Perhaps you have heard of Operation Saturation and wondered what it was...

Sending Out an S.O.S. [sharing Operation Saturation]

by Ken Akers

What?

This joint effort between Master’s Men and the Home Missions Department recruits groups—families, men’s groups, women’s groups, youth groups (or any other group for that matter)—to go to the sites of new Home Missions churches and help the home missionaries distribute information to the neighborhoods around the church. This involves placing a flyer or door hanger on the door of the home. Sometimes we knock; sometimes we don’t.

When?

Operation Saturation is usually held in the fall, but we leave this up to each individual missionary. Sometimes it is easier to attract groups to come during the summer, when youth groups are out of school and looking for a mission. Most churches start the event around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. This seems to be a good time. People are up, but most have not started the day’s activities.

Where?

Wherever! Operation Saturation can be held at any Home Missions church from Memphis (TN) to Green Bay (WI), Fredericksburg (VA) to St. Croix (USVI), and all points between. We have visited neighborhoods in Pittsburg (PA) and sweated through the streets of Puerto Rico. Once, we even braved an 11-story high-rise apartment building with no working elevator.

Why?

Why not! Most home missionaries leave family and friends and move to an area where there are few or no other Free Will Baptist churches. They go with the desire to plant a church and reach souls for Jesus.

The purpose is threefold. First, it is easier to reach 1,000 homes with 10 people than it is with one! Second, it is encouraging to the missionary and their family to know they are not alone. Knowing that people are praying for them and supporting them will help them keep going when the fruits of their labor are slow to appear. And third, Operation Saturation will encourage participants to reach out to the area around their own church.

Who?

You! Anyone—man, woman, boy, and girl—can be involved in Operation Saturation. Maybe you can’t walk very far. We need drivers to deliver and pick up those who can. We need volunteers to put packets together. We need people to prepare lunch for the other volunteers. We need everyone to pray before, during, and after the event, asking God to speak to hearts through this important ministry.

Visit www.fwbmastersmen.org or www.homemissions.net to learn more about this important initiative. Watch ONE Magazine for more information about plans for 2010. Contact your favorite home missionary and ask them when you can partner with them and Share Operation Saturation.

About the Writer: Ken Akers is director of Free Will Baptist Master’s Men. To learn more about the ministries of Home Missions, visit www.homemissions.net.