.  All rights reserved.