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Homeless Woman And Houseless Man

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Photo by Ev on Unsplash

A Homeless Woman And A Houseless Man

I still can’t go out witnessing due to health issues, but I thank and praise God that some of my friends went out Friday night. Joshua, Lydia and Michael went witnessing downtown and they talked to a homeless woman and a houseless man. I must admit that I hadn’t heard the term houseless instead of homeless, so I googled it and found a video from a homeless “expert” that said it’s some of the homeless themselves that make the distinction. Their reasoning is that “home is where the heart is” is you have home wherever you are, but you can still be houseless. Again, I’d never heard this distinction before.

More importantly, here’s the update from Friday night from Michael’s own words, “Joshua, Lydia, and I went downtown last night. We came across a homeless lady named Nancy that we’ve met before. She took a Paul Washer booklet on the Gospel. We handed out some tracts and met a “houseless” (as he said, not homeless) man named John. We talked with him for awhile. He claimed Christ, but there doesn’t seem to be fruit. It was not an easy conversation. He had some knowledge of Scripture but mixed with some other ideas of his. We tried pointing him to Christ, though he didn’t seem to understand. But God is able to use that conversation. In the end, he took a Bible and some other things we gave him to read.” Again, praise God for Michael, Lydia and Joshua sharing the Gospel in downtown Springfield, MO on Friday night and may God save Nancy and John and may the Lord bless the other tracts that were handed out.

(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the glorious Gospel with others)

Is That A Christian Thing?

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Is That A Christian Thing?

I handed out the Why Christianity booklets from Living Waters at MSU last Wednesday at the third witnessing spot. There were only 100 left, but all of them were taken. One student told me that he didn’t need it because he’s a Christian. When asked if he could hand it to someone, he really thought about it, but said, “No, I’m good.” One girl refused the booklet and said that she’s a Buddhist.

When I ran out of the booklets, I switched to the What’s The Meaning Of Life tracts (also from Living Waters). Several students who spoke broken English took the tracts. One girl of Indian descent took one and read it while she waited for her two friends. I didn’t realize they were together until after both of her friends took tracts and walked over to her. One guy said, “Is that a Christian thing?” and when I replied yes, he said he didn’t need it because he’s already a Christian. Then I asked if he could hand it to someone else and he really thought about it, said, “Hey, that’s a great idea!” and took it. May God bless the booklets and tracts that were handed out.

Few Great Conversations

I’m having health issues and may not be able to witness again for a while. But praise God, Joshua and Michael made it out Friday night to witness at Art Walk. I asked for an update and Joshua replied back, “Had a few great conversations. God be the glory. Seeds were planted and we had good fellowship.” I love these brothers in Christ who go out witnessing Friday nights. They are young and bold for the Lord. I thank God for sending them my way.

(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the glorious Gospel with others)

Blah Kind Of Witnessing Time

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Blah Kind Of Witnessing Time

I witnessed at Missouri State University on Wednesday and later that day, I told my wife about it and said that it was a blah kind of witnessing time. Then she clarified that it was uneventful and I agreed, that was a better way of stating it. I always hope and pray that God will bless the tracts and the messages, but from our perspective, it was an uneventful lunch hour.

The wind gusts were 30 miles per hour, so it was really windy. I handed out tracts before and after open-air preaching. I tried to strike up a conversation with a couple of twin girls, but they just politely took tracts and kept walking. Same thing happened later on when I tried to talk to a couple of brothers. Most of the students were in a hurry to get to class and didn’t have time to talk.

Guilty Conscience Can Be Wiped Clean

There weren’t any mockers or encouragers when I brought a message. One student made eye contact with me as he walked right in front of me. I was pleading with students to repent and surrender their lives to Jesus. The young man turned the corner and was walking away from me when I pointed out that your sins can be forgiven and your guilty conscience can be wiped clean. He turned around a looked at me, but then kept walking. I couldn’t tell if he thought I was talking directly to him or not, but I pray that God will reach him if he isn’t saved.

Lady Asked For A Bible

I didn’t make it downtown Friday night to witness, but I praise God that Anand, Michael and Joshua made it. They handed out tracts and Anand said that Joshua and Michael spoke a bit to a couple of people. He said the highlight of the night was when they were standing there handing out tracts and a lady drove up in a car and asked for a Bible. Praise God that Michael had one with him and he gladly gave it to her. I’m very grateful that my friends witnessed Friday night.

(These updates are given to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with this lost and dying world)

She Saw God

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She Saw God

Ministry Update February 19, 2023

My Christian friends are going to see this headline and think this is a good thing. But unfortunately, it isn’t. I was open-air preaching at Missouri State University on Wednesday when two students stopped to listen. The guy and the girl both recorded a little bit, but then the woman handed her phone to her friend so he could record what she was about to say and it was offensive. She yelled, “I f____d a girl so hard last night that she saw God.”

As the young woman walked off, I told her that she isn’t mocking me. No, she’s mocking God and God will not be mocked. She is sowing the wind and she will reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). I pleaded with her to repent and surrender her life to Jesus. I also told her that if she dies in her sins, she will face Jesus on Judgment Day and after she bows her knee and confesses that Jesus is Lord, He will have His servants cast her into the lake of fire and brimstone (Matthew 13:41-42). I pleaded with her to turn from her sins and turn to Christ. After the message, I handed out tracts before I had to go back to work.

A Student Listened To Part Of The Message

 

Lydia And Joshua Handing Out Tracts

Exile At The Gillioz Theatre

Friday night Joshua, Lydia and I got downtown before Michael joined us, so I brought a short message and Lydia and Joshua handed out tracts. There were people walking past us who were going to see Exile at the Gillioz Theatre. The band had the hit Kiss You All Over back in the 70s. I only had one mocker while open-air preaching. Michael joined us about the time I finished the message and the concert must have been starting because suddenly there weren’t any people going into the show. So we walked around downtown. It was really cold and there weren’t many people out and about. We handed out a few tracts and Joshua tried to get into a conversation, but the person wouldn’t stick around and talk. Even though it was a slow night, we had a great time of fellowship. I truly enjoy the fellowship with the saints as much as I enjoy witnessing to lost souls.

(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others)

Another Corner

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Another Corner

Ministry Update February 5, 2023

It was a real blessing to witness Friday night. Joshua brought Lydia with him and Anand came out again with Michael and it was great to have Matthew join us again. The street and sidewalk are still torn up near our normal witnessing spot. So after I brought a short message, we all walked around downtown handing out tracts. It was slow near the square, but there seemed to be more people passing by at another corner. We ended up witnessing at the corner of South and Walnut.

We were handing out tracts there and as a couple of guys walked past us, I asked, “Do you know Jesus?” The guy named William turned back around and said that he did. But they kept walking past me. Joshua was around the corner and I don’t know what he said to Cory, the young man with William, but he stopped and engaged in a conversation with him. Joshua was talking to both of them at first, but then Michael started talking to William while Joshua continued talking to Cory. They ended up having a long conversation and from what I heard, William may not know the Lord after all. But Michael was able to share truth with him.

While Joshua and Michael were witnessing, the rest of us had fellowship together while we handed out tracts. After a little while, a homeless guy named Dave started talking to Joshua. Joshua’s church had prepared a few blessing bags for homeless people. Joshua gave Dave a blessing bag, but it turned out that Dave needed a sleeping bag too. Joshua had one in his car, so he went back to his car and grabbed it and gave it to Dave. The homeless man said that he didn’t get drunk or get high. He appeared to be sober and it sounded like Dave is a true believer. After we finished witnessing, I was walking to my car and a gentleman stopped me and asked I was part of the group witnessing on the corner. He wanted to know what church we were with and I told him that we attend various churches. We are just out sharing the Gospel together. He thanked me and encouraged us to keep on witnessing.

(These updates are given to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others)

Great Conversations

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Chase And Austin In A Conversation

Great Conversations

Ministry Update September 3, 2022

It rained all day Friday but quit around 5:30 pm or so and we only had few drops of rain while out witnessing and it didn’t start raining again until I was headed home. Chase, Austin, Joshua, Reed, Tyail and Michael joined me witnessing Friday night. Before we got started, Chase and I talked about him brining a message after I brought one. But the night was full of great conversations and Chase didn’t even get a chance to open air preach. But he was ok with that because Chase understands that we open air preach to get people to come over and talk to us and he had so many conversations that he didn’t get to preach.

Joshua In A Conversation While Tyail Holds Her Jesus Sign

I had a couple of drive by mockers while I was open air preaching and Michael was nearby handing out Gospel tracts. During that time, Joshua was in a conversation across the street and Tyail was holding her Jesus sign nearby. Reed was on another corner handing out tracts and Chase and Austin were handing out tracts and talking to people on a different corner. During my message, a guy walked up to me and said, “Take the bag.” I replied, “What’s in it?” He repeated take the bag and that time I told him that I wasn’t taking the bag. Then he smirked and said it was full of dog poop.

[Read more…]

I’m Already Going To Hell

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Guy That Said “I’m Already Going To Hell”

I’m Already Going To Hell

Ministry Update July 17, 2022

We praise God that there were 11 of us witnessing downtown Friday night. There were several mockers, including one guy that yelled “Abort babies” even before we started open air preaching. Others yelled things, revved their engines or honked their horns to disrupt the preaching of the Gospel. We walk by and drive by mockers. The walk by mocker yelled, “Love is love.” One guy walked by me with two little kids and he refused a tract. As he walked on past me he turned around and said “I’m already going to Hell.” I said “Yes you are and that’s the point, we don’t want you to die in your sins and go to Hell. Instead, we want you to repent and trust Jesus”. He just kept on walking.

Conner Getting Ready To Open Air Preach And Brad Holding A Sign

Matthew Witnessing To Some Homeless People

Conner and Trevor brought messages after I brought a short one. But the night was mainly about conversations and we praise God for that. I believe as the apostle Paul said, by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:22). So I believe in open air preaching, holding signs and handing out tracts. But I also believe that the real field work is in one to one conversations and there were plenty of those. Matthew got there before anyone else and he walked over to 6 or 8 homeless people that were about a half a block away from our witnessing spot. I think he literally spoke to each and every one of them over the next two hours. We praise God for that! [Read more…]

Surrounded By Encouragers

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Surrounded By Encouragers

Ministry Update June 19, 2022

Brad, Keven and I started out witnessing Friday night. Keven handed out tracts, Brad held his large banner sign that says Trust Jesus and Jesus Saves From Hell on the other side and I brought a message. We think it was a combination of Brad’s banner and my message, but we had several encouragers as well as several mockers. But at the end of the night, Brad was surrounded by encouragers.

Pro Abortion Woman Cussing As She Drove By.

I started off with a message about no neutrality. The central theme of the message was about how people cannot be neutral when it comes to Jesus. But before that, I used abortion as an example. You cannot be neutral about killing a baby in the womb. You are either for life or pro-death, but you cannot be neutral. One woman drove by and cussed as she passed when I was discussing abortion. But a lady crossed the street after taking a tract from Keven and she agreed when I said abortion is murder. I further said that being pro-life included from conception to death and she agreed with that too. Then a woman drove by and yelled “Jesus is a punk”. Brad had several other mockers as well as encouragers while he held his sign.

Woman Yelled Jesus Is A Punk As She Drove By Us.

Pro-life Lady Encourages Us As She Crosses The Street.

Can I Hold My Jesus Sign Next To You?

While bringing the message, a young lady named Tyail walked up and asked if she could hold her Jesus sign next to us. I told her she could. My thought was that if her sign wasn’t a good one, I’d have to explain why she couldn’t hold it near us, but it turned out that the sign read Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).So it  was a great sign. She ended up holding the sign near Keven across the street from us. After my message, I walked over and asked her where she got the sign from and she said from Joshua. I told her we know Joshua. Well, it turns out that while I’ve had health issues off and on the past two years, she was coming out witnessing with Keven and Joshua. I had no idea, but I was glad  to hear it.

Keven Handing Out Tracts, Tyail Holding Her Jesus Sign and Brad Holding His Banner.

Then I went back across the street and Brad said something about bringing a message, but he didn’t have one prepared. I told him that he should give the good person test. Instead, he got up and talked about several Way of the Master (Ray Comfort) examples such as jumping out an airplane with no parachute and the court room example of how Jesus paid our sin debt. Thank God that Brad did so, he ended up having five people come over and encourage him. Five people! At the end, four of them were there at the same time and he was surrounded by encourgers. Praise God! You expect to have some mockers when you share the truth, but you don’t always get encouragers and to be completely surrounded by them is really unusual.

Great Time Of Fellowship

Not only did we have a great time evangelizing, but we also had a great time of fellowship together. Joshua ended up joining us about half way through, so we had a great time visiting with each other as well as handing out tracts and New Testaments. One of Brad’s encouragers came over and asked me what we expected to accomplish while out witnessing. I was holding Brad’s banner sign while Brad was open-air preaching. I told the gentleman that our goal is to share the Gospel through open-air preaching, holding signs, handing out Gospel tracts and Bibles. Then he said, “so you are planting seeds.” Yes, we are planting seeds. May God send someone else to water and May God give the increase, all for His honor and glory.

Joshua Ready To Hand Out Tracts.

 

(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the Gospel with others)

Praise God For The Conversations

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Elly Talking To Two Young Men

Praise God For The Conversations!

Ministry Update June 5, 2022

We were blessed to have Trevor, Elly, their two girls, Keven, Joshua and I all out witnessing Friday night. I started out with a short message and had a drive by mocker or two. But before Trevor could bring his message, Elly was nearby having a discussion with a couple of guys. So he respectfully held off so he didn’t interfere with their conversation. While that was going on Joshua spoke to a young lady that’s a college student and said that she’s a believer. Also before Trevor could preach, a young man approached him and they had a long conversation. So we praise God for the conversations! [Read more…]

Great To Back Out Witnessing Again

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Great To Be Back Out Witnessing Again
Ministry Update For May 13, 2022

Due to health issues, I missed witnessing for the last nine months. So it was great to back out witnessing again Friday night. I brought a message about You Are The Man while Brad and Keven handed out tracts. We had a few silent mockers drive by, but none of them yelled anything. But one girl was walking toward us until she turned the corner. She yelled, “Shut up. Go home. No one’s listening”. Then as she started to walk into a building she turned around and flipped us off. Brad waved to her and I just ignored her.

After I brought the message, Brad and I crossed the street and handed out tracts while Keven and Carl played music and Carl sang hymns. Carl’s friend Rachelle also joined us. After we had handed out tracts for a while Brad came over and said, “Have you noticed that more women are taking tracts tonight than men?” I had noticed the same thing. Every night street witnessing is different.

Brad not only handed out tracts, but he also offered to pray with people. Two young men asked him to pray for them and another young man asked for prayer for guidance. Not only was it great to be back out witnessing again, but I had also missed fellowshipping with other evangelists. We had a great time visiting with each other and I appreciated Carl’s love for the Lord. In between songs, a lot of times he’d praise the Lord and also exhort people with the fact that Jesus is the only Savior while quoting John 14:6. I’m looking forward to witnessing with these fellow evangelists and hopefully more friends will join us too.

These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share their faith in Jesus with others.