Battle Log

Sunday, 21 March, 2021

Posted 21 March 2021, 4:10 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

The New Zealand Mission is now over, and I’m working on getting back to my usual schedule.  On Saturday I did some letter boxing to rest my head, and then was online with the team.  Sunday was a normal day - a couple of hours in the city after church gathering, and then online with the team.

And it was a very busy and... interesting couple of hours in the city.

A team of four.  I had my flip chat, and my first chat was with a guy who just walked up and was intrigued by the “good person test” - we fell into an easy conversation.  But sadly he was about to go to the airport to catch a plane home to Invercargill.  I was able to touch on the law and the gospel with him, and he took a tract to read on the plane.

Next up, Neil arrived.  This is the third time I’ve talked to Neil (over the years).  Neil believes he has to maintain his salvation with regular repentance and good works - he also denies that the writings of Paul should be part of the Bible (figures)!  Another of the team became involved in that conversation, and then suddenly, a group of five teens walked up to the flip chart, I didn’t notice them till one of them came around and asked Neil if he would take them through the flip chart!  I said I would be happy to do that, and excused myself from the conversation with Neil.

And this is where it gets interesting, these kids all reminded me of the counter protesters we get on the gospel + abortion outreach.  I wondered if I was being set up, and sure enough I was.  And yet, I don’t think they got what they were expecting.  I was able to defuse their attacks, and keep them on track to understanding the gospel.  Many of them became disinterested, but one kept up subtle attacks (which I deflected), and yet another seemed to be genuinely interested.  Suddenly one of the guys pulled out a fat tip pen and pretended to graffiti my flip chart!  It was time for this chat to wrap up.  I’m glad he didn’t actually do it, and I said if he did I’d call the Police.  The chat continued, but then another of the guys actually graffitied the rubbish bin next to me!  (Pictured)  That’s not okay, and I pulled down my flip chart at this stage, telling the kids I wasn’t willing to talk if they were gonna hate.  I told them it’s ironic that I get accused of being hateful because I’m a Christian (not true - I made it clear multiple times I don’t hate anyone) - and yet those who accuse me of such, demonstrate their hate so clearly.  The hypocrisy is clear - I just pray they see the inconsistency, and reflect on the words and hope of the gospel they heard (this making it a great chat).  They dispersed quickly.  I didn’t have anything to clean up the graffiti with. :(

I went to talk to Andy about what had happened, but he got into a new conversation before I got to him - I left him to it, and turned to head back to my flip chart when I noticed four girls flipping through it!  I approached and they also were keen to try it - yet it felt like another set up.  I was prepared!  We had a great chat where, although there was resistance, they became very engaged in a long chat and started articulating the gospel clearly.  A crowd draws a crowd, and a young couple stopped very curious about the conversation.  By this stage, I only had five minutes before I would have to leave to join the online outreach, and I was already at the end of the chat I was in.  They heard a quick summary of the law and the gospel, and received tracts - and they stuck around to listen a bit before moving on.  And the original chat ended well too!

What a great couple of hours of outreach.  It seems like these kids are all connected, and coming to give us a hard time - yet they just end up hearing the gospel!  Praise God for that.  May He receive all the glory :)

Over the weekend I had 13 decent chats with people - mainly from the USA (plus a great chat with a couple of guys from Iceland).

The students at Otago Uni (last week) were grasping the gospel so quickly... they looked at me weird when I kept giving them checking questions!  It's so different online (generally), one of my last chats was a 15 min one with a kid who just couldn’t grasp the gospel.  I really had to labour with this kid and patiently keep explaining, in different ways, and with pictures - he finally started to grasp it at the end - praise God.  Yet, ALL need the gospel, whether mentally fast or slow.  Our labour is not in vain!  Don’t give up. :)