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Update - December 14, 2006 - WINTER WOW JAM!

WINTER WOW JAM WENT BEYOND MY BIGGEST DREAM! BUT, THEN, DOESN'T GOD DO THAT WHEN HE PUTS A DREAM IN YOUR HEART! 

Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement. Everyone
worked so hard - right up to the last minute. With all the workñthe flyers, caroling for three nights with a decorated truck and sound system, the wrapping of 3,000 gifts and bringing in 100 tons of snow, setting up all the props. I wondered . . . ìWould anybody come?
Would the weather be nice? Would there be any volunteers?
Would anyone accept JESUS?î We had never done anything
like this before!

Saturday was gorgeous!  When we opened the gates (formed by
four giant glaciers, nine-foot soldiers, polar bears, penguins, and
snow machines blowing snow from above),



5,000 people poured through - stepping into another world!



The air was filled with Christmas music, 100 live trees were given
away, Santa sat in a big chair and greeted hundreds (over 400 kids
sat on his lap during the course of the day). He told each child that
he had a free gift for them but that the best gift was from God and
that was his Son, Jesus!



4,100 bowls of chili were served, hot chocolate was served . . .



3,000 kids received wrapped gifts!



450 family photos in holiday frames were given, and a Christmas
Train and hay wagon pulled by matching horses gave rides all day.
A Nativity Scene with live animals was also there to show the true meaning of Christmas.

Snow hill was 60í x 120í using 400 bales of hay and 100 tons of
snow. Hundreds were sledding down the hill all day on inner-tubes.



There was a 30 x 30 play area, filled with snow for kids to play in;
it was packed!! In fact, everything was packed, including the long
lines to the Disney Tent, where artists drew pictures all day for
over 400 people!

The truck looked like a Christmas Card; and, when the sun went
down and the moon shone bright, all the lights came on and transformed the place into a wonderland.



Childrenís Choirs sang, as 400 workers served the enormous
crowd. With a large crowd of people in front of the truck, we all
sang Christmas Carols. A little girl won a bike on stage; and, when
I asked her what Christmas was, she could not tell me.

That is one of the reasons we must do these Winter WOW JAMS.
So many children are growing up without knowing what Christmas
is, and society is rapidly taking the Savior out of the Season. It is our responsibility as Christians to not just say what Christmas is, but to demonstrate it.  I then explained what Christmas is, gave an
invitation to receive Christ, and hundreds upon hundreds of
hands went up.



Kids, teenagers, moms and dads opened their hearts to Jesus.



We collected 265 salvation cards, and local pastors are already in contact with each person! We know that there were many others
who also put up their hands to receive Jesus, but because of our
lack of counselors and the size of the crowd, were not able to help complete cards for everyone. HOWEVER, God did not miss a person andñfor thousandsñChristmas will never be the same, this year, or
in the future!

God put the dream for a Winter WOW JAM in my heart 15 years
ago; and, to see it fulfilled, I can only quote from Luke 1 the words
of Mary, shortly before Jesus was born: ìMy soul doth magnify the
Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he that is
mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name!î 
Luke 1:46,47,49

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

Stephen Tavani

Final INDIA REPORT! - Updated December 7, 2006

22,000 received Jesus during the Crusade!

We are finally home from India, but we left a piece of our hearts there. Everyday the weather was beautiful and each evening the crowds grew bigger as word spread rapidly through the city about the meetings. It seemed  that wherever we went during the day ñ shopping, or in the hotel ñ people would come up to us and say how much they loved our music.

In six days we ministered to over 120,000 people, and 22,000 raised their hands and came forward to receive Jesus!  The majority who came forward were Hindus. All who received Jesus will be baptized in water. It was an amazing site from the platform. No photo can capture the entire crowd. John Carter presented fascinating lectures each night entitled, Amazing Discoveries. There were four huge video screens with graphics, pictures, and a video to go along with lectures.

Another partner along with the Carter Report was Maranatha Ministries, a ministry that builds churches and schools.  As a result of the Crusade, The Carter Report and Maranatha plan to build 24 church buildings.  They can build a typhoon-proof building in three weeks, and it can hold 400 people. The pastors for these churches have already been selected, and 24 new plants will soon begin. It was a wonderful experience for our family and our twin girls ñ one that they will remember for the rest of their lives. We were honored to play a part in it, AND we have already been invited to return next year!  Please pray for the ongoing work in India.

Thanks for your prayers and support to send us to bring the Gospel to needy people in India. Now it is on to our first Winter WOW JAM taking place in just six days! Thousands are expected to attend. Please pray that many will receive Jesus. 

CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS, BELOW.

God bless you,


Stephen Tavani


There was a sea of people with their hands up to receive Jesus. It was breathtaking!


Linda, Sierra, Nikola, Kathy and I fell in love with India!


The crowd was very moved when we would sing in their language.


A woman receives Jesus as her Savior!

It was an honor to minister with this great evangelist, John Carter. INDIA REPORT! - Updated November 20, 2006 This is a view of a night at the Crusade! INDIA HAS CAPTURED OUR HEARTS!!! After a long, four-day journey that took us from Los Angeles to New York to Paris to Bombay; and, finally, Visag ñ we arrived in a place of great need. The City is filled with beauty, colors, poverty, crowds, noise, smells, animals, dirt, flowers, buildings, and the most beautiful people on earth! We joined forces with John Carter for the first-ever evangelistic crusade in this City! None had ever been able to draw a crowd of Hindus here. There was much preparation and prayer. Advance teams from Australia had been there working for weeks prior to our arrival. An enormous stage was set up with four giant video screens. AND billboards were everywhere. The monsoon rains had raged to just a few days before the great outdoor crusade would start. God gave us the most beautiful weather, with balmy breezes blowing in the breathtaking Indian night. As Linda and I walked on the stage under a starry sky in front of a crowd that seemed to go forever, we felt the presence of God like never before. We have now sung before 40,000 people in the last few nights, mostly Hindus with no knowledge of Jesus. It has been a thrilling experience. We worked with a local musician who helped us learn some of our songs in their language. When we sang in their language the crowd erupted in applause and shouts. My heart was so touched to have our daughters with us and to watch them lay hands on people each night to pray for them. Many think Linda is Indian herself, and they love her voice and beauty. I am humbled by what God allows us to do for His Kingdom. Thank all of you that prayed and supported us financially to come to India and bring the Gospel. We could not have come without your help. Please continue to pray for us and for our staff back home working hard for the WINTER WOW JAM. I will update you on this trip. Tonight will be the first altar call for salvation; please pray. LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS TO GET AN IDEA OF LIFE IN INDIA! God Bless you, Stephen Tavani Stephen and Linda sing in the Indian Night! Tavani Family greeting people - Indian style! Stephen, Linda, Nikola and Sierra praying for people! Kathy Hernandez, Sierra, and Nikola mobbed by happy children! Stephen would pray for many huting people each night. We love the Indian people; they need Jesus. AZUSA REPORT - Updated November 6, 2006 This the elephant that drew the crowds. Our second WOW JAM in Azusa with Pastor Eddie Ruano and several local churches was amazing! We brought an elephant, and 1,800 people showed up to see it on a beautiful Saturday. With all the tents going with free haircuts, food, makeovers, family photos, face painting ñ the elephant was the most popular! The only line that was longer was for the free sketches from Disney artists. Hundreds raised their hands to receive Jesus; and, as they were all gathered around the front of the truck praying, I felt God wanted to do more. Then, I spotted her ñ a lady in a wheelchair down in front, with people packed around her. I felt God say to go down and pray for her. As you know, we have seen God do miraculous things this year at the WOW JAMS; yet my faith still wavered. I went down and laid my hands on her head, I asked her if she could get up. She said, ìNoî but she wanted to. I prayed that God would heal her. Two men and I helped her up. Although she was very weak and wobbly, she took one tiny step. I thought she would fall over, hurt herself and sue me. As I said, my faith was weak, but I know God told me to pray to show the people His power. With each step she took she got stronger and stronger till she was up on the truck itself. In front of all the people she began praising the Lord and jumping. Her name was Rhena, and she said she was missing three disks in her lower back and could not remember the last time she walked. The crowd was in awe of the power of God. I then said, ìWhat more proof to you need! God wants to heal you.î Many hands went up all over the place for healing. When Rhena went back down the stairs, a person offered her the wheelchair, and she said, "No, I never want to get back in that again, in fact if anybody wants it it's free.î  I asked why she came and, with embarrassment, she said she came for the free TV. I said, ìThatís fine, but you are going home saved and healed!î Early the next morning she called Peter Felsch, our Executive Director, and told him that she wanted to come to the Baptism that day to get baptized. Peter went down and picked Rhena and her fiancÈ. She got out of the car, walked across the field and got baptized with 20 other people. She has been coming to church ever since. It was a wonderful weekend with 160 SALVATIONS!  Thank you for your prayers!  Please see the following six photos to see the story! God bless you, Stephen   Prayer for Rhena in the wheelchair. Rhena courageously, with faith, stands and begins to walk. Making her way toward the truck stage . . . We all praised God as she made it up onto the truck stage! Baptism! We rejoice for her new life in Christ and restored health. Stephen and Rhena on Baptism Day. WOW JAM MOORPARK - Updated on 9/26/06  Baptism on Sunday, September 10 - Moorpark, California ìGod did it again! He blew away our expectations at this yearís WOW JAM Moorpark. Not only was there incredible fruit with 328 people responding to the altar call, but ongoing ministry is happening, as many of the volunteers present that day are inspired to continue their outreach. As a result, three more people have been saved through the ongoing and emboldened witness! The participating churches are already making plans for next year, and we are excited to see this developing miracle unfold in the City of Moorpark!î The statement above is the testimony of Pastor Reggie Mercado, Senior Pastor of The Fountain Foursquare Church in Moorpark, California. I am so proud of Pastor Reggie and the partnering churches in the City of Moorpark in California. Reggie grew up doing WOW JAMS as head of the Youth Department at my home church, The Church On The Way.  He planted a church called ìThe Fountainî three years ago; and, last year, brought a few churches together to do a WOW JAM. About 400 people showed up, and 102 accepted Jesus. The next day 11 were baptized. It was great! Just two weeks ago, we did our second WOW JAM in Moorpark. More churches came on board this year and worked together. Over 1,500 people showed up at the WOW JAM. People were fed, hair cuts given, bikes were repaired ó AND the greatest event was that 328 people signed cards accepting Jesus! We actually passed out 500 Bibles. I was so proud of all the churches and workers that came out and loved on people. About 1/3 of the crowd did not speak English, so we translated the entire day. The next morning was Sunday, and most of the churches had re-scheduled their services, bringing their congregations out to the Baptism. We had one big, combined service with about 300 people on a beautiful Sunday morning. More people were saved, and 20 were baptized in portable pools. A key highlight was a young man named Tyler, who had lived a troubled life, but got saved last year. This year, he came to the WOW JAM to work and brought his mother and sister. They were both saved, and they all got baptized that Sunday morning. Psalm 133 says: "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity . . . For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermoreî. (Psalm 133:1, 3b) Many people think that WOW JAMS go primarily to cities like Los Angeles and New York City, working only in large inner city areas. While we do go there, we have discovered that there are poor and hurting people in every cityólarge or smallóand every church can make a differenceólarge or small. God does not look at the size of the church but the size of their heart. Because of the unity of the Christians in Moorpark, a City was loved and a total of 339 people received life evermore. We are now preparing for our WOW JAM in Azusa, California, on the weekend of October 7 - 9. Please pray for Linda and me and our whole crew. We have now seen over 9,400 people accept Jesus this year at the WOW JAMS. Pray for our strength, safety, and finances. We would love to hear from you. God bless you, Stephen Tavani President WOW JAM CHARLOTTE - Updated on 9/7/06 Dear Friends, I was a little shaky going into Charlotte for the WOW JAMS because it would be the first one since my father passed away, but in our weakness, Jesus is strong; and, because of Him, it was a remarkable week. With 39 churches, 12 denominations, 1,100 workers, thunderstorms all around us but never on us, 1,064 people accepted Jesus and 177 came to be baptized at a beautiful lake on Sunday. Once again, host pastor, Farrell Lemings, and city coordinator, Michelle Hoverson and their great Steering Committee, along with our good friends at Coca Cola and our new friends at Inspirational Network and Convoy of Hope all came together to impact a city with the love of Jesus. Here are a few testimonies: ï    Several young people were so touched by Godís love at the Thursday WOW JAM that they walked several miles to come help with the set-up at Fridayís WOW JAM. ï    Samaritanís Feet joined us for the first time and distributed over 300 pairs of shoes to children to wear just in time for back to school. ï    On Thursday, a woman (while sitting on her porch) heard the Gospel message, cam over to the altar call and asked for prayer for deliverance from a heroine addiction. She stayed clean for three days and came to the Baptism Service to get baptized. ï    A young boy got off his wheel chair and walked the length of the altar area. ï    Numerous people in the community shared with volunteers in the tents how blessed they were to hear that WOW was coming back ñ that ìWOW week is their Christmasî was stated many times throughout the week. Please go to the WOW JAM Charlotte website for more testimonies and pictures. This weekend we are in Moorpark doing WOW JAMS with Pastor Reggie Mercado and a group of churches. Please pray that many receive Jesus.  Please pray that people are healed and many will come to the baptism. Also pray for me for strength and for our whole team.  THANKS! God bless you, Stephen WOW JAM NEW YORK - Updated on 8/28/06 Hundreds reveived Jesus in the pouring down rain in Brooklyn! Seventeen minutes before I stood to preach to thousands at the fifth and last WOW JAM in a park in The Bronx, New York City, after an intense week of heat, thunderstorms, lightning, and urgent schedule changes, my dear father, who had just turned 81 a few weeks ago, sat down by my kitchen door back in Los Angeles and told my mother he was tired, and then he died. I can only picture him standing in heaven and Jesus pointing down to a park in the middle of New York City saying, ìWatch this.î I was exhausted that day. It had been a full week ñ the mornings filled with teaching 130 interns, and the afternoons filled with WOW JAMS. To make matters more challenging, my wife, two children, and I were covered in vicious bites all over our bodies ñ from bed bugs. Our little girls were in agony. The management discovered a nest of the bugs from Brazil right behind our bed-board. On Wednesday we were only 40 minutes into the WOW JAM (with thousands of people there) when the skies opened up and the rain fell hard as the thunder crashed and the lightening bolts tore across the sky. I preached for about two minutes, and over 800 hands went up to accept Jesus in the pouring-down rain. No one left as we prayed for people in the rain. I stayed and gave out all the prizes. The day ended with a huge crash as the lighting structure on the truck came crashing down onto the stage because of the weight of the rain. A moment earlier, it would have killed some of our crew. God's grace was upon us. On Friday (deep in Harlem), God's profound intervention was evident. After only 30 minutes into the WOW JAM, with helicopters flying overhead and police everywhere around us, we were told that a sniper was just across from us in a building and was aiming in our direction. We were instructed to move the crowd off the field. I asked the officer if weíd be able to come back. His response was that the SWAT team was being called in and it could be a matter of hours or even a couple of days before they got the man. I announced to the crowd to move behind another building. I knew the Lord had not brought all of these people together to be sent home afraid and more insecure than ever. Although I didnít tell them why we were moving, they knew something serious was up. I prayed from the truck for a quick resolution; THEN, about five minutes after we had all gotten to the other side of the building, an officer came to me and said, ìYour prayers worked because we just got the man!î The WOW JAM started up again and 350 people came to the Lord that day! Now it was Saturday, and I was drained. This is why your prayers mean so much to me:  As I sought the Lord before I took to the stage, I felt a fountain start deep within me and burst through me to overflowing with joy and strength. Kathy was the first to hear about my dad but thought it best to tell me after the Altar Call. I preached that day with all I had, and as all Heaven looked down with my father, 450 people raised their hands; and, with tears in their eyes, accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, assuring them a place in Heaven, along with my dad. AS I stood behind the truck in the darkness, and with tears in her eyes, Kathy told my wife and me that my father just died. I immediately experienced the "peace of God that surpasses all comprehension guarding my heart and my mind" (See Philippians 4:6) As we held our little girls in our arms and told them that Grandpop was in heaven, I was thankful for the same peace that my father imparted to me was now being imparted to our daughters through their tears. That week over 2,000 accepted Jesus and 93 were baptized in water.  None of it would have happened had it not been for a great man, my father, and all that he gave me as his son. My father, Dr. Nicholas Tavani WOW JAM L.A. - Updated on 7/20/06 Huge crowd at South Park! Dear Friends, Each week I ask myself:   Can the WOW JAMS get any harder? ñ and each week they do. Each week I ask myself:   Can the WOW JAMS get any bigger? ñ  and each time they do. Each week I ask myself:   Can the WOW JAMS get any better? ñ  and they do; they just get better and better, as  we open more to the Lord and and make room for the miraculous. We just finished WOW JAM LA where 130 interns from around the country flew in for the week and joined over 300 local volunteers for a tremendous week. 14,784 people were fed; we brought in an elephant and gave 1,350 kids an elephant ride. During the week . . . ï     Five people got out of wheelchairs, and all accepted Jesus! One lady who had been in a wheelchair for four  years and had gotten up, came back a few days later to the Baptism and ran across the field to be baptized. ï    A seven-year-old-boy, whose mother died the day before the WOW JAM, accepted Jesus and received a  new bike.  His mother had accepted Jesus two years ago at a WOW JAM. ï    A 13-year-old girl with a brain tumor was paralyzed and in a wheelchair. We brought the elephant over to her, and a big smile broke out on her face as she got to see and feel a real elephant. She, along with her  uncle, accepted Jesus. Sobering moments occurred on Monday and again on Friday.  There were two shootings just a few blocks from the Monday WOW JAM and just two blocks from the Friday WOW JAM in South Park.  On Friday,  three young people were shot to death by a rival gang member, and two of the dead were seven-year olds. As helicopters flew overhead, 476 accepted Jesus that day. That is why we keep going back. 1,548 people accepted Jesus as their Savior at the WOW JAMS in Los Angeles! Only heaven knows how all these changed lives will impact eternity. Thank you for helping share God's love to the lost and hurting of our City. God bless you and thank you for your prayers and support. Stephen Stephen Tavani President/WOW www.wowjam.com Baton Rouge Report - Updated on 6/29/06 As we boarded a midnight plane for our third series of WOW JAMS in the hurricane ravaged area of Louisiana, I felt something stirring in my soul. We had already ministered to over 29,500 people with 4,342 accepting Jesus this year at WOW JAMS; and, although I was tired, I was restless with a sense of urgency for the lost  and an anticipation for something great God was going to do. The next night at the Kick-off Rally in Baker, LA, with Pastor Ricky Sinclair and the Miracle Place Church, I held up that day's USA Today Newspaper. The headlines read, "HURRICANE SEASON STARTS TODAY! ARE YOU PREPARED?" That would become my sermon all week. "ARE YOU SCARED?" would be more a more accurate title, as people living in the FEMA trailer park heard every drop of rain that night as it hit the metal roofs, bringing memories of the nightmare of Katrina. The next day God gave us perfect weather as we returned to the largest FEMA trailer park, Renaissance Village. The WOW JAM barely got started when the most amazing thing happened! A lady by the name of Glendora, who lives six miles down the road in another trailer park, was on her way to the mall when she got a WOW JAM flyer. She later said "something" made her come. She lost everything in the hurricane, including her daughter who slipped out of her grasp in the dark waters of the flood. After ten months of searching for her everywhere, Glendora believed that her daughter had died. A wonderful organization came to the WOW JAM that day called "The Louisiana Family Assistance Center. They locate missing family members lost in the storm, and they have located 10,000 people displaced in Hurricane Katrina and Rita. I made an anouncement that, if anybody was still looking for a family member, they could go to the Family Assistance Tent and meet with this organization. Glendora heard me, and went back to the tent.  She hesitantly gave them the name of her daughter. The name was entered into their laptop computer. I could hear the scream all the way from the truck! The worker at the computer told Glendora her DAUGHTER WAS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN CHICAGO! They gave her the phone number to contact her. This is Glendora, upon hearing the amazing news about her daughter being alive and well in Chicago! That is how the day started, and this is how it ended. Frito-Lay, Pepsi, and Walmart have been helping us at all of our WOW JAMS in Louisiana. An account executive from Frito-Lay by the name of Tony has come to all of the JAMS bringing chips for the people. On this day, along with 138 people, he walked down to the front of the truck with his daughter and accepted Jesus! Over the next couple of days another 251 accepted Jesus, and 20 were baptized. A church was planted right in the middle of the trailer park that meets every Friday night. Saturday Sunday School is held for the children. 389 people are now prepared for whatever storm hits their lives. We are currently in the MIDDLE of WOW JAM Los Angeles!  It has been absolutely overwhelming to us to see what God is doing here this week, and Iíll be updating this site to give you a full report in a few days!  Please continue to pray for us. Reaching the Lost, Stephen Tavani Fontana Report - Update on 6/1/06 A young boy raises his hand to receive Jesus! My head is still spinning, and my heart is still full from one of the most spectacular and unique WOW JAMS we have ever done!  It was our sixth year in Fontana with Pastor Danny Carroll and Water of Life Church. They brought on board 12 new churches to be a part of the WOW JAMS. The weather was perfect, and the crowd was one of the largest we have ever seen  ñ over 5,000!  175 bikes were fixed, 4,100 hamburgers cooked, and a bunch of 5th Graders came from a local church as a mission trip and made 1,200 snow cones. I had just finished the pie-eating contest and, as the sun was setting, I was about to preach to the enormous crowd. Suddenly a little six-year old boy pushed his way through the crowd to the front of the truck. One of the security men got my attention and told me the little boy asked if I would pray for him because his legs were in a lot of pain. I said,  "Not now;  I am about to preach! " How ridiculous was that! The Lord spoke to me and said, "I will do more through healing that little boy than I will through your sermon!" I told the men to bring the boy up, and that is when the whole WOW JAM shifted. The crowd grew silent as I knelt down next to him and asked what was wrong. He said his legs were in a lot of pain.  I had not said a word to the thousands of people about Jesus yet. I just told them to stretch out their arms to the little boy and pray. I prayed and asked Jesus to heal this little boy of his pain. I then asked him how he felt. He said that all the pain was gone!  I asked him who healed him and he said, "Jesus." I can't explain what happened, but something shot through the crowd. Adults, children, and teenagers started asking for prayer for headaches, sore throats, chest pain, and many started to weep. One young man asked for prayer because his parents were getting divorced.  Then a little boy said he had diabetes. We prayed for him and then many raised their hands for healing from diabetes.  I told the pastors to come on stage and help me because something was going on. Pastor Danny Carrol felt led by the Lord to ask anyone who had diabetes to come up on the stage. Within minutes, the stage was full -  including my sound man and two local volunteers from Walmart.  I then invited anyone needing prayer for healing to raise their hand, and hundreds of hands went up. I still had not preached a word. I told the WOW JAM workers to spread through the crowd and lay hands on people. The crowd of thousands stood there with no one leaving or even getting restless as the power of God swept through the crowd. After almost an hour of praying for the sick,  I gave an altar call for salvation. There were a sea of hands that went up!   800 Bibles were passed out; 356 signed cards were collected. I don't know the exact number of people who accepted Jesus that day. The next day I preached two services at Water of Life Church.  Another 32 came forward to accept Jesus.  The Mayor of Fontana who works at the WOW JAMS came up to me and pointed to a couple weeping at the altar and said that was the City Engineer of Fontana. More were saved that afternoon at the baptism, and 56 were baptized in a wave pool at a park. We are in Louisiana this first week of June for WOW JAMS in Baton Rouge and Baker, Louisiana. Please pray for us.  Thank you! __________________________________________________ Fresno Report - Update on 5/24/06 Fresno WOW JAM 2006 - This is our view from the truck! Dear Friends: Thanks so much for your prayers and encouraging emails! I just returned from Fresno. The first WOW JAM was in Sanger, an extremly poor town with a population of 15,000 people. 2.53% of the entire town (380) accepted Jesus! Of the three WOW JAMS we did in the Fresno area, over 7,000 people came out;  17% of those who attended (or 1,219 people) accepted Jesus at the WOW JAMS.  At the Baptism on Sunday 26.9% (328) of those that accepted Jesus at the JAMS were baptized at a wave pool in a water park including ANOTHER 30 people who received Christ at the Baptism! What was really exciting was the new church plant  out of Valley Christian Center. They had a pastor, a worship team, and a core group of 20 committed people ready to go.  We did a WOW JAM on Saturday in a big school yard, and I told them a new church would start the next day. The name of this new church is Neighborhood Community Church, and their pastor is David Guzman. The school cafeteria has been secured for this church for the next year.  On Sunday morning, I preached two services at Valley Christian Center. In the second service, a 75-year-old Japanese Buddhist woman accepted Jesus!  Then, I ran down the street to preach at the new church. The place was packed with 250 people! 220 had received Jesus the day before, and 30 were visitors that the new converts brought. Another 15 people accepted Jesus; and, right after church, they all got on the bus to go get baptized. It was a marvelous time. This was our fifth year doing WOW JAMS in the Fresno Area. In addition to the 1,219 who accepted Jesus at the WOW JAMS, another 68 people came to the Lord (this includes the Baptism and several church services.) The final number of salvations in the Fresno area were 1,287! __________________________________________________ POMONA WOW JAM REPORT (Update -  May 10, 2006)   Huge Crowd in Pomona at Palomares Park! We continue to be amazed at what God is doing in the cities that we visit through a visionary pastor who has a heart for his city, and faithful churches that partnered together with WOW to bring the Gospel to the poor and hurting. Pastor Craig Lawrence has such a heart for his City, Pomona.   On Friday evening at New Life Church in Pomona a, Kick-Off Rally was held for the second Pomona WOW JAM. The Rally became a time of concentrated praise, intercession for Pomona, and the breaking through of a heaviness that was uncommon for kick-off rallies. As we prayed, we pressed into God, claiming for the Kingdom both Palomares Park and all those who would set foot on that site on Sunday.   The Sunday WOW JAM ñ which was a late change from the scheduled Saturday JAM due to a  request by the City of Pomona ñ was a great day of ministry to the people of Pomona, La Verne, and Claremont. The crowd was huge, parking insufficient, the lines to ministry tents criss-crossed each other, and the end of the lines got lost in the crowd mid-field! At least 1,500 people were in the food line alone before it officially ìopened for serviceî at 4:00 p.m. The food line never really depleted and still had 400 people in it when the call went out to close down the ministry tents ñ but the food team had been serving faithfully all the time! At least 3,000 people were on the field at Palomares Park by 4:30 p.m., and cars were circulating through the parking lot and leaving without a place to park.   The Altar Call was one of the biggest responses we have seen this year; and we wereñagainñpressed hard to be able to serve those who came to meet Jesus that day ñ the constant need for more counselors and altar workers continues to be a real point of ìangst.î The harvest is ready, and the workers seem to us to be so few! God graciously continues to meet the needs that we most certainly cannot, and 285 people filled out a card to confirm that they had prayed to receive Jesus that day. Thank you, again, for your prayers for His provision, wisdom, and mercy to us, and through us.   Monday was a time of celebration, as 150 people came to New Life Community Church to share a meal together, worship, and witness the baptism of 37 adults and children ñ including 3 complete families. Five of these people committed their lives to Jesus when Pastor Craig gave the invitation that evening, and one family rushed home to get their change of clothes. Two inflated swimming pools in the parking lot of the church created the opportunity for baptism as the sun set, and it actually got a little cold! __________________________________________________

Dear Friends,

It was the second day of WOW JAMS in St. Petersburg on a Friday night. The night before was powerful, as 253 people accepted Jesus. Now we were in Campbell Park. The weather was beautiful, the place was packed . . . people were eating delicious barbequed chicken, kids were catching footballs in front of the truck, the haircut line went on forever ñ it was a WOW JAM.  A few hours later 173 raised their hands to accept Jesus. After the prayer of salvation I asked who needed healing, and many hands went up. The Spirit of God was moving through the crowd in an almost tangible way. One women who received Jesus started screaming as God delivered her. She doubled over and went to her knees. Later, she said God set her free from drugs, and she handed our counselor a package of cigarettes. They brought them to the stage. I opened it, and it was filled with marijuana wrapped in saran wrap along with three joints!

The next night we were in Tampa with Pastor Dan Dunn for our second year of WOW JAMS. It was a glorious day as 200 people accepted Jesus. A beautiful couple with four children came forward to pray and receive Jesus. The next day we sent busses to pick people up for the Baptism at the beach.The weather was gorgeous as worship bands and worship teams sang from the truck right on the beach. 80 people came on the bus to be baptized; 6 more people got saved that day. The lady that gave up her drugs came, got babtized and was filled with the Holy Spirit as she came up out of the water speaking in tongues! The beautiful family of four all got baptized, and I dedicated their little newborn baby. Over the three WOW JAMS and Baptism 632 people accepted Jesus. Many churches were on board as Pastor Joe Van Koevering, host pastor for Florida, and Pastor John Eldredge did a great job once again. We all flew home Monday to be home for two days, Once again, I need your prayers desperately as we fly to Miami Thursday for the first WOW JAMS there this Friday, with a Baptism on Saturday. They are expecting a huge crowd. Then, it is on to Jacksonville Monday for WOW JAMS there.

We are all going hard, but the harvest is ripe. Please pray for us for strength, protection for the crew, for my wife and daughters, and for salvations. Would you also pray for finances as we are reaching desperate people each week with awesome WOW JAMS. Thank you for your prayers. Check out the photos below.

Reaching the lost,

Stephen Tavani