You Preach Hate

Ministry Update January 3, 2016

You Preach Hate

Even though it was Art Walk Friday night, it was below freezing and the crowds were low. Erica and I handed out tracts, sang a few hymns and I was on the box talking about The Buckle is Rusted when a young man yelled out “you are preaching hate.” I had to laugh and I replied “I haven’t even started reading the Bible yet. I’m talking about how sad it is that there are 900 kids in foster care in Greene County. How is that preaching hate?” 

The young man and another man then surrounded Erica who was standing behind me. I didn’t like that, so I told her she needed to move up beside me. Before she moved, she was able to give the man who said I’m preaching hate a tract. She moved up next to me so I continued with the message.

After I finished, we sang some more hymns to end the night. Then the young man that said I was preaching hate came over. He basically apologized, but said I needed to present a more positive message. I gave him Ray Comfort’s example of I sold my house and gave you this cure for a deadly disease.  I asked him if that would make any sense to him. He admitted that it didn’t. Then I said you have Crohn’s disease. I love God and I love people, so I sold my house and all that I own to buy you this cure. Here’s the cure. Now does it make sense? He said yes, now that makes sense.

Charles Wesley used to say preach 90% Law and 10% grace. This still applies in our day and time, especially here in the Bible Belt. So many people have asked Jesus into their heart, but they’ve never repented and put their faith in Jesus. I don’t want to see anyone die in their sins and go to Hell. It’s out of love that we share the Gospel in the open air. But most people are walking on the broad road to destruction. It’s a busy road, many are walking with them so they don’t realize how dangerous that path is. We have to show them that they are in danger before they will listen to the narrow way, the difficult way, the only safe way – Jesus Christ.

The young man’s name is Anthony. I invited him to my church –Crossway Baptist Church. He says that he hasn’t attended church in years. I asked him when was the last time that he read his Bible and he said when his grandmother died about a month or month and half ago. I encouraged him to come to church and I encouraged him to read the Bible every day. I tried to get him to see that if I say I love my wife, but I don’t want to spend any time with her, then my actions don’t show that I really love her. I shared my testimony with Anthony. I’m concerned that he isn’t really saved. He was ready to leave, so I asked him if I could pray with him and he said yes. I prayed that God would help him with the loss of his grandmother and I asked God to save him if Anthony isn’t saved. He thanked me and left. While I was talking to Anthony, Erica visited with a young man that she recognized.

  Preaching about John the Baptist at Planned Parenthood

On Wednesday I preached about John the Baptist in front of Planned Parenthood. Several women drove up while I was preaching, one woman walked up from the apartment building behind PP and the UPS driver heard a small part of the message. Toward the end a gentleman working behind the shopping center heard the Gospel. A woman in a white car pulled in and went right back out. I think she just wanted to see what I was doing at PP. Through it all, the workers inside PP heard the message. May God convict and convert sinners.

(These updates are provided to encourage Christians to share their faith with others)