Pleasant Conversation
Ministry Update October 21, 2018
Many times we encounter mockers while street witnessing. For example, on Wednesday at MSU while I was bringing a message, Quinn the skateboarding atheist skated by and shook his fist at me. I just pleaded with the students to not continue shaking their fists at God. That they need to repent and trust Jesus. We also encounter mockers downtown (like Conner and I had Friday night). But after open-air preaching at MSU, I walked over to a student who listened to the end of the message. I handed him a tract and he gladly received it. Then we ended up having a pleasant conversation for the next 15 to 20 minutes.
Quinn Shaking His Fist As He Skates By
Issac told me that he lives about three hours away and he heard me open-air preaching earlier this year. He told his parents about me and he said that I preach the Gospel and that he likes the messages. It turns out that he’s also Southern Baptist. Since his home church is so far away, I invited him to join us at Crossway Baptist Church whenever he can.
Does Yelling At People Cause Them To Go To Hell?
We talked about a variety of issues and the need to share the Gospel. I explained that my being a former false convert is one of the reasons that compels me to witness at the campus. Later on in our discussion he very politely and sincerely asked if I think yelling at people will cause them to go to Hell. I assured him that I didn’t think so because they are already lost and headed for Hell. I can’t cause them to go where they are already headed. I gave him the example of a guy smoking outside the Heers Building downtown. A guy’s smoking there and I happen to know that there’s a gas leak and he’s in eminent danger.
Christians who oppose open-air preaching are like someone who would walk up to the guy and say wouldn’t you be more comfortable sitting over here by us by the water fountain? When the guy says no, I’m fine where I’m at and they say have a nice day and walk away pleased that they were so nice to the gentleman. My approach is more like running up to the guy saying there’s a gas leak in this building and you are smoking a cigarette. You are in immediate danger. I’m more like grabbing his arm trying to desperately pull him away from danger.
I Don’t Condemn Other Methods Of Evangelism
But I also told Issac that just because I believe in open-air preaching doesn’t mean I condemn other methods of witnessing. In fact, I encouraged him to use students complaining about me yelling at them as a spring board to the Gospel. He could ask them what it is about the message that they don’t like or he could just jump in and explain that I’m trying to share the Gospel with them.
Then he could clearly and calmly share the glorious Gospel with those who disagree with open-air preaching. I also told Issac that I understand that not everyone who hears the Gospel in the open will come to Christ, but God does reach some people through this method. Even if God convicts them years later over the truth they heard while in college.
Another student walked up and listened while Issac and I were talking. This student kept looking at his watch so at one point I stopped and handed him a tract. Then I asked him if he had a question and he said no, that he was just listening to us. Then after Issac and I finished our discussion this student followed me part of the way to my car. He mainly asked about another open-air preacher that comes over there and also witnesses downtown. The student brought up some of the things that other open-preachers preach against. I merely pointed out that I try to stick to the Gospel. When God truly saves a person, He will convict them through the power of the Holy Spirit over sin in their lives. God did this for me and I believe He does so with all true believers.
Mocker That I Think Threw Firecrackers At Pastor Joshua This Summer.
A Few Mockers On A Quiet Night
Friday night Conner and I witnessed downtown. It rained on and off all day and it was sprinkling while we were witnessing. There weren’t a lot of people walking around, but we did hand out a few tracts. I brought the first message and a guy walking by us mocked me. I think he’s the same guy that threw the firecrackers at Pastor Joshua this summer. Then I had a drive by mocker, but I couldn’t hear what they said.
My message was about the love of God but in order to really understand God’s love, I also talked about God’s wrath. Then Conner brought a message about self-deception. He quoted several Bible verses and sincerely asked people to look at themselves to see if they were deceived. He talked about unbelievers and professing Christians needing to examine themselves.
Carload Mocking Conner
While he was open-preaching he only had mockers from one vehicle, but boy were they mockers. It appeared that the whole SUV was full of people mocking him at the same time. Including a couple of guys that hung out their windows to continue mocking him as the SUV went on past us. Conner didn’t let him phase him at all. He just kept bringing God’s truth. After we finished up, we walked down to and past the square, but there just weren’t many people there either, so we called it a night after handing out a few more tracts.
(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share their faith in Jesus with others)