Mommies Magazine

The Birth of Blue Jeans For Jesus

Posted on 20. Apr, 2006 by Rev. Kimberly Dreiman in Rev. Kim's Devotional

The Birth of Blue Jeans for Jesus
“Can you help?”, asked the nurse on the other end of the phone line. She was calling about a patient who had undergone surgery and needed meals fixed for a few months. He did not qualify for government programs and had no friends or family to help. Joyce didn’t hesitate she replied: “The ministry would be glad to help.” Joyce Dreiman is a licensed pastor in Olney, IL and co-founder of a ministry called: Ring of Fire Evangelistic Ministry/Blue jeans For Jesus Food and Clothing Ministry.
The next two months Pastor Joyce fixed breakfast and lunch with a balanced meal menu. She delivered these meals to the man in need. The good nutritional meals were the key to this man’s recovery. A wounded body will not heal without good nutritional food to provide nutrients to heal the body.
One night at a Monday evening bible study at Pastor Joyce’s home – Joyce shared her vision of having a free meal for anyone who was hungry or in need of Christian fellowship.
The group focused on Matthew 25:34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, come you who are blessed by my father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” As the Lord had directed the ministry was born and was to be called: Ring of Fire Evangelistic Ministry/Blue Jeans For Jesus Food and Clothing Ministry.
The next morning a building was located. I had an early morning paper route and I was delivering to a barber shop that had a building for rent next to it. The Lord spoke to my heart and told me to rent the building for the ministry. So, the building was rented to have the outreach dinners and church services. The Lord opened the doors to provide what was needed. Large tables and chairs were needed to give the people a place to sit for worship services and to eat the meal. I stopped at a rental place to inquire about renting chairs. God had planned my steps because I ran into a person I had known in grade school. We talked and I explained about starting this new food outreach ministry. She asked for my address and asked me to wait to rent the chairs. I though that was a strange request – but I obeyed. A few days later she sent a check to cover the expense of buying new chairs. Soon, after that someone else donated tables that were new.
The Lord again spoke to my heart and said, “I am sending you to the lost, hurting and to those that other churches will turn away. You will be preaching and serving in blue jeans. This ministry will be different from all others.” I knew this vision would need special workers with the same call from the Lord. So, at the beginning Pastor Joyce did the cooking and serving. Volunteers helped with the clean up.
I went to the local newspaper and they published the story about this new outreach ministry called: Ring of Fire Evangelistic Ministry/Blue Jeans For Jesus Food and Clothing Ministry. A local TV station came and did a story about the ministry and future plans of expanding the ministry to include a homeless shelter. God was opening doors and I was to trust and obey.
The evening meal was a success. The ministry never knows who will show up or how many to cook for. There is always enough food to meet the needs and sometimes I believe God by miraculous means multiplies the food when supplies are low.
One evening I was eating a meal and a man sat down across from me. He just looked at me and said: “I want to be saved and baptized now.” I am an ordained pastor and I was in a state of surprise. I had not preached and we had opened the dinner with a prayer. The Lord had moved on this man’s heart! I led him through a prayer (for salvation) and made arrangements for him to be baptized. Today, he lives in a different state and has stayed faithful to the Lord. The Lord blessed him with a good job and his life was transformed because of the outreach meal and ministry was available.
Today, the Lord has blessed the ministry with a small church building and the outreach meal is held on Wednesday evenings in the basement. The Lord is using this ministry to touch lives and hearts.
If the Lord places it on your heart to help those in need there are several ways to get involved. The most important step is to pray about where and how the Lord wants you to help. One way to help is to look around your neighborhood – Is there someone in need there? Why not invite them over for dinner and share the good news of Jesus and reach out to the hurting. Volunteer at a church that has an outreach program with free meals. If the Lord places it on your heart to start an outreach meal service – then find a church that will support this idea and reach out and feed those in need.
I give the Lord praise and glory for opening the doors and preparing the way for this ministry and food outreach. As with every ministry – not everyone who eats at the ministry will be saved. The important thing is they have a chance to hear the good news of Jesus and their physical needs are met. As the Lord reminded me – not everyone he fed with the loaves and fishes were saved. Jesus had compassion on them and met their needs.