Why Do You Come Here?
Ministry Update November 11, 2018
I had some interesting interactions at Missouri State University on Wednesday. I handed out tracts while walking to the witnessing spot. One lady took a tract, but when she realized what it was, she handed it back and said I go to church. Personally, I wouldn’t respond that way. I’d say “I’m a believer too” or “I’m a follower of Jesus.” But mainly I take tracts when offered them. I like to see what other people are handing out. You never know, I may find a tract that I like even better than what I’m currently using. This was my first interaction and the last one ended with “Why do you come here?”
In between the first and last encounters, I tried to hand a tract to a young man who said, “I already have one.” Now you should have seen him craning his neck to see what was in my hand while he walked by. Also, I walked a different way to my normal witnessing spot and I was handing out a tract that I normally don’t hand out. The point is, he obviously didn’t already have one because I hadn’t been there before lunch time and he wasn’t even sure what I had.
Hail Satan
Before I even started open-air preaching, another student was lingering around. When I started the message, he sat down on a bench and listened to the whole thing. While open-air preaching, most of the students appeared apathetic. But one student said “Hail Satan” as he walked by. I ignored him, so stopped, and repeated it again. Obviously, he wanted a reaction, so I replied, “Have a good day.” To which he replied back that he was going to have a great day insinuating that it would be so because he was worshipping Satan. I ignored him again and went back to the message.
After I finished up the message, I went over and handed a tract to Cory who was sitting on the bench. He said that he’s a believer and told me which church he goes to. After I asked his name, I told him mine. He was pleased to know it, that way I’m not just known as “the guy in the hat.” Then I was walking to my car when a young man caught up with me and he asked the question, “Why do you come here?” It’s a great question and I appreciated the way he asked it. He seemed genuinely interested in what propels me to open-air preach at MSU.
The Reason Why I Come Here
The student’s name is Denver and he’s also a Southern Baptist. I explained to him how I walked an aisle and repeated a prayer when I was 11 years old, but wasn’t really saved. How I lived for the devil the next 33 years, including the years that I attended MSU, 35 years ago. I used to raise the beer can high in the air, professing to be a Christian, while at the same time getting drunk with my non-Christian friends. I told Denver that I know I’m not the only person who walked an aisle and missed salvation. Plus, I mentioned that his generation is the most non-religious generation. Approximately 35% of millennials claim no religious affiliation (and this is from a 2015 Pew Research poll). That’s why it’s so important to bring the church to students.
I also told Denver that God lays it on my heart to witness at Missouri State University. Praise God, Denver then greatly encouraged me. I was already encouraged by my encounter with Cory a few minutes earlier, but Denver told me that he appreciates that I’m not like some of the other street preachers that come to campus. The ones that call people names. He said that he hears the care in my voice. I thanked Denver for his encouragement and that is my goal for students to hear the pleading for them to come to Jesus in my voice. May God convict unbelieving students and may He encourage true believers to boldly share the Gospel of Jesus with others.
Same Theme For The Prayer And The Message
Thomas and I witnessed downtown Friday night and it was 30 degrees that felt like 19 degrees with the windchill. We talked for a few minutes before we started witnessing. Thomas started us off with a wonderful prayer. He mentioned the reality of Hell and how we don’t want people to go there and then he praised Jesus, our Lord and Savior. After he said Amen, I told him that his prayer was right in line with my message. I was briefly mentioning the torments of Hell, but mainly I was praising Jesus. We praise God that He had us on the same page and neither of us talked about it ahead of time.
I started bringing a message and Thomas went across the street to hand out tracts. I wasn’t very far into my message when my amplifier died. So I moved across the street and finished open-air preaching without amplification. A car stopped at the corner and the passenger rolled her window down. She listened a little bit and Thomas walked over and handed her a tract. She told him that they were visiting from St. Louis and she enjoyed listening to the message. A car pulled up behind them so they had to move on. But before they did, she yelled, “God bless you” to me. I replied “God bless you” back to her.
Preaching On A Street Corner Isn’t Going To Change Anyone’s Mind
About this time, North Point Church was letting out of their church service at the Gillioz Theatre. A lot of people started filing out of the theater. A woman and her son walked right in front of me and she was encouraged that I was open-air preaching and Thomas was handing out tracts. A short time later Thomas got into a conversation with a young lady who told him that she didn’t think preaching on a street corner was going to change anyone’s mind. She and Thomas had a cordial exchange before the young lady and her friends walked on. We also had a group of mockers, but overall it was a pleasant night, even though it was really cold. May God bless the tracts, encourage the believers and convict lost souls, all for His honor and glory.
(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share the Gospel. You may never do street evangelism, but you can share the Gospel with family, friends, co-workers and yes, even with strangers – maybe at the grocery store or gas pump)