The Creation Evangelism Booth: Through the Eyes of Our Volunteers

For most, the Iowa State Fair brings those who are hungry for food on a stick. Whether it’s corn dogs, deep fried Twinkies, giant turkey legs, or even a deep-fried stick of butter – people will come from all over to find that one thing they’ve been craving all year for, that they can’t get anywhere else. 

But for others, their taste buds are hungry for another type of food; one that doesn’t satisfy the stomach, but the soul: evangelism at the Creation booth. Located in the air-conditioned shelter of the Varied Industries Building, it is where evangelists and those who are learning to share the gospel come together from all over the country to spread the truths of God’s Word at the fourth largest state fair in the country. With over one million attendees every year, many of which come from afar, no wonder this is a prime location to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. 

Feedback from our guests

Throughout the eleven days of the fair, you meet all kinds of people coming to the Creation booth for different reasons. Many mothers and grandmothers rely on this booth to give them the information they need when it comes to training their children. Daniel, a volunteer, had a great conversation with a young Christian woman: “She had a bunch of questions about dinosaurs and wanted to know if they were on the ark.” He remembered his training from the Answers in Genesis (AiG) Creation Apologetics Class (CAP101), and showed her in the book of Job that dinosaurs were in the Bible and that it was very possible that they were on the ark. She was thrilled to get her questions answered and emboldened her to seek AnswersinGenesis.org for more. 

“I home school my kids and I need all the help I can get to raise them in a godly home and teach them godly principles. The information from this booth helps me do that. I can’t imagine the fair without it.”

Ashley, a long-time volunteer from Kentucky said, “I talked to a woman who had an autistic son, Andy. Several days before the fair she said Andy asked her what the meaning of life was. She felt grieved that even though she was a Christian, she couldn’t give her son an answer.  When they arrived to the booth, the question was printed on the tattoo table! I gave her the tract, ‘The Purpose and Meaning of Life,’ and she was able to now answer her son. She was so moved and encouraged by all of the free material in the booth which will impact her and her son’s lives for many years to come.”

Rebecca, a mom from Omaha, NE comes every year and takes one of every tract and booklet. “I home school my kids and I need all the help I can get to raise them in a godly home and teach them godly principles. The information from this booth helps me do that. I can’t imagine the fair without it.” 

Through the eyes of our volunteers

Lives are not only changed in those who come to the Creation booth for information and guidance, but those who volunteer at the booth and take part in Testify Evangelism Training Camp: an intensely fun evangelism training program presented by Tomorrow’s Forefathers, that runs in conjunction with the gospel booth. 

“We learn and grow from each other and then share it with others in our home churches. That’s discipleship!” 

Taryn, one of our volunteers, said, “My first time attending Testify was last year. That’s where I was first trained in witnessing. It’s been incredible to see how it helped my own faith and learning to give an answer for what I believe. You know all these things in your head, but in church you’re told you need to witness, you’re told you need to evangelize, but you’re never taught how. It’s kind of just assumed you know the gospel, therefore – do it. I’m really appreciative of the training last year because after I came out of the training, I felt so much more bold, so much more able to articulate the gospel without sounding like a fool or crazy. [The gospel] is not crazy, but it’s the power of God to win souls. And so, it’s really impacted how I look at people now and how I live my life.” Instruction from Testify Training Camp combined with the practical hands-on application from the booth, has given her boldness and courage. Like many others, Taryn took what she learned back to her home church and is teaching others how to share their faith. This is the essence of the Great Commission: making disciples who make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). 

We had many first-timers this year that had dramatic transformations within themselves similar to Taryn. Sheryll, came into the program a terrified introvert, and was encouraged by the training and exhortation of the seasoned veterans who work the booth every year. By the end of her week, she was emboldened and able to have some conversations and hand out many dino million-dollar bills. “I don’t want to stop doing this,” she said. “I’m going to take tracts with me wherever I go and strike up conversations as I run errands and go shopping.”

Mary, another first-timer at Testify and working the Creation Evangelism booth, is concerned for her Catholic family and was hoping to find some resources to take home with her and share with them. Though the booth doesn’t carry information on specific religions or beliefs, we exchanged information and I sent her many resources that I had accumulated over the years that I had used to reach out to my Catholic family. 

Friendships are made, and strengthened

Through the years of working at the booth, friendships are formed and developed through the bonds of evangelism which wouldn’t happen otherwise. We help each other and grow closer. Because our volunteers come from places like IA, ID, KS, KY, MN, MO, NE and WI, the Iowa State Fair becomes an annual reunion for us. Shelly, a mother from Nebraska and recurrent volunteer said, “Here Christians can get refocused, get challenged, and start seeing examples of somebody talking about these things. The booth and the camp are such a recharge for going back because it’s so neat to see what other people are doing to share their faith and what analogies they use. It helps you get the simple things that are easy to share. It’s great to have a conversation with someone and they talk to someone here at the booth about it; how you would approach it differently the next time or given another chance to have the same conversation.” As Shelly said, we learn and grow from each other and then share it with others in our home churches. That’s discipleship! 

Are Souls being saved?

Every year people who visit the Creation booth ask me, ‘Does anyone get saved here? Do they repent of their sins and put their faith in Christ?’ Yes, they do, and I know this because I am one of them! The Creation booth at the Iowa State Fair holds a very special place in my heart. It was where I heard the gospel for the first time ever in 2002. 

At that time the gospel booth was managed by Roger Bishop in coordination with the General Association of Regular Baptists (GARBC). I remember walking into the booth that day carrying a motorcycle helmet, jean jacket, and the weight of the world on my shoulders. Not to mention the attitude that came with it. I was a very confused and angry 30-year-old. A volunteer with the booth approached me with nothing but kindness and love. He spent at least 45 minutes sharing the gospel through the Bible and doing his best to help me understand it. Afterwards he prayed for me that my eyes would be open to the truth and love of God’s Word. Even though I don’t remember the man’s name or understood what he said, it had a real impact that launched me into searching for God, and in turn He found me several months later on March 2, 2003. Since 2016, AiG has led the charge taking over the coordination of the booth in 2016, and I became a volunteer in 2018 – coming full circle.  

The torch is passed; the race continues

The seed that Roger Bishop and GARBC had planted over twenty years ago has grown beyond anything they could have possibly imagined. These past seven years AiG has pruned, watered, and fertilized it with truth in love to what it is today; every year giving away over 75,000 Ark Encounter “million-dollar-bills,” and thousands of other booklets, DVDs, and other materials for free, through donations given to the ministry. Through the help of the Creation Evangelism booth, the Ark Encounter exhibit has seen over one-million visitors per year. 

But, starting at the end of the 2023 Iowa State Fair, AiG stepped away from management of the gospel booth, and the torch has officially been passed to iowago.org, led by its founder and President: Jon Neifert. “We have a duty and an obligation to continue this ministry to rescue the lost and equip the saints for the work of the ministry,” Neifert said. “The Iowa State Fair booth will continue to operate as it always has, sharing the love of Christ through His gospel. You will see minor changes, but note: the gospel and how the booth operates will not change.” 

If you have been blessed by the gospel booth at the Iowa State Fair and would like to support it, tax-deductible donations are humbly accepted at: https://tulip-gospel-outreach.square.site/ and designate it for IowaGO!. Tulip Gospel Outreach operates as a non-profit. 

For more information about Tulip Gospel Outreach and its founder, Jon Neifert, please visit www.tulipgospeloutreach.org.

For more information about Tomorrow’s Forefathers and the Testify Camp, please visit www.tomorrowsforefathers.com

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