OUR STORY

History and Rationale for the Northeastern TN, Billboard Evangelism Campaign, April, 2020.

Because of the  Covid scare, February 29 John Bradshaw of "It Is Written" preached the first Zoom Sabbath services to a national audience of closed churches, including ours. Then for the next ten weeks we would endure dysfunctional local Zoom worship services, while trying to take turns on who was to speak. Remember? Everyone was caught off guard but did the best they could. 

Looking back, the Devil had dropped his first of many bombs aimed at destroying both the Christian’s hope, and evangelism for a lost and dying world. Instead, this should be the time to be crying our loudest, “Jesus is coming soon, we must get others ready!” In effect, many church leaders of all denominations rolled over and played dead. Yes, we forsook our mission!

But other things, bigger things, were about to happen. May 12, our very first billboard vinyl was hung on five lane SR25E in Tazewell, TN. 

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The Influece of One Man

April 1, 2020 Don's dad, James Reed, 96, passed away, and left to each of his four children a modest inheritance for each to use as they best saw fit. Soon thereafter it struck Don like a bolt: If he were to meet his dad in Heaven, he would, knowing him…, ask, “What did you do with your inheritance ?” The thought challenged us. We could use it for any number of carnal things, but Jesus is coming soon, and as a sudden surprise! We have everything we need, our children are prospering, and really, all earthly stuff will soon be burning. 

Then it dawned on us: there’s a world to warn and Covid has destroyed so much of our church liturgy and evangelism. Because we’re so close to the End; God’s people should be yelling their heads off in warning. Instead most remain mum, hardly bothering to watch a Zoom service. Now months later, we find that with most churches, half of members no longer attend. None dare call Christianity for what it really has become - masquerading! So what was a Good and Faithful Servant to do with an inheritance?

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Birth of EvangelismBillboards.com

At this very time the spirit led Don to notice a billboard near our home on a major highway. Presto! This thing preaches day and night without a mask on. Folk need their minds touched by the Holy Spirit. He soon discovered that this beautiful 12x24’ billboard on five lane SR 25E, four miles from our home, was immediately available, and with no charges for artwork or printing! Providential? You bet!

We immediately contracted the structure, and the first sign went up Tuesday, May 12, 2020, right at the height of the Covid fiasco, and four days before our church reopened for live (make that “dead”) services.  

Then, by God’s providence, a month later our  second 12x24' sign, also on a major five lane highway, but closer to Knoxville, went up in Maynardville. 

With two billboards now up witnessing 24/7, our fellow church members were noticing. The local government officials were noticing too, and telling us so. The premier billboard was referred to in at least one of the county commissioner meetings and got free press in the local paper. All within just a few weeks! 

Yes, there’s an awesome feeling that comes over you, knowing that this giant sign is something you’ve been a part of, and knowing that God has said “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isa. 55:11”

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Evangelism Billboards Expands

Because of a generous donation in June of 2020, things quickly accelerated when we signed a contract, first time, with Julie, the Knoxville General Manager of Lamar Outdoor Advertizing. It would be for a giant, 14x48’ billboard, full color with beautiful artwork, alongside I-40/75 with 195,000 vehicles going by it every day. (Only months later would we find out how much the Lamar folk are pulling for this ad campaign) We swallowed hard on this particular location because of its cost ($61/day = $.31/1,000 vehicles!). But I remembered that the God, who parts water for His crowd of a couple million desperate Hebrew slaves in Egypt, could just as easily handle the expenses. So, we pressed on foreward in faith!

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The Vinyls Went Up!
 

Every motorist now has something new to stimulate their minds with. They may wake up at night, imagining they are driving their route to work. The Holy Spirit has them seeing the beautiful graphic while it speaks the associated text to them over and over: “Remember”,  “Remember the Sabbath..." "to keep it holy” And over the eight weeks that the sign is on location, millions will have had opportunity to take their seed and water it. 

Every month or so, we make the 150 mile tour to see these beautiful preachers. It is so gratifying to approach these giants, see what motorists see, and imagine the joy that the angels have in arranging traffic such that the Holy Spirit can call on certain hearts. “How about a flat tire today, say here, right by this billboard?” Awesome is the only word that comes to mind.

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Finances & Donations 

In addition to Don's inheritance, He has dedicated all his income to guarantee this project. Along with his funding, there have been sacrificial monthly donations from a growing faithful group. We can tell you that many are living paycheck to paycheck. May God bless them! This dedicated group will take Gideon’s forces forward. Understand, 100% of every donor dollar goes to billboard leases and vinyls. There are no office staff, phone, or health insurance, etc. expenses. Is billboard advertising expensive? From one viewpoint, yes! But with 465,000 vehicles daily passing under seven LED illuminated billboards 24/7; that’s 13 million vehicles in a four week period, averaging just $.46/1000 vehicles! Please see our "Sponsorship" link.   

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It’s Time to Arouse

So that’s a glimpse into Billboard Evangelism. We're not starting a new denomination or wishing to compete with anyone else’s ministry. Covid has evangelism in the ropes with the referee counting. It’s time to arouse. We are told that God will use unconventional “out of the ordinary” means to finish His work. We see many dedicated Christians of all faiths who want to make a difference and warn the world. So let’s give the Loud Cry: "The Bridegroom Cometh!" 

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Ideal Location

Take a look at a road map. I-40 & I-75 travelers must pass NSEW through crossroads Knoxville, TN. From NYC, Boston, WDC, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Indy, Nashville, Cols, Clev, Cincy, Louisville, Lexington, Pittsburg, Memphis, LA – all traffic funnels through Knoxville! Then there are the Gatlinburg/Dollywood and Smokey Mountains tourist attractions near Knoxville that draw year-round international crowds. 

13 million vehicles per month go past our seven billboards. But we need help to keep them up and to add more locations in other cities. 

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Can You Help? 

The world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis. The Devil has been preparing and rehearsing for 6,000 years. He knows he has but a short time to convert the world. All but a few will be deceived and follow him. While the churches are languishing and consolidating behind the Papal Great Global Reset and Covid regulations, and who knows what's next, We want to offer to the Wise, the Called, the Chosen, no matter the denomination - an Evangelism opportunity. 

If you’d like to help in crossroads Knoxville, or, put a board up in your area, call us. The vinyls and digitized art are ready to go. 

Laraine & Don Reed

EvangelismBillboards.com  (godaddy)

EvangelismBillboards@gmail.com

TESTIMONIES

1.     An interstate trucker. a total stranger, stopped in our neighborhood. Showing him a color postcard with all eight of the vinyls on it, we asked if he had seen any of them in his travels. He pointed to one that had been up less than a week at the I-40 exit to Gatlinburg/Dollywood/Smokey Mountains National Park! He was blown away (us too) that he had met us, the folk who had put up that beautiful sign on the Sabbath. He said he'd be on the CB on his daily route, Knoxville to Ashville, NC, and when passing by the sign, would tell everyone to check out the billboard. 

2.        Another trucker, a local propane delivery guy, when shown the postcard, quickly identified a vinyl message he had seen in Knoxville, some 60 miles away.

3.     And get this, near Cleveland, OH Don chanced upon a trucker, who, when shown the postcard, immediately identified several billboards, and told Don exactly where he had seen them - Knoxville, TN!

4.    Recently Don met John Bradshaw, of the It Is Written telecast ministry, near Chattanooga, TN, and showed him the color postcard. Immediately he told him he had seen some of them in Knoxville, TN, and asked, "Are you the one putting these up?" and, "Have you seen results?"   You Bet!

  5.         Local government officials are noticing, and telling us so. The premier billboard was referred to in at least one of the County Commissioner meetings and got free press in the local paper. All within just a few weeks of its posting! 

6.  Don showed a Knoxville Costco salesman the color postcard and asked if he recognized any of the pictures. "Yes, he said, they're everywhere here!"