KOKOMO, Ind. — Music blasts out of speakers at the Taylor High School parking lot as a group of 20-somethings toss a football back and forth and children whip beanbags at a cornhole game. The smell of charred hot dog wafts off the grill and drifts toward the football field in the background.
To most, it's just tailgating.
But to the volunteers of Friday Night Shine, it's a chance to connect with teens and show them the love of God.
It all started when Robyn and Josh Whaley's pastor, Mark Malin, issued a challenge to the congregation at Oakbrook Community Church, Robyn Whaley said.
"He said you should be doing something intentional," she said.
Malin threw out a handful of suggestions of ways to show friends, family and strangers acts of love — simple things that can make a difference. When he suggested giving out hot dogs at a football game, Josh Whaley's ears perked up.
"Josh looked at me and said, ‘That's what we're doing,'" Robyn Whaley said.
Friday Night Shine was born.
On the outside, it may seem like nothing more than a flatbed truck and a grill, but to the growing number of volunteers from various churches, the ministry is a chance to talk to teens about God and show them a bit of love, with no strings attached.
"That's what we should be doing as Christ's followers," Josh Whaley said. "There's nothing we want in return."
For weeks, volunteers have headed to a football field, fired up the grill and waited for the chance to pass out food and smiles.
"They don't have to know exactly why we're doing it," Josh Whaley said. "Our whole intention was to go out there and show love."
So far, the hundreds of hot dogs, hamburgers, buns and sodas have been donated by various members of the community, they said — from all denominations, ages and congregations.
"I would say that in our community, churches really come together for different things," Josh Whaley said.
Each week, Robyn Whaley said, they start with nothing and send a callout on Facebook on Friday. By the time they are setting up, they have hundreds of hot dogs, buns and sodas ready for them.
Robyn Whaley said the project works well for them because it's casual and cool. It's important to cast aside the idea that sharing faith is limited to passing out Bible tracts and knocking door-to-door, she said.
"I feel like we just want people to know we're normal people," she said.
The Whaleys said they hope to continue with Friday Night Shine through this year's football season and have plans to amp up the efforts next year. If Josh has his way, she said with a laugh, Friday Night Shine will be on wheels in a Winnebago.
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