Through the several years of volunteering at the Answers in Genesis (AiG) booth at the Iowa State Fair, I’ve learned a few things. What to do, what not to do; what works, and what doesn’t. Last year was the final year AiG supported this ministry, but the work moves on through the IowaGO! project. The lessons learned still apply. Though this is not an exhaustive list, the following are things you should consider to be ready to volunteer and share the gospel at the Iowa State Fair, August 8-18.
Pray
From the moment you decide to volunteer to be a part of the IowaGO! booth at the Iowa State Fair, you need to pray. Pray through preparation, registration, learning through the apologetics courses, and for understanding and wisdom.
Not only that, we need to pray for the lost whom we will come in contact with, share Jesus to, and those we pass out tracts to. The only way the light of the gospel will penetrate a sinful heart is only by the Lord. He is the giver of the precious gift of salvation and the understanding of it.
Register with IowaGO!
Before you do anything, you must register to be a volunteer with IowaGO! to work at the Iowa State Fair. The volunteer form and registration can be found at: www.iowago.org, and click the 2024 REGISTRATION FORM. There, you will enter your information, answer questions about your beliefs, and let them know when you are available.
The reason you want to do this early, especially for first-timers, is so that you will have time to complete and study for the AiG Creation Apologetics Course: CAP101. This course is free to all who volunteer, and is important information that you don’t want to rush through. There is a lot of reading, video watching, and test taking that needs to be done before the fair. Though this course is not mandatory to volunteer, it will give you important knowledge to answer questions about creation, the gospel, apologetics, God, the human race, suffering and death.
You may not know what shifts you are able to fill, and committing to certain time slots on the registration may be daunting. That’s ok, the leadership can be flexible, especially if this is your first time.
Buy fair tickets early
Being that entrance into the fair is on you (it costs over $25,000 for IowaGO! to fund the booth), you need to buy tickets for the fair early. Early ticket holders can save $5 per ticket ($11) than purchasing them at the gate ($16). That adds up especially if you are working for all 11 days ($55 in savings). Tickets are good for any one day at the fair. Advanced tickets can be bought online or at stores like Hy-vee.
Register for evangelism training at Testify Camp
If you are new to sharing your faith, this is a great way to learn how. This camp is for anyone with a heart for the lost, ages 16 and up. Here, you will receive practical training in witnessing and apologetics, one-on-one coaching and an opportunity to glean tips from experienced evangelists. You will learn to:
- Transition conversations with unbelievers from natural to spiritual topics
- Pass out gospel tracts with confidence and skill
- Use creation science as a starting point
- Be winsome and gentle
- Use questions to generate gospel discussions
This year’s speakers include:
- Tony Ramsek of Gospel Equip
- Eric Hovind of Creation Today
- Harold Mally of Tomorrow’s Forefathers
- Josiah and Grace Moffitt. Grace (Mally) Moffitt is the author of the evangelism manual and workbook — Will Our Generation Speak?
Remember though, space is limited. It’s important to get on it as early as possible. For more information and registration, go to: https://tomorrowsforefathers.com/testify-training-camp/.
Complete CAP101 Apologetics Course with a passing grade
Though this course is not a requirement to volunteer at the booth, it is packed with so much useful information that you will be using in the IowaGO! booth. People will have questions and are looking to you to have the answers. This training will equip you to do that. But don’t worry, there will be plenty of help in the booth if you get stuck.
This should not make you scared or nervous, but empower and equip you to do better. This is an exciting opportunity that you can be a part of. This course made all the difference in the world. Once you register, you will be given a link and code to get the course for free.
A pocket Bible is helpful
Even though IowaGO! provides all the witnessing material like videos, pamphlets, books, tracts, and more, it is helpful to have a pocket-sized Bible handy for those witnessing encounters. There were so many times during the fair that I used my Bible. People are looking for answers and don’t want to be told — but shown.
Not only that, it is helpful to mark your Bible to find things that may be helpful. Some useful information may be:
- The Romans Road.
- Where dinosaurs are found in the Bible.
- Creation.
- Ten Commandments.
- Noah’s Ark.
- The Gospel.
Dive in and get wet at the parade outreach
The Iowa State Fair Parade Outreach is an important part of the learning experience sharing your faith. Here you will pass out tracts and engage the public for the first time — en masse. To join us for the parade outreach, meet at the corner of East 6th Street and East Grand Avenue, Des Moines at 5:00 pm on August 7th for prayer and direction
Passing out tracts during a parade is one of the easiest ways to share Jesus for the first time. Watch the following video how Tony Ramsek of Gospel Equip does this and engages people with the gospel on a parade route.
Read the tracts you hand out
It is important that with anything you hand out at the booth you read it first. This not only makes you knowledgeable on the topic, but will help you in conversation with people who are curious or wanting to know. Get familiar with the books and tracts while you are at the booth. Think about how you would share them. Ask those who have been there before how they engage in conversation. No matter what, you are never alone and without help. Use it. Learn from it, and apply it. What you learn here will take you further into the world well after the fair is over. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience and try things out.
Your physical health is as important as your spiritual health
Your physical well-being during the fair is as important as your spiritual and mental well-being. You will be standing much of the time while in the booth. Yes, there are chairs provided to rest and have deeper conversations with people who come to the booth. But even resting frequently, you will be standing at least 85% of the time.
Having a good new pair of walking shoes is important when it comes to working in the booth. Brands like New Ballance, Asics, Kuru provides all-day comfort. You’ll never see a nurse in a hospital with old sneakers. Most of the time they look brand new — because they are. They value their feet, and a good pair of walking shoes is the difference between having a good day and a bad one. Remember what happened to me two years ago? I hardly sat down or drank water, and my shoes were horrible. Take breaks often, and when you do — sit down.
It’s not as hard as it seems
All this may seem overwhelming and expensive. It’s not. With all the free training, books, tracts, fellowship, and learning experience you receive, it just about pays for itself for the cost of a few general admission tickets.
It’s not as hard as it looks. In fact, it’s probably the easiest way to share your faith. This is the perfect place to learn, grow, make mistakes, and try new things. We were all new at one time or another, and you are not at any time without help. We have very capable leaders and someone will be there to guide you at every step of the way.
Remember, people are coming to you to see what you have. You don’t have to strike up the conversation; the booth, ark, TV commercials, books, tracts, and more are the conversation starters. This is an exciting opportunity few people ever take. Grab ahold of it with both hands and hold on. It’s going to be amazing.
Pens & Wrenches 
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