I made my team of eight men go through the evangelistic ringer at the 14th Ambassadors’ Academy training—and no one died! I tried my best to make them flinch, pout or weep uncontrollably, but, alas, it was all for naught.

From “standing on the box” in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater to preaching at stop lights and in elevators, these guys proved their mettle.

They were willing to try new things, too, like “BusStop”: When a bus pulls up to its stop, commuters get on, and the evangelist runs aboard handing out as many Gospel tracts as possible before the bus leaves with him on it (we always get permission from the bus driver).

But everyone’s favorite was the “Shaadaap! Game.” Would-be  heralds were scored on a Pass/Fail basis when they preached atop cement trash cans dotted along Main Street in Huntington Beach. If one of the men preached a one minute sermon and was not disrupted by an annoyed listener, they would fail. If someone yelled “Shaadaap!” while they lifted their voices like trumpets toward the outside eateries, they’d pass. A “Shaaaaadaaaaap!” was worth double.

My team graduated this boot camp with flying colors and are now released to create Gospel havoc in their own communities!

If you are attending the Academy in June or August, I’d love to have you on my team. Just email Tony Miano at the Academy and make your request. Look forward to meeting you.

Congratulations to (from top left clockwise): Ed Lopez, Glenn Parker, me, Chris Poindexter, Paul Beese, Brian Harris, Paul Adams, Chris Chumita, and Mark Graham.