Battle Log

Friday, 16 August, 2019

Posted 17 August 2019, 8:27 AM by Glen Richards. Permalink

A team of three were at the Northlands bus stops and a team of two then moved to the Eastgate bus stops on Thursday afternoon.

I’m often struck at how the most unlikely people will be open to a Gospel conversation.  One example of this was when I was crossing the road at Eastgate.  I had just come to the island in the middle of the road and was waiting for cars to pass before crossing again.  I noticed a young man who was on the other side of the road, and was waiting to cross towards me.  He looked to be in a hurry, and I didn’t think the middle of the road was going to be the best place to initiate a conversation.  But then he crossed to the island and I figured it couldn’t hurt to offer him a tract as he passed - so I simply said, “excuse me, do you ever think about the afterlife?”.  He looked at me, took the tract and, to my surprise, said, “yeah, I do actually”.  I ended up turning around and crossing back with him, and once safely on the footpath, I ended up having a wonderful opportunity to share the law and the Gospel.  Be encouraged to reach out anyway - sure, many people won’t be interested - just wish them a nice day, and move on.  But there are many who are interested and are waiting for someone to go to them.  God is with us!

Friday saw three outreaches: a team of six for the Gospel + abortion outreach in the morning.  A team of four (+ two from OAC) in the afternoon.  And a team of five for an evening outreach.

The Gospel + abortion outreach ended with two very challenging but encouraging conversations.  The first started when a nurse aide from the hospital approached us.  She had a question that a friend wanted to ask, and she pulled out a piece of paper.  The question was: if I was in a burning building and only had the time to rescue a baby or a thousand embryos.  Which would you save?  Going from this rather loaded hypothetical question we ended up having a good conversation that touched on some very difficult personal situations in which I was able to talk about the serious nature of sin (abortion is murder), and the forgiveness found in Christ for those willing to admit their sin, rather than justify it.

While this was happening, Andy got into a deep conversation with two seperate people: one pro life, and one pro choice.  Andy was challenged by the pro choice person to show sympathy for women in difficult situations.  But we can’t have sympathy for those who murder, no matter how difficult the situation!  Yet, there is hope of forgiveness for murderers, through the sacrifice of Christ.  To his surprise, the pro choice person didn’t respond with anger, but rather became thoughtful.

We thank God for our ability to be a witness for Him and to stand up for those that can’t stand for themselves.  May there be salvation!

The afternoon and evening outreaches had two contrasting conversations for me.

In the afternoon, I had a flip chart conversation with a young couple.  The guy was curious and so became engaged, but even though I was talking about the wonderful hope of eternal life, the body language of the girl was one of boredom and a desire for the conversation to finish so she could move on with important stuff (shopping)!  And sadly, the guy’s curiosity seemed to remain just that.  There was no conviction of sin.  In my mind I was processing this, and started to wonder what I was doing wrong, what I could do to convince them, to get them to understand.  And, yes, I should be doing my best to explain the Gospel.  But I realised where my thinking could lead: compromise.  If I soften or change the message, then maybe I could sway them?  NO.  The Gospel is the power of God to salvation!  God is the one who saves.  I have to trust Him in that.

In the evening, at the end of the outreach, a Gospel conversation got started with another young couple.  There was some initial sparring, but then a sombreness came upon the conversation as I was explaining the serious nature of sin through the law.  To my encouragement (and I hope yours), the young man became very thoughtful as I explained the Gospel, and the young lady’s eyes widened in understanding!  Praise God.  At this very moment, our main heckler came past and had a go at me: “don’t you have a wife to go home to Glenis, still out here telling people stories”.  Thankfully, this didn’t stop the wonderful conversation that was happening.  I challenged them to accept the gift of Christ, at the same time explaining the cost of following Him.  They are in God’s hands.