On Saturday, November 12th, I went to an arts and crafts festival in Longwood and was able to talk with several people about the Gospel. It was a challenging day, but it was a productive day. The first person I talked to, seemed to have a case of easy-believism as she was trying to get ahead of me by saying that if a person believes in Jesus than everything is ok with him. So we just skip over the sin part, I guess, and then assume everything is ok between us and God because Jesus died to pay for our sin. What is missing in this picture?
Then as I was talking with some teenage girls, explaining the Gospel to them (which they seemed unfamiliar with), a woman comes up and starts questioning the girls about their relationship with God. She informed me that they 'have it' because she asked them if they had ever asked Jesus into their hearts, and of course, they did. I guess it didn't matter that they didn't understand about sin in the first place.
But another time, as I was talking to a teenage girl, I was explaining about how a lamb would have to be sacrificed when people sinned in the Old Testament days. She became very sad as I was telling her about this. I think it was a good way to explain the Gospel to someone, in order to show them that something precious had to be sacrificed for our sins. I pray that the Gospel she heard that day will penetrate her heart and that God would do a deep work in her heart.
One of the last group of girls I talked to were listening intently to the Gospel. They seemed affected by the Truth. Then the cell phone went off. It was one of the girl's mothers saying that they were going somewhere. Before my eyes they disappeared as the woman came to get them. I raced over and got some 'How Good Are You?' tracts and explained to them that they could read it at home. But I had to run after them because they were gone in a flash!
I believe God was at work in all of their hearts. May much good fruit come out of this day of evangelism at the Longwood Arts and Crafts festival for 2011.
I was able to make some videos of this event. I am not in most of them, but you can hear my voice in them as I share the Gospel with people.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Everyday Evangelism - Evangelizing at the Longwood Festival
The Longwood Arts and Crafts Festival - November 19, 2011
This day was a very good day as far as talking to people about the Gospel. Most of the people were very receptive and seemed to want to talk. But it didn't start out that way. I got there a little later than I wanted to, but we did find a parking place, pretty close to where we parked last year.
As we were going toward the festival, I was pushing my cart which was overflowing with goodies. I was also carrying a big poster, and my son was carrying a card table. We were almost there and the wheel broke off my cart. My son suggested pulling the cart, which is how we did it the rest of the way.
We got there, and I did a quick set up. I started talking to people right away and was in a conversation with someone when my poster blew over and the easel fell down. So I had to pick it all up again and try to arrange it all so it wouldn't fall over any more, which has always been the challenge. The tracts were blowing off the table, so I had to find something to hold them down. This time I put the poster on the ground leaning against the easel with Silly Putty stuck on the back so it wouldn't come apart from the easel! It finally worked.
One of the first people I talked to was a young woman who was defensive about being a Christian. So I tried to explain to her that there will be some people who die, who call themselves Christians, who will hear the reply, "I never knew you. Depart from me..." She seemed to believe that it was easy to be a Christian. I'm not sure she really had a heart understanding of the Gospel.
My son was talking to a man, and he looked really convicted. I didn't get his name, but after we asked him questions, he explained that his wife was a Christian, but not a born again one (Interesting), but his children were born again, and he was the heathen of the family. We gave him the the booklet "How Good Are You?" so hopefully, he will read it and take it to heart.
Then I was talking with some young girls, and really having a good conversation with them, when a woman came out from nowhere and tried to finish what I was doing. The only difference was that she used the terms 'Ask Jesus into your heart'. I thought she was the mother, and I was thinking she was quizzing her daughters on the Gospel. But she wasn't their mother. She was a person who said she was an evangelist. She put emphasis on 'praying the prayer' and assured the girls they were saved. She gave them assurance, because they 'did it'. I know God is sovereign and can still work in the girls hearts in spite of it. I know the girls didn't understand the Gospel at the beginning.
After we got done and packed up, carrying the poster and pulling my broken cart, while we were on the sidewalk, my son gets a bloody nose. I told him to just keep walking and was hoping he would try to make sure that the blood would drip on the sidewalk. We went a little ways, and a woman was trying to read the poster. She was friendly and wanted to talk. So I started asking her the trivia questions. I asked her a couple of questions and my son's nose started bleeding a lot. So I gave him the keys and told him to go to the car. The lady was very understanding, and said that it was ok and she understood that i had to take care of him. I left her with 2 tracts that I found on my way out in the trash can.
Lots of beach balls were taken, and a few flying disks. All 100 tracts I labeled last night were given out. The people loved the posters with the questions and we asked many people if we could give them the Good Person Test, to which most responded with a 'yes'.
God allowed us to have a profitable day with many difficulties to work through. We wouldn't expect a day to go perfectly would we? We know Satan isn't happy when God's word goes out. With God's permission, he will attack whatever we are doing, or try to discourage us. Even though the Word didn't get out the exact way I would have planned, it got out enough for God to be able to use it. And the results are His. We will look forward to seeing much fruit in eternity.
This day was a very good day as far as talking to people about the Gospel. Most of the people were very receptive and seemed to want to talk. But it didn't start out that way. I got there a little later than I wanted to, but we did find a parking place, pretty close to where we parked last year.
As we were going toward the festival, I was pushing my cart which was overflowing with goodies. I was also carrying a big poster, and my son was carrying a card table. We were almost there and the wheel broke off my cart. My son suggested pulling the cart, which is how we did it the rest of the way.
We got there, and I did a quick set up. I started talking to people right away and was in a conversation with someone when my poster blew over and the easel fell down. So I had to pick it all up again and try to arrange it all so it wouldn't fall over any more, which has always been the challenge. The tracts were blowing off the table, so I had to find something to hold them down. This time I put the poster on the ground leaning against the easel with Silly Putty stuck on the back so it wouldn't come apart from the easel! It finally worked.
One of the first people I talked to was a young woman who was defensive about being a Christian. So I tried to explain to her that there will be some people who die, who call themselves Christians, who will hear the reply, "I never knew you. Depart from me..." She seemed to believe that it was easy to be a Christian. I'm not sure she really had a heart understanding of the Gospel.
My son was talking to a man, and he looked really convicted. I didn't get his name, but after we asked him questions, he explained that his wife was a Christian, but not a born again one (Interesting), but his children were born again, and he was the heathen of the family. We gave him the the booklet "How Good Are You?" so hopefully, he will read it and take it to heart.
Then I was talking with some young girls, and really having a good conversation with them, when a woman came out from nowhere and tried to finish what I was doing. The only difference was that she used the terms 'Ask Jesus into your heart'. I thought she was the mother, and I was thinking she was quizzing her daughters on the Gospel. But she wasn't their mother. She was a person who said she was an evangelist. She put emphasis on 'praying the prayer' and assured the girls they were saved. She gave them assurance, because they 'did it'. I know God is sovereign and can still work in the girls hearts in spite of it. I know the girls didn't understand the Gospel at the beginning.
After we got done and packed up, carrying the poster and pulling my broken cart, while we were on the sidewalk, my son gets a bloody nose. I told him to just keep walking and was hoping he would try to make sure that the blood would drip on the sidewalk. We went a little ways, and a woman was trying to read the poster. She was friendly and wanted to talk. So I started asking her the trivia questions. I asked her a couple of questions and my son's nose started bleeding a lot. So I gave him the keys and told him to go to the car. The lady was very understanding, and said that it was ok and she understood that i had to take care of him. I left her with 2 tracts that I found on my way out in the trash can.
Lots of beach balls were taken, and a few flying disks. All 100 tracts I labeled last night were given out. The people loved the posters with the questions and we asked many people if we could give them the Good Person Test, to which most responded with a 'yes'.
God allowed us to have a profitable day with many difficulties to work through. We wouldn't expect a day to go perfectly would we? We know Satan isn't happy when God's word goes out. With God's permission, he will attack whatever we are doing, or try to discourage us. Even though the Word didn't get out the exact way I would have planned, it got out enough for God to be able to use it. And the results are His. We will look forward to seeing much fruit in eternity.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Everyday Evangelism - Far Reaching Results
I was contemplating on the other day as I was walking down Park Avenue to go to the spice store. I made sure I had tracts ready to take with me and tried to prepare to talk to people, even if briefly. For the most part, people said 'no' to taking the tracts. I was not surprised as some of these people may have already received a tract and possibly knew what I was giving away. But there was one man I gave the tract to and he loved it. He was asking where he could get them. I explained to him how he could order them and pointed him to the many web sites on the back of the tract. While I was talking with him (and his wife/girl friend?) I gave a tract to an older man (who I was sure would reject it). He seemed delighted and asked for another one for his wife.
The point of this post is that while it seemed like an unprofitable day, by my standard anyway, I don't have an eternal perspective of what God can do. What if God spoke to that man's heart (who wanted to order the tracts) and what if he got inspired to order some and give them out? What if he gave out a couple hundred in his life time, and one person came to Christ? What if the one person who came to Christ had a neighbor that he led to the Lord? What if the people in this neighbor's family came to Christ and one became a pastor of a thriving, healthy Bible believing church?
I don't know what God will do with the tracts I gave out the other day. But His Word says that it will not return to Him void. It will accomplish the purpose it was set out to do. And God is great in working through Divine appointments. Maybe the tract giving will end up being an answer to someone's prayer for their lost loved one. Only God knows what will happen when we are faithful to give away that which He has abundantly given to us. We need to be in faith for what He will do, in and through us.
The point of this post is that while it seemed like an unprofitable day, by my standard anyway, I don't have an eternal perspective of what God can do. What if God spoke to that man's heart (who wanted to order the tracts) and what if he got inspired to order some and give them out? What if he gave out a couple hundred in his life time, and one person came to Christ? What if the one person who came to Christ had a neighbor that he led to the Lord? What if the people in this neighbor's family came to Christ and one became a pastor of a thriving, healthy Bible believing church?
I don't know what God will do with the tracts I gave out the other day. But His Word says that it will not return to Him void. It will accomplish the purpose it was set out to do. And God is great in working through Divine appointments. Maybe the tract giving will end up being an answer to someone's prayer for their lost loved one. Only God knows what will happen when we are faithful to give away that which He has abundantly given to us. We need to be in faith for what He will do, in and through us.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Everyday Evangelism - "Isn't This the God House?"
Monday night we had our usual annual trick-or-treaters coming around. I had my graveyard aquarium set up (but the black light didn't work right. You couldn't see the details on the grave stones). I also had the 'Are you a genius?' poster set out. That was great. Older children and parents were looking at the questions. One child wanted his dad to take the Good Person test, but the dad refused. The mom was asking about it, so I asked her if she had ever told a lie. She said that she had. She was already disqualified from the $20 promised to anyone who could pass it.
I had beach balls with one side imprinted "God is uncreated. He never had a beginning and has always been in existence" and on the other side it said "www.thegospelconversation.blogspot.com". Many children were grateful that they got to pick a toy out. They verbally thanked me for it and seemed to have an appreciation for the toys that they didn't have for the candy. I also had the flying discs out. They had imprinted on them John 14:6 "Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me". Then there were the maracas which had imprinted on them 1 Timothy 2:5 "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Most of the people who choose a toy, usually pick a beach ball.
There were a couple of girls who may have been around ten or eleven. As they were looking through the toys to pick one, one of the girls was sure that this was the house that gave out Million dollar bills with Justin Bieber's picture on it. At first, wasn't sure of giving out anything with Justin Bieber, at least not intentionally. It wasn't until a couple of days later, I put two and two together and realized that I had celebrity Million Dollar bills last year and probably gave them out. Perhaps she got a Justin Bieber one and remember that it was here where she got it. The two girls were having a discussion about this, or maybe it was more like a debate. The other girl was convinced that this wasn't the house where the Justin Bieber million dollar bills were given out. Finally, the one girl asked out loud, "Isn't this the God house?". I thought that was interesting. For the past several years, I have been giving out pencils, coins, imprinted toys, etc with the Gospel or 10 Commandments out. I wonder if people ever remember where the 10 Commandment pencil came from, or the beach ball or flying disc. Now I am beginning to see that people are starting to remember.
Most of the time, toys are very easy to give out, even if they have a sharp message pointing to the Gospel. I had a basket of toys at a college a couple of years ago. A Muslim lady who was a teacher came up to my table. She was very sad because she was a science teacher and this was the time when it became mandatory for teachers to teach evolution in the schools. That was going to be a hardship for anyone who knows that the world didn't just come into existence just by itself. This teacher was very distressed and talked to me about it. She explained that she wasn't interested in becoming a Christian because she had already studied it in a religion class in England. She took some of the material from 'Answers in Genesis' www.answersingenesis.org . She was also going to go to the web site later on to look for more help. The last thing she did was to take one of the beach balls for her little girl. The words were obvious to see "What can wash away my sins?" on one side. The other side reads "Nothing but the blood of Jesus. www.thegoodtest.net". She took the ball home to her little girl. I pray that the words will open up her heart to the Gospel.
I had beach balls with one side imprinted "God is uncreated. He never had a beginning and has always been in existence" and on the other side it said "www.thegospelconversation.blogspot.com". Many children were grateful that they got to pick a toy out. They verbally thanked me for it and seemed to have an appreciation for the toys that they didn't have for the candy. I also had the flying discs out. They had imprinted on them John 14:6 "Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me". Then there were the maracas which had imprinted on them 1 Timothy 2:5 "There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Most of the people who choose a toy, usually pick a beach ball.
There were a couple of girls who may have been around ten or eleven. As they were looking through the toys to pick one, one of the girls was sure that this was the house that gave out Million dollar bills with Justin Bieber's picture on it. At first, wasn't sure of giving out anything with Justin Bieber, at least not intentionally. It wasn't until a couple of days later, I put two and two together and realized that I had celebrity Million Dollar bills last year and probably gave them out. Perhaps she got a Justin Bieber one and remember that it was here where she got it. The two girls were having a discussion about this, or maybe it was more like a debate. The other girl was convinced that this wasn't the house where the Justin Bieber million dollar bills were given out. Finally, the one girl asked out loud, "Isn't this the God house?". I thought that was interesting. For the past several years, I have been giving out pencils, coins, imprinted toys, etc with the Gospel or 10 Commandments out. I wonder if people ever remember where the 10 Commandment pencil came from, or the beach ball or flying disc. Now I am beginning to see that people are starting to remember.
Most of the time, toys are very easy to give out, even if they have a sharp message pointing to the Gospel. I had a basket of toys at a college a couple of years ago. A Muslim lady who was a teacher came up to my table. She was very sad because she was a science teacher and this was the time when it became mandatory for teachers to teach evolution in the schools. That was going to be a hardship for anyone who knows that the world didn't just come into existence just by itself. This teacher was very distressed and talked to me about it. She explained that she wasn't interested in becoming a Christian because she had already studied it in a religion class in England. She took some of the material from 'Answers in Genesis' www.answersingenesis.org . She was also going to go to the web site later on to look for more help. The last thing she did was to take one of the beach balls for her little girl. The words were obvious to see "What can wash away my sins?" on one side. The other side reads "Nothing but the blood of Jesus. www.thegoodtest.net". She took the ball home to her little girl. I pray that the words will open up her heart to the Gospel.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Everyday Evangelism - My New QR Code - It really works!
I have a new tool to work with, but I'm going to need to be creative in coming up with ways to implement this for evangelism. I went to a QR generator web page and created a QR code for my web page. I downloaded a QR reader for my I-phone because people on Face Book have the QR code for the 180 movie. What you have to do is to get a QR reader, then when you see a QR code (kind of like a bar code, but square), you look at the code through the reader (or whatever the directions tell you to do). The QR reader then picks up the code then brings you to the web site that is connected with that code. So I created a code for my Gospel Conversation blogpage. The code is on the right and if you have a reader, it will take you to The Gospel Conversation page. Maybe I can print them up on labels and put them out on tracts or literature. I wonder if I could have the code imprinted on helium balloons. Any ideas from you guys would be appreciated. And if you haven't gone to the 180 movie yet, make sure you watch it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
