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Sola Scriptura

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Sola Scriptura

Ministry Update November 4, 2025

Justin and I witnessed downtown Halloween night. The highlight of the night was when we handed tracts to a group of Nigerians. They all gladly received tracts, when one guy noticed Justin’s shirt that said Sola Scriptura. The gentleman then started naming off the five Sola’s – Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Fide (faith alone), Sola Gratia (grace alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone) and Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be the glory). He thanked us for being out there witnessing on Halloween and he was quite shocked when we told him that we are out there every Friday night. He said they were headed for a prayer meeting and that he would pray for us. We thanked him for it.

A lot of tracts went out that night. We had a couple of mockers. Two different guys downtown were dressed as Jesus. The one riding a skate board, took a tract and seemed alright, but it just looked wrong being dressed as Jesus and riding a skate board. But the other guy dressed as Jesus refused a tract and his two friends refused them too. I said to Justin, “I guess he’s a Gospel less Jesus”.

Later on, the the same guy and his friends walked near us, but they were across the street. So I raised my voice and said, “Here comes that Gospel less Jesus.” He yelled back, “God doesn’t hear you.” I replied, “Yes He does and Jesus, the real Jesus said, Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3).” Then I gave a short Gospel presentation for those around us that could hear. Then a girl refused a tract and said, “I’m an atheist.” I replied, “Then this is for you! You need it.” She was crossing the street and said something, but we couldn’t hear her. So I raised my voice and said, “The fool has said there is no God (Psalm 14:1)” and gave short Gospel presentation and pleaded with her to repent and trust Jesus.

We had a couple of other encouragers. One guy was dressed like a zombie. I tried to hand him a tract, but he wanted to know what it was. When I told him that it was a Gospel tract, he gave me a fist bump. He saw us on another corner later on and he walked up and shook my hand. Earlier in the night, I handed a tract to a guy named D’Shawn before Justin joined me and the guy came back and thanked me for being out there. I asked him which church he belongs to and he said “Hill City Church.” I told him that I know they used to meet at the Gillioz Theatre and many of the people were very encouraging when we were open-air preaching across the street, back when they met at the theater. D’Shawn was very glad to hear that.

Skater Dressed As Jesus

Suicide Bomber and Victims – Costumes

Allen Preaching In The Rain

Cold, Rainy and Very Windy

Allen, Robin and I witnessed at MSU the Wednesday before and it was cold, rainy and very windy. It was so windy that Allen and Robin’s umbrella’s turned inside out. We really didn’t have any conversations with students. One girl refused a tract, so I tried to hand it to the two girls following her. The first girl turned around and said, “They don’t want one either.” So I told her that if she continues in her rebellion against God and dies in her sins, she will regret not taking the tract. I pointed out that we’ve all sinned and that Jesus is the only Savior.

Another student was very snide in his refusal of a tract. I shared a short Gospel presentation while he was within earshot. I think it kind of shocked him. Allen and I both brought messages and we pray for God’s truth went forth and that He will use it for His glory. We also pray that God will bless the tracts that went out.

These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others. Witnessing doesn’t always go the way we plan, but God just calls us to go. The results are up to God alone because salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2:9).

I Was Married To A Man

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I Was Married To A Man

Ministry Update October 28, 2025

Justin and I witnessed downtown last Friday night in Springfield, MO. He handed a tract to a guy I’ll call “D”. D gladly took the tract and asked if we wanted to hear his testimony. Justin told him sure. D proceeded to tell us that he was raised by his alcoholic mother. Sounded like he had a rough childhood. So when he got the chance, he joined the Army and told us “I was married to a man for four years.” Evidently, he was a paratrooper in the Army and ended up getting hurt when his chute didn’t properly open.

D proceeded to tell us that he ended up with some broken bones and sounded like he had a near death experience. He ended up coming back to Springfield to heal up. He told us that when he got back here, that his mother had surrendered her life to Jesus and was cleaned up and was praying for D. He said at some point he asked God to save him. Justin asked him a few questions and shared some truth with him. D admitted that he wasn’t attending church regularly, so Justin highly encouraged him to go back to church and reminded D that we aren’t to neglect gathering with fellow believers (Hebrews 10:25). I asked him if he had a Bible and he said that he did. Justin also encouraged him to read it daily.

Prior to that encounter, we were both surprised that people were lined up outside of the Gillioz Theatre about an hour before show time for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The theater had already shown it earlier this year, so we were surprised to see people lined up half way down the block and then they turned a corner and were still about a half a block the other direction. Many of the people in line were dressed up for the show. Justin finally surmised that maybe it was because it was so close to Halloween. Regardless of why there were so many people waiting to get in, we were grateful for the crowd and a good number of them took Gospel tracts.

Eight Laborers at Missouri State University on October 22, 2025

Praise God that there were eight of us witnessing at MSU on Wednesday. Allen and I were joined by Loretta, Robin, Mike, John and Lloyd. Allen sang some worship songs and him and I both brought messages. Everyone else handed out Gospel tracts. We had an encourager and a few vocal atheists. But we had a great time witnessing. A blonde atheist listened to most of my message and then most of Allen’s message. After I finished, I tried to hand her a tract, but she refused. She wouldn’t really talk. Later on, Lloyd talked to her and she told him that she’s an atheist and doesn’t believe what we are saying. Then later on, she walked back up to Lloyd and talked to him again. We pray that God will soften her heart.

While Allen was open-air preaching, I was handing out tracts near the Plaster Student Union. Right before I had to head back to work, I noticed a large crowd near the Bear Paw statue. So I walked over and started handing out tracts. One of the students told me that they were all in high school and they were visiting MSU on a field trip when I asked her what group they were with. I kept handing out tracts and ended up near the two teachers that were leading the group. I just told them both that we are out here every Wednesday and the students might as well get used to us if they decide to go to MSU. Surprisingly, the teachers didn’t say anything about the students receiving the tracts and both teachers took one!

Allen, Dan And I The Week Before At MSU

None of our group made it downtown witnessing the Friday before last, but Allen, Dan and I did witness at MSU on October 15, 2025. We had a couple of encouragers. Allen and I brought messages and Dan spoke truth to the students in between our open-air preaching. Allen has someone in his group that has donated some nice study Bibles and he handed one of those out. Because they are expensive and nicer than the normal give away Bibles, Allen offers the study Bibles to students, but he questions them on their sincerity about wanting one. May God bless the student that took one and may God save the student and set that student on fire for the Lord.

These updates are provided to encourage fellow believers to share the glorious Gospel with others.

Can I Pray With You Real Quick?

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Can I Pray With You Real Quick?
Ministry Update November 19, 2024

It was a soggy day at MSU last Wednesday. I only handed out around 15 or 20 tracts before it was raining enough the students wouldn’t take anymore. So I brought an open-air message. I had been there about 15 minutes when a student walked up to me and asked, “Can I pray with you real quick?”  “Sure” I replied. I told him my name and he put his hand on my shoulder and then the young man said the most encouraging prayer that I’ve ever had a student pray. After he finished, I told him that he doesn’t know how encouraging that was. Praise God!!!

Then toward the end of the message a girl noticed my recorder and asked, “Are you practicing or preaching?” I didn’t catch her question, so she repeated it again. I told her that I was preaching, but thought to myself it must not be very effective if she’s asking me if I’m practicing. So I stopped the message and talked to her. I asked her how she came to faith and she said that she was an atheist who grew up in an atheistic home. But praise God that He reached her even then. She wanted to know how to share her faith with her friends. I pointed her to Ray Comfort’s Hell’s Best Kept Secret link and to the Way of the Master Videos. May God bless the young man that prayed for me and may He show the young lady how to share the Gospel.

One of Five Encouragers

The week before that, I had five encouragers during that one witnessing time. Three young men walked up and shook my hand and told me to keep preaching. One girl nodded and smiled as she walked by and one young man yelled, “Jesus Christ is Lord!” I was open-air preaching, so I didn’t catch it. I really thought he was a mocker. So I asked him what he said and he repeated it again. I said “AMEN!”.

Many students have taken tracts this year and a few weeks ago a young man stopped to talk while I was handing out tracts. He was afraid that he was a false convert. After talking to him, I think he is too. But I quoted scriptures to him and encouraged him to read the Bible and for him to cry out for God to reveal Himself to him. Earlier this year, a student heard Anand’s dad open-air preaching and got convicted. Anand’s wife witnessed to him. I’ve been going to the college since 2011 and I’ve never seen anything like this and I’m hearing this from other evangelists around the country. Some tell me they still get more mockers, but  more friends than not are seeing the same thing I’m seeing. May God save many of these young people!

Spiderman

Friday night Doug, Joshua and I were joined by Anand and three of his kids as well as Conner and three of his kids. Unfortunately it was a really quiet night. We had a great group and some good discussions amongst ourselves, but there just weren’t that many people downtown that night. Everyone handed out tracts when we had the chance. When I told the guys that I was going to head home, I spun around and there were two guys walking by me. One of them was wearing a Spiderman (full face) mask. I handed them both tracts.

Spiderman wanted to know what it was. I told him a Gospel tract. He didn’t say anything. So then I said, “It tells you about Jesus?” He still didn’t say anything. Then I asked, “Do you know Him?” Still no response. So then I asked him if he died tonight, would he go to Heaven? He replied, “I hope so”. I asked him how you get there and he didn’t know. I told him that I could clearly see that they were headed somewhere, but there’s nothing more important than your eternal soul. They both listened as I clearly shared the Gospel with them.

Afterwards, I asked him if he has a Bible at home and he said he does. I encouraged him to start in Matthew and read the New Testament, asking God to reveal Himself to him. Then I asked the young man his name and he replied, “Spiderman.” Even though I don’t know his name, God does and may the Lord save the young man and his friend. The friend never said anything, but he listened the whole time.

These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the glorious Gospel with others. Not all encounters are encouraging, but you just keep witnessing!

Thankful To Who?

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Photo by Pro Church Media on Unsplash

Thankful To Who?

Michael was the only one who witnessed Friday night and I thank God that Michael did so. He handed out tracts at our normal witnessing spot and he got to talk to K again, the same young man we talked to a couple of weeks ago. We are still praying that God will save K. Again, I’m thankful that Michael went out, even though he went alone and that God sent K to Michael so they could talk again.

But on Thanksgiving Day, who did you thank? You were thankful to who? This may seem like a silly question, but it really isn’t. True believers obviously thanked the one true God – the God of the Bible. Even some non-believers and false converts also probably thanked God. But what about those who say they don’t believe in God? What about Atheist? Atheists and other non-believers are thankful to who? I’ve even had non-believing family members thank trees or the earth. Some non-believers thank the stars and other heavenly bodies.

I didn’t witness Friday night, but all week I kept thinking about this question and remembered that I brought a message downtown four years ago about this very subject. It was a message entitled: Who Do You Thank?

Why The Message – What Will Happen To J.T. Everlost?

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Why The Message – What Will Happen To J.T. Everlost

Why the message – What Will Happen To J.T. Everlost? The message came from encounters in person and online with J.T. Eberhard. J.T. is one of the founders of Skepticon. They are an atheist group that meets in Springfield, MO once a year. I hear it’s a pretty tawdry and disgusting drunk fest and they make fun of God (who ironically they say doesn’t exist. Why would you make fun of someone that isn’t real?). Anyway, they used to hold the event at the Gillioz Theatre or The Expo Center and we could interact with people coming and going to the event. But several years ago they moved it to another location where we can no longer talk to them. I guess they didn’t want to come out and play anymore. [Read more…]

Only Two Conversations

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Only Two Conversations

Ministry Update September 1, 2019

Conner and I had only two conversations while witnessing downtown Friday night, but they basically lasted the whole time we were there. We started off handing out New Testaments and Gospel tracts. Right off the bat I tried to hand New Testaments to Ryan and Renee. He laughed and told me that he had a ton of these at home. So I said, “Do you read them?” He replied that he did and then he asked where we go to church. I told him I go to Crossway Baptist Church and Conner goes to Hope Baptist Church. Then Ryan told me that he “home” churches and that they are Mormons. [Read more…]

Atheists Demand The Impossible

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Conner Talking To A Group Of Atheists

Atheists Demand The Impossible

Ministry Update June 9, 2019

Friday night witnessing was a little strange this week. It was Artwalk and there was a band on the square and the street around the square was blocked off to traffic. Also, just North of our normal witnessing spot, Jefferson was blocked off to traffic and there was another band playing there. They were so loud, that Conner and I crossed the street and I brought a short message with the amp at about half volume. One guy stopped and shook my hand and thanked me for sharing the Gospel. But after I finished, Conner said that he wanted to go to the square and talk to the Atheists set up there. We did talk to them, but turns out Atheists demand the impossible. [Read more…]

I Gotta Stop With The Devil’s Lettuce

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I Gotta Stop With The Devils Lettuce

Ministry Update April 7, 2019

With these updates, many times I say what a blessed night we had witnessing downtown, and Friday night was no exception. I say this frequently because it is true. Every night is different and we never know what we are going to see and hear. Friday night we were blessed with several encouragers, several mockers and a great conversation at the end. The best line of the night was “I gotta stop with the devil’s lettuce.” [Read more…]

Forty Laborers

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Most Of The Laborers At The Christmas Parade Outreach

Forty Laborers!

Ministry Update December 9, 2018

There were forty laborers from Crossway Baptist Church handing out tracts at the Springfield Christmas parade on Saturday. Originally the weather forecasters were predicting one to three inches of snow. But praise God, that didn’t happen and we handed out thousands of Gospel tracts. Greg led the outreach and I think in the past we may have had around 15 or 16 people witnessing at one St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but praise God, this time there were forty of us! [Read more…]

Your Worldview Is Illogical

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Your Worldview Is Illogical

Your Worldview Is Illogical

If you believe in evolution, if you are an atheist, then your worldview is illogical. That’s right, I’m calling you out on your worldview. If you really believe that we evolved from nothing, that nothing created everything, your worldview is illogical. It makes no sense. Never in your life have seen something create itself out of nothing. This is illogical and intelligent students attending a university like Missouri State University should know better, no matter what atheistic professors are telling you.  [Read more…]