Battle Log

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The last 2 days of outreach (Thursday and Friday) have been very encouraging - filled with follow up conversations.

For 3 out of 4 of the last Thursdays, as I head into the city for our regular outreach starting at 1 PM, I have encountered the same construction worker sitting enjoying his lunch.  The first time I shared the law and the Gospel and he was very receptive, accepting a Bible and Gospel booklet.

The 2nd time I saw him, I challenged him if he had read any of the Bible - which he hadn’t, and I again communicated the urgency to respond to the Gospel.

Well this Thursday, he said he had started reading the Bible, but he didn’t take my advice and had started with Genesis.

I again took the time to explain the need to respond to the Gospel, again taking special note to highlight the law (which brings the knowledge of sin - without which there can be no conviction, and without that there will be no urgency for the grace of salvation).  I pointed him back to the New Testament, and the Gospel booklet.  He seems so close to the kingdom, and yet so far - and it’s completely out of my hands.  Salvation is of the Lord.  I will start regularly praying for my new friend.  He has my contact details and the contact details for my local church.

Later, in Cathedral Square, two guys that have heard me preach, and I have seen - and talked to -  multiple times before crossed my path again.  I asked if they had put any thought into the Gospel - which they hadn’t.  Knowing that this may be the last time I see them, and having talked to them many times before I felt a need to be direct with them about sin and the justice of God: Hell.  They both lowered their heads, looking intently at the ground as I urgently pleaded with them to "wake up".  Of course, I reiterated the hope there was of forgiveness of sins, only found in Christ.

I also preached in the Square, and Andy and I had other conversations.  A very encouraging outreach.

We then moved to Eastgate for two hours, which is always a busy and good outreach.

Good Friday!  What a wonderful day to be in the city to talk about Christ.  A team of 4 were involved.

The highlight conversation for me was yet another follow up.  But this time it was with a guy I had been talking to a year ago.  He remembered me, but initially I didn’t remember him.  He too seems close to the kingdom, but knows he has not entered it.  I had a good long chat with him, while Philip talked to his friend.  It turns out he lives around the corner from me, and is not far from my local church.  He accepted a Bible, and I challenged him to read Romans (esp. The first 3 chapters).  He also took my contact details.  I pray that Christ would show him his sin and “wake him up”!

Looking forward to the first of our two Hot Cross Bun and Gospel Tract outreaches tomorrow.  Your prayer is appreciated!
 

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On Tuesday afternoon at Woodridge there was a team of six out again! Praise God for raising up labourers! What a privilege it is to serve God alongside other men and women of the faith as they declare the glories of the gospel to the lost of this world.

The conversations on Tuesday were normal, "Woodridge", with many people of mixed religions. Firstly was with Diana, a lady who once was a Christian but left it because she didn't know much about it and said she was now Buddhist because it sounded cool and she liked it. It turns out that she really didn't know much about Buddhism either but simply wanted to come back to this world and have another go at life because life is fun. She was shown how we know God exists and therefore that Buddhism cannot be the way and as she was shown the law her bus arrived. She took a tract and was encouraged to read it.

Next was a conversation with Liam and Bella, a young couple who were kissing just before they were approached but ironically when asked if they'd ever lusted later at first they said no. Before their bus arrived, these two who at first said they didn't think there was a God, came to acknowledge that there must be one and then after seeing his law saw their guilt. When being posed with the question, "How can your sin be forgiven?" their bus arrived and they were very briefly shown that goodness doesn't take away badness, rather someone must pay. They took tracts and were encouraged to read them.

A lengthier conversation took place with Damo who at first was an atheist but it wasn't long until he rejected that, saw that there was a God and therefore was seeing what God had said. He understood his guilt and that he deserved Hell but even after eight times explaining the gospel in different ways he could not grasp the simple message that to be forgiven one must simply trust in Jesus. He seemed to struggle so much. It wasn't even that he was still trying (like most people) to say, "trust Jesus and do good works", he just didn't seem to grasp how Jesus' death could atone for sin.

There was a level of struggle because of drug use but he didn't seem all that out of it. He did take a tract though, may God use this to cause him to understand the Gospel!

Please be praying for Diana that she would see the folly of chasing things that make her feel nice, rather than that which is true. Please pray for Liam and Bella that they would seek to know how Jesus' death on that cross can make sinners right before God and please pray for Damo that God would enable him to comprehend the gospel and that he would come to trust in Christ alone for for forgiveness!

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On Monday at Capalaba, again there was a team of five! Praise God for raising up labourers who are willing to come out on their holidays! The afternoon was filled with some exciting conversations, some sad ones and some disappointing ones.

Starting on the disappointing end, there were three people spoken to today that professed to be Christians that had no idea of the gospel. One man loudly declared, "Don't worry about me, I'm good, I'm already a Christian". He was later approached again and was asked, "If you're a Christian, what are you trusting in to get you to Heaven?" to which he responded, "Who said I know I am going to Heaven, I'm just a Christian". He was shown God's standard to get into Heaven is perfect and therefore we've all fallen short but before the conversation could go any further, he had to head off.

Next was a man named Thaif. He too professed to be a Christian and knew a decent amount but again was rely upon his goodness to get to Heaven. Thankfully God in His providence enabled Thaif to be willing to engage. He wasn't angry or hostile but responded, talked and came to understand the gospel for the first time in his life! Praise God for opening hearts! He was challenged to consider it and said that he would!

Thirdly was Kennedy. He was in the same boat as Thaif and praise God, he had the same outcome. From first thinking he was already a Christian, to understanding he was not and then being challenged to this very day become a Christian, simply by trusting in Christ!

Throughout the day other conversations took place. Michael who had just gotten out of prison and was interested to chat, had some simple groundwork done but his bus arrived almost immediately, so the conversation was postponed for next time. Another conversation was with a young lady named Sasha. She had spoken to another team member but was still waiting for her bus to arrive.

Sasha was approached and asked if she knew the way to Heaven and she said yes and got a simple checking question correct. The problem, Sasha said she didn't want Jesus, she was happy living as she was now. She was then shown the seriousness of the choice that she's making, using a range of analogies Sasha came to understand why Jesus is so important and that to reject Him is to choose to suffer for ones own sin in Hell.

There were a range of other conversations this week and many more of the same. It is hard to fathom how every single person thinks they're good, thinks they'd probably go to Heaven when they die and therefore that they don't need to think about it anymore. The sad reality is, that the majority of this nation have believed a lie and are marching on their way to the eternal judgement. Why don't you, step out in reliance upon God, with the good news of what God has done and declare to that people God has placed around you, that there is a hope for sinners!

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On Saturday in Brisbane City out came the team to tell of the glories of our God and King. There were twelve members out and many conversations had. Like usual some newer members tagged along with more experienced members and learnt some techniques and answers to improve their evangelism.

An early conversation took place with a tall man, who was very proud. He declared to know all about the different religions, followed by declaring that Christianity is the same as the rest. Invalidating his original claim, to know about all religions. He was shown God's law and very hesitantly he engaged but not without protest as he didn't want to be shown his guilt. He tried a lot to get out of guilt by declaring that he had "repented of all his sins". When asked what that meant, as usual he declared, "asking God for forgiveness and trying not to do it again". He was shown firstly, that this is not what repentance is, rather it is a change of mind, and secondly that it has no ability to atone for sin.

He carried on and never got to hear the gospel because he was too interested in his own ideas, to proud of his own discoveries that he wanted nothing to do with the real Jesus. He left proclaiming that after day of positivity the team had ruined his day with all this negative talk. He was reassured that the intention was not merely to condemn but that he didn't acknowledge guilt so there was no reason to share with him the cure.

A similar conversation took place with a man who had a Hindu background. He at first tried to distract the conversation by declaring that Jesus went to India between the ages of 12 and 30. But was shown via Mark 6:3-4, that the people who Jesus was ministering to, knew Him as one who had grown up locally. Then he was taken through God's law and shown his guilt but this man didn't want to consider it either. He then gave some "sincere advice" as he called it. He said, "If you didn't talk about sin, judgement or Hell more people would be willing to listen to you". To which the response was given, "But if those topics were never raised there would be no reason to talk to anyone".

Lastly a more encouraging conversation was with Pablo. He declared that he was a Christian but thought his entry to Heaven was on the basis of his obedience to God's law. He saw his guilt and its penalty and then for the first time in his life came to comprehend the gospel! He was moved and challenged. He said that he was so thankful to have talked to now understand the good news and now he will have to think about trusting in Christ.

He too was emphasised with the seriousness of trusting in Christ. Without trusting in Christ, Easter is simply the reminder that God's wrath is yet to be appeased. Please be praying for Pablo that he would not hold onto anything, seeing that nothing else can save him and instead that he would cling to Christ as his only hope for life and to honour God!

Please also be praying for the tall man and the Indian man, that God would humble them, show them that the things they are holding onto are foolish and have no ability to pay for their sin. Please pray that God would be gracious and cause them to turn to Him for salvation!

Lastly, whilst it is holidays, why not find a time to come on out and step out of your comfort zone to tell others of who Christ is and what He has done!

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Tuesday and Wednesday saw the Christchurch (NZ) team try something different: door to door evangelism.

It’s the school holidays, and apparently this is a good time to do it.  I had the experience of Kim from OAC guiding me (always a good way to learn evangelism skills).

Kim fielded the first few conversations, and I noticed he’d sometimes say: “We are not Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons”.

So one of the first conversations that I fielded, I had a man come to the door, and I said who we were and what we were doing, and I clarified by saying, “We are not Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons”.  Well, the guy at the door said, “Oh, I’m a Jehovah’s Witnesses”!

Internally, I was laughing at myself hard. :D

But externally I ignored it and quickly asked if he would be keen to discuss.  He said, “I’ve got my own beliefs thanks”.  It struck me that that is exactly what Christians often say to religious groups coming to the door.  The roles were reversed!

Safe to say, I haven’t used that line again! ;)

But some wonderful conversations were had over the two days of outreach.

Afresh, I realised how many people the team are reaching in this city.

We were talking to a mother and her younger children, when an older son came out.  He instantly recognised me and said that I had talked to him in the city (I don’t remember it)!

Later, we knocked on a door and a lady I had talked to at the Eastgate bus stops (maybe a month earlier) answered the door (we were door knocking very close to the Eastgate bus stops).  She pulled out the Bible I had given her, and we had another opportunity to share the gospel.

We had two wonderful situations where we were invited in and were allowed to discuss the Gospel in depth.

It was a wonderful experience, and I’m very keen to try it again (which I’ll do next week).

Your prayer is so appreciated.  And if you live in Christchurch, let me encourage you to get in touch and get involved. :)
 

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It has already been 1 year since we began the work of evangelism at Warwick, praise God!

All Glory to God for the opportunities that He continues to bring each week. So many tracts have gone out and each and every conversation has been God's Providence and we rejoice knowing that it all will be used by our merciful loving Holy God.

This week a Christian brother we have had the privilege to build a friendship with his Granddaughter. While he was in conversation with Rick, I heard her saying "it didn't turn orange!!!" Trying to get their attention she kept looking at it wondering why the good person test was not giving her a pass. I was not far away and had been talking with a lady from our church who had stopped by to see how we were going. I said to this young girl that no one will pass the test. This led into a time of sharing the bad news talking about the commandments in which she knew a few and admitted to breaking them. I explained the courtroom analogy. The Gospel was shared using Easter and Christmas to explain the love of God in providing a way to be saved from hell punishment.

The lady from our church was listening in and I pray that she will be encouraged to use Gospel tracts to start off conversations with people where ever she goes. Pray for this young girl as her Granddad follows Jesus she will see her great need to have her sins forgiven to be able to have a right relationship with our Creator God Jesus. It's all His work as we share the good news.

All praise and Glory to Jesus.

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Praise be to our Glorious heavenly Father for His continued mercy and grace upon us. He is answering prayer each week as we ask Him to provide opportunities to speak to the people who He brings our way through the streets of Warwick and to prepare their hearts to receive planted seeds from His word. We pray that He will grow these planted truths into a saving harvest.

A young guy happened to pass by the bible table and was handed a tract and he asked what it was, so explaining that it was a gospel tract which asked, "are you a good person?", he said that he thought he was. "Would you be good enough to go to Heaven?" he said he hoped so. We explained the bad news firstly and he said that he didn’t want to go to hell. We shared the good news that Jesus offers us forgiveness for our sins which he paid for when he willingly laid down His life for us on the cross. We need to trust in Him and so we challenged him that there was nothing more important than knowing where we would spend Eternity and to get right with God, for we don’t know if we will have tomorrow. Please pray for M that he will respond to the Gospel and that our Lord draws him unto salvation.

Another chat with a guy who had already been witnessed to in Brisbane came up and started talking with us. He was a friendly guy and very talkative but trying at many times and from different ways to get him to answer questions and pin him down about what he believed would happen after he died proved very difficult. After some time talking to him he had to go. Please pray for (I) that the Lord would convict him of his sin and bring him to salvation.

We are thankful to God in all He is doing.

All glory be to Him.

Rick and Glenda  

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Thanks for praying with us that our Lord would bring to fruition the seeds of faith planted today:

- Park was not going to do anything with his new understanding of God's good news because his family members had different views. Harry asked him which was the more important: peace at home and going to hell, or receiving peace with God and being brought into God's family? He got the point. May God stir him to be reconciled to God by trusting in His Son as His Saviour and Lord.

- Lee-Anne and Railee met Rudolph and Catherine who turned out to be Mormons but were sadly trusting in what they did to get to heaven. It seemed that she was understanding the gospel but failed the checking question. He wasn't really listening to anyone but himself. May God grant them spiritual eyes  wide open to grasp the good news and hearts tender to His salvation.

- Fynn had a chat with the Lifeguard who was keen to defend his own life-view. Ask our great God to convict him of his sins and see the uniqueness of Jesus and the need to rely on Him alone for salvation.

- Ryan had a laborious chat with an older couple who heard the whole message as God caused one, then the other to engage in the chat. She spent the last part of the chat saying that she did not want to hear any more but her husband would not disengage. May God remove the blindfold from their eyes that they might see their urgent need of the Saviour.

- I had another lesson in persevering. Fynn started a flip chart chat with a Chinese woman and her 2 small children. She was quite open about her sins. As soon as she heard about Judgment she said that did not believe in a hell. About 8 more of her family approached the jetty and she left with them. Some time later, a young Chinese couple, Sabrina and Kastrel, went through the flip chart with me (Fynn was speaking with the Lifeguard at this time). They concluded that they had never heard the Bible message explained this way before. They took a gospel of John and were going to download a Bible. We parted.

At the close, when Railee and I were walking up the hill to get our car, I saw them coming in company with some of the other family members who had been responsible for giving the mother and 2 children an excuse for leaving without hearing the full message. I told Railee who handed out some Easter tracts to them all and cuddled Sabrina.  They seemed genuinely pleased to see us. May God do want we cannot and save them.

God receives all the glory for increasing our faith even as we show our love for Hom by obeying, in a small way, His GREAT COMMISSION. Holy, holy ,holy is the Lord of hosts - Is. 6. 

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Saturday is an interesting day to come to the city to witness because so many other religions / cults are out on this day of the week too leading to some interesting conversations for the team!

Sunday saw a team of four set up at the corner of Cashel and Colombo for what was a fruitful time of ministry.

I spend a lot of time each week having Gospel conversations.  And sadly I’ve become quite used to people being completely unmoved by the seriousness of sin, and the amazingness of grace.

But today, I had a very encouraging conversation.  I offered a tract to a guy who I completely expected to ignore it.  But to my surprise, he was interested and took it - wanting to know more.  He was happy to try the flip chart (see picture), and indicated that he was the best person on the chart!

But then as I started to take him through the law, to my encouragement, a look of concern crossed his face - and didn’t leave.  I then proceeded to explain why we call Good Friday good.

He listened intently.

When I asked him if he had any questions, he wanted to know what church I went to, and said he wanted to come along.  From what I can tell, he has friends who are Christian who have been talking to him about church.  He gladly accepted a contact card for my local church, and I wrote my contact details on it.  He said he would be in touch if he had any questions.

It would be so wonderful if he did get in touch, but - as always - I leave him in God’s hands.

To finish the outreach we moved to Cathedral Square to open air preach.  We couldn’t decide who should go first, so we ended up trying something different: we both preached!  I introduced us, Andy went through the bad news, and I finished with the good news and a call to repentance and faith in Christ.  We both had opportunity to interact with people while we were speaking.

I’m looking forward to a rest on Monday.  Please keep the Christchurch (NZ) team in your prayers!  Thank you for your support.  SDG!

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In contrast to Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday & Friday was filled with many wonderful Gospel opportunities for the Christchurch (NZ) team, in spite of the weather (rain).

The city outreach on Thursday afternoon started with Andy talking to a man via flip chart who I had already spoken to at the Eastgate bus stops in a previous week.  He seemed really blessed by the follow up conversation, and took a Gospel booklet this time.  And we are so encouraged that the Lord is providing multiple opportunities to talk to the same people - even at different locations.

I open air preached.  It was very encouraging having people come over to interrupt me with good questions.  One of those questions were about how God felt about homosexuality, which I addressed biblically: God is the basis for knowing right and wrong; I don’t hate homosexuals (or anyone), but homosexuality is a sin of which there is forgiveness of through repentance and faith in Christ.

After the preaching, Andy & I had wonderful opportunities for ‘walk up’ Gospel conversations.

I spoke with a couple, one of whom I had spoken to before in front of the bus exchange (although I had no memory of it).

I also sat down next to a man who was very open to the things of God and talked about his need to ‘accept Jesus into his heart’, something he was giving serious consideration to.  But through discussion, it was clear he didn’t understand some of the important concepts of the Gospel: esp. the serious nature of sin or that we are saved not by our own effort, but what Christ did for us on our behalf.  He allowed me time to unpack some of this for him - as best as I could - and also explain why ‘accepting Jesus into his heart’ is not a biblical concept.

After our time in the city, we again headed to the Eastgate bus stops.  And, again, had a busy outreach with many Gospel conversations (see picture of Andy pleading with some young people).

I think I could write a book sharing the wonderful testimonies of the conversations had at this place!  I’ll give one.  I had a feisty conversation with a young man who thought the concept of God made no sense, and that the only logical conclusion is that nothing made everything!  As I was wrestling with him on this, suddenly another lady joined the conversation and started having a go at me.  I now was in a battle on two fronts at the same time.  I persisted, doing my best to answer the questions and objections coming at me.  Through it all, I managed to get an opportunity to start talking about the law of God - and the attacks calmed for a moment, as they listened (esp. The lady).  I then, very briefly, got to explain the solution to the dilemma of our sin in light of a holy and just God: Jesus Christ.  It was a testing and difficult conversation, but I praise God for it and the opportunity to share the main thing: the Gospel.  We all parted on good terms, I leave them in God’s hands and hope I will see them again.

Friday was a day of four seasons: autumn leaves, spring rain, winter wind and cold (in the shade), and summer heat!  Many times I had to switch between my beanie, and my sunglasses and cap.  But none of this stopped the Gospel being proclaimed.

Andy preached before having an early lunch and then setting up flip charts on the corner of Cashel & Colombo.

The rain did not stop Gospel conversations.  In one situation it started raining just after a conversation commenced, but it was important enough for everyone to ignore it.  I even had an extra person join in!  Please see the funny photo I took afterwards: the dry spots are where the people were standing.

The team had many wonderful conversations through the afternoon, and we then enjoyed some fellowship at a local cafe.

But the day didn’t end there, in the evening, we headed back out.

Initially, the evening outreach was a bit slow.  But then the Lord provided 3 wonderful opportunities to share the Gospel.  The last one is pictured.  The first one was a walk up opportunity in Cathedral Square, where the young man had been to a youth group, but was still pondering what life was all about.

But the middle one, came about from a conversation between evangelists about how to start a conversation.  The technique being discussed was by starting with: “Excuse me, may I ask you a question?  It’s a deep question.”  And then the perfect opportunity presented itself with two men walking towards us.  So I tried it.  And, for me, it lead to the highlight conversation of the night.  The men were very engaged, and the important concepts of the Gospel were covered in depth. And they left with a challenge, not to just intellectually think about the Gospel.  But to respond!

 

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