12/31/11 Steve, 42
While out jogging I walked a bit and handed another jogger a MDB tract, hoping to start a conversation. I found out he (Steve) is a UPS driver and he has had many people trying to share the Gospel with him lately. He seemed to be open to talking about it as a result. I believe God is trying to get his attention and I am privileged to be included in this effort that God is orchestrating in his life. Steve described himself as a lapsed Catholic and that, like the Catholic advertising campaign says, he needs to "come home" to the faith. "I should at least attend church on Christmas and Easter" he said, believing this to be the least one should do to be saved. I told him of a different way to look at it - "How would you feel about a man who promices to be faithful to his wife 364 days a year but reserves just one day for himself, to do whatever he wants to do. Is that a good marriage?" I asked. "Not at all" Steve agreed. "In the same way, shouldn't we be willing to give 100% of ourselves to God every day?" This got Steve's attention and led to a good conversation that gave me the opportunity to proclaim Jesus. I pray for Steve and hope he will come to repentence and faith, but at the same time I believe that Jesus is glorified whenever He is proclaimed, regardless of the response of the listener.
Gospel conversations from the streets and marketplace....
12/29/11 Alex early 20's
My goal in witnessing is not necessarily just to share the basic Gospel message but to speak a timely word of God's truth into people's lives. To do this requires asking some essential questions to find out where they are at in their belliefs and faith. As i spoke with a young man named Alex at a park today I discovered that he had a faith in Jesus that has been derailed by his love for conspiracy theories, ancient religious symbolism and the thrill of being privy to mysteries and secrets from ages past. Though Alex has a lot of biblical knowledge his religious interest has been seduced by the many alternatives one can find on the internet. Asking about his guilt or innocense in regards to the Ten Commandments helped explain this - he was unable to admit his own sins but always turned to religious-sounding jargon to explain it away. He was self-deluded by his excuses, unable to admit his need for forgiveness, and now constantly looking for more religious insight from various sources. My role was clear - to help Alex understand he must return to the Bible as God's final word and the standard by which all other information is to be measured. I warned him about the dangers of looking elsewhere and advised him to seek out a Bible teaching annd preaching church such as my own. When I told him of my church I found out he had once attended one of our locations but has since drifted away.. I believe God was telling him to come back.
My goal in witnessing is not necessarily just to share the basic Gospel message but to speak a timely word of God's truth into people's lives. To do this requires asking some essential questions to find out where they are at in their belliefs and faith. As i spoke with a young man named Alex at a park today I discovered that he had a faith in Jesus that has been derailed by his love for conspiracy theories, ancient religious symbolism and the thrill of being privy to mysteries and secrets from ages past. Though Alex has a lot of biblical knowledge his religious interest has been seduced by the many alternatives one can find on the internet. Asking about his guilt or innocense in regards to the Ten Commandments helped explain this - he was unable to admit his own sins but always turned to religious-sounding jargon to explain it away. He was self-deluded by his excuses, unable to admit his need for forgiveness, and now constantly looking for more religious insight from various sources. My role was clear - to help Alex understand he must return to the Bible as God's final word and the standard by which all other information is to be measured. I warned him about the dangers of looking elsewhere and advised him to seek out a Bible teaching annd preaching church such as my own. When I told him of my church I found out he had once attended one of our locations but has since drifted away.. I believe God was telling him to come back.
12/25/11 Joshua, about 20
Many churched people believe it is obvious that Jesus is basic to most people's understanding of the meaning of Christmas, but we live in what is increasingly being called a post-Christian era in America and a biblically illiiterate culture. Our evangelistic efforts accordingly can't assume that people even have a basic understanding of something we take for granted such as the origins of Christmas. Asking what people do know and believe is a great way to start good conversations with outsiders and to gain a good grasp of their need for what we so easily take for granted. Joshua was another such person that I met today while out jogging. I stopped and wished him a Merry Christmas and asked what he thought Christmas was all about. "Getting together with family" was his answer. I asked if he knew about its religious meaning. He didn't know and when I asked further questions he couldn't seem to make up his mind whether he even believes in God. It seemed that he has never taken the time to ask about such things. I hope our conversation on the sidewalk was a wake-up call for him today.
Many churched people believe it is obvious that Jesus is basic to most people's understanding of the meaning of Christmas, but we live in what is increasingly being called a post-Christian era in America and a biblically illiiterate culture. Our evangelistic efforts accordingly can't assume that people even have a basic understanding of something we take for granted such as the origins of Christmas. Asking what people do know and believe is a great way to start good conversations with outsiders and to gain a good grasp of their need for what we so easily take for granted. Joshua was another such person that I met today while out jogging. I stopped and wished him a Merry Christmas and asked what he thought Christmas was all about. "Getting together with family" was his answer. I asked if he knew about its religious meaning. He didn't know and when I asked further questions he couldn't seem to make up his mind whether he even believes in God. It seemed that he has never taken the time to ask about such things. I hope our conversation on the sidewalk was a wake-up call for him today.
12/19/11 Brenden and Kayvon, about 20
What do two college students, with minimal religious background experience, believe about the origins of Christmas? "It was invented in the U.S. and imposed upon the rest of the world in order to sell our products and way of life." one said. I was with Eric (from church) and we had met Brenden and Kayvon on the sidewalk outside a strip mall and asked for their opinions. A few minutes of our asking and listening to their theories about Christmas, religion and the existence of God brought one of them to ask what I knew about the origins of Christmas. I started to launch into an Old Testament history leading up to Christmas but quickly realized a sidewalk conversation wasn't the place. Instead I stuck to some of the essential issues about God's existence and our accountability to Him. The goal was to help them see their sin and need for a savior in the short time I had. The good person questions based on the law (Ten Commandments) worked well for this. We find in Psalm 19 that "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul" But how can it do this since the law itself doesn't save us but rather condemns us? (Gal. 3:10) Because the law was given to lead us to Christ (Gal. 3:24) And just as Romans 3:19 says that by the law "every mouth will be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God", Brenden and Kayvon listened. What I said made sense to them intellectually and they thanked me for it. As the world around us becomes more and more biblically illiterate, we need more than ever to relate such basics as the Ten Commandments, our need for the Savior and, of course, the Christmas story.
What do two college students, with minimal religious background experience, believe about the origins of Christmas? "It was invented in the U.S. and imposed upon the rest of the world in order to sell our products and way of life." one said. I was with Eric (from church) and we had met Brenden and Kayvon on the sidewalk outside a strip mall and asked for their opinions. A few minutes of our asking and listening to their theories about Christmas, religion and the existence of God brought one of them to ask what I knew about the origins of Christmas. I started to launch into an Old Testament history leading up to Christmas but quickly realized a sidewalk conversation wasn't the place. Instead I stuck to some of the essential issues about God's existence and our accountability to Him. The goal was to help them see their sin and need for a savior in the short time I had. The good person questions based on the law (Ten Commandments) worked well for this. We find in Psalm 19 that "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul" But how can it do this since the law itself doesn't save us but rather condemns us? (Gal. 3:10) Because the law was given to lead us to Christ (Gal. 3:24) And just as Romans 3:19 says that by the law "every mouth will be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God", Brenden and Kayvon listened. What I said made sense to them intellectually and they thanked me for it. As the world around us becomes more and more biblically illiterate, we need more than ever to relate such basics as the Ten Commandments, our need for the Savior and, of course, the Christmas story.
12/21/11 Chris, about 22
In the busyness of holiday shopping it can be intimidating trying to find anyone who might have time to talk. At a Target store I stopped by the one place where I knew I could find someone who wasn't in too much of a hurry. I found a heavy-set young man browsing in the fiction books, ear buds on. "Hey, I'm wondering if you have a minute to answer a few questions". It was kind of hard to say no when one is so obviously killing time, so he (Chris) took his ear buds off. I asked "What do you think is the meaning of Christmas?". He seemed to think I would be shocked to hear that he thinks it only exists for commercial reasons and that it was originally a pagan holiday hijacked by Christians. I went on to find out he usually considers himself an atheist and has no interest in religion. "You realize atheism is unscientific don't you?" He looked surprised. "I mean, there's a big difference between simply saying that you don't believe God exists as opposed to an absolute statement like saying 'There is no God'." At first Chris held to the common assumption that the burden of proof lies on believers to prove the existence of God but I explained that absolute statements about God's existence or non-existance both demand proof. He was surprised that I agreed that we can't discover God for ourselves - He must reveal Himself to us as He has in the Bible. I challenged him to have an open mind that God could, indeed, exist "Eternity is far too important to take this question lightly"
In the busyness of holiday shopping it can be intimidating trying to find anyone who might have time to talk. At a Target store I stopped by the one place where I knew I could find someone who wasn't in too much of a hurry. I found a heavy-set young man browsing in the fiction books, ear buds on. "Hey, I'm wondering if you have a minute to answer a few questions". It was kind of hard to say no when one is so obviously killing time, so he (Chris) took his ear buds off. I asked "What do you think is the meaning of Christmas?". He seemed to think I would be shocked to hear that he thinks it only exists for commercial reasons and that it was originally a pagan holiday hijacked by Christians. I went on to find out he usually considers himself an atheist and has no interest in religion. "You realize atheism is unscientific don't you?" He looked surprised. "I mean, there's a big difference between simply saying that you don't believe God exists as opposed to an absolute statement like saying 'There is no God'." At first Chris held to the common assumption that the burden of proof lies on believers to prove the existence of God but I explained that absolute statements about God's existence or non-existance both demand proof. He was surprised that I agreed that we can't discover God for ourselves - He must reveal Himself to us as He has in the Bible. I challenged him to have an open mind that God could, indeed, exist "Eternity is far too important to take this question lightly"
12/19/11 Kaleb and Brenden both about 20
Today Eric and went out to ask a few people what they believe about the meaning of Christmas - as a conversation starter. Outside a strip mall we found Kaleb and Brenden, both of whom really had no Christian background at all and simply saw Christmas as another way in which we Americans are pushing our values on the rest of the world. They really believed Christmas started here in the US. I began to explain the origens of Christmas but quickly realized I had gone down a conversational path that would lose them pretty fast. Instead, I asked a simpler question about their belief in God. Their beliefs seemed to come from the movie "Avatar" as they talked about their souls consisting of energy that simply changes forms after they die. Like so many people I've talked to, their pop culture theology quickly falls apart under the scrutiny of a few questions about the logical outcomes of their untested beliefs. I know my questions didn't win any arguments but I do believe I won their attention as they gladly took the additional literature I offered them.
Today Eric and went out to ask a few people what they believe about the meaning of Christmas - as a conversation starter. Outside a strip mall we found Kaleb and Brenden, both of whom really had no Christian background at all and simply saw Christmas as another way in which we Americans are pushing our values on the rest of the world. They really believed Christmas started here in the US. I began to explain the origens of Christmas but quickly realized I had gone down a conversational path that would lose them pretty fast. Instead, I asked a simpler question about their belief in God. Their beliefs seemed to come from the movie "Avatar" as they talked about their souls consisting of energy that simply changes forms after they die. Like so many people I've talked to, their pop culture theology quickly falls apart under the scrutiny of a few questions about the logical outcomes of their untested beliefs. I know my questions didn't win any arguments but I do believe I won their attention as they gladly took the additional literature I offered them.
12/18/11 Jimmy, about 70
"What do you think the meaning of Christmas is?" I asked a man at the park named Jimmy as a conversation starter. He thinks it is simply is a holiday made up by corporations to make money. Although he is a lifelong member of the Greek Orthodox Church, Jimmy doesn't believe in God and says he just attends church out of habit. "Is it possible God exists?" "Would he want to believe in God if He does exist?" These were the kinds of questions I asked, and found out that Jimmy takes great pride in not having to rely on belief in God in answer to the great mysteries of life. Nontheless, were he to die and find hmself standing before God's judgement throne, Jimmy is confident he would be found to be a good person in God's sight. "God wouldn't judge us by what we believe but by what we do" he confidently asserted. I believe his "good works" serve to reassure him of heaven during those times when his unbelief wavers.
"What do you think the meaning of Christmas is?" I asked a man at the park named Jimmy as a conversation starter. He thinks it is simply is a holiday made up by corporations to make money. Although he is a lifelong member of the Greek Orthodox Church, Jimmy doesn't believe in God and says he just attends church out of habit. "Is it possible God exists?" "Would he want to believe in God if He does exist?" These were the kinds of questions I asked, and found out that Jimmy takes great pride in not having to rely on belief in God in answer to the great mysteries of life. Nontheless, were he to die and find hmself standing before God's judgement throne, Jimmy is confident he would be found to be a good person in God's sight. "God wouldn't judge us by what we believe but by what we do" he confidently asserted. I believe his "good works" serve to reassure him of heaven during those times when his unbelief wavers.
12/16/11 Brian about 30
I used a Million Dollar bill gospel track to start a conversation with a man named Brian, who had just come out of a hardware store. "If this was real, how would you spend it?" I asked lightheartedly. He thought for a moment and told me he would spend it on a house and Christmas presents for Anthony, his girlfriend's 10 year old son. "I've lost my job, and I don't think we'll be able to get any Christmas presents for him" Brian told me, obviously upset about it. I asked if he believes in God and Brian said he wonders sometimes, because he doesn't see any answers to his prayers for Anthony. I talked a little bit about how we need to avoid the mistake of thinking God is simply like Santa who we only go to when we want something, or how we need to appreciate what he has given us rather than believe that somehow he owes us more, but in the end this seemed shallow. I offered to pray for them and Brian agreed, so I did. Afterward I wished God's blessing on him as I left. Dozens of scams by street hustlers here in Chicago have left me jaded about giving money to stangers on the street, but Brian was different. He hadn't approached me - I initiated the conversation - he never asked for money, and he did have a genuine need. After we went our separate ways I really felt like I had failed, like I had said what we are warned not to say in James 2:16 "Go in peace, keep warm and be well fed" without doing something to help. I pray I will be more responsive next time.
I used a Million Dollar bill gospel track to start a conversation with a man named Brian, who had just come out of a hardware store. "If this was real, how would you spend it?" I asked lightheartedly. He thought for a moment and told me he would spend it on a house and Christmas presents for Anthony, his girlfriend's 10 year old son. "I've lost my job, and I don't think we'll be able to get any Christmas presents for him" Brian told me, obviously upset about it. I asked if he believes in God and Brian said he wonders sometimes, because he doesn't see any answers to his prayers for Anthony. I talked a little bit about how we need to avoid the mistake of thinking God is simply like Santa who we only go to when we want something, or how we need to appreciate what he has given us rather than believe that somehow he owes us more, but in the end this seemed shallow. I offered to pray for them and Brian agreed, so I did. Afterward I wished God's blessing on him as I left. Dozens of scams by street hustlers here in Chicago have left me jaded about giving money to stangers on the street, but Brian was different. He hadn't approached me - I initiated the conversation - he never asked for money, and he did have a genuine need. After we went our separate ways I really felt like I had failed, like I had said what we are warned not to say in James 2:16 "Go in peace, keep warm and be well fed" without doing something to help. I pray I will be more responsive next time.
Information Overload
12/14/11 Jose, about 30
In an age of information overload, what is the most important part of the Gospel message?
I
found Jose, a businessman, working on his laptop at a McDonald's. I
said "Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you but I'm wondering if you
have a few minutes for an interesting question?"
My question
about his views on eternity led to an hour-long conversation, which
ranged from hearing his different and far-fetched theories about the
afterlife to considering the implications if what the Bible teaches is,
in fact, true.
Jose had a lot of questions and insights along
the way. In the end he came to a mental agreement of his need for
forgiveness on judgment day. He described his belief in God (and, by
extension, his need for forgiveness) as 50/50, so the heartfelt
conviction didn't seem to be there.
Toward the end of our
conversation I began to feel like this was information overload; we had
covered so much ground and the truths I shared didn't have much time to
soak in. I felt like sharing the good news of salvation might be giving
him easy and trite answers to questions he hadn't yet formed in his
mind, but I also didn't want to just share the bad news of God's
judgment of his sin without telling him the good news of God's grace in
Christ.
What to do?
I told him about Jesus. I have to
believe that of all we talked about, God will bring to mind exactly what
He wanted Jose to hear.
12/13/11 Eric, about 17
At a city park a thuggish-looking kid with a black hoodie walked around carrying a heavy metal pole. "I have a question for you" "What's up?" "Why are you walking around with that pole in your hand?" He said he needed it for protection from a particular gang in the area. "I have another question - what if they do jump you - and kill you. Where would you be then?" This led to a long conversation in which I found out that he - Eric - is in rebellion against his Jehovah's Witness (JW) parents. His beliefs about life after death are a lot like an atheist's - that when he dies as an unrighteous person he will simply be annihilated and his soul will cease to exist As we talked he alternated between defending his parent's JW beliefs and defending his own rebellion against them. I challenged him to think and read the Bible for himself and to realize that what he has been taught is not biblical Christianity.
At a city park a thuggish-looking kid with a black hoodie walked around carrying a heavy metal pole. "I have a question for you" "What's up?" "Why are you walking around with that pole in your hand?" He said he needed it for protection from a particular gang in the area. "I have another question - what if they do jump you - and kill you. Where would you be then?" This led to a long conversation in which I found out that he - Eric - is in rebellion against his Jehovah's Witness (JW) parents. His beliefs about life after death are a lot like an atheist's - that when he dies as an unrighteous person he will simply be annihilated and his soul will cease to exist As we talked he alternated between defending his parent's JW beliefs and defending his own rebellion against them. I challenged him to think and read the Bible for himself and to realize that what he has been taught is not biblical Christianity.
12/11/12 Derrick 64
Before church Brad and I headed to a Starbucks to share the Gospel. We found a man named Derrick, who agreed to answer some questions and invited us to sit down to talk. He wore a Vietnam Vet cap and I asked about his service there. He had survived the Tet Offensive, a horrible experience for American troops that killed many of his friends/fellow soldiers. He truly feels he has lived through hell on earth, and he has suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ever since. At first he coped through drug use, but he has long since given up using drugs and has tried to cope through regular psychological counseling and mental discipline. He has given up trying to be happy and has settled for just trying to find some sort of peace of mind. An African-American from the rural south and a strong baptist tradition, he believes God is right there by his side and there to comfort him, but for some reason he refused any discussion about Jesus, saying it caused him too much stress. He firmly believes that he has a good heart, and that any sin he has committed can be blamed not on his sinful nature but on society and ultimately on God who gave us free will. This was one of the harder conversations I've had, because I owe this man a debt of gratitude for serving our country, but at the same time I felt the need to share some difficult truths that seem to contradict his military service and his years of counseling. He sees himself as a victim of much suffering and any suggestion that he deserves any kind of additional punishment for his sins seems ludicrous to him, and, frankly, it felt hollow coming from me. Instead I turned the attention to myself, trying to convey the bad news of our accountability to God for our sins by telling about my own guilt and the punishment I deserve. Derrick made the connection but would not accept it. In the end he simply refused to accept these biblical truths and, I believe, his need for Jesus.
Before church Brad and I headed to a Starbucks to share the Gospel. We found a man named Derrick, who agreed to answer some questions and invited us to sit down to talk. He wore a Vietnam Vet cap and I asked about his service there. He had survived the Tet Offensive, a horrible experience for American troops that killed many of his friends/fellow soldiers. He truly feels he has lived through hell on earth, and he has suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ever since. At first he coped through drug use, but he has long since given up using drugs and has tried to cope through regular psychological counseling and mental discipline. He has given up trying to be happy and has settled for just trying to find some sort of peace of mind. An African-American from the rural south and a strong baptist tradition, he believes God is right there by his side and there to comfort him, but for some reason he refused any discussion about Jesus, saying it caused him too much stress. He firmly believes that he has a good heart, and that any sin he has committed can be blamed not on his sinful nature but on society and ultimately on God who gave us free will. This was one of the harder conversations I've had, because I owe this man a debt of gratitude for serving our country, but at the same time I felt the need to share some difficult truths that seem to contradict his military service and his years of counseling. He sees himself as a victim of much suffering and any suggestion that he deserves any kind of additional punishment for his sins seems ludicrous to him, and, frankly, it felt hollow coming from me. Instead I turned the attention to myself, trying to convey the bad news of our accountability to God for our sins by telling about my own guilt and the punishment I deserve. Derrick made the connection but would not accept it. In the end he simply refused to accept these biblical truths and, I believe, his need for Jesus.
12/8/11 Tom, about 40
Today Nick and I were prayed for and then sent out from our men's Bible study as witnesses, and then to rejoin the group later to pray for those we talked to. I do this each week with a different member of the group as a way to keep before us the fact that as Christians we need to be "on mission" One person Nick and I talked with was Tom, who by virtue of the evangelical church he attended in the past and the one he now attends should have had a clear understanding of the gospel. However, when asked about his hope for heaven, he stated that "one can never be sure". He talked vaguely about having faith, but could never explain what his faith was in. I asked how he would explain the gospel if I had been an unbeliever asking about his faith, and he had no idea. It was like he knew enough to have all the pieces of the puzzle, but he had never put them all together. He seemed to be going through the motions of faith without understanding why. I fear for his salvation, but didn't seem to be able to convince him there was any problem.
12/7/11 Steve, about 30
I walked into a Starbucks where I found 2 people working on laptops, a guy about to read a book, and another man about to leave. I asked the guy with the book if he had a little time to answer some questions about his spitiual beliefs. "I really don't want to talk about that" was his reply. Same for the man about to leave but one of the people on laptops, a guy named Steve who was sitting right next to the guy with the book, agreed to talk. Steve says he believes in God but from his answers I could tell he believes in his own version of God. He doesn't base his beliefs on the Bible but rather just what seems right to him. And for Steve this means that he admits his own faults but as long as he keeps improving and learning from his past mistakes, he thinks he can be okay with God. He stated "God knows my heart, thatI'm a good person and I try to do nice things." I talked through the logical problems with this, explaining the law of God's judgement and and his graceful forgiveness as I went. Steve clearly had an opportunity to hear the Gospel. So did the man with the book.
I walked into a Starbucks where I found 2 people working on laptops, a guy about to read a book, and another man about to leave. I asked the guy with the book if he had a little time to answer some questions about his spitiual beliefs. "I really don't want to talk about that" was his reply. Same for the man about to leave but one of the people on laptops, a guy named Steve who was sitting right next to the guy with the book, agreed to talk. Steve says he believes in God but from his answers I could tell he believes in his own version of God. He doesn't base his beliefs on the Bible but rather just what seems right to him. And for Steve this means that he admits his own faults but as long as he keeps improving and learning from his past mistakes, he thinks he can be okay with God. He stated "God knows my heart, thatI'm a good person and I try to do nice things." I talked through the logical problems with this, explaining the law of God's judgement and and his graceful forgiveness as I went. Steve clearly had an opportunity to hear the Gospel. So did the man with the book.
12/1/11 Chris, about 30
Does one have to believe in hell to be a Christian? I know for myself there was a time in my Christian walk when I desperately wanted to believe that hell didn't exist. My faith in Christ left me sure of my own salvation but I was upset about the fate of others - as well we should be. What concerned me also was that I didn't want to believe in a God who would use the punishment of hell as a fair or just consequence of our sin. The problem was that I was trivializing the depravity of my own sin and the sins of others and also trivializing the holiness of God. A conversation at the park today with a young father named Chris out taking his toddler out for a stroll has me writing about the issue all over again. Chris is a lifelong Mennonite who attends a church that teaches that there is no hell because God is primarliy interested in reconciliation rather than retribution. An eternal hell would offer no way for the sinner to be reconciled to God, so they view deny that hell could exist. I knew this conversation could open up a whole can of worms which it didn't appear Chris would have time for there in the park, so I kept my comments general. I told him how I had to honestly deal with what Jesus teaches about hell in the Bible, rather than what I wanted Him to teach. I admitted it is a horrible subject to talk about, but pointed out that ignoring it won't make it go away. I left him with a booklet that goes into more detail about the subject, and invited him to call me if he'd like to talk further. He was very positive about the whole conversation. I am in the habit of taking my "witnessing bookbag" with me when I am out intentionally looking for conversations. In it I have a variety of follow-up materials and Bibles in both Spanish and English that allow me to have some helpful literature to offer almost anyone I talk to, whatever they might believe.
Does one have to believe in hell to be a Christian? I know for myself there was a time in my Christian walk when I desperately wanted to believe that hell didn't exist. My faith in Christ left me sure of my own salvation but I was upset about the fate of others - as well we should be. What concerned me also was that I didn't want to believe in a God who would use the punishment of hell as a fair or just consequence of our sin. The problem was that I was trivializing the depravity of my own sin and the sins of others and also trivializing the holiness of God. A conversation at the park today with a young father named Chris out taking his toddler out for a stroll has me writing about the issue all over again. Chris is a lifelong Mennonite who attends a church that teaches that there is no hell because God is primarliy interested in reconciliation rather than retribution. An eternal hell would offer no way for the sinner to be reconciled to God, so they view deny that hell could exist. I knew this conversation could open up a whole can of worms which it didn't appear Chris would have time for there in the park, so I kept my comments general. I told him how I had to honestly deal with what Jesus teaches about hell in the Bible, rather than what I wanted Him to teach. I admitted it is a horrible subject to talk about, but pointed out that ignoring it won't make it go away. I left him with a booklet that goes into more detail about the subject, and invited him to call me if he'd like to talk further. He was very positive about the whole conversation. I am in the habit of taking my "witnessing bookbag" with me when I am out intentionally looking for conversations. In it I have a variety of follow-up materials and Bibles in both Spanish and English that allow me to have some helpful literature to offer almost anyone I talk to, whatever they might believe.
11/30/11 Xavier, about 50
I frequent the same park often and am beginning to run into and get to know a few people as a result. One is Xavier, whom I just ran into again after not seeing him for a few months. I had just begun wondering about him in the past week and when he saw me he told me "I was just wondering what happened to you!" Other conversations have led me to believe Xavier is a Christian and he has told me about his church involvement, so after talking and catching up for a bit I asked how I could pray for him. He is worried about his daughter who will be having surgery and the future of his job so I prayed for him on the spot. Afterward he was beaming with enthusiasm, like a huge burden had been lifted from him. "You just don't know what this means to me, God is really working through you" he told me several times. I think we both left there feeling very encouraged today.
I frequent the same park often and am beginning to run into and get to know a few people as a result. One is Xavier, whom I just ran into again after not seeing him for a few months. I had just begun wondering about him in the past week and when he saw me he told me "I was just wondering what happened to you!" Other conversations have led me to believe Xavier is a Christian and he has told me about his church involvement, so after talking and catching up for a bit I asked how I could pray for him. He is worried about his daughter who will be having surgery and the future of his job so I prayed for him on the spot. Afterward he was beaming with enthusiasm, like a huge burden had been lifted from him. "You just don't know what this means to me, God is really working through you" he told me several times. I think we both left there feeling very encouraged today.
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