Building New Connections to Share the Gospel

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 12,000 U.S. adults 16 and older are employed in the trades. In percentage points, that’s only 0.0036% of the population. Yet, almost 100% of us have had a moment when a pipe clogged, a roof leaked, or we couldn’t figure out how to assemble a piece of IKEA furniture. And as natural disasters become increasingly intense, more homes, neighborhoods, and communities find themselves in need of extensive repairs.

Kingdom Workers Construction programs address these issues in three unique ways—all while sharing the message of the gospel with those being served.

Builders for Christ (BFC), which became a Kingdom Workers program in 1994, was created in response to the increase in land and labor costs of the 1980s. Churches needing repairs and renovations found themselves unable to complete or even begin projects. The hope was that BFC could offset some costs by connecting skilled construction volunteers to the congregations. As a pilot project, BFC selected Peace church in Hayward, Wisconsin. In a 2010 newsletter, Pastor Martin Radtke, the first BFC Director, shared, “We were not fully organized at the time. We had no roster of builders, but we trusted that the Lord would provide. And He did! A total of 28 volunteers came and served alongside several members from Peace.”

Since then, BFC has completed nearly 200 projects across the United States. At each construction site, volunteers use their construction skills to bless the congregation and the community. Sometimes this takes the form of writing Bible verses on the wooden beams of the structure. On other occasions,  it means talking to neighbors about their Christian faith. Faye, a longtime BFC volunteer shared, “It’s a privilege to help others with their project and show God’s love to them.”

On the White Mountain Apache Reservation, the DIY Home Repair Workshops equip community members with basic construction repair skills. Work like this is important, especially since 40% of homes need some form of repair. Workshops include roof and window repair, drywall installation, home weatherization, and more. Before each workshop, a meal is shared alongside a gospel-centered devotion to help bring community members together in Christian community. “We want to do this work so we can share God’s love with the community,” Tommy, a DIY volunteer, told us. Last year alone, 163 individuals experienced the true change that comes from learning a valuable skill and connecting to God.

Most recently, Kingdom Workers launched the Build Up: Mentoring Teens in Trades program. Jeff Ulman, Kingdom Workers Director of Construction, explained, “We’re teaching young people construction skills and injecting the gospel throughout the process.” Through these construction projects, young people are exposed to a career in the trades, all while serving alongside Christian construction workers. The program is quickly gaining traction and providing opportunities for participants to share the gospel with people who do not yet know Jesus.

People like Ragini. Ragini saw the Build Up program assisting community members with various construction projects. Since she was a widow who needed a new porch, she figured she would see if they could help. As the Build Up crew worked on Ragini’s house, she heard their conversations about God. Ragini, a devout Hindu, was unafraid to ask questions, which created an opportunity for the young men in the Build Up program to share their faith. Through Ragini’s porch project, she heard the gospel message and now has Christian friends she can talk to and learn more.

As Kingdom Workers looks to the future of its Construction programs, we want to grow bolder in our commitment to sharing the gospel with those outside of faith. This means strengthening the faith of our volunteers and equipping them to be messengers of God’s grace. It also means going outside of our comfort zone. But that’s not something that scares our construction volunteers. After all, when BFC began, there was no guarantee it would work. Instead, volunteers showed up with a heart for service. They brought their gifts and placed them into God’s hands, and God did the rest.

Now, we’re looking for ways to offer up what we have been given at Kingdom Workers to further share the gospel message. We don’t know what this will look like, but we are confident that God will use what we give Him to bring glory to His name.