4/29/10 Barry, about 35
I was riding bike home after our church softball team practice on a deserted street, after sunset. I came across a shabbily dressed man, muttering to himself angrily, suitcase in hand, limping. I was hoping to share the Gospel with someone but I hesitated, not really wanting to get involved in this man's problems, until I remembered how God doesn't want us to show favoritism to the rich or discriminate against the down and out (James 2:1-7 ) So I stopped to ask how he was doing. He looked at me suspiciously, wondering if I was an undercover cop, so I quickly told him I was from a church in the area and asked about his spiritual beliefs. This gave me a lot of credibility in his eyes and he opened up, telling me he had just gotten out of jail 2 days ago after being locked up for two years. He's very confused, moving from one relative to another. He's from a church family but said they are giving him tough love right now, and he isn't sure where he's at with God anymore. He's been in and out of jail ever since high school, mostly for armed robbery and theft, and believes God has spared him from harming himself or anyone else after running from the police, often in high speed chases. Yet he still believes God would judge him to be a good person who would go to heaven. Later he told me he doesn't think hell exists, because he doesn't think God would punish people like that, so I spent some time explaining his sinfulness and God's holiness and justice, but Barry continued to excuse and rationalize his sins and see himself as a victim rather than take responsibility for it.
Gospel conversations from the streets and marketplace....
4/28/10 Candace, about 20
Today I brought Pat (a faithful senior at our church) to a local delicatessen to look for a witnessing conversation. We met a young lady (Candace) at a booth and asked if we could talk with her. Candace grew up with no church background, and has only attended church a few times with some churchgoing friends. She believes God exists but has no idea what He must be like. I told her of the Bible's teaching about God's judgment day and asked how she would be judged, and she said "I believe I will go to heaven. Why? Because I'm a positive and enthusiastic person." Indeed she is very bubbly and outgoing, and I told her so. So how does one even talk of the whole counsel of "the kindness and sternness of God" (Romans 11:22) without putting a damper on an otherwise friendly and polite conversation? Well at this point I told Candace "But you know you're not perfect, so the real question is 'How good does one need to be, in order to go to Heaven?' She saw my point, and agreed to take my "good person quiz" to see how she would do according to God's standard, the Ten Commandments. I started by asking how many commandments she knew, which was one and "Thou shall not lie to your parents" which I didn't know whether to count as two more or only half right. Anyway, despite its serious nature, the good person test usually produces some nervous laughter, and by the end people are usually both humbled and ready to hear more hard truth, hoping there is a way to escape God's justice. Unfortunately, Candace had to get to work, so I had to present an abbreviated Gospel message and hope it caught her attention enough for her to read the additional info I gave her.
Today I brought Pat (a faithful senior at our church) to a local delicatessen to look for a witnessing conversation. We met a young lady (Candace) at a booth and asked if we could talk with her. Candace grew up with no church background, and has only attended church a few times with some churchgoing friends. She believes God exists but has no idea what He must be like. I told her of the Bible's teaching about God's judgment day and asked how she would be judged, and she said "I believe I will go to heaven. Why? Because I'm a positive and enthusiastic person." Indeed she is very bubbly and outgoing, and I told her so. So how does one even talk of the whole counsel of "the kindness and sternness of God" (Romans 11:22) without putting a damper on an otherwise friendly and polite conversation? Well at this point I told Candace "But you know you're not perfect, so the real question is 'How good does one need to be, in order to go to Heaven?' She saw my point, and agreed to take my "good person quiz" to see how she would do according to God's standard, the Ten Commandments. I started by asking how many commandments she knew, which was one and "Thou shall not lie to your parents" which I didn't know whether to count as two more or only half right. Anyway, despite its serious nature, the good person test usually produces some nervous laughter, and by the end people are usually both humbled and ready to hear more hard truth, hoping there is a way to escape God's justice. Unfortunately, Candace had to get to work, so I had to present an abbreviated Gospel message and hope it caught her attention enough for her to read the additional info I gave her.
4/27/10 Tony, Stephan, Joseph (college students)
Today I brought Martin, (a relatively young believer and youth leader at our church) to the student center on the campus at IIT to begin a Gospel conversation or two. I asked some young men at a table if I could ask them a few questions. One spied a New Testament I had and excitedly said "We're Christians too!" Tony is from a Chicago church; Stephan is a Christian from Slovakia, and Joseph is a new believer from India. I did my best to make sure their faith is grounded in Jesus Christ; to encourage them in their discipleship efforts; and to share my experiences with the "law & grace" approach to evangelism (helping people feel their need for a right relationship with God through exposure to God's standard - the Ten Commandments - before sharing faith in Jesus as the way to that right relationship.) Stephan commented "You know in all my time here in America you're the first person who has tried to tell me about Jesus." What a wonderful opportunity we have in our own neighborhood to share Christ with international students who can bring their faith in Jesus back to their home country, and I am thankful for the ministry these guys are involved in that does just that. Before leaving I prayed with them for God's blessing upon their lives and ministry. Martin's reaction? "I guess when we go out to witness we need to be ready for any way God might want to use us." Amen brother!
Today I brought Martin, (a relatively young believer and youth leader at our church) to the student center on the campus at IIT to begin a Gospel conversation or two. I asked some young men at a table if I could ask them a few questions. One spied a New Testament I had and excitedly said "We're Christians too!" Tony is from a Chicago church; Stephan is a Christian from Slovakia, and Joseph is a new believer from India. I did my best to make sure their faith is grounded in Jesus Christ; to encourage them in their discipleship efforts; and to share my experiences with the "law & grace" approach to evangelism (helping people feel their need for a right relationship with God through exposure to God's standard - the Ten Commandments - before sharing faith in Jesus as the way to that right relationship.) Stephan commented "You know in all my time here in America you're the first person who has tried to tell me about Jesus." What a wonderful opportunity we have in our own neighborhood to share Christ with international students who can bring their faith in Jesus back to their home country, and I am thankful for the ministry these guys are involved in that does just that. Before leaving I prayed with them for God's blessing upon their lives and ministry. Martin's reaction? "I guess when we go out to witness we need to be ready for any way God might want to use us." Amen brother!
4/26/10 Lorenzo, about 22
If sharing the Gospel in the marketplace is good enough for Paul (Acts 17:17) it is good enough for me so I picked up my friend Nolan at his home and we headed to the grocery store to initiate some witnessing conversations while I did my grocery shopping. Our longest conversation was with Lorenzo, who told us he believes in God but thinks he will just cease to exist after he dies. Later in the conversation I found out why. Lorenzo had gone through a period when he was much younger when he was full of guilt for his sins and became afraid that he would die and go to hell. After much struggling with this he concluded that the thought of hell is so unreasonable that the whole idea of eternal life itself can't be true. I helped him to see that wishful thinking doesn't make it just go away, and that the idea of a God who cares enough to punish sin - all sin - IS reasonable, especially when that same God made a tremendous sacrifice - His only Son - in order to spare us the just penalty for our sins that we deserve. It was a long conversation right there in the grocery isle, but Lorenzo went from a standoffish attitude to being very interested and engaged listener and took some of the info I offered to read later. Given what he had been through in the past I made God's love a special point of emphasis. I looked Lorenzo in the eye and said "Don't you EVER think that God doesn't love you. He also loves justice but He was willing to pay the ultimate price to forgive your sins." I think Lorenzo needed to hear that.
If sharing the Gospel in the marketplace is good enough for Paul (Acts 17:17) it is good enough for me so I picked up my friend Nolan at his home and we headed to the grocery store to initiate some witnessing conversations while I did my grocery shopping. Our longest conversation was with Lorenzo, who told us he believes in God but thinks he will just cease to exist after he dies. Later in the conversation I found out why. Lorenzo had gone through a period when he was much younger when he was full of guilt for his sins and became afraid that he would die and go to hell. After much struggling with this he concluded that the thought of hell is so unreasonable that the whole idea of eternal life itself can't be true. I helped him to see that wishful thinking doesn't make it just go away, and that the idea of a God who cares enough to punish sin - all sin - IS reasonable, especially when that same God made a tremendous sacrifice - His only Son - in order to spare us the just penalty for our sins that we deserve. It was a long conversation right there in the grocery isle, but Lorenzo went from a standoffish attitude to being very interested and engaged listener and took some of the info I offered to read later. Given what he had been through in the past I made God's love a special point of emphasis. I looked Lorenzo in the eye and said "Don't you EVER think that God doesn't love you. He also loves justice but He was willing to pay the ultimate price to forgive your sins." I think Lorenzo needed to hear that.
4/25/10 Gus, about 65
I dropped my son Sammy off for worship practice before church and had a little extra time so I drove over to the park to pray and hopefully initiate a witnessing conversation. Approaching me there on the sidewalk was a serious-looking older man (Gus), so I said one last prayer for help and asked him "Excuse me, do you have a minute for a few questions? He looked at me and said "Sure, what about?" "Well I'd just like to ask about your spiritual beliefs. For example, do you believe in a higher power of any sort?" He said "Well sure, I believe in God. I'd just like to ask Him one question though." "What's that?" "Why did He have to take my wife away?" This started a wonderful conversation in which I was able to counsel Gus about the loss of his wife, some battle experiences in Vietnam, and some false beliefs about God and the Bible. Gus and his wife of 42 years had stopped attending church about halfway through their marriage and he has just been assuming - like so many people - that he is "good enough" to go to heaven, so I spent some time explaining the law of God in order for him to understand and appreciate the grace of God. Gus told me "I wish they would have explained things so clearly at church" and I told him "It can be easy to overlook the basic message of the Bible when they are trying to teach the whole thing. Do you have your own Bible?" He didn't, so I gave him one, an outreach New Testament, and showed him all the special helps it has for beginners including an article called "God's Plan to Save You" I've given out good follow-up tracts to people, but giving a New Testament seems especially appropriate. (These New Testaments can be bought online for only about $1 or $2 each at www.crossway.org)
I dropped my son Sammy off for worship practice before church and had a little extra time so I drove over to the park to pray and hopefully initiate a witnessing conversation. Approaching me there on the sidewalk was a serious-looking older man (Gus), so I said one last prayer for help and asked him "Excuse me, do you have a minute for a few questions? He looked at me and said "Sure, what about?" "Well I'd just like to ask about your spiritual beliefs. For example, do you believe in a higher power of any sort?" He said "Well sure, I believe in God. I'd just like to ask Him one question though." "What's that?" "Why did He have to take my wife away?" This started a wonderful conversation in which I was able to counsel Gus about the loss of his wife, some battle experiences in Vietnam, and some false beliefs about God and the Bible. Gus and his wife of 42 years had stopped attending church about halfway through their marriage and he has just been assuming - like so many people - that he is "good enough" to go to heaven, so I spent some time explaining the law of God in order for him to understand and appreciate the grace of God. Gus told me "I wish they would have explained things so clearly at church" and I told him "It can be easy to overlook the basic message of the Bible when they are trying to teach the whole thing. Do you have your own Bible?" He didn't, so I gave him one, an outreach New Testament, and showed him all the special helps it has for beginners including an article called "God's Plan to Save You" I've given out good follow-up tracts to people, but giving a New Testament seems especially appropriate. (These New Testaments can be bought online for only about $1 or $2 each at www.crossway.org)
4/24/10 Tyrone, 38
At a clothes store I used a MDB tract to start a conversation with Tyrone, who told me he is a Christian but wondered how he could overcome temptation. "I've been trying for most of my life, but I just can't get it right." he told me. I compared sin to a swimming pool - "Before we are believers, we just dive in without thinking about it, but when we repent we stop diving in on purpose, and we need to avoid walking close to the edge so we don't just fall in by 'accident'." We talked a while about this, and when I left we shook hands and I said "Good talkin' to you" and Tyrone said "Good talkin' to you too - more than you can know!"
At a clothes store I used a MDB tract to start a conversation with Tyrone, who told me he is a Christian but wondered how he could overcome temptation. "I've been trying for most of my life, but I just can't get it right." he told me. I compared sin to a swimming pool - "Before we are believers, we just dive in without thinking about it, but when we repent we stop diving in on purpose, and we need to avoid walking close to the edge so we don't just fall in by 'accident'." We talked a while about this, and when I left we shook hands and I said "Good talkin' to you" and Tyrone said "Good talkin' to you too - more than you can know!"
4/23/10 Mike, Joe, Nick all 21
After a long run I slowed down to walk the last few blocks to my house and met two guys (Joe and Nick) at an intersection. "Hey can I run a few questions past you?" "Sure, what's up?" Joe answered. "I often ask people about their spiritual beliefs, and wanted to ask you too. Do you have any? Do you believe in a higher power of any sort?" Joe said he believes in God; Nick said he stopped believing in God in his mid teens. They both grew up Catholic and attended Catholic schools. I talked about how brief life is compared to eternity, and, after getting Nick to understand that if he has an open mind then he must admit that at least there's a possibility that God exists, and if he does we need to prepare to meet Him now, in this life, before it is too late. Since they both said they would go to heaven because of their goodness, I took them through the good person test, which might sound like a "canned" approach when I write about it, but is anything but canned or scripted in practice. For example, when asking if they had ever lied Nick said he thought "white lies" are okay if told to avoid hurting someone's feelings. I used this to explain that if I told a lie to my wife that a particular dress looks good on her, then she wouldn't believe me when I really did tell the truth. Their friend Mike, an atheist, joined them about halfway through our conversation and listened in, faking disinterest. After explaining our law and grace Gospel (for the good news of grace makes no sense without the bad news of the condemnation we deserve) I challenged them to "count the cost" but at the same time not to delay in seeking a right relationship with God.
After a long run I slowed down to walk the last few blocks to my house and met two guys (Joe and Nick) at an intersection. "Hey can I run a few questions past you?" "Sure, what's up?" Joe answered. "I often ask people about their spiritual beliefs, and wanted to ask you too. Do you have any? Do you believe in a higher power of any sort?" Joe said he believes in God; Nick said he stopped believing in God in his mid teens. They both grew up Catholic and attended Catholic schools. I talked about how brief life is compared to eternity, and, after getting Nick to understand that if he has an open mind then he must admit that at least there's a possibility that God exists, and if he does we need to prepare to meet Him now, in this life, before it is too late. Since they both said they would go to heaven because of their goodness, I took them through the good person test, which might sound like a "canned" approach when I write about it, but is anything but canned or scripted in practice. For example, when asking if they had ever lied Nick said he thought "white lies" are okay if told to avoid hurting someone's feelings. I used this to explain that if I told a lie to my wife that a particular dress looks good on her, then she wouldn't believe me when I really did tell the truth. Their friend Mike, an atheist, joined them about halfway through our conversation and listened in, faking disinterest. After explaining our law and grace Gospel (for the good news of grace makes no sense without the bad news of the condemnation we deserve) I challenged them to "count the cost" but at the same time not to delay in seeking a right relationship with God.
4/22/10 Dan, about 22
While out for a bike ride I came across a young man (Dan) practicing free throws in front of his house. I stopped and said "Hey I've got an interesting question for you." This got his attention. "Do you feel like you have a purpose in life?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Get a good job, make as much money as I can, I guess." This started a fun, freewheeling conversation in which I felt very free to ask deeper questions about his spiritual beliefs and he asked a lot about mine. He wasn't really sure if he even believes in God or eternal life, but he now has a much better respect for the Ten Commandments and an understanding of the Gospel and his need to repent. He asked for a Bible so I gave him one, and he is interested in visiting my church. Just the same, his priority at the end of our conversation was to get back inside to watch the Bulls playoff game.
While out for a bike ride I came across a young man (Dan) practicing free throws in front of his house. I stopped and said "Hey I've got an interesting question for you." This got his attention. "Do you feel like you have a purpose in life?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Get a good job, make as much money as I can, I guess." This started a fun, freewheeling conversation in which I felt very free to ask deeper questions about his spiritual beliefs and he asked a lot about mine. He wasn't really sure if he even believes in God or eternal life, but he now has a much better respect for the Ten Commandments and an understanding of the Gospel and his need to repent. He asked for a Bible so I gave him one, and he is interested in visiting my church. Just the same, his priority at the end of our conversation was to get back inside to watch the Bulls playoff game.
4/21/10 Jerry, 74
I arrived early to my Wednesday Bible study at church and went for a walk around the neighborhood. A friend, Greg, introduced me to his friend Jerry on as they hung out on his porch. When Jerry found out I go to the church nearby he said something to the effect that "Heaven don't want me and Hell is afraid I'll take over." He is a lifelong Catholic but when I asked about his beliefs he told me he doesn't believe in God or eternal life. After some friendly conversation and putting up with some of his off-color jokes, I asked how he would do if he were to find out there is indeed a God whom he will be accountable to. Jerry never did get serious, joking and denying his way through my "good person" questions about how well he has obeyed the Ten Commandments, but I continued on despite his need to joke about everything. I know that somewhere behind that "good ole boy" exterior is a soul that must acknowledge the fact that what I told him could just be true after all.
I arrived early to my Wednesday Bible study at church and went for a walk around the neighborhood. A friend, Greg, introduced me to his friend Jerry on as they hung out on his porch. When Jerry found out I go to the church nearby he said something to the effect that "Heaven don't want me and Hell is afraid I'll take over." He is a lifelong Catholic but when I asked about his beliefs he told me he doesn't believe in God or eternal life. After some friendly conversation and putting up with some of his off-color jokes, I asked how he would do if he were to find out there is indeed a God whom he will be accountable to. Jerry never did get serious, joking and denying his way through my "good person" questions about how well he has obeyed the Ten Commandments, but I continued on despite his need to joke about everything. I know that somewhere behind that "good ole boy" exterior is a soul that must acknowledge the fact that what I told him could just be true after all.
4/20/10 Willie, about 50
There's a reason Jesus sent out His disciples to witness in pairs! Today I called Nolan, my longtime brother in Christ, and we agreed to meet at the grocery store to witness while shopping. Though he had to leave after two conversations, the encouragement I received from our short time together was enough to give me the energy and boldness to initiate short conversations with perhaps a dozen more people after he left. I have yet to fully realized the power of Christian fellowship. Before Nolan left, one person we talked to was Willie, a middle-aged African-American man who said he had no spiritual beliefs in God or eternal life, and that he was okay with the idea of just ceasing to exit after he died. After talking a while I asked "What if the Bible IS true when it teaches that we all will live forever, whether we are in heaven or hell, and we will all face God's judgment when we die?" (Hebrews 9:27) Asking this question gives me a chance to simply inform or remind people of what the Bible actually teaches, no matter what the response. It might seem like a harsh question - after all, does not God's grace lead us to salvation? (Titus 2:11) But how will we know God's grace unless we know His true opinion of our sin - revealed in His wrath and judgment? It is the Law of God that leads us to Jesus (Galatians 3:24) - the true expression of His grace. I believe in the will and power of the Holy Spirit to turn these conversations into seeds of truth that will grow to eternal life! (1 Cor. 3:5-7)
There's a reason Jesus sent out His disciples to witness in pairs! Today I called Nolan, my longtime brother in Christ, and we agreed to meet at the grocery store to witness while shopping. Though he had to leave after two conversations, the encouragement I received from our short time together was enough to give me the energy and boldness to initiate short conversations with perhaps a dozen more people after he left. I have yet to fully realized the power of Christian fellowship. Before Nolan left, one person we talked to was Willie, a middle-aged African-American man who said he had no spiritual beliefs in God or eternal life, and that he was okay with the idea of just ceasing to exit after he died. After talking a while I asked "What if the Bible IS true when it teaches that we all will live forever, whether we are in heaven or hell, and we will all face God's judgment when we die?" (Hebrews 9:27) Asking this question gives me a chance to simply inform or remind people of what the Bible actually teaches, no matter what the response. It might seem like a harsh question - after all, does not God's grace lead us to salvation? (Titus 2:11) But how will we know God's grace unless we know His true opinion of our sin - revealed in His wrath and judgment? It is the Law of God that leads us to Jesus (Galatians 3:24) - the true expression of His grace. I believe in the will and power of the Holy Spirit to turn these conversations into seeds of truth that will grow to eternal life! (1 Cor. 3:5-7)
4/19/10 Abdul? and Kareem, mid-30's
I never realized how diverse my neighborhood is! Every individual walking down the street is unique- everyone has their own story. Today on the sidewalk I stopped two "normal" looking men and found out they moved to our part of Chicago from Algeria. Abdul grew up Muslim. Kareem also lived for a time in France and had a Muslim father and a Catholic mother. Now both have rejected organized religion and take the view that God is the same for all religions, and will take their chances on whatever happens. In my experience, people who are confident of their goodness say this because they don't believe the punishment of hell is even remotely possible, so I began to ask how they would do on judgment day. Kareem, however, used some classic arguments to deflect these questions: "If you were born anywhere else in the world, wouldn't you have different beliefs" and "What about Darwin? Don't you believe in evolution?" I've know good logical answers to these questions and spent a few minutes answering them, but when I brought back talk of sin and judgment Kareem good-naturedly said it is time to go. Before they left, I gave them a booklet comparing Christianity to other religions, and I believe they sincerely want to read it.
I never realized how diverse my neighborhood is! Every individual walking down the street is unique- everyone has their own story. Today on the sidewalk I stopped two "normal" looking men and found out they moved to our part of Chicago from Algeria. Abdul grew up Muslim. Kareem also lived for a time in France and had a Muslim father and a Catholic mother. Now both have rejected organized religion and take the view that God is the same for all religions, and will take their chances on whatever happens. In my experience, people who are confident of their goodness say this because they don't believe the punishment of hell is even remotely possible, so I began to ask how they would do on judgment day. Kareem, however, used some classic arguments to deflect these questions: "If you were born anywhere else in the world, wouldn't you have different beliefs" and "What about Darwin? Don't you believe in evolution?" I've know good logical answers to these questions and spent a few minutes answering them, but when I brought back talk of sin and judgment Kareem good-naturedly said it is time to go. Before they left, I gave them a booklet comparing Christianity to other religions, and I believe they sincerely want to read it.
4/18/10 Conner, 20
After our church softball practice today I took my son Sammy, 16, for a walk around the park, and we prayed that we could have a Gospel conversation with someone. A stocky young man (Conner) came down the sidewalk, in his own world with his earbuds on but I smiled and made eye contact, asking if he had a minute to answer a few questions. He stopped and took off his earbuds. "I've been asking random people about their spiritual beliefs, so would you say you're a spiritual person? Do you believe in a higher power?" Conner told us he grew up Catholic but hasn't been attending church since he went off to college. "I just got too busy with my studies and everything" was his excuse. He is an engineering student at IIT. Though he understands he has sinned, he believes he will go to heaven because his good outweighs his bad. I asked what good things he has done. He looked thoughtful and said, "You know, I've done a lot of good things but I was raised to believe that it's just what you do. I just do good because its the right thing to do." I said "You're exactly right. When we do good things it's only what God expects us to do in the first place, so our good can't outweigh our sins." I went on to talk of the punishment we deserve according to God's justice, and the good news that Jesus is, challenging Conner to put his faith in Jesus for salvation. We talked for about 20 minutes. Here are Sammy's comments about our conversation: "I thought that it was a very uplifting conversation. I was happy to be a part of it."
After our church softball practice today I took my son Sammy, 16, for a walk around the park, and we prayed that we could have a Gospel conversation with someone. A stocky young man (Conner) came down the sidewalk, in his own world with his earbuds on but I smiled and made eye contact, asking if he had a minute to answer a few questions. He stopped and took off his earbuds. "I've been asking random people about their spiritual beliefs, so would you say you're a spiritual person? Do you believe in a higher power?" Conner told us he grew up Catholic but hasn't been attending church since he went off to college. "I just got too busy with my studies and everything" was his excuse. He is an engineering student at IIT. Though he understands he has sinned, he believes he will go to heaven because his good outweighs his bad. I asked what good things he has done. He looked thoughtful and said, "You know, I've done a lot of good things but I was raised to believe that it's just what you do. I just do good because its the right thing to do." I said "You're exactly right. When we do good things it's only what God expects us to do in the first place, so our good can't outweigh our sins." I went on to talk of the punishment we deserve according to God's justice, and the good news that Jesus is, challenging Conner to put his faith in Jesus for salvation. We talked for about 20 minutes. Here are Sammy's comments about our conversation: "I thought that it was a very uplifting conversation. I was happy to be a part of it."
4/17/10 Nirupi, Bindu, both about 22
Today I went with my daughter, Hannah (16) to the IIT student center where, with their permission, we sat down to talk to two biology graduate students from India. Nirupi grew up in a Presbyterian church but didn't seem too familiar with her need for salvation through faith in Christ. Bindu is Hindu, but as a science student she doesn't believe in reincarnation or any kind of an afterlife. After spending some time getting to know them and finding out about their background and beliefs, they were very willing to hear the whole Gospel, both law and grace, and had some good questions in response. Nirupi had brought Bindu to a nearby church for Palm Sunday, and they expressed interest in visiting our church as well. Here are Hannah's comments about our conversation: "It was a very interesting conversation for everyone. I think that they felt comfortable talking about faith in an easygoing conversation and were interested in what we had to say."
Today I went with my daughter, Hannah (16) to the IIT student center where, with their permission, we sat down to talk to two biology graduate students from India. Nirupi grew up in a Presbyterian church but didn't seem too familiar with her need for salvation through faith in Christ. Bindu is Hindu, but as a science student she doesn't believe in reincarnation or any kind of an afterlife. After spending some time getting to know them and finding out about their background and beliefs, they were very willing to hear the whole Gospel, both law and grace, and had some good questions in response. Nirupi had brought Bindu to a nearby church for Palm Sunday, and they expressed interest in visiting our church as well. Here are Hannah's comments about our conversation: "It was a very interesting conversation for everyone. I think that they felt comfortable talking about faith in an easygoing conversation and were interested in what we had to say."
4/16/10 K.J., about 35
On my way home after work I stopped at a park near a commuter parking area. K.J. had just taken the El from downtown and was getting in his car when I gave him a MDB tract and told him about the "good person test" on the back. "Well, I'm a social worker so don't think in terms of absolutes" was his reply. I also have a social work background so this started a good conversation about our experiences and motivations in social work. When we returned to spiritual topics K.J. told me he believes there is some truth in all religions and that he participates in a Buddism-based community group which meets regularly for "enlightened" conversations. I could tell that talk of sin and warnings of God's wrath and judgment would be very shocking for K.J.; so instead of using the good person questions to help him see his personal guilt before a holy God, I applied these questions to myself and shared the Gospel through my own experiences. I ended by pointing out that most religions teach that we can receive some sort of reward for being "good people", but Jesus died to save sinners like myself. I told K.J. - "Instead of going through life wondering what I HAVE to do to be "good enough" for God, I get up in the morning and ask God what good thing do I GET to do for God to thank Him for what He's done for me. It's a whole different way of living!" K.J. said "I can see it is, just in your enthusiasm."
On my way home after work I stopped at a park near a commuter parking area. K.J. had just taken the El from downtown and was getting in his car when I gave him a MDB tract and told him about the "good person test" on the back. "Well, I'm a social worker so don't think in terms of absolutes" was his reply. I also have a social work background so this started a good conversation about our experiences and motivations in social work. When we returned to spiritual topics K.J. told me he believes there is some truth in all religions and that he participates in a Buddism-based community group which meets regularly for "enlightened" conversations. I could tell that talk of sin and warnings of God's wrath and judgment would be very shocking for K.J.; so instead of using the good person questions to help him see his personal guilt before a holy God, I applied these questions to myself and shared the Gospel through my own experiences. I ended by pointing out that most religions teach that we can receive some sort of reward for being "good people", but Jesus died to save sinners like myself. I told K.J. - "Instead of going through life wondering what I HAVE to do to be "good enough" for God, I get up in the morning and ask God what good thing do I GET to do for God to thank Him for what He's done for me. It's a whole different way of living!" K.J. said "I can see it is, just in your enthusiasm."
4/15/10 John, about 45
Pat (another fellow believer from church) and I went "fishing" at the park. One person we talked to was John, who agreed to answer questions about his beliefs and calls himself a "mystic". Though I tried to ask very straightforward questions, John always seemed to find a way to answer questions very mysteriously, throwing around the term "metaphysics" a lot and claiming to have secret knowledge that only a few could understand. To him, there are mysterious hidden messages in the Bible, and only a few know how to properly interpret them. I asked, for example, what he thought Jesus meant when he said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me". (John 14:6) John claimed that Jesus was talking about this secret knowledge that Jesus, as a mystic, possessed. It seemed that John took great pride in possessing this secret knowledge and was in no hurry to share it with anyone. Usually after I "earn the right to be heard" by listening patiently and asking questions most people are more than willing to hear about my beliefs. John was not. He suddenly left saying "We could talk here all day". On our way back to the car, Pat and I ran into Eric, from our church, who asked if we had any success "fishing". I told him we didn't have any "bites", but not because we didn't try. In hindsight I would say that I like the comparison of evangelism with being a "seed sower" better than with being a fisherman, because a fisherman either catches fish or he doesn't, and he feels he should have something to show for his efforts at the end of the day. But a farmer or seed-sower does his work by faith, " for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)
Pat (another fellow believer from church) and I went "fishing" at the park. One person we talked to was John, who agreed to answer questions about his beliefs and calls himself a "mystic". Though I tried to ask very straightforward questions, John always seemed to find a way to answer questions very mysteriously, throwing around the term "metaphysics" a lot and claiming to have secret knowledge that only a few could understand. To him, there are mysterious hidden messages in the Bible, and only a few know how to properly interpret them. I asked, for example, what he thought Jesus meant when he said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me". (John 14:6) John claimed that Jesus was talking about this secret knowledge that Jesus, as a mystic, possessed. It seemed that John took great pride in possessing this secret knowledge and was in no hurry to share it with anyone. Usually after I "earn the right to be heard" by listening patiently and asking questions most people are more than willing to hear about my beliefs. John was not. He suddenly left saying "We could talk here all day". On our way back to the car, Pat and I ran into Eric, from our church, who asked if we had any success "fishing". I told him we didn't have any "bites", but not because we didn't try. In hindsight I would say that I like the comparison of evangelism with being a "seed sower" better than with being a fisherman, because a fisherman either catches fish or he doesn't, and he feels he should have something to show for his efforts at the end of the day. But a farmer or seed-sower does his work by faith, " for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)
4/14/10 Steve and Lori, mid 20's
Jim (a fellow believer from church) and I decided to go to a local delicatessen to witness instead of our usual Wednesday Bible study. We prayed that we could meet and talk to someone who could somehow benefit from the conversation, whether they are already believers or not. We met Steve and Lori just as they were finishing up their dinner at a booth. Steve graciously agreed to answer my questions, although Lori was clearly guarded. Jim and I pulled up chairs to the booth, and quickly found out that Steve grew up Catholic and professes to be a believer in Jesus, because as a sinner his good works can't save him, and he knows he can be forgiven through faith in Christ. However, he rarely attends church or reads his Bible. It turns out he has some Christian friends who have been sharing their faith with him outside of church, so affirming and encouraging Steve's faith in Christ rather than his own goodness, Jim and I focused on trying to encourage Steve to make Bible reading, prayer and church fellowship a regular part of his life. "Just like you need to eat physical food every day, you need spiritual food to be spiritually healthy". Lori remained quiet and/or guarded during the whole conversation.
Jim (a fellow believer from church) and I decided to go to a local delicatessen to witness instead of our usual Wednesday Bible study. We prayed that we could meet and talk to someone who could somehow benefit from the conversation, whether they are already believers or not. We met Steve and Lori just as they were finishing up their dinner at a booth. Steve graciously agreed to answer my questions, although Lori was clearly guarded. Jim and I pulled up chairs to the booth, and quickly found out that Steve grew up Catholic and professes to be a believer in Jesus, because as a sinner his good works can't save him, and he knows he can be forgiven through faith in Christ. However, he rarely attends church or reads his Bible. It turns out he has some Christian friends who have been sharing their faith with him outside of church, so affirming and encouraging Steve's faith in Christ rather than his own goodness, Jim and I focused on trying to encourage Steve to make Bible reading, prayer and church fellowship a regular part of his life. "Just like you need to eat physical food every day, you need spiritual food to be spiritually healthy". Lori remained quiet and/or guarded during the whole conversation.
4/13/10 Jackie, Andrew early 20's
While grocery shopping I gave MDB tracts to a young couple and told them about the Gospel message on the back. Jackie said "Oh we're Christians, we're saved" "How do you know?" I asked. "I know I'm a sinner and I've put my trust in Jesus for forgiveness." was her reply. We went on to talk about her church, an evangelical Bible church which her uncle is pastor of and which she and her boyfriend attend "once in a while". From the look on his face, however, Andrew didn't share her enthusiasm, and while she took a call on her cell phone I asked him how he felt about all this. "Do you consider yourself a Christian too?" He wasn't so sure. "Do you believe in God?" "Oh I believe in God, I just don't know if I could ever be good enough to be a Christian. I don't know if my good would outweigh my bad." This began a good conversation in which Jackie and I tried to help Andrew understand that we can't possibly ever be "good enough" for heaven, but that we can be forgiven through faith in Jesus. My hope is that this helped reveal Jackie's false assumptions about her boyfriend and open up a much-needed honest discussion for this young couple.
While grocery shopping I gave MDB tracts to a young couple and told them about the Gospel message on the back. Jackie said "Oh we're Christians, we're saved" "How do you know?" I asked. "I know I'm a sinner and I've put my trust in Jesus for forgiveness." was her reply. We went on to talk about her church, an evangelical Bible church which her uncle is pastor of and which she and her boyfriend attend "once in a while". From the look on his face, however, Andrew didn't share her enthusiasm, and while she took a call on her cell phone I asked him how he felt about all this. "Do you consider yourself a Christian too?" He wasn't so sure. "Do you believe in God?" "Oh I believe in God, I just don't know if I could ever be good enough to be a Christian. I don't know if my good would outweigh my bad." This began a good conversation in which Jackie and I tried to help Andrew understand that we can't possibly ever be "good enough" for heaven, but that we can be forgiven through faith in Jesus. My hope is that this helped reveal Jackie's false assumptions about her boyfriend and open up a much-needed honest discussion for this young couple.
4/12/10 Christian, Gustavo, both 18
Coming home after work I thought of many places I could stop to witness so I prayerfully flipped a coin several times and ended up at Burger King. Two high school students were hanging out there so I asked them about their beliefs. Christian very thoughtfully said that he believes God made the world and set everything in motion, but has long since left it on its own. "It's the only way I can explain why the world is in the state its in". He took pride in coming up with his own theory and not following after the beliefs of others, but I told him that his theory was the well-known "watchmaker" theory that says the world is like a watch that is wound up after it is made and left to run on its own. Christian said his father is a strict Catholic and that they have had religious debates, with his father ending up angry. Christian also visited a youth group meeting at one of the locations of my own church and had a debate with the youth leader there that ended the same way. After we talked for some time I explained to him about God's grace in Jesus, but before I did so I "laid the foundation" with an explanation of where we stand with God according to His law. I explained how we are condemned by our sin because of God's love for justice, and how Jesus satisfied God's justice on the cross. Christian was amazed - "I've never heard it explained that way before. I always wondered why Jesus died on the cross!" The rest of our conversation was filled with deep questions from Christian, followed by my answers, and then long silences as he took it in and formulated his next question. What a joy to talk to such a thoughtful young man.
Coming home after work I thought of many places I could stop to witness so I prayerfully flipped a coin several times and ended up at Burger King. Two high school students were hanging out there so I asked them about their beliefs. Christian very thoughtfully said that he believes God made the world and set everything in motion, but has long since left it on its own. "It's the only way I can explain why the world is in the state its in". He took pride in coming up with his own theory and not following after the beliefs of others, but I told him that his theory was the well-known "watchmaker" theory that says the world is like a watch that is wound up after it is made and left to run on its own. Christian said his father is a strict Catholic and that they have had religious debates, with his father ending up angry. Christian also visited a youth group meeting at one of the locations of my own church and had a debate with the youth leader there that ended the same way. After we talked for some time I explained to him about God's grace in Jesus, but before I did so I "laid the foundation" with an explanation of where we stand with God according to His law. I explained how we are condemned by our sin because of God's love for justice, and how Jesus satisfied God's justice on the cross. Christian was amazed - "I've never heard it explained that way before. I always wondered why Jesus died on the cross!" The rest of our conversation was filled with deep questions from Christian, followed by my answers, and then long silences as he took it in and formulated his next question. What a joy to talk to such a thoughtful young man.
4/11/10 Grant, about 20
Today I walked my dog on the campus at IIT, near my house. Somehow walking my dog made me feel like I was less of a threat to people. I met Grant, an IIT student who grew up Presbyterian but left the church when he left home and does not belief in God's existence, though he said he does wonder sometimes if there is some sort of higher power. I told him that I do believe in God, mainly just from looking around and knowing that way, way back in the beginning someone or something totally outside of our understanding must have created that which we do understand, matter and energy. If there is a creation there must have been a Creator, and if there is a Creator he must have had a purpose for creating, and if he had a purpose surely he would reveal it to us. Grant said, "Then I have two questions - who decides how he revealed himself to us and why does he allow so much suffering?" I could see he didn't have time for my answer, so I just told him those are great questions, gave him a booklet that speaks to those questions, and encouraged him to keep seeking answers.
Today I walked my dog on the campus at IIT, near my house. Somehow walking my dog made me feel like I was less of a threat to people. I met Grant, an IIT student who grew up Presbyterian but left the church when he left home and does not belief in God's existence, though he said he does wonder sometimes if there is some sort of higher power. I told him that I do believe in God, mainly just from looking around and knowing that way, way back in the beginning someone or something totally outside of our understanding must have created that which we do understand, matter and energy. If there is a creation there must have been a Creator, and if there is a Creator he must have had a purpose for creating, and if he had a purpose surely he would reveal it to us. Grant said, "Then I have two questions - who decides how he revealed himself to us and why does he allow so much suffering?" I could see he didn't have time for my answer, so I just told him those are great questions, gave him a booklet that speaks to those questions, and encouraged him to keep seeking answers.
4/10/10 Ed, 47
Part of my original reason for evangelism to strangers is to get the practice I need be a better witness to people I have an ongoing relationship with. I'm fairly new to the high school I teach at, and I want to share my faith with my colleagues but I don't want to "burn any bridges" relationally before they get the chance to really know me. A huge advantage of "law and grace" evangelism is that I am free to ask questions about people's backgrounds and religious views without ever having to argue a point. Why? Because these topics deal on the level of one's intellect, whereas once I start asking people how they have lived up to God's Law or even just their own standards, (when I have more time for such a conversation) we start dealing on the level of the conscience. People judge themselves and start feeling convicted or try to rationalize their sin, and those former intellectual arguments and smokescreens usually fall by the wayside. Today I appreciated this important distinction as I discovered that the roommate (Ed) I had been assigned to at my conference hotel is a Mormon, and I proceeded to ask him all about his faith and reasons for his beliefs, many of which are very contrary to Christianity. Had I felt the need to judge him, it would have quickly shut down our conversation or led to an argument. Instead, I learned all about his beliefs, was able to share many of mine as he felt comfortable enough to ask about them, and made an ongoing friend in the process. Because I was bold enough to ask about his beliefs and didn't need to be judgmental, a form of friendship evangelism has begun that isn't phony - Ed knows right up front that I am a Christian and feels free to ask me more about it.
Part of my original reason for evangelism to strangers is to get the practice I need be a better witness to people I have an ongoing relationship with. I'm fairly new to the high school I teach at, and I want to share my faith with my colleagues but I don't want to "burn any bridges" relationally before they get the chance to really know me. A huge advantage of "law and grace" evangelism is that I am free to ask questions about people's backgrounds and religious views without ever having to argue a point. Why? Because these topics deal on the level of one's intellect, whereas once I start asking people how they have lived up to God's Law or even just their own standards, (when I have more time for such a conversation) we start dealing on the level of the conscience. People judge themselves and start feeling convicted or try to rationalize their sin, and those former intellectual arguments and smokescreens usually fall by the wayside. Today I appreciated this important distinction as I discovered that the roommate (Ed) I had been assigned to at my conference hotel is a Mormon, and I proceeded to ask him all about his faith and reasons for his beliefs, many of which are very contrary to Christianity. Had I felt the need to judge him, it would have quickly shut down our conversation or led to an argument. Instead, I learned all about his beliefs, was able to share many of mine as he felt comfortable enough to ask about them, and made an ongoing friend in the process. Because I was bold enough to ask about his beliefs and didn't need to be judgmental, a form of friendship evangelism has begun that isn't phony - Ed knows right up front that I am a Christian and feels free to ask me more about it.
4/9/10 Mike, 50 something
I want to be able to reach out to people with the Gospel wherever they are at and I've begun to learn to do so, but there are so many more places and circumstances for me to learn how to enter into. One that I am totally unfamiliar with is a bar or tavern, but last night I went to the lounge at the hotel I am at for a work-related conference and struck up a conversation with Mike, who was having a drink and watching hockey on the big screen TV. After some small talk I said "Hey I've got an interesting question for you. What do you think happens after we die? Do you think there is a heaven and a hell?" Mike clearly relished the idea of talking theology with someone, and seemed to be fairly knowledgeable theologically. He is a non-attending Catholic, but seemed to view our conversation as a chance to teach me, answering my questions with profound questions of his own. In so doing he was clearly evading any personal responsibility for his own answers. In his occupation, he is a boss or manager with the responsibility for the hiring and firing of hundreds of people, which helped me to understand how I could have such a long, challenging conversation without really knowing where he was coming from or what he truly believes in. Sometimes as we talked he played the devil's advocate to make a point, but I wasn't always sure when. He claims to believe the Bible, but I don't believe he is living it out. If there was any benefit from our conversation, I believe it might just be the example I try to set by being a doer of the word, and not just a hearer only.
I want to be able to reach out to people with the Gospel wherever they are at and I've begun to learn to do so, but there are so many more places and circumstances for me to learn how to enter into. One that I am totally unfamiliar with is a bar or tavern, but last night I went to the lounge at the hotel I am at for a work-related conference and struck up a conversation with Mike, who was having a drink and watching hockey on the big screen TV. After some small talk I said "Hey I've got an interesting question for you. What do you think happens after we die? Do you think there is a heaven and a hell?" Mike clearly relished the idea of talking theology with someone, and seemed to be fairly knowledgeable theologically. He is a non-attending Catholic, but seemed to view our conversation as a chance to teach me, answering my questions with profound questions of his own. In so doing he was clearly evading any personal responsibility for his own answers. In his occupation, he is a boss or manager with the responsibility for the hiring and firing of hundreds of people, which helped me to understand how I could have such a long, challenging conversation without really knowing where he was coming from or what he truly believes in. Sometimes as we talked he played the devil's advocate to make a point, but I wasn't always sure when. He claims to believe the Bible, but I don't believe he is living it out. If there was any benefit from our conversation, I believe it might just be the example I try to set by being a doer of the word, and not just a hearer only.
4/8/10 Ana, about 20, and Merlodia, about 55
While waiting to meet a friend at Dunkin' Donuts I asked Ana, an employee on her break if I could ask about her beliefs. She believes in God but doesn't like to think about what comes after this life, but an older lady, Merlodia, (spelling?) at the next table overheard our conversation and joined in. I found I could get the same message across to Ana by carrying on my conversation with Merlodia. Eventually Ana had to get back to work so I continued a good discussion with Merlodia. However I found that Merlodia was yet another person I've talked to in the last few days who didn't respond well to my usual line of reasoning about our accountability to God, our judgment and our guilt. I wasn't sure if this was due to language difficulties (she's from Mexico) or if she was just avoiding these subjects either on purpose or subconsciously. Then I switched from asking about her sin, which she seemed well aware of, to talking about my own sinfulness and sharing my personal testimony of how God has worked in my life. This she responded well to, and I eventually found out that life has become very complicated for her with multiple men and fathers of her children and grandchildren that she isn't even sure are hers. I tried my best to reinforce the faint hope she has in forgiveness through faith in Christ, and prayed with her for God's blessing upon her life.
While waiting to meet a friend at Dunkin' Donuts I asked Ana, an employee on her break if I could ask about her beliefs. She believes in God but doesn't like to think about what comes after this life, but an older lady, Merlodia, (spelling?) at the next table overheard our conversation and joined in. I found I could get the same message across to Ana by carrying on my conversation with Merlodia. Eventually Ana had to get back to work so I continued a good discussion with Merlodia. However I found that Merlodia was yet another person I've talked to in the last few days who didn't respond well to my usual line of reasoning about our accountability to God, our judgment and our guilt. I wasn't sure if this was due to language difficulties (she's from Mexico) or if she was just avoiding these subjects either on purpose or subconsciously. Then I switched from asking about her sin, which she seemed well aware of, to talking about my own sinfulness and sharing my personal testimony of how God has worked in my life. This she responded well to, and I eventually found out that life has become very complicated for her with multiple men and fathers of her children and grandchildren that she isn't even sure are hers. I tried my best to reinforce the faint hope she has in forgiveness through faith in Christ, and prayed with her for God's blessing upon her life.
4/7/10 Louise, about 65
At a laundromat I offered a Million Dollar Bill tract with President Obama on it to an elderly lady (Louise). "What would I want this for?" she said in a crabby voice. I replied, "It's a fun collector's item, and it also has a Gospel message on the back. I'm from a church nearby" She responded "What kind of church is it? I'm looking for a church, because I'm tired of all the scandals in the Catholic Church." As we talked I realized that Louise has a very short attention span. not because of being distracted by the things of the world like Kwamee and his friends yesterday, but because she just mentally doesn't seem to grasp the meaning or significance of things. It has me thinking a lot lately about what true faith in Jesus is all about. Does a person necessarily need to know why or how Jesus saves us in order for us to trust him? C.S.Lewis, in his classic book "Mere Christianity" explained it by pointing out that a person doesn't need to know all the details about how food benefits the body in order for it to sustain him. He just needs to eat it! Although Louise asked me a lot of good questions, she would move on to another subject halfway through my answers. She couldn't really follow the usual line of logic that forms the framework of my Gospel conversations. I could tell that her trust is simply "if I am a good person I will go to heaven", but I soon gave up on making sense logically about spiritual things and just tried to be a good listener, to ask about her faith and to give her my undivided attention for a few minutes. She really warmed up to this, and by the end of our conversation I had made a new friend.
At a laundromat I offered a Million Dollar Bill tract with President Obama on it to an elderly lady (Louise). "What would I want this for?" she said in a crabby voice. I replied, "It's a fun collector's item, and it also has a Gospel message on the back. I'm from a church nearby" She responded "What kind of church is it? I'm looking for a church, because I'm tired of all the scandals in the Catholic Church." As we talked I realized that Louise has a very short attention span. not because of being distracted by the things of the world like Kwamee and his friends yesterday, but because she just mentally doesn't seem to grasp the meaning or significance of things. It has me thinking a lot lately about what true faith in Jesus is all about. Does a person necessarily need to know why or how Jesus saves us in order for us to trust him? C.S.Lewis, in his classic book "Mere Christianity" explained it by pointing out that a person doesn't need to know all the details about how food benefits the body in order for it to sustain him. He just needs to eat it! Although Louise asked me a lot of good questions, she would move on to another subject halfway through my answers. She couldn't really follow the usual line of logic that forms the framework of my Gospel conversations. I could tell that her trust is simply "if I am a good person I will go to heaven", but I soon gave up on making sense logically about spiritual things and just tried to be a good listener, to ask about her faith and to give her my undivided attention for a few minutes. She really warmed up to this, and by the end of our conversation I had made a new friend.
4/6/10 Kwamee, Pat, Don all 30 something
Outside Starbucks, I sat down to talk to Kwamee who had that hardened look that comes from running the streets. With his permission, I asked about his beliefs and without hesitation he told me he is a Christian, but further questions revealed he has a low opinion or knowledge of God and a very high opinion of himself, believing God owes him forgiveness because he is a good person compared to others. He couldn't remember any of the Ten Commandments, but when I began to ask about them he soon admitted he is a liar and a thief. His girlfriend (Pat) arrived and he told her "Hey we're having a God talk!" Pat joined in the conversation, and Kwamee went on to admit he is a blasphemer and a murderer and adulterer at heart. Then Don arrived, who is even more of a "player/street hustler" type, and Kwamee put him through the same "good person test" I had given him. All three were interested in my explanation of God's judgment and justice, but when I went on to explain God's forgiveness and grace through faith in Christ I was suddenly battling sirens from ambulances driving by, the roar of the nearby el trains, cell phone rings and conversations, people driving by yelling at us while we talked, and the short attention span of these three friends. It took a lot of hard work to keep this conversation on track, and I just pray the message got through.
Outside Starbucks, I sat down to talk to Kwamee who had that hardened look that comes from running the streets. With his permission, I asked about his beliefs and without hesitation he told me he is a Christian, but further questions revealed he has a low opinion or knowledge of God and a very high opinion of himself, believing God owes him forgiveness because he is a good person compared to others. He couldn't remember any of the Ten Commandments, but when I began to ask about them he soon admitted he is a liar and a thief. His girlfriend (Pat) arrived and he told her "Hey we're having a God talk!" Pat joined in the conversation, and Kwamee went on to admit he is a blasphemer and a murderer and adulterer at heart. Then Don arrived, who is even more of a "player/street hustler" type, and Kwamee put him through the same "good person test" I had given him. All three were interested in my explanation of God's judgment and justice, but when I went on to explain God's forgiveness and grace through faith in Christ I was suddenly battling sirens from ambulances driving by, the roar of the nearby el trains, cell phone rings and conversations, people driving by yelling at us while we talked, and the short attention span of these three friends. It took a lot of hard work to keep this conversation on track, and I just pray the message got through.
4/05/10 Dionte, 21
A busy workday and losing my car keys made it very easy to be "in the flesh" rather than in the Spirit. In that state I arrived to my neighborhood, thinking about the short time I had to witness before I needed to pick up Hannah from soccer practice, but there were literally thousands of White Sox fans partying after an opening day win at Cellular field, all in a totally different mindset than myself. Where do I begin? Who should I talk to? What does it mean to be led by the Spirit on a daily basis? Witnessing daily is difficult because of the transitions in thinking I have to go through to take time to listen and minister to whomever God puts before me, but its the only way I know to practice being available to be used by God at a moment's notice. I sat down at McDonalds and got to know Dionte, an obviously gay young man who had some great insights about eternal things but hadn't pursued them, believing himself to be a positive and naturally happy person who can always turn bad vibes around for good. We talked about a half hour, during which I was able to share the bad news of his sin and accountability to God through exposure to the Ten Commandments. I appreciate that I didn't need to personally confront Dionte (or his partner, who showed up later and took an interest in our conversation) about his lifestyle; his conscience and God's Commandments did that for me. We both had to leave but I told Dionte "I've shared the bad news, but I want you to read about the good news", and he gladly took the additional info I had for him.
A busy workday and losing my car keys made it very easy to be "in the flesh" rather than in the Spirit. In that state I arrived to my neighborhood, thinking about the short time I had to witness before I needed to pick up Hannah from soccer practice, but there were literally thousands of White Sox fans partying after an opening day win at Cellular field, all in a totally different mindset than myself. Where do I begin? Who should I talk to? What does it mean to be led by the Spirit on a daily basis? Witnessing daily is difficult because of the transitions in thinking I have to go through to take time to listen and minister to whomever God puts before me, but its the only way I know to practice being available to be used by God at a moment's notice. I sat down at McDonalds and got to know Dionte, an obviously gay young man who had some great insights about eternal things but hadn't pursued them, believing himself to be a positive and naturally happy person who can always turn bad vibes around for good. We talked about a half hour, during which I was able to share the bad news of his sin and accountability to God through exposure to the Ten Commandments. I appreciate that I didn't need to personally confront Dionte (or his partner, who showed up later and took an interest in our conversation) about his lifestyle; his conscience and God's Commandments did that for me. We both had to leave but I told Dionte "I've shared the bad news, but I want you to read about the good news", and he gladly took the additional info I had for him.
4/04/10 Jordan and Jason, both about 25
Two young men had just gotten off work at a nearby sandwich shop and were enjoying a smoke at a table outside Starbucks. They agreed to answer my questions. I told them that I am a member of a nearby church and asked them about their beliefs and spiritual background. Both have given up on organized religion, but do believe in a higher power of some sort. Jordan believes God is like an energy source that we all become part of when we die, and that he will be rewarded somehow because he is a positive person. Jason believes we will be judged for what we've done in this life and that God will say he is better than most people and he will be rewarded with heaven. They answered my questions about how well they have kept God's law with excuses and rationalizations that the kind of God they believe iin will be one who would overlook their sins, so I warned them about the dangers of wishful thinking. We talked for over half an hour, and they responded to my patience and respect for their opinions by listening to my explanation of the Gospel, how we are accountable to God's law but have the opportunity to receive God's grace. They appreciated that I wasn't forcing my beliefs on them, but that since I truly believe what I was telling them at least I was trying to explain it to them. I am confident they now have a much better understanding of biblical Christianity.
Two young men had just gotten off work at a nearby sandwich shop and were enjoying a smoke at a table outside Starbucks. They agreed to answer my questions. I told them that I am a member of a nearby church and asked them about their beliefs and spiritual background. Both have given up on organized religion, but do believe in a higher power of some sort. Jordan believes God is like an energy source that we all become part of when we die, and that he will be rewarded somehow because he is a positive person. Jason believes we will be judged for what we've done in this life and that God will say he is better than most people and he will be rewarded with heaven. They answered my questions about how well they have kept God's law with excuses and rationalizations that the kind of God they believe iin will be one who would overlook their sins, so I warned them about the dangers of wishful thinking. We talked for over half an hour, and they responded to my patience and respect for their opinions by listening to my explanation of the Gospel, how we are accountable to God's law but have the opportunity to receive God's grace. They appreciated that I wasn't forcing my beliefs on them, but that since I truly believe what I was telling them at least I was trying to explain it to them. I am confident they now have a much better understanding of biblical Christianity.
4/3/10 Marcus, 30, and Marlin, about 25
Today I woke up with clarity, seeing yesterday as a simple reminder of my dependence on the Lord for anything good that happens in and through me. I found it easy to minister to others and spent some time talking to Marcus and Marlin, two hip-hop dressed African Americans that I met while shopping at Target. Marcus had received Christ in his early teens, attended a Christian high school and two years of Bible college, and toured with a Christian choir, but now stays far clear of church because of the hypocrisy he has experienced and his own sinful lifestyle which keeps him from becoming a hypocritical church attendee himself. His friend Marlin, on the other hand, didn't have much of a church background but told me he has been trying to "get his head on straight" because of sin in his life, and decided to hang out with Marcus because he felt it would help. I spent some time sharing the Gospel clearly with Marlin, while Marcus cheered me on. I was sharing the biblical truths that Marcus felt disqualified by sin to say to his friend. They both appreciated this "wake-up call" from God. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:23-25
Today I woke up with clarity, seeing yesterday as a simple reminder of my dependence on the Lord for anything good that happens in and through me. I found it easy to minister to others and spent some time talking to Marcus and Marlin, two hip-hop dressed African Americans that I met while shopping at Target. Marcus had received Christ in his early teens, attended a Christian high school and two years of Bible college, and toured with a Christian choir, but now stays far clear of church because of the hypocrisy he has experienced and his own sinful lifestyle which keeps him from becoming a hypocritical church attendee himself. His friend Marlin, on the other hand, didn't have much of a church background but told me he has been trying to "get his head on straight" because of sin in his life, and decided to hang out with Marcus because he felt it would help. I spent some time sharing the Gospel clearly with Marlin, while Marcus cheered me on. I was sharing the biblical truths that Marcus felt disqualified by sin to say to his friend. They both appreciated this "wake-up call" from God. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:23-25
4/2/10 Me
Yesterday God reminded me of what I am like when I try to live for Him without Him. I woke up feeling unmotivated to reach out to anyone with the Gospel, and instead of turning to God for strength I listened to sermons on-line while I was grading papers (Mark Cahill has some awesome talks available at his website), and church (Good Friday service), and fellowship. These were all good things, but when done without prayer they can simply become busy-ness and a cheap substitute for the thing I really needed, intimate fellowship with God. I went from being unmotivated to disoriented and indecisive about how to use my time, to frustration and a complete lack of joy. My evangelism goal became a burden rather than the gift of God that it has been in my life. I thought of dozens of excuses and I couldn't even think of approaching anyone with the Gospel in this state of mind, and I drove my family crazy with my negative attitude. I knew from past experience that I needed to spend unhurried time with God in prayer, but I just went to bed, hoping this dreary day would end. "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" - Romans 7:24
Yesterday God reminded me of what I am like when I try to live for Him without Him. I woke up feeling unmotivated to reach out to anyone with the Gospel, and instead of turning to God for strength I listened to sermons on-line while I was grading papers (Mark Cahill has some awesome talks available at his website), and church (Good Friday service), and fellowship. These were all good things, but when done without prayer they can simply become busy-ness and a cheap substitute for the thing I really needed, intimate fellowship with God. I went from being unmotivated to disoriented and indecisive about how to use my time, to frustration and a complete lack of joy. My evangelism goal became a burden rather than the gift of God that it has been in my life. I thought of dozens of excuses and I couldn't even think of approaching anyone with the Gospel in this state of mind, and I drove my family crazy with my negative attitude. I knew from past experience that I needed to spend unhurried time with God in prayer, but I just went to bed, hoping this dreary day would end. "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" - Romans 7:24
4/01/10 Paul, about 40
I walked down the sidewalk in Chicago's University Village and asked a man on a bench (Paul) if he had a minute for a few questions. He gave a slight head nod and said "go ahead". I asked if he believes in a higher power and he said he believes in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Without really knowing my beliefs he told about how he came to faith in Jesus at age 24 after several close calls with death due to his involvement in a street gang. He asked about my beliefs and I shared much of my story as well. In some ways he seemed like a mature believer, yet I was able to counsel and pray with him about some key areas of his Christian walk including his church involvement, his theological understanding of Jesus' death and resurrection, his role as spiritual leader in his home, and sharing his faith with others. I praise God for His gift of fellowship and the discovery of fellow believers when I least expect it.
I walked down the sidewalk in Chicago's University Village and asked a man on a bench (Paul) if he had a minute for a few questions. He gave a slight head nod and said "go ahead". I asked if he believes in a higher power and he said he believes in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Without really knowing my beliefs he told about how he came to faith in Jesus at age 24 after several close calls with death due to his involvement in a street gang. He asked about my beliefs and I shared much of my story as well. In some ways he seemed like a mature believer, yet I was able to counsel and pray with him about some key areas of his Christian walk including his church involvement, his theological understanding of Jesus' death and resurrection, his role as spiritual leader in his home, and sharing his faith with others. I praise God for His gift of fellowship and the discovery of fellow believers when I least expect it.
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