Battle Log

Unlike last week, Thursday was a nice day, so there was no interruption of the two outreaches in the afternoon: in the City and at the Eastgate bus stops.

As I arrive a little later than Andy for the City outreach, I often turn up with Andy already deep in a Gospel conversation.  This day was no different (pictured).

We were in various spots in the City for this outreach: High Street, Cathedral Square, and at the corner of Cashel & Colombo - where I ended up having a wonderful conversation with a man who had recently converted to Bahá'í.  While listening to this man, I also had the opportunity to explain the law and the Gospel.  We parted with a hand shake.

We finished the City outreach with open air preaching in speaker’s corner.  There weren’t many people about, but there were some who heard the Gospel.  One of our hecklers was attracted, and came over to add his thoughts - but I can barely call him a heckler any more - we get on too well!

I always enjoy the Eastgate outreach, as tiring as it is with the constant conversation opportunities.  It’s wonderful to be able to have many follow up conversations.  There is one young man in particular that I’m meeting every outreach there like clockwork.  Every time, I ask him if he has thought any more about the things we have discussed, and often have an opportunity to challenge him to respond to the Gospel.

This outreach I also had many opportunities to offer tracts to bus drivers as they were changing shifts.  I was pleasantly surprised with the encouragement I got from two of them about what we are doing.  Although one quickly skimmed the tract and handed it back - not interested.

Friday saw three outreaches.

The first was the Gospel + abortion outreach outside the hospital.  This is the outreach I find the hardest because of all the outward opposition.  This makes me think back to all the times I’ve found outreach to be difficult.  I remember first setting up the flip chart in Cashel Mall (years ago) and being really nervous about what I was doing.  I remember my first encounters with a difficult heckler - and not wanting to head out because of him.  I remember how hard it was when I first started open air preaching.  God has helped me through all those difficulties - and I’m stronger for it!  So I have a confidence in God that He will help us in this new area of ministry.

Thankfully, this time, the outreach was relatively calm.  There were four of us: two male, two female.  A security guard did venture over at a distance.  I gave him a smile and a wave.  He acknowledged me and then moved off.

I think the initial adrenaline connected to this new outreach has burned off.  I’m now preparing myself into a pace for a marathon in the fight to bring the Gospel to the issue of abortion.

The afternoon saw our second outreach of the day: in the City.  There was a team of eight - including two from the OAC team.

We started with open air preaching in Cathedral Square, and then moved to Cashel Mall.

It was so encouraging to see a new team member so naturally starting conversations with strangers walking past (pictured).  It was also a reminder of how good it is to have many different types of Christians out sharing (male/female, older/younger, etc) - as people seem more drawn and open to a conversation with some people rather than others.

One of those conversations ended with a tract being offered and accepted.  The person receiving the tract opened their wallet to carefully put it in - and it was observed that they already had an Easter tract in their wallet!  How encouraging.  They were reminded to actually read those tracts!

The outreach was very eventful.  There was another high school student climate change protest.  Afterwards it lead to many wonderful conversations.  The subject of climate change was used to start conversations, and students were asked how we would solve the problem.  I would agree that there was no planet B, but I would then talk to them about the fact that there was no life B either - what happens after you die?

I’m out of time to talk in detail about some of the conversations had.  But one young Muslim girl (pictured), who had been minutes away from the mosque on that fateful day, heard the law and the Gospel and asked wonderful questions confirming that she was understanding it.  And another group of girls (pictured) stayed for a long chat.  One in particular was very interested, and it turns out she had talked to me at the last climate change protest on the terrible day of the mosque shootings.

The day finished with the evening outreach into the city, with conversations: in Cathedral Square, outside the bus exchange and everywhere in between.  Mike started a Gospel conversation with a group that he had stopped with the Intelligence Test tract (pictured).  He ended up having an hour long conversation with one of Jehovah’s Witnesses - all the while his girlfriend, who claimed to be Christian, kept trying to drag him into a nightclub!

I thank God for all the wonderful opportunities to present His Gospel over these two days.  May He be glorified.
 

---