It's a Family Affair: Second Chances Church hosting a crusade

GODFREY - For the third consecutive year, Second Chances Church, located at 4836 N. Alby, will be hosting a crusade for the betterment of the community.

This year, the crusade will focus on all aspects of family. Second Chances Pastor Jim Kiel has teamed with Greg and Jason Harrison of Deliverance Temple each year to provide a crusade for the greater community. Kiel said the event, which will take place from Sept. 6-9 in the lot of the church under a large tent, will focus on families. He said it is not as much a religious event as much as spiritual leaders giving practical advice and hosting workshops to assist with issues such as jobs, blended families and bullying.

These tent crusades began with Kiel met with the Harrisons three years ago - around the same time as the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. They were a part of the Riverbend Ministerial Alliance, and they spoke of a need to return to the ministry of tent crusades. That year's theme was "We All Matter," which both Kiel and Jason Harrison were quick to say did not negate the need for the Black Lives Matter movement.

"The Black Lives Matter movement has a purpose," Jason Harrison said. "We did not want to take away from that, but we wanted to say that we were one people of one faith under one God."

Kiel said the event started as a collaboration between Second Chances and Deliverance Temple, but has since expanded to include as many as 10 churches from several denominations. He appealed to the purpose of the church to provide for its people.

"In the Book of Acts, they brought everything they had and distributed everything they had," he said. "We live in a world now in which everyone does whatever feels good. People are also very much out there with their hands out looking for something. I don't believe it is the function of the government to provide for them, but instead is the function of the church. Let's get the church to do what it was meant to do."

Jason Harrison said this year's theme is family, because he believes the breakdown of the family structure is contributing to several current ills. To remedy some of the most common issues affecting families, he said the four day crusade will work toward solutions.

Wednesday, Sept. 6, Jason Harrison said people will be invited to place painted hand prints on a large banner and write what they like about family. Free corn dogs and popcorn will be provided that night as well as a family movie.

"We will use that to pray over," he said. "Then Thursday night, we have blended families, and how to cope. It's a hard thing. I have a blended family myself. We're going to talk about how discipline, love and rebellion work in a blended family."

Friday, Sept. 8, is called "Fight Night." Jason Harrison said that night will be helping people fight for their families as well as fighting for their passions.

Saturday from 12 - 3 p.m. is a "Back to the Family" job fair, which will feature several local employers. During the job fair, children will be able to enjoy a fun day with games, bounce houses and hot dogs. Jason Harrison said the employers involved will be "top notch."

That evening, starting at 5 p.m., a seminar on "Bullying: Being Young in a Cruel World" will occur. The guest speaker will be a mother who lost her young child to suicide following rampant bullying.

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