These Guys Grill

This is an article that was in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette this past Saturday about the Grill Team at our church. Keith has been a part of the Grill Team for quite some time now and loves it. It’s a wonderful ministry that our church has and has brought many people to know Christ. I thought you would enjoy reading it.
To God be the glory!

Some Evangelists Drill Home Message; These Guys Grill
By Frank Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Some Christians rely on fire and brimstone to sway unbelievers, but the men at Central Baptist Church prefer charcoal and briquettes.

The North Little Rock congregation’s Grill Team woos with snacks instead of sermons.
Roughly once a month, members fire up the church’s portable, professional-grade barbecue rig and pass out free hamburgers or hot dogs, chips and drinks.

Typically, they target lower income areas, housing projects and apartment complexes. They also show up at school and community events.

“It’s a thriving ministry,” team member Brooks Brazear said. “It’s a much-needed ministry.”

In addition to food, “we hand out New Testament Bibles and just share the love of Christ with them.”

Brazear estimates that 50 people have accepted “Christ as their personal savior” as a result of the “grill ministry.”

“We’ve never done an event where God didn’t just bless our socks off,” Brazear said.

A church member donated the money for the smoker roughly 18 months ago, and team members get animated as they describe it.

New, the grill would cost about $15,000, Brazear said.

“It’s a big commercial size. I mean, you can cook for 750 people with it, and we’ve done that,” Brazear said.

It’s a monster, team member Jimmy Gassaway said.

“It’s about a 14-foot, 15-foot, 16-foot trailer,” he said. (It’s at least 16 feet long, Brazear insists.)

The grill is mounted on a trailer and has plenty of bells and whistles, Gassaway said. “It has a barrel smoker and a wood box. It has a steel, three-seated picnic table that folds out. It’s really cool.”

Despite its size, it’s easy to operate, Gassaway said. “All you’ve got to do is back it in and unhook it, put charcoal in it and put the umbrella up. It’s relatively simple and quick. We can have it up and running in 15 to 20 minutes.”

In addition to community events, the grill is also used for church cookouts and wild-game dinners.

“We’ve smoked some raccoons and they’re very tasty. Beavers are very good. They taste just like venison. We have rattlesnake. All kind of things.”

No matter what is cooking, the aroma is always alluring.

“When you’re smoking, it’s a heavenly smell,” Brazear said. “You can fire that thing up and people will just start gravitating toward it.”

As many as 15 men work together to set up, cook, clean and then disassemble the grill, team member Herb Martin said.

Nobody criticizes the chefs.

“The people have just really seemed to be very happy to see us when we come. … Everybody seems to really enjoy it,” Martin said.

Team members like it, too, Martin said. “That’s the benefit I get — the blessing of being able to serve somebody else and see their face light up.”

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