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by David and Rebecca McCorn Charlies Criniere WAS Salt and Light. In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus calls believers to be SALT and LIGHT to those around them. In baking, salt's main function is to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. It literally states that salt’s “presence perks up the depth and complexity of other flavors as the ingredients meld.” Wow! If that doesn’t describe Criniere perfectly! WE were the “other ingredients” - anyone who came in contact with Criniere in a “melding” of physical connections whether in school, in church, in his neighborhood, in his family, in his time in Chicago, in his time in KC - All are testifying to being an “ingredient” that was enhanced, and that he brought out the depth of flavor in us. Another search about the nature of salt is that “salt can also enhance other flavors, such as savory notes. It balances sweetness and helps suppress other flavors, such as bitterness.” People love what a hint of salt can do to the flavor of a dish of food that may have been bland without it. Salt enhances the experience of eating in a variety of ways. We love what that also said about “suppressing other flavors, such as bitterness.” We both had the blessing of teaching with Criniere at Martin City Middle School. He had an AMAZING way of always uplifting others, celebrating achievements, cheering others on, and turning negative thoughts or frustrations that could become “bitter” into considering things from a different perspective. A final thought about salt is that it never expires - its ability does not change. It does not “grow weary of doing what is right” - Galatians 6:9. Criniere was constantly led by the Holy Spirit, he never grew weary of seeking what GOD wanted for him in his approach to everyone he came in contact with, and although his time physically on this earth has come to an end, the flavor that he has left in the lives of others will never expire. Additionally, that same passage above, also calls believers to be LIGHT. It says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Criniere was an unashamed LIGHT to the world. He would boldly introduce himself to students and share his past, his poor decisions, and the situations he found himself in, but the only thing that completely changed his life, his direction, and his entire way of thinking, was Jesus Christ. Criniere didn’t care that he was in the public school system; he refused to hide the transformation God had done in his life. He let his light shine. His first obedience was to God’s Word, and he simply was overflowing with the goodness of God he had experienced in his own life and was bursting to have opportunities to share that with others. Therefore, when the light that Jesus had placed in him even remotely came into contact with the light Jesus had placed in another believer - it was like fireworks going off! At school, we often walked away from conversations and/or prayer time with Criniere so incredibly encouraged and spiritually motivated, and, honestly - dumbfounded. It was like two candles coming together and creating a bonfire! His joy and spontaneity in Jesus was unpredictable - he might just walk into your classroom before school in the morning, and excitedly say, “Let’s get one in real quick and cover this classroom with prayer!” and without waiting, would start walking around your classroom and break out into intercession on behalf of the students and staff, and you’d just sit there like “Yeah, Lord…what he said!” When we launched the small local outreach ministry God had called us to in March of 2021, Salt n Light Ministries, Criniere was one of our biggest spiritual supporters. Nearly daily, he would come to our rooms or just catch us in passing in the halls and would fan the flame through his constant joy and encouragement for what we were doing. One time as we were all leaving on a Friday, he rolled up in the parking lot beside us with his big smile and shouted, “How many souls are you winning for Jesus this weekend!?! Come on! Give me a number I can be praying for!” That was his heart. It was JOY that was from a source other than himself. We’ve seen the breakdown that J.O.Y. comes from putting Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last. That was definitely evident in what fueled him. He chose Jesus and made him first and foremost in everything he did. Stories upon stories could be told, are being told, and will continue to be told of how Jesus in Criniere impacted the lives of others. That is the way he would humbly want it stated. We LOVE Criniere, but what we love in Criniere, and about Criniere, is ONLY because of JESUS' work in his life. We can ALL have what we saw in Criniere. It simply comes through surrender and placing JESUS first on the throne of our hearts, Others second, and Ourselves last. If we love Jesus first and foremost, our hearts, lives, and mindsets begin to be transformed into being that salt and light that we all so cherished in Criniere. - David and Rebecca McCorn Salt n Light Ministries was launched in March of 2021, by David and Rebecca McCorn, as a mobile outreach church in the South Kansas City and Grandview area. Its mission is to partner with local communities to meet their needs, encourage them through the message and hope of the gospel, and empower them to grow in their faith and life focus. This ministry can be found on Facebook by searching Salt n Light Ministries Kansas City and online at saltnlightkc.com

A Legacy of a Spiritual Servant’s Love by Reggie Morris THE CONNECTION It was a Sunday afternoon, in January of 2009, in the gym at Grandview High School, where God brought me together with Charles Crineire. At that time, I did not know the impact that Charles would have on my life or the students at Grandview High School. Charles served as a volunteer coach for one of our teams as we embarked on the start of the Grandview Basketball Association for grades 3-6. I could tell immediately, from our first conversation, that Charles was a believer in Jesus and a servant of the Lord. His voice, his demeanor, and his swag all personified a spirit of gentleness, kindness, coolness, and love. He was genuine, captivating, and empowering. Charles was the person you always wanted to be around and were glad to see because he made things seem good and right when you were with him (and even when you left him). He had an “angelic” presence and spirit. THE GHS BLESSING The next school year, God blessed me and Grandview High School and the community by hiring Charles as a math teacher. He was literally hired on the spot. I still consider him one of the greatest hires in school history because of the spirit he brought to the building and how he helped to enhance the math department and the culture of Grandview High School. With the help of Charles, we started the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Grandview High School. We started a prayer group with students and local believers before school on Mondays (to start the week) and Fridays (to end the week). Once a month, members from local churches would come and bless and anoint the school building. We would walk the halls, walk around the building, and fervently pray. We also initiated 'See You at the Flag Pole' and 'Fields of Faith' spiritual events. It was through these spiritual efforts that at the end of basketball games, the student section started the “I BELIEVE WE WILL WIN chant! This belief was not only associated with the outcome of sporting events but also with students' faith when it came to dealing with issues and challenges in life. Through the course of Charles’s time at Grandview and his work with FCA, I saw our students, school, and culture become richer because of Charles and his spiritual guidance and leadership. THE MINISTER OF MATH As a counselor, I would enroll struggling math students in Charles's classes. I had deemed him the “The Minister of Math." Charles had a unique way of teaching and making math the student's most challenging class, but also their favorite class. He was a master at motivating the most unengaged student to fight for their attention, to share his understanding of the math concepts, and get them to participate. Because even if they were wrong, Charles would praise them for their courage and desire to participate. They wanted to make Charles proud. You could often see Charles staying after school to counsel or tutor students, sometimes leaving Megan waiting patiently in the parking lot. It was Charles' devoted love and servanthood that made him so appreciated by his students. One of my favorite stories of Charles as a math teacher was how he used the biblical story of Jesus feeding the 5000 people with five fish and two loaves of bread to build students' confidence in developing learning strategies for Algebra and Geometry. Charles stated,” I know a man who fed 5000 people with 5 fish and two loaves of bread, now that is some math! He can do the same for you.” Charles stated,” I know a man who fed 5000 people with 5 fish and two loaves of bread, now that is some math! He can do the same for you.” THE RESURRECTION Charles left Grandview for 2 years and went and taught at Ruskin High School. During that time, I sensed his absence personally, and I sensed it in the building and among the students. However, it was such a joy for me to have him return. Through the course of the 180-day school year, with a building of 1000 students and 85 staff members, there are so many spirits that you interact with that it can overwhelming. Charles and I reunited, and it breathed life back into me, back into our students, and into the school. It was during Charles's return that I had become the head basketball coach. I asked Charles to be on my staff, but because of his love for his family and Megan, he declined so that he could spend more time with them. However, he would serve as our team chaplain, speaking and praying at our practices, retreats, and team dinners. Charles had a very unique way of taking his love for basketball and God and pouring it into our players whenever I needed him. I can truly say that Charles was very instrumental in our 2017-18 and 2018-19 team’s ability to capture back-to-back state championships, both of which are records in school history! I can truly say that Charles was very instrumental in our team’s ability to capture back-to-back state championships, both of which are records in school history! THE SPIRITUAL AMBASSADOR It was a blessing to have a colleague who you can confide in and provide spiritual guidance. Charles always made himself available to students and staff. I cannot count how many times he would come and say, “We have to go and find this student or staff member and pray for them.” I like how he lived with the motto: 'Pray, every day, and at any time, and about anything.' Pray, every day, and at any time, and about anything. What made Charles Crinere special was his spirit, his love for God, family, community, and his passion to serve others. I have never met a person whose heart was so “spiritually” huge. He loved and cared for others and wanted them to know the God that he loved and served without expecting anything in return. Charles wanted everyone to know their heavenly father and understand the love that He had for them. So what can we learn from the legacy and life of Charles Crinere? Love God, and let God love you! Share God’s love through your smile, spirit, relationships, talents, and skills, and let it serve as your drive and passion for life. I have been tremendously blessed to have had Charles in my life. I consider him one of God’s greatest gifts to me. Some gifts get old and outdated, but Charles’s life and our time together will be forever eternal. It will always be the fire that will inspire me to carry on his legacy as a man of God, husband, father, educator, and coach, and most importantly, as a spiritual ambassador of Christ! Thank you, Charles Crinere! - Reggie Morris

Megan's Homeschooling Ministry by Sally Corrigan Charlies Criniere was a public school teacher, but his wife Megan homeschools their children. Curious? Not really. Charlie grew up in the inner city of Chicago. He came from a very difficult family situation. His mother left at age 5, and for most of his early childhood, he was raised by his father, who worked long hours as a machinist. Charlie quickly found himself running the streets of Chicago and was never pressed to apply himself in school. He ended up in and out of trouble and dropped out of High School. Long story short, he became the poster child for a juvenile recovery program that helped him finish his schooling and go through college. After Charlie found Jesus and he wanted to pour his life back into troubled youth. Doing Christian ministry and teaching in public schools was the perfect platform for him to do this. Charlie was on a mission to bring change to the next generation - this is why he was a teacher. Charlie always wanted a big family, and the Lord provided the perfect wife to make this a reality. Megan and Charlie always prayed fervently for their children, and very early on, Megan felt called to homeschool their children. Many people don't understand the extreme commitment, and responsibility required for homeschooling - although homeschooling can be tough, Megan has the perfect determination and temperament to be a great homeschooling mom. The main reason that Charlie and Megan wanted to homeschool their children was to see God's intent for family manifested in their home. Peering into the scriptures, we see that at the very beginning, God called humanity to spread His kingdom throughout the earth and in and through the family. The command was simple: God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…” - Genesis 1:28 Charlie and Megan took this scripture literally! What could God do through a family that was very healthy, very skilled, and very equipped? Well, Jesus changed the entire world forever through 12 men, so what could a family of 12 do today? This was the driving motivation behind Charlie and Megan's zeal for family. When we look at the core of all society, family is at the very heart. Healthy families cannot protect children from the pains of life, but healthy families can train children how to navigate through the various trails of life. Healthy children grow up to be healthy adults. Healthy adults have the capacity to bring healing and restoration to the broken. The old saying is true, "Hurt people hurt other people, but healthy people can bring health to other people." Today, the average parent only spends 5 hours of face-to-face time with their children each week¹. Each day children are rushed off to school and then rushed off to a plethora of after-school activities leaving parents with less than one hour of meaningful time with their children each day. Many well-meaning parents are seeking to create amazing childhood memories for their kids, but sadly, those memories don't include regular family dinners where parents connect with their kids. Charlie and Megan made mealtimes a priority. Their mealtimes are a time when their family can connect with each other and discuss other events or topics. There has been what many call a homeschooling revival since the 1970s and especially in the last 20 years. Homeschooling curriculums have exploded since the year 2000², giving moms an overwhelming amount of material to choose from. At the core of this movement is the belief that parents can be equipped to be the main educators of their children rather than a stranger who may or may not hold to their same values. Many say that because of the sheer amount of time children are spending away from their parents, the most influential people in their lives are their peers at school. It is frightening to think of teens leading other teens while the majority of parents are disconnected. Talk about the blind leading the blind! Pretty much everyone born prior to 1830 was a product of homeschooling in one form or another³. Prior civilizations were much more family-centric than what we experience in the United States in the 20th century. Life is much more complex today, and thus, education at its core has also become more complex. The emphasis in our modern era on performance in the marketplace greatly outweighs character development and has produced a society that defines success in a way that militates against the centrality of God's intent for humility, love, and servanthood. Our public school's teacher-to-student ratio is about 15:1, which has dramatically improved since 1955⁴, but still many students still slip through the cracks. Parents are so busy, they have become disconnected from the experience their children are having away at school 8 hours a day. Many people point to how superior our modern era is because of technology. Technology obviously has enormous benefits, but in so many ways, we now have a lazy culture where youtube tutorials are the norm, and real skills like reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, logic & reason are a distant memory from the victorian age. Yes, more people have access to more knowledge than ever, but are we really smarter? Children are becoming more and more addicted to all the various devices. They are asking Google and Siri all the questions of life instead of their parents (or looking to a book to find answers.) When their parents give them a different answer than the computer-generated voice, they tend to believe the device in their hand as the final authority. This is puffing up the youth with so much knowledge (devoid of maturity) that they think they are smarter than their parents. Self-righteous defiance and disrespect are now normative. The way young people think and talk about people in authority is shocking. What happened to chivalry, civility, honor, and proper manners? Charlie and Megan knew that if they were going to bring lasting change to the next generation, it had to start in their own home, and homeschooling was what they felt led by the Lord to do. Megan spends hours and hours of time each day with her children, and it shows! The Criniere children are smart, generous, kind, loving, and tenderhearted. And most importantly, they have a deep, deep connection with their mother. The Criniere kids are the furthest thing from the 'typical homeschool kid' stereotype. They are involved in part-time jobs (the older kids), sports, and church. They are socially adaptable and carry the traits that most parents would love to see in their kids. Watching Megan interact with her nine kids at home is simply amazing. She has a keen awareness of what is happening around the house and, more importantly, what is happening inside the hearts of each of her children. Women of old like Susanna Wesley, who raised the world changers - John, and Charles Welsey, have brought Megan great inspiration. Homeschooling done right is far more than educational training but is one of the very purest forms of Christian discipleship. As a homeschooling mom myself, I can attest that this 'job' is probably the hardest on the planet. I have seen many homeschooling families find limited success, but Megan has an uncanny ability to find what works for each of her children. She has found what motivates each child, and with the help of a couple cups of coffee, she makes it look easy. I have always admired her ability to go through life with her kids with such a steady gaze. Megan is simply amazing at being a homeschooling mom. She is steady, kind, unwavering, encouraging, and intentional. Now that Charlie is gone, Megan is more determined than ever to continue building a family that will have a real impact upon the earth. She has her face set like flint to continue to build an enduring foundation for her children to stand upon. I truly believe that the Criniere family will shine like bright lights in a dimly lit world. And I know that the testimony that is being forged in them will bring real transformation to many families for decades to come. We have a saying at the church I attend that "Revival is family." If we are going to see God's purposes come forth, we must focus our attention on the restoration of the family. Something amazing is happening with the Criniere's home - inside and out. There is an extensive home remodeling effort happening, including making a new homeschool room for Megan and her children. There is also a huge renovation happening on the outside of their home. I believe this is an outward sign that what is happening inside their home is going to be put on display for all to see. The Criniere family is going to shine because Megan and Charlie have put so much time, effort, and prayer into their children and family! - Sally Corrigan ¹https://studyfinds.org/modern-family-average-parent-spends-just-5-hours-face-to-face-with-their-kids-per-week/ ²https://breakpoint.org/an-explosion-in-homeschooling/ ³https://thinkingwest.com/2020/06/10/part-2-home-education-history/ ⁴https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/Indicator_CLR/coe_clr_2015_05.pdf

By Danielle Popovici, Sister of Megan Criniere There is a story in the Bible, found in the book of John, chapter 12. The story tells us that Jesus was the prized guest at a special dinner. As he was reclining and interacting with the group of people he was with, a woman named Mary came in and took an expensive bottle of ointment used for perfume called nard and cracked it open, and poured it over Jesus’ feet. Nard was known to be extremely expensive, and this particular bottle was said to be worth close to a year’s wages, but as this woman gladly poured this bottle out on the feet of Jesus, she wept with tears of surrender, devotion, and love. She, unlike those around her, knew that this bottle of nard wasn’t worth anything compared to this man Jesus. She knew that His value was far greater than anything she could ever earn or own. In verse 3 of this chapter, it says, “The house was filled with the fragrance of this perfume” Everyone nearby encountered this act of Mary, they smelled the residue of her pouring out her most valuable earthy possession in order to anoint the feet of Jesus in an act of devotion and worship. Now keep this picture in your mind as I take a minute to honor my sister Megan. My sister decided to follow Jesus at a young age, and through many bumps and turns in the road, she chose a few different paths for a little while, only to find that at the end of those roads, she was empty and lost and in need of a Savior. Around the age of eighteen years old, she came back to Jesus, but this time with a devotion and a love that knew and understood that she had been “forgiven much.” As my sister grew in life, Jesus remained at the center of who she was and what she would do with her affections, her time, and her resources. She wasn’t interested in being something great for a "pat on the back" or for earthly recognition, she was interested in the praise of only One. Megan and Charlie both built their lives on this kind of value system. Living humble, quiet lives, faithful to the Lord in every step taken, taking life’s disappointments to Jesus, walking through life’s hardships with Jesus, and trying to their best ability to give their all to Him. Megan has a quiet confidence, a steady, unwavering spirit that is anchored in Christ and in Him alone. It’s been formed, molded, and crafted in her since she was a child. My sister’s life has always been a beautiful expression of worship. August 27th, her life on this earth was altered in a painful and unexpected way. How could this happen? We were just with Charlie a few weeks before this accident, and now he is no longer with us. What will my sister do? How can I go back to my life, knowing my sister has to now walk out this situation? Questions flooded my heart as I accepted this shocking news. The next morning, Sunday, August 28th, my sister woke up, we prepared breakfast, and then she called everyone down to the living room in order to give our time and our worship to Jesus. She sat everyone in a circle, turned on some music, raised her hands in broken surrender, and poured her affections out at the feet of Jesus. She declared her trust in His leadership and in His ways. She affirmed His goodness and His kindness towards them as His children, and she gave Jesus her fresh and wholehearted “yes” to follow His lead. As I worshiped and watched my sister, all I could think of was Mary of Bethany in John 12. She was pouring out her most treasured earthy thing, her marriage to Charlie. She was laying it at his beautiful and most worthy feet, and just as it says in John 12:4, “the house was filled with the fragrance of this perfume.” The beautiful thing about a life built on Christ is that when the storms of life come, He remains, and He keeps us anchored. In the most impossible of situations, if we trust Him, His glory and His worth shines brightly to all those who have eyes to see. And since Megan and Charlie have built their lives for the past 19/20 years on Christ, Megan’s response to a life-altering reality was consistent and confident with who God has made her to be. She is unwavering, she is confident, she is quiet, she is strong, and she is secure because she understands the value of what she has in Christ Jesus. Although she has suffered loss in this life, she has always lived for the next life, so she continues to follow His perfect leadership and pour out her wholehearted devotion and love, just like Mary of Bethany. - Danielle

- by Ryan Corrigan About a year ago, I was talking to Charlie Criniere, and he told me that he had started getting into cycling with his pastor Athol Barnes. I was excited about this because I started cycling about 3 years ago and fell in love with the sport. We talked about cycling together, but sadly it never happened. I live right off the Longview Lake Loop - I cycle there almost daily. One of my friends even took me out riding other roads because he said, "All you do is ride around that lake!". My passion for cycling took off in my whole family. After searching high and low for Jr. sized road bikes my wife and 4 boys also started riding on a regular basis. The boys are homeschooled, play soccer, and are crazy active (we can't believe how much they eat)! Almost every day after they finish school, they take off around the loop. They often come back bragging about the people they passed going up Scherer....hahaha! We even bought matching cycling kits after fellow native Coloradoan Sepp Kuss pulled Jonas Vingegaard to victory this year in the Tour de France. When we heard that Charlie had died on the loop, we were paralyzed with grief. For a week, none of us touched our bikes. Each day I went to the spot he was killed, kneeled there, prayed, and wept. Charlie was not only one of my best friends, but he was killed in the very spot where my family and I ride almost every day. After a week, I got up the courage to ride the loop again. When JC Van Deventer contacted me and told me he was going to put on the Bright Lights for Charlie Memorial ride, I was in shock. When I told Megan Criniere, she was in triple shock! Charlie had been riding less than a year and had only been out a total of about 10 times. So for the cycling community to rally around Charlie like this was unthinkable to us! He went riding to spend time with Pastor Athol who is an avid cyclist. Athol helped Charlie pick out a used Felt road bike, and at some point along the way, Charlie started finding time early in the mornings to go over to the lake to ride by himself. He obviously started to love the sport! Charlie would never have considered himself a "cyclist", and we didn't think of him that way either. But what we didn't realize was how amazing the cycling community here in Kansas City is. No matter if a person has been on a bike for one day or for 70 years, they consider everyone part of their community. Now I, too, understand this. Prior to Bright lights for Charlie, I was kinda known as a solo cyclist. Sometimes people would invite me to ride or join group rides, but I only did a handful of times. Like Charlie, I was a little intimidated to join group rides. But I also just love being out in nature alone, hearing the sound of rolling wheels, the wind in my face, the exhilarating feeling of descending down a hill, praying, and pushing myself to the limits! There really is something so unique about road cycling. But after what happened to Charlie, I was scared I wouldn't be able to enjoy it the same way ever again. However, Bright Lights For Charlie changed everything for me! I am more enthralled with cycling than I have ever been, and I am so excited to jump into the group rides that are happening all around the city every week. The cycling community here in KC is really outstanding! I didn't know what to expect prior to the Bright Lights for Charlie Memorial Ride. I was actually really nervous. I didn't know if I would be too emotional to ride. Pastor Athol asked me to ride 100 miles with him, 10 laps around the lake - 1 for each child. This was an idea that JC Van Deventer came up with when he spontaneously did this a few weeks before to promote the ride. I knew this was something I had to do! But the most I had ever ridden was 60 miles, and I had less than 2 weeks to prepare myself for my first century ride! I needed a miracle! On the day of the race, I was up at 4:45 am with electric anticipation. When I arrived at the beach and saw the hundreds of people, the news stations, the volunteers, the raffle, the RVs, and the merchandise, I was completely overwhelmed! Then to get to lead out the entire ride with Pastor Athol was a feeling beyond words. So away Athol and I went - 10 laps around the lake! For the first lap, Athol took his special needs son (Joshua, age 15) around the lake on a tandem, then he switched bikes for the remaining 9 loops. Going around the lake, we saw so many smiling faces, so many moms and kids, so many great cyclists, and so many who hadn't been on bikes in years. We rode and talked, laughed, and cried a little. We remembered our friend Charlie and thanked God for His amazing kindness shown through all who participated in the ride. This event brought us together with truly incredible people! I don't even know what else to say. No words can describe the event. This was one of the most amazing moments in my life. I was so deeply impacted by the hundreds of cyclists who came out. I am still overflowing and gushing with appreciation for everyone who participated! Megan Criniere and the whole family even came out for the event. Some of the Criniere kids rode with the 10-mile peloton around the lake to celebrate their dad! Megan was there for hours with a massive smile on her face! I came in for water a few times, and there she was, beaming with joy, with the community gathered around her! What an amazing site! I am so thankful to Athol for convincing me I could do the 100 miles with him; we rode together the entire time - what a joy! Jason Starforth from the Bicycle Shack also rode 3 loops with us which was a huge blessing! Athol and I finished 10 loops around the lake - 1 for each of Charlie and Megan's Children. I told Athol that I had gotten my miracle. Here are the names of the children, from oldest to youngest. Gabriel Eliya Mariah Justice Gloriana Ava David Hope Jubilee Caleb My 3 older boys each rode 60 miles (6 loops around the lake). My wife rode 30 miles (3 loops around the lake). And my 8-year-old rode 10 miles (one loop around the lake). In total, as a family, we rode 320 miles for Charlie in just over 6 hours. Others also completed the 10-loop century ride! JC Van Deventer (Solo 2 weeks earlier to promote the event!) Logan Vaught Andy Eastman Julie Fockler Mark Horn Most of the 500+ riders who came out never met Charlie one time - let that sink in. Thank you to VanDoIt, Elliott Truck Sales, 3 Feet Cycling, Dave's Bike Shop, Kurts Bars, Premium Water, & Major Taylor Cycling Club for ensuring the SAG stops were taken care of! The events team was also able to Raffle off the following items: VanDoIt Explosion of greatness bag (2 Vandoit t-shirts, medium & large, 2 Vandoit jackets, medium & large, 2 Vandoit trucker caps, 2 Vandoit beanies, Vandoit koozies, Vandoit keychain) Kuat Bike Rack Helmet by Smith Giant Helmet Peculiar Winery gift card Garmin Varia RTL515 Specialized lights Giant Lights Bontrager Ballista MIPS Helmet Thank you to 3 great ride partners: The Freedom Ride Tour de Bier Bike for Brains Thank you to the local bike shops which supported Bright Lights for Charlie: Bicycle Shack Erik’s Bike Stop West Bottoms Bikes Cycle City Velo Plus Trek Bicycles of Lee’s Summit PR Factory Store Elite Cycling Midwest Cyclery Dave’s Bike Shop Most importantly, thank you to all of you for making it happen! I also want to thank Rachel at Lemon Lane Farm in Raymore, Missouri, for donating two incredible flower arrangements to put at the memorial site. Here is a note from Megan Crineire and the Criniere Family - From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you Bright Light Riders! We want to thank every single person who was involved in this incredible event! We were absolutely amazed that JC. Van Deventer, who we had never met, came up with this idea! And we were astounded at the hundreds of people who showed up! WOW! Thank you for riding for Charlie! Thank you for riding for the safety of cyclists everywhere! Thank you for all the hard work, all the support you showed us, and all that you gave to us financially! We will forever remember this moment in time and hopefully, we will see you back out next year. If any of you would like to stay connected with us and learn more about Charlie, and our ongoing story you can subscribe to our updates at charliestrust.com. I pray that Charlie’s tragic death will end up actually causing his legacy to grow and continue in all of our lives. A thousand blessings.

by Justin Jeffries I knew Charlie for a little over four years, and all I can say is that his prayers and constant encouragement to my family and me made a massive impact in our lives! He loved us so well! When I heard what happened to Charlie, I immediately wanted to do something because I know if the tables were turned, he would do something extraordinary for my family. 8 years ago Charlie and Megan bought a humble home in Kansas City to do life with their 10 kids. The house needed work when they moved, and they tried to do some renovations here and there to make it into a good living space for their growing family. However, they never made it very far down their list on their budget. Charlie was a dedicated public school teacher to impact the next generation, not to make a big bank account. However, just a few weeks before Charlie died, he was getting really serious about getting some projects done around the house! He had numerous contractors over giving estimates, and Megan and he were again dreaming together of what could be. But then tragedy struck... Once I heard what happened, I was moved with deep compassion to fulfill Charlie's dream to give his children a place where their most precious memories could take place. So I began calling around to different contractors and seeking to build a team that could completely renovate this home to make his dreams a reality. Just imagine if we could do an 'Extreme Home Makeover' for the Criniere Family! So far a roofing company put a new roof on the house for free - Amazing!!! Below is a video we put together showing you what else needs to be done, followed by a practical list of how you can get involved. A quick look at the new roof If you are a contractor that would like to get involved in any of these projects or you would like to donate specifically to one of these, you can contact me at 913-286-3020 - Justin Jeffries

When I decided to do a press release after they found the driver that killed my husband I prayed and asked the Lord for the words. I tried to write out what I would say beforehand but I just couldn't. There were just no words. But God gave me the grace to answer all the questions the reporters asked me. Everyone always feels like they could answer better after the fact but all I could do was to just be as authentic as I could in the moment. Being in a place of such weakness in front of an audience is very uncomfortable but I felt God's comfort and strength has been present this whole time. The message I want to communicate is that God has shown such radical forgiveness to all of us in Jesus Christ so how can we not in-turn give that same forgiveness back to those who don't deserve it? I know I certainly didn't deserve God's love and redemption but he still gave it to me. I pray that Miss Fields can find redemption and peace in God the way Charlie did - the way all of us in Jesus Christ have. You don’t have to stay broken - you can become something completely brand new. That’s Charlie's life story. That’s what he loved the most about telling everyone and that is what he would tell Kyrie Fields right now. Below is the audio and transcription of the full unedited interview I did with the press yesterday. May God be glorified. Question: Meg I am sure, probably, when Miss field was out that day, she didn't have the intention of hitting your husband. What the police have said is that after she did it - she left. Not only that, she burned the car to try and cover her tracks. Obviously it took this long to find her. What do you think about all that? Megan: I think it (finding her) came quicker than I expected. I didn't really know what that would look like, it felt more sudden (quicker) than a couple of weeks. I think it made some of the initial feelings of that moment come back. So a little bit scary in that sense - just kind of re-living that moment of shock, pain and fear and all those things. Question: I guess from a practical point of view, your husband being the sole breadwinner, we understand and you have nine children living at home? I don't know if she has any kind of insurance or anything like that. But, I mean, there's the practical aspect of being able to take care of your family. What do you think about that going forward? Megan: We've seen radical generosity. We've had people step in and pay off my house, my cars, putting a new roof on my house - It's been above and beyond, just shocking generosity. I think God's gonna take care of us. I think there's practical sides too. We have a (little bit) of income that comes in through another source and there's some insurance coverages and teacher benefits coming our way. Maybe it should be higher on the concern list, but that's not a really a high concern for me at this point. Question: Can you talk a little bit about how these past few weeks have been coping with the loss and just trying to move forward as a family together? I know you've had a lot of support from your neighbors and even the church. Megan: Definitely. It's been very different obviously. Our whole worlds were wrapped up around each other. But then in some senses, it just keeps moving. You know, the kids are homeschooled, so they've always been with me. My husband was studying so there was lots of late nights of me putting them to bed by myself and, hurrying them off here and there. I think we will definitely miss the difference of everything he had to bring. But there's 10 people whose lives are still here. We just got to wake up every day and keep moving. Question: How are the kids doing? Megan: They have been amazing! I think they're taking their cues from me. They have their moments, we all have our moments where there's tears and not knowing anything and then we get up from that place and we just do what we always do. We play, we we eat, we do chores, we do school, we just, we just gotta keep moving. Question: I don't want to put words in your mouth. What struck me is that one of our folks talked to some of your friends after the arrest, and they said that they forgive Miss Fields and that there was no animosity, that's extraordinary. Do you forgive this woman for what she did? Megan: Absolutely. Again, like I said, we've been recipients of lots forgiveness, we came out of some pretty broken situations. And so we've seen radical forgiveness from God, and we've seen radical forgiveness from people. I think it would be criminal not to respond like that. I don't know how I can hold something against somebody when I've experienced so much forgiveness. Question: You mentioned the generosity. We checked, the fundraisers and saw that the GoFundMe, which has a target of a quarter million is already well in excess of $200,000. And somebody gave you $20,000, anonymously, what do you think about that? Megan: I'm shocked, we are such small people. We literally live such mundane lives. Charlie went to work every day, I homeschool my kids every day, and we played on our front lawn. that was the extent of our lives. Maybe we went across the street to Ken's house but that's that was about it. So to see such a wide ripple effect, to me is it's appalling. I can't even believe that so many people would take notice and care enough to actually do something as big or small as it was. Every little donation has been amazing to me! Question: Talking to friends, and even reading some of the GoFundMe notes that people were leaving shows he left an impact on the people that he came across. What do you want people to take from him and move forward with? What do you want his legacy to be? Megan: I guess that your story doesn't really have to be perfect. I think when you make amends with your past, there's lots of hope for the future. You don't have to stay stuck, you don't have to stay a mess, you don't have to stay broken. You can become something completely brand new. That's Charlie's life story, and that's what he loved telling the kids most in the classroom - It doesn't really matter your home situation or where you come from. He was a high school dropout who became a teacher with a specialist degree. Question: This generosity is not over either. I understand that there is a bike ride on Saturday. And, you know, there's obviously a very strong biking community in the Kansas City area. A lot of people are out on the road, it could have been any one of us that could have been in the same kind of boat. I think that's touched a chord with a lot of people. Megan: Oh, yeah, it's touched so many different streams - the church, the school settings, and the biking communities, our neighborhood. It literally could have been anybody. So I think it was just very sobering for anybody who hears the story. To be like, 'I don't necessarily know if tomorrow is promised to me.' So really to take advantage of every moment, even the little mundane ones. I think that's one of the things my husband did the best. He just made peace with just living every moment with lots of love. And it just made a huge impact, a huge impact. Question: As you keep telling the story and keeping his memory alive, are there certain moments that keep coming back up? your kids, and loved ones, any specific ones? Megan: For us it probably Charlie's goofiness. It was always a song or dance or some just some random outburst. I'm not quite as funny as he was. We have tons of videos so the little ones will grow up watching those. I think they will keep watching those videos hearing the stories - the outrageous ones. I think we're just gonna learn to keep laughing, keep remembering how much fun we had, and keep having lots of fun ourselves. Question: Are you starting to see traits in your kids that came from him? And will you appreciate them more now? Megan: Oh, yeah, some more than others. Yeah, I think everybody's got a little. A little bit of that wild, fun spirit. They're all a hoot. Some are strong, some are very intense - like they know what they want and they're gonna go get it. Some are quiet but very diligent. They don't necessarily have all the skills naturally, but they're not afraid to work to get them. There's just so many things - they love people well. Question: Meg, as you know, there's gonna come a point here in the not too distant future when all of us are gonna go away. There's not going to be as much attention on what has happened to you. But you still have to raise nine children that live in your house. What are your thoughts about taking that on going forward. Megan: Our whole journey in parenting always felt like it was something that we were called to not necessarily something that we were equipped for. We studied the Bible a lot. We prayed a lot. We asked for help from the community a lot, like, 'Hey, can you watch my kids' or whatever so it's always been something that was always beyond us. So now it's still beyond me. I just keep doing what I've always done. And I believe the community is going to come through, God's gonna come through, my family has been super supportive - they are thinking about moving down here. So I know when all the cameras and lights disappear, that we will still have so many people that are willing to stay and support us and see us through. Question: What else can the community be doing? Megan: I don't think there's anything anybody hasn't done. I have a basement shelf full of toilet paper, diapers, and if I put it on a needs list, it shows up in my basement on a shelf somewhere. I can't think of anything else. Everybody's come through in so many ways. Question: Pretty clearly, doing this at a church speaks volumes. I mean, you are a person of faith. And that's that's a big part of what's pulling you through this, correct? Megan: Absolutely. Yeah. Number one. I think our lives were well grounded before this. This isn't our first round through hardships - through life. You know life gets real. So we've worked this muscle a few times. It just seems the natural response. Something that's already been there. We're just drawing from it. Question: Anything else that you want to add? Megan: I think always in the back of my mind. (my kids are in the front of my mind.) I think right behind them are the kids, the students, in the classrooms that won't have that connection point (with Charlie) anymore. But if they want to be like him, if they want to emulate him, just walk in His footsteps, do what he did, one day, one step, one right choice at a time.

By Sean Cates I first met Charlie Criniere around 15 or so years ago. We instantly bonded over our love for God and our passion to see people encounter the love and salvation of Jesus! Charlie truly is in his own spot in my heart! He was such a unique man and his enthusiasm to inspire others was infectious. Charlie wasn’t being “true to himself” if he was focusing on “himself.” He loved solving problems, inspiring others, and starting a fire in people! While I Consider myself an “encourager” also - if I was with Charlie it was 90% HIM speaking affirmingWords over me and pushing me closer to Jesus and my calling! We spent many nights out sharing our faith on the streets together to whoever would listen. Charlie loved that I produced Jesus centered rap music and would give my albums out to his Students at Grandview High School. I’d attend his FCA events there and he and I would do our best to get the students to think about deeper things than the upcoming weekend party, etc. I remember distinctly one special trip Charlie and I took together to Omaha, Nebraska. We had no idea until we arrived at our outreach spot that we were in one of the most dangerous crime ridden and drug infested areas in the midwest at the time. That night as we were walking the streets talking to young people about Hope in Jesus we had Police officers stop us. They told us we needed to leave because it simply wasn’t safe for us to be in this area at night. An area where shootings happened regularly. I remember CharliePolitely saying to the officers, “But gentleman, if it’s dangerous for us..isn’t it also dangerous for these young kids we are trying to help and get off of these streets?” We ended our outreach that particular night but that was the type of heart within Charlie. He consistently thought about others before himself. His heart bled for children - and he yearned to see them free and happy. My heart is broken that this world has lost such an amazing man, husband, father, teacher, coach, & friend. He was one of the most special men of faith I’ve ever known. About 1 month before Charlie died him and I hung out for a couple hours. Talking, praying, encouraging one another. I’ve never shared this before now. I asked Charlie this question. “At your age, what are some dreams you have?” He thought about it for maybe 10 seconds and replied, “My biggest dream is to build up the next generation in their faith in Jesus.” His answer was completely unselfish and it didn’t surprise me at all. I pray that all of Charlie’s dreams for his family, his community, and the next generation are realized through CharliesTrust.com. Miss you Charlie. May your Legacy live on in us, Here is a song I wrote so that his children would forever remember his heart towards them. - Sean Cates

Memories of Mr. Charles Criniere from a Former Student When I found out about what happened I was in complete shock and denial. Even now, I still haven’t fully accepted the fact that he’s gone. Criniere was my freshman Geometry teacher at Grandview High School. I am graduating this year. I was looking forward to seeing him at graduation and taking pictures with him. I have always heard that he enjoyed going to students' graduations and I really wanted to see him at mine. When I had his class, I hated and loathed Geometry. I'm pretty sure he knew that though. He always tried to help during class, but no matter what it always seemed too hard or too fast for me. I also never had the chance to get any photos or videos of him on my own because I struggled in his class. Most of the time I stayed after school with him to get extra help. These were the best moments from him in my opinion. You get one on one help with your assignments and he was always super patient with you. You also get those little one on one conversations with him. Most of the time they were random conversations but sometimes they could have been deep conversations. One day I stayed after school with him and I remember me and my sister were making jokes with him. I eventually said something to him like, "We should shine your head like you would shine shoes," and he laughed. He responded and said something along the lines like, "Noo don’t say that!" He knew we were joking and it was a good time. I am now realizing that he took the time to stay after school to help his students for 30 minutes to an hour before he had to leave and get home to his family. I am forever grateful for those days that I got to spend with him. He was devoted to his students and he was devoted to his family. He always talked about his wife and kids. Every time he spoke about them he would say, “I have to get home, it’s date night with my wife!” Or he always talked about his kids in such a nice way it was sweet to hear about. Every Thursday he would remind us what day it was and eventually our class would start reminding or asking him about date night. He was a big family man and I admire him because of it. Mr. Worldwide or Mr. Clean are some of the nicknames us students would call him. I think he liked those nicknames. I am going to miss his fun and chaotic energy. I am going to miss his smile that always seemed to never fade. I am going to miss the times he spoke about God and his faith in class. I am going to miss the personal conversations he and I had about God and what he would share with me. I look up to him because of how strong his faith was and how good of a human being he was. Lately I have been trying to follow his footsteps and work on my relationship with God. I wish he were here to help guide me. I would have loved for him to be my youth leader outside of school! I even invited him and his family to my church but he never ended up being able to go. I learned recently that my youth leaders at my church said they had met him 20 years ago at IHOPKC. I am glad they were able to have met someone so great. I wish I kept better contact with him when he moved to the middle school. I remember emailing him the first school year that he was not at the high school and told him that I missed him. He emailed me back within 4 minutes and said, “Hey Autumn! I miss you as well and the high school. I hope your first week went well. The middle school is a different entity...the kids are hyper, busy, talkative, and giggly. Its strange! Anyways, I am beginning to enjoy it. Well, I have a meeting to go to. We'll talk soon. Happy Friday!” These few short sentences made my day and they continue to keep me smiling now. There have been countless nights and days where I have cried because I miss him so much. The first couple weeks were the hardest. I had a couple times where I would end up crying in class but I am grateful to have a couple other teachers there at my side grieving with me. Another faint memory I can recall is him telling me about his graffiti art he did in Chicago. When he would bring it up I always asked him to show me some of his work and he always asked me to show him some of my art skills because he knew I liked art. I never ended up seeing his work! I wish he got to show me himself but I hope to see his work eventually. My most recent interaction with him was last year through a zoom call. I was in a graphic design program and we had to explain our program to the middle school and his class was one of the classes we got to speak with. When I saw him on call we waved and said hi to each other. He then had to leave the frame because of technical difficulties that he had to attend to. At the end of our explanation of the program I think he came on screen one last time and we said bye to each other. I wish I had more time with him at that last moment. I wish I had seen him in person. I have read and heard multiple stories from his family, friends, teachers, and other students about how he has touched their lives. He made a huge impact on this community. He has never left my mind since I've heard the news. Every night I have been praying for his family. I pray that they find comfort and peace and happiness. I know he is watching over his family and I know he will be cheering me on as I walk across the stage in May at graduation. I am so grateful to have known him. I love you and I miss you Criniere. We all miss you. Thank you for everything. - Autumn Arthur, Grandview High School Graduating class of 2022 My name is Autumn Arthur. I am a senior at Grandview High School. I have been apart of the Grandview community for all my life. I am passionate about playing softball, watching movies, being outdoors, being with my family, and spending time with my youth group at my church.

by Ken DeBenedictis Something broke in me the other day when my friend died. It was so jolting. There’s something about hearing of a sudden tragedy of someone close to you that freezes time. This was personal. He lives across the street from us so our families are super tight. I have four kids—he has ten. With all the kid-filled homes in our neighborhood, with all their limitless energy, his front lawn would always become center stage to the cars driving by. Some days it felt like an endless family birthday party over there. There would be Charlie, right in the middle of it—scrappin’ with his kids— throwing the ball around, little girls swirling around him practicing cartwheels or swinging on the rope swing. All that beautiful imagery got shaken up on Saturday morning when we received the news that while on an early morning bike ride, Charlie Criniere had been killed instantly by a hit and run driver. It was one of those surreal moments in life—one that I didn’t want to believe, but because of the responsibilities of being a dad, I was forced to. After I told my family the news, we all raced across the street in our pajamas to be with the Criniere’s. This family who poured out so much to other people, and was so immeshed into our lives, had just had their whole world turned upside down in seconds. Before we knew it, word started to spread and phones and texts came pouring in. We live in a prayerful community that lives to follow Jesus 24-7. Charlie had given all he had to worshipping Jesus and leading by example to everyone he met, a life fully committed and surrendered. By the time the media caught wind of the news, there was already an alerted local church community surrounding Meg and the kids. The headlines on my phone read “Cyclist killed by hit and run driver.” Something struck me as odd with that statement. He was so much more than a cyclist or just an innocent pedestrian who was a victim of a crime. Did people realize who this guy was? As the day moved on, and more and more people dropping by, there were questions. “Why him? Why now?”, I’d hear people say. “Of all of the people for this to happen to…him??!!”. I think we all can relate. I can think of fifty people who this kind of thing would have been better suited. The deadbeat dad, the abusive husband, a pedophile, a serial rapist—but Charlie Criniere? Ultimate family man, step-in dad to those who had none, committed teacher to hundreds, faithful man of prayer… it just didn’t make any sense. How could Charlie’s life end like this? As that blurry day came and went and ran into the next, more and more people came. Meg was surrounded by family and friends. There was so much love. Stories of Charlie filled the air. It seemed like I was getting to know a different Charlie from each person that shared. From his days growing up in Chicago with a troubled and violent past, to the moment he found Jesus who gave him a brand new life with purpose and passion. This man was living proof that no life is too far gone. He had found a reason to live life to its fullest and now wanted to spend the rest of it telling people his story. It was an honest story. One that he never grew tired of telling. As I look back on it now, and as much as I heard of it, I wish I had listened to it more. As the memorial service was beginning, I noticed such an array of people from all walks of life. Kids he grew up with, relatives, fellow public school teachers, people who were up at 5am with him pacing back and forth in the Prayer Room, teenagers from his classrooms throughout the years, athletic coaches, hungry revivalists—they all had a story, they all had a memory. He impacted so many lives whether in a home group, a church setting or his chosen platform of the public schools. Jesus said, that you can tell what kind of a tree it is by the fruit that it bears. As I looked around that sanctuary that day, I couldn’t help but notice all the beautiful fruit. His wife is a living example of the one personified in Proverbs 31. His children are all tenderhearted, thoughtful, honest, young ones who love Jesus and love people well. It says in Psalm 1, that “he shall be a like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in season, whose leaf shall not wither and whatever he does shall prosper.” As I ponder that scripture, I’m reminded of Charlie’s life. He planted himself by a river called a lifestyle of prayer and worship and allowed his roots to grow deep. That was the tree that you saw. It was a reflection of Jesus, the Tree of Life. All that time he spent with his own kids, with his students, with people, and friends…all that giving of his time and of his money, and that attraction to the fatherless kids and to the juveniles. If you were one of the fortunate ones who knew him and are grieving now, you can take comfort in knowing that the seed he put in you was intentional. It will live if you allow it to. It is designed to grow and to produce something great. Because that’s what he saw in you—something great.

The Fire-Starter by Athol Barnes I was one of the blessed ones because I can say that I knew Charles Criniere. We met on the 4th of July 2015. He had walked from the neighborhood with some of his children to celebrate the holiday with the greater community on the hill at Grace Point church. However, before we could enjoy the fireworks, it started to rain, and a strong thunderstorm disrupted all our plans. I offered to take him home, and quickly realized that I would need a bigger car! Over the years we greeted each other as our paths crossed, but we never really got to know one another until 2020, when he and his family joined our church family during the pandemic. Charles quickly stepped into leadership, joining our leadership team, and was ordained as a deacon. He infused everything he did in the church with his passion for prayer. He was a man of wisdom and was ready to articulate new ideas with passion and clarity. Frequently, he would challenge our leadership team to take steps that we would not have taken, and he had a gift to inspire faith for new ventures. Charles was a rare human being; he had boundless energy and had the capacity to motivate people into action in a brief conversation. He was a fire-starter and had a passion for moving things forward, but once the vision was rolling, he was ready to move on to the next thing. In July of 2020, we were driving back from a mission trip in Cincinnati, and Charles sat next to me for twelve hours in the van. There were so many initiatives and ideas that came out of that time, it kept us busy for a year as a church. He was the kind of man that everyone wanted to be around. But it wasn’t only because of his dynamic personality and smile, he was a man totally committed to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Charles became a new creation when he became a follower of Jesus. He spent many early morning hours in the prayer room, praying for wisdom, praying for his family and praying for the Church. He had a passion for the Bible and would always be seen holding a well weathered Bible in his right hand, always ready to flip it open and share a word from the Lord. The time spent in the place of prayer and in the Word of God, transformed Charles into the man that we knew and loved. Though we miss him intensely, he continues to inspire us towards a life of devotion and wholehearted commitment to Jesus Christ. Athol Barnes

Start by watching the two videos below: The video above was created by Ryan Corrigan - Charlie's close friend for 16 years The video above features David Popovici - Charlie's brother in law Questions? Click on the let's chat button to talk to a live person What is the Gospel? The word gospel literally means “good news” and occurs 93 times in the Bible, exclusively in the New Testament. The gospel is, broadly speaking, the whole of Scripture; more narrowly, the gospel is the good news concerning Jesus Christ and the way of salvation. The key to understanding the gospel is to know why it’s good news. To do that, we must start with the bad news. The Old Testament Law was given to Israel during the time of Moses (Deuteronomy 5:1). The Law can be thought of as a measuring stick, and sin is anything that falls short of “perfect” according to that standard. The righteous requirement of the Law is so stringent that no human being could possibly follow it perfectly, in letter or in spirit. Despite our “goodness” or “badness” relative to each other, we are all in the same spiritual boat—we have sinned, and the punishment for sin is death, i.e. separation from God, the source of life (Romans 3:23). In order for us to go to heaven, God’s dwelling place and the realm of life and light, sin must be somehow removed or paid for. The Law established the fact that cleansing from sin can only happen through the bloody sacrifice of an innocent life (Hebrews 9:22). The gospel involves Jesus’ death on the cross as the sin offering to fulfill the Law’s righteous requirement (Romans 8:3–4; Hebrews 10:5–10). Under the Law, animal sacrifices were offered year after year as a reminder of sin and a symbol of the coming sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:3–4). When Christ offered Himself at Calvary, that symbol became a reality for all who would believe (Hebrews 10:11–18). The work of atonement is finished now, and that’s good news. The gospel also involves Jesus’ resurrection on the third day. “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). The fact that Jesus conquered sin and death (sin’s penalty) is good news, indeed. The fact that He offers to share that victory with us is the greatest news of all (John 14:19). The elements of the gospel are clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 15:3–6, a key passage concerning the good news of God: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living.” Notice, first, that Paul “received” the gospel and then “passed it on”; this is a divine message, not a man-made invention. Second, the gospel is “of first importance.” Everywhere the apostles went, they preached the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Third, the message of the gospel is accompanied by proofs: Christ died for our sins (proved by His burial), and He rose again the third day (proved by the eyewitnesses). Fourth, all this was done “according to the Scriptures”; the theme of the whole Bible is the salvation of mankind through Christ. The Bible is the gospel. “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). The gospel is a bold message, and we are not ashamed of proclaiming it. It is a powerful message, because it is God’s good news. It is a saving message, the only thing that can truly reform the human heart. It is a universal message, for Jews and Gentiles both. And the gospel is received by faith; salvation is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8–9). The gospel is the good news that God loves the world enough to give His only Son to die for our sin (John 3:16). The gospel is good news because our salvation and eternal life and home in heaven are guaranteed through Christ (John 14:1–4). “He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4). The gospel is good news when we understand that we do not (and cannot) earn our salvation; the work of redemption and justification is complete, having been finished on the cross (John 19:30). Jesus is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). The gospel is the good news that we, who were once enemies of God, have been reconciled by the blood of Christ and adopted into the family of God (Romans 5:10; John 1:12). “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). The gospel is the good news that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). To reject the gospel is to embrace the bad news. Condemnation before God is the result of a lack of faith in the Son of God, God’s only provision for salvation. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:17–18). God has given a doomed world good news: the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Would you like to talk to someone about Jesus? Click on the 'let's chat' button to talk to a live person. Article from https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-the-gospel.html