Just an Ordinary Garage

Just an Ordinary Garage

Was it just another garage? By and large, Dad’s garage was just another ordinary garage. It’s where he parked the car and kept his tools. Our mail-slot was there along with a milk-shelf; and our dog spent a lot of time there. Generally, you wouldn’t classify a plain-old garage as a tool of ministry. So the story of this particular garage being used for the Lord is quite noteworthy.

See, after my parents were saved, their lives were dramatically changed. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17). My parents’ “old ” friends in the neighborhood started avoiding them. I don’t think this bothered them much, but they did desire to leave a spiritual impact in the area. So Dad transformed an ordinary garage into a ministry to win souls.

The garage became a “hang-out” for kids in the neighborhood. Dad loved boxing, so he provided a heavy bag and a speed bag along with boxing lessons. We had weight-lifting equipment and chin-up bars. Dad installed a homemade backboard and rim. He let all the kids use his tools for bike repairs. He even let us use his welding machine! The garage became the neighborhood Vo-Tech, Gymnasium and Clubhouse all rolled into one! I still remember planning fishing excursions with the guys. We’d all sit around the garage as if it were a boardroom. And after our fishing trip, we’d be back for a wonderful Fish Fry in the backyard! As far as ordinary garages go, ours was pretty notable.

The garage door was always open. Others in the neighborhood cringed at the thought of their homes becoming a “hangout.” As a rule, their doors were usually closed. Their yards were nicely manicured too. Ours: not so much. Our yard was a football field! For all the fun we had, everything was sustained with God’s Word. Gospel literature was left on the milk-shelf. An old blackboard was the ideal spot to share Bible verses on Salvation. I don’t think my parents ever missed an opportunity to witness to anyone who visited that garage.

Such fond memories of the garage! . . . Dad is with Jesus now and I don’t see Mom very often. But when we do get together, we love to reminisce about all the fun we had out of that garage. And we praise God because many of those kids of yesteryear are in the faith today simply because we shared Christ with them by allowing our garage to become a “hang-out.” Some of those kids received more love in our garage than they did in their own homes! The Goossen family is sprawled out all over the United States today, but because of our parents’ salvation, we impacted lives in our hometown of Hoyt Lakes, MN over a generation ago. Who knows how far the Word has now spread by now.

Scripture records the impact of just one soul on a hometown in Mark 5:18-20:

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (NIV)

Jesus had been ministering is a very pagan area. He didn’t expect great crowds to follow him. But by sending the Gaderene away with the Good News, Jesus expanded His ministry to those who would not have otherwise been touched. Who are you touching? Whom will they touch? Is your garage door even open?

-- Pastor Mark