2026 Annual FCFI Conference: Sharing the Gospel Wherever God Opens the Door – by Bill Nichols

For Bill Nichols, agricultural shows are more than opportunities to connect with farmers and families—they are opportunities to share the Gospel with people who may have never heard the message of salvation.

During his ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Farmers International (FCFI), Bill has served at numerous agricultural events across the country, meeting people from all walks of life and looking for opportunities to point them to Jesus Christ.

One of the events Bill highlighted was the Christmas hayride at Marman Valley Farms. The farm has approximately 80 horses and offers horse rides during the summer. During the Christmas season, the farm hosts hayrides that take visitors through scenes depicting the birth of Christ, including angels, shepherds, and other parts of the Christmas story.

After the hayride, visitors gather in the barn, where angels sing from the haymow and Bill shares the true meaning of Christmas.

People travel from communities throughout Ohio—including Columbus, Dayton, Springfield, and Toledo—to experience the Christmas hayride. Bill sees the event as a unique opportunity to reach people who may not otherwise hear the Gospel.

“We try to tell them the true meaning of Christmas,” Bill shared, emphasizing his hope that visitors will come to understand the message of Jesus Christ.

Bill also described the ministry at Seed to Spoon in Amish country, where the team has seen people respond to the Gospel. He recalled nine salvations the previous year and three more the following year. The ministry also gave away hundreds of walking sticks to Amish children, creating opportunities to connect with families and share the Gospel.

Using Every Opportunity to Start a Conversation

Bill’s approach to evangelism often begins with something simple. At agricultural shows, he has used walking sticks, bracelets, Christian literature, and the FCFI Owner-Operators Manual as conversation starters.

At one event in Portland, Oregon, Bill was ministering among approximately 60 acres of used agricultural equipment and steam engines. With golf carts constantly moving through the grounds, he looked for a practical way to connect with people.

He decided to stand along a main walkway and distribute FCFI 5 Colors Owner-Operators Manuals.

By the end of the day, he had handed out approximately 80 copies.

One interaction particularly encouraged him. A man approached Bill carrying an Owner-Operators Manual that had been torn in half and was covered in mud. Part of the prayer of salvation had been torn away.

The man asked Bill about the rest of the prayer.

For Bill, that damaged piece of literature was a reminder that even a simple resource can become a bridge to a deeper spiritual conversation.

Making Time for One Person

Bill also shared a story from the Logan County Fair. A young woman came to his booth, and Bill began talking with her about Jesus and salvation. When he asked whether she would like to give her heart to the Lord, she initially said she did not have enough time because she needed to return to her booth.

Rather than letting the conversation end there, Bill followed up and explained that they could pray together in just a few moments.

She agreed, and Bill led her in prayer.

For him, the encounter illustrated the importance of being willing to slow down and pursue a spiritual conversation when an opportunity arises.

He also recalled speaking with children at various shows, including three young boys who prayed to receive Christ. Bill acknowledged that only God knows what happens in a person’s heart, but he emphasized that salvation is based on faith rather than feelings.

Reaching the Next Generation

At the Farm Science Review, Bill encountered a group of 13 young people who had been brought into the FCFI ministry tent.

As he began talking with them, Bill discovered that none of the young people had ever been to church. They were unfamiliar with basic teachings about sin, salvation, and the need to be born again.

Bill took the opportunity to explain the Gospel to them.

When he asked if they wanted to give their hearts to the Lord, all 13 indicated that they did. Bill then led them in prayer, describing the experience as one that continues to deeply move him.

The encounter reinforced something Bill has seen repeatedly through his ministry: agricultural events can bring together people who may have little or no connection with a church, creating an opportunity to share the Gospel directly with them.

A Ministry Beyond the Show Booth

Bill’s ministry also includes giving away Christian books. Through his personal book ministry, he collects Christian books that others have finished reading and makes them available to people at shows.

One woman told him that she looks forward to receiving several free Christian books each year when she attends his events.

Although Bill has noticed that people increasingly use e-books and other digital resources, he continues to offer physical Christian books to anyone who wants them.

For Bill, the goal is not simply to distribute materials. Each book, bracelet, walking stick, or conversation can become an opportunity to connect someone with the message of Christ.

Praying for People in Difficult Circumstances

Throughout his ministry, Bill has also encountered people facing serious personal challenges.

He recalled praying with individuals dealing with cancer and other difficult circumstances. He shared the story of a woman he met at an event in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who told him she had stage-four cancer and was concerned about what the doctor would tell her the following day. Bill and others prayed with her, and he later heard that she had received a positive medical report.

He also spoke about a friend, Dave, who has been battling stage-four esophageal cancer. According to Bill, Dave had been told he might not live through December. After a difficult experience with chemotherapy, Dave decided not to continue treatment and placed his trust in God.

Bill said Dave was still alive and gaining strength, with plans to have his feeding tube removed and begin physical therapy.

These experiences have strengthened Bill’s conviction that prayer and ministry belong together.

A 90-Year-Old Man Hears the Gospel

One of Bill’s most memorable stories involved a 90-year-old man he met at an event.

Bill said the man told him that he had been in church all his life but had never heard the message of salvation clearly explained.

Bill led him to Christ.

The man’s response afterward made the moment even more meaningful: he told Bill that he planned to go home and share the Gospel with his wife.

For Bill, this illustrates how one Gospel conversation can potentially lead to another—and how it is never too late for someone to hear the message of Jesus Christ.

“God Is in the Saving Business”

Across the many agricultural shows where Bill has served, the settings and people may change, but his purpose remains the same.

Whether he is standing beside farm equipment in Oregon, ministering to families at a Christmas hayride in Ohio, talking with young people at the Farm Science Review, or handing a Christian book to someone who stops by his booth, Bill looks for opportunities to share the Gospel.

His stories are a reminder that ministry does not always happen inside a church building. Sometimes it happens at a county fair, around a campfire, beside a farm display, on a hayride, or through a simple conversation at a booth.

As Bill emphasized, every show is different—and every person is different. But each event provides another opportunity to point people toward Jesus Christ.

Through FCFI’s presence at agricultural events, volunteers like Bill Nichols continue to meet people where they are, build relationships, pray with those who need encouragement, and share the Gospel with those who may be hearing it for the very first time.