2/28/12 Evan, about 30
On the sidewalk today I asked a businessman named Evan, who was on his way home from work, about his religious beliefs. He takes a "Starbucks" approach to spirituality. By this I mean that just like one has a thousand choices in a coffee shop, Evan picks and chooses any belief that seems attractive to him, regardless of whether it is theologically compatible within a larger set of beliefs or even compared to what he sees in reality for that matter. His answers began with phrases like "I like to think of God as..." or "I prefer to believe...such and such". Many people in our choice-obsessed culture would see no problem with this, but it goes completely against God's burning anger toward the making and worship of false idols. In our day we might not build statues but we build an image and set of beliefs about "God" in our own imaginations - one we are most comfortable with. We don't like the idea that God has already revealed everything we need to know about Himself in the pages of the Bible. The only "choice" we may have is to surrender to Him just as He is, or to continue to rebel against him. Some argue that Christianity itself is random and arbitrary, but I ask when, during the hundreds of years of the writing of scripture, were any arbitrary choices made by any individuals? The Bible must be taken as a whole, just as the 66 books within it each had to be accepted into the Canon of scripture as a whole, leaving no room for individuals to pick and choose arbitrary beliefs. I explained to Evan that one reason I am more and more convinced as a Christian is that the more I read and reread the Bible the more I see a miraculous harmony between the 40 or so authors of its 66 books, each from differing economic, cultural, geographic and language background but all agreeing and contributing to the unfolding story of God's sovreignty and redemption throughout history...
Gospel conversations from the streets and marketplace....
2/27/12 George, about 20
I used a "million dollar" gospel tract to start a conversation with a U of I college student - George - on the sidewalk today. He recognized it as a religious tract right away, and seemed to be disinterested in talking, saying that one can't really know what happens after we die, so why bother trying? Even his body language indicated he intended to walk away, but he hung around and became increasingly interested in talking. I eventually was able to share both the law and grace of the Gospel with him, answering several of his well-thought out questions along the way. George later thanked me for not preaching at him, like he has seen some evangelists do, and for not asking for his money like he has seen some TV preachers do, but for taking the time to listen to his viewpoints and have a two-way conversation with him. "You didn't point your finger at me and tell me I'm going to hell" he said. "But I did tell you some very hard truths, including the truth about hell, didn't I?" I responded. "But you were friendly about it, and you listened to me" was his answer. If we are Jesus' people, we do need to take a stand and share Gospel truths, but let's not let the way we share it get in the way.
I used a "million dollar" gospel tract to start a conversation with a U of I college student - George - on the sidewalk today. He recognized it as a religious tract right away, and seemed to be disinterested in talking, saying that one can't really know what happens after we die, so why bother trying? Even his body language indicated he intended to walk away, but he hung around and became increasingly interested in talking. I eventually was able to share both the law and grace of the Gospel with him, answering several of his well-thought out questions along the way. George later thanked me for not preaching at him, like he has seen some evangelists do, and for not asking for his money like he has seen some TV preachers do, but for taking the time to listen to his viewpoints and have a two-way conversation with him. "You didn't point your finger at me and tell me I'm going to hell" he said. "But I did tell you some very hard truths, including the truth about hell, didn't I?" I responded. "But you were friendly about it, and you listened to me" was his answer. If we are Jesus' people, we do need to take a stand and share Gospel truths, but let's not let the way we share it get in the way.
Should we always share the whole Gospel?
2/25/12 Teens
I was on an outreach
adventure with Joe, a church brother, when we encountered a group of
older teens who were very much indoctrinated into the lifestyle and
values of the Satan's Disciples, street gang here in Chicago. They were
willing to talk but very distracted because of their habit of
constantly scanning the street life going on all around us.
I
asked them simple questions like "What do you think comes next after we
leave this earth?", "Do you believe you have a soul?", "What is
eternity?", "Do you believe in God?". This was enough to stir up a good
conversation and to convey simple truths like the fact that God does
exist and will one day hold them accountable.
They had heard of
the idea of "judgment day", but associated it with the end of the world
rather than personal accountability. They said with bravado that they
will go to hell, more as a badge of honor than something to be taken
seriously, at least in front of one another.
Finally, the
distraction of the streets and who was driving by got them best of them
and they took off, focusing again on all the drama and excitement of
street life.
I felt like John the Baptist, preparing my audience
for the Gospel by warning them of God's existence and the judgment to
come, but stopping short of actually sharing the Gospel itself. Should I
have more quickly shared about Jesus?
At one point in his
ministry, Jesus made a strange comparison that I think might apply here.
He said “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to
pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and
tear you to pieces."
I take this to mean that we shouldn't share
the valuable treasure of the Gospel with those who aren't ready to
appreciate it. In this case I believed these guys weren't yet able to
appreciate the precious pearl that Jesus is, but like John the Baptist's
ministry these young men did need to hear some foundational or
preliminary truths that would help prepare them to see their need for
Him in the future.
The Bible describes John as “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare
the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” And so John the
Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance
for the forgiveness of sins."
But back then John's message could
afford to be simpler and more straightforward - no one had previously
heard of Jesus and everyone needed to be prepared for His message. Not
so in our time, when everyone can be at a different place in terms of
hearing Jesus' message. I couldn't be sure of what these teens had
already heard about Him, so I had to rely on my own judgement call based
on common sense and trust in the Holy Spirit.
They live near me
so I may hopefully run into them again, hopefully under less distracting
circumstances. I hope and pray for the chance to tell one or more of
them more about Jesus the next time.
2/22/12 Selan and Anthony, early 20's
On the IIT campus today, Micah and I had a pair of conversations with two students who were unbelievers for two opposite reasons. Selan (spelling?), from India, does not believe in God because he has never seen evidence of Him. He wished for some kind of spiritual experience, anything, just to let him know that God is there. Even if it was just a one-time appearance, never to be repeated, Selan thought it would completely change his mind about God. I shared both the bad news of our sin and the good news of God's grace in Jesus, but Selan seemed unmoved. Bottom line, he still believes he needs some sort of sign from God. Later, Micah and I prayed for just the sort of spiritual sign that would bring Selan to belief in God and faith in Christ. Then we met Anthony. He told us he is convinced of God's existence, having had an experience with a ghostly spirit when he was young. But because of this Anthony now believes he has the ability to connect with God on his own, without the guidance of the Bible or any organized religion. He has constructed his own ideas about God, not realizing that he has created an idol in his own imagination instead. His spiritual beliefs are all over the board, based on no authority but his feelings and preferences on what God should be like. He didn't have a Bible so I gave him one, challenging him to read it and see for himself how God has revealed Himself through history.
On the IIT campus today, Micah and I had a pair of conversations with two students who were unbelievers for two opposite reasons. Selan (spelling?), from India, does not believe in God because he has never seen evidence of Him. He wished for some kind of spiritual experience, anything, just to let him know that God is there. Even if it was just a one-time appearance, never to be repeated, Selan thought it would completely change his mind about God. I shared both the bad news of our sin and the good news of God's grace in Jesus, but Selan seemed unmoved. Bottom line, he still believes he needs some sort of sign from God. Later, Micah and I prayed for just the sort of spiritual sign that would bring Selan to belief in God and faith in Christ. Then we met Anthony. He told us he is convinced of God's existence, having had an experience with a ghostly spirit when he was young. But because of this Anthony now believes he has the ability to connect with God on his own, without the guidance of the Bible or any organized religion. He has constructed his own ideas about God, not realizing that he has created an idol in his own imagination instead. His spiritual beliefs are all over the board, based on no authority but his feelings and preferences on what God should be like. He didn't have a Bible so I gave him one, challenging him to read it and see for himself how God has revealed Himself through history.
How Can We "Make the Most of Every Opportunity" When it Comes to Gospel Proclamation?
2/20/12 - Three Teenage Guys
I
was out in the park sharing some Gospel truths with a middle aged man
and his wife when three teens stopped near us looking like they wanted
to talk.
I turned to the teens, not sure what they wanted, and
shared some truths about the Lord and our accountability to Him. They
were interested but their lack of questions let me know this wasn't what
they wanted, so I wrapped up early with a challenge to read what I had
given them.
It was then that they let me know what they wanted.
"We need to interview someone for a class project at school. We want
to ask your opinions about smoking"
I agreed and as they got
out a video camera I realized I had about a minute to talk to not just
these guys but to their whole class through their video, and I wanted to
use the opportunity to encourage them toward faith in the Lord.
At
the same time, I needed to remain true to the purpose of the interview.
If I strayed too far off topic I believed they wouldn't be able to use
my interview in their project.
What to say?
I just
talked about how I want to serve God to the best of my ability and I
can't do that if I don't take care of my body. Smoking would eventually
harm my ability to serve God, and I don't want to destroy my health for
that reason.
Nothing profound, but who knows? Maybe that
class or at least a few individuals in it can benefit from seeing an
adult sharing some biblical values that they hadn't considered before.
In
Ephesians 4, Paul wrote that we should "make the most of every
opportunity" when it comes to proclaiming the Gospel. Opportunities
take many forms, so he didn't give us step-by-step instructions on how
exactly that should be done.
But Paul did follow up with some
general advice: "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned
with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
Just
as salt is a seasoning that one can apply after the meal is cooked and
according to individual taste, so can our words be applied in the moment
and in response to different situations. We don't need to memorize a
"canned spiel", but are to respond as the situation presents itself.
I
believe Jesus said as much when he taught the disciples how to respond
to persecution. He said “Make up your mind not to worry beforehand how
you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that
none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."
We
don't always experience the uncertainty of persecution, but if we
faithfully strive to proclaim the Gospel we will definitely be given an
unforeseeable variety of situations. We can make the most of every
opportunity because Jesus has and will give us the words and wisdom we
need at the time.
And this need not be a shot in the dark. We
can prepare and practice ahead of time, in between gospel conversations.
We can prayerfully take in the words and wisdom of scripture, filling
up our tank so to speak, so that what is needed can then flow out at the
appropriate time, making the most of EVERY opportunity we are given.
2/18/12 Don, about 35
After a week of experimenting with using Jesus' parables as a way to initiate witnessing conversations, I have been surprised by two things. 1.) The willingness and openess of almost every person I have approached to share their opinions about a biblical parable, and 2.) The inability of almost every person I've talked to see the spiritual meaning conveyed in the parable. I used the Parable of the Talents and most of the 15 people I talked to had never heard it before. I'm reminded we live in an increasingly biblically illiterate culture. This morning I met Don, a new guy at my workout gym, and after some conversation I explained what I am doing and he agreed to give his opinions about the parable. He thought the master in the parable represented greedy bankers, and the parable in general is a commentary on greed in society. When asked if he thought the master would fit his ideas about God, he disagreed. "God wouldn't be so greedy, and he wouldn't punish the unproductive servant." This led to a much longer conversation about God, and left a lot of room for more conversations with Don in the future.
After a week of experimenting with using Jesus' parables as a way to initiate witnessing conversations, I have been surprised by two things. 1.) The willingness and openess of almost every person I have approached to share their opinions about a biblical parable, and 2.) The inability of almost every person I've talked to see the spiritual meaning conveyed in the parable. I used the Parable of the Talents and most of the 15 people I talked to had never heard it before. I'm reminded we live in an increasingly biblically illiterate culture. This morning I met Don, a new guy at my workout gym, and after some conversation I explained what I am doing and he agreed to give his opinions about the parable. He thought the master in the parable represented greedy bankers, and the parable in general is a commentary on greed in society. When asked if he thought the master would fit his ideas about God, he disagreed. "God wouldn't be so greedy, and he wouldn't punish the unproductive servant." This led to a much longer conversation about God, and left a lot of room for more conversations with Don in the future.
What Can We Learn About God from Jesus' Parable of the Talents?
2/15/12 Sheldon, Daniel early 20's
I tallked about Jesus' Parable of the Talents with two college students from China, Daniel and Sheldon (their westernized names), who had grown up under communist ideology with no exposure or knowledge of any religions, only faith in what can be scientifically proven. They had never heard of the Ten Commandments, never read a Bible, and when I told them that the parable I was about to read them had been taught by Jesus, I had to explain who He was!
I read the parable to them, considering how three servants had been trusted with differing amounts of their masters wealth and held accountable for what they had done with what they had been given. I asked what they thought of it, and they generally agreed that the master in the parable had acted cruelly to his servants in two ways - by not giving them equal "talents" (resources) to begin with, and by punishing the third servant for not producing a profit.
I went on to ask what they would think of God if this parable described Him. They seemed genuinely surprised, like they have never considered the idea of "God" before. We talked about the obvious injustice, but when on to consider what this would imply about God if it explains anything about Him.
So what can we learn about God from this parable? We talked about three main points: 1.) how if there is an ultimate Creator God, he would be the owner/master of all things; how He would be the giver of all things and ultimately we would only be stewards or managers of "our" possessions rather than owners; 2.) how God would have the right to hold us accountable for what we do with the resources that He provides and would have every right to reward or punish us; and 3.) how an all-knowing God would know our thoughts and intentions and could tell if we give an honest effort or are truly just being lazy.
Whew! These are important lessons to begin to teach when talking to people of an entirely different world view. I think Daniel and Sheldon gained a very different perspective of Christianity than they might otherwise encounter in our culture. I hope and pray this Jesus and his profound teaching compels them to keep learning about Him.
I tallked about Jesus' Parable of the Talents with two college students from China, Daniel and Sheldon (their westernized names), who had grown up under communist ideology with no exposure or knowledge of any religions, only faith in what can be scientifically proven. They had never heard of the Ten Commandments, never read a Bible, and when I told them that the parable I was about to read them had been taught by Jesus, I had to explain who He was!
I read the parable to them, considering how three servants had been trusted with differing amounts of their masters wealth and held accountable for what they had done with what they had been given. I asked what they thought of it, and they generally agreed that the master in the parable had acted cruelly to his servants in two ways - by not giving them equal "talents" (resources) to begin with, and by punishing the third servant for not producing a profit.
I went on to ask what they would think of God if this parable described Him. They seemed genuinely surprised, like they have never considered the idea of "God" before. We talked about the obvious injustice, but when on to consider what this would imply about God if it explains anything about Him.
So what can we learn about God from this parable? We talked about three main points: 1.) how if there is an ultimate Creator God, he would be the owner/master of all things; how He would be the giver of all things and ultimately we would only be stewards or managers of "our" possessions rather than owners; 2.) how God would have the right to hold us accountable for what we do with the resources that He provides and would have every right to reward or punish us; and 3.) how an all-knowing God would know our thoughts and intentions and could tell if we give an honest effort or are truly just being lazy.
Whew! These are important lessons to begin to teach when talking to people of an entirely different world view. I think Daniel and Sheldon gained a very different perspective of Christianity than they might otherwise encounter in our culture. I hope and pray this Jesus and his profound teaching compels them to keep learning about Him.
How Can We Share the Gospel With Friends and Acquaintances?
2/14/12 Angel, about 45
There is a big difference in how I relate the Gospel with strangers I may likely never see again; with friends acquaintances I run into only every so often; and with family and co-workers I see most every day.
Most of the conversations I write about are with strangers. As for coworkers and family members I respect their privacy and don't write about them, except maybe to say here that this is where the Gospel may be better "caught" than "taught". But for acquaintances I run into every now and then, I wonder if Jesus' habit of using stories and parables might be particularly helpful.
I used to go to a workout gym, and ran into a lady named Angel once in a while. We would have only polite, shallow conversations until one day when I asked for her opinions about the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25 for an upcoming sermon I was giving. This is the story of the servants who were all put in charge of different amounts of gold and held accountable for what they had done with it.
Angel said she is Catholic but believes the Bible is only a human invention, not to be taken as the Word of God. She was familiar with the parable of the Talents but confused it with the Prodigal Son, a story that makes her mad because to her it seems the younger prodigal son is rewarded in the end for squandering his inheritance while the older brother was responsible with his.
Angel takes great pride in the hard work she does for a living, looking down on most poor people for being lazy. She liked the parable of the talents, because the two hardworking servants are rewarded for their efforts. Still, she felt the punishment of being cast in the outer darkness and the weeping and gnashing of teeth for the lazy one was too harsh. She finished her workout and had to leave before we could talk much further, but I feel that instead of burning a bridge of communication, talking about this parable helped build a bridge with Angel, and I felt I could share more gospel truths with her in the future.
Jesus, who taught so much through the use of parables, also said "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword". He knew that His good news of the Kingdom of Heaven would cause division, even among family members.
The gospel is by its very nature confrontational. Isn't that one thing we fear about witnessing - causing division? This is especially true when it comes to people we have an ongoing relationship with. So how do we avoid "burning our bridges" when sharing the deep truths of the Gospel, truths that could easily cause discomfort, division, and even alienation in the relationship we have with a loved one or a friend?
I believe this is one reason for Jesus' use of parables in conveying spiritual truth. They have a way of dispensing truth in small, easy to swallow doses rather than in a fatal overdose. I might not have the luxury of time with a stranger I may never see again, so with them I've learned to get to the point quickly. But with ongoing relationships a parable sharing spiritual truths might be just what they need to hear.
There is a big difference in how I relate the Gospel with strangers I may likely never see again; with friends acquaintances I run into only every so often; and with family and co-workers I see most every day.
Most of the conversations I write about are with strangers. As for coworkers and family members I respect their privacy and don't write about them, except maybe to say here that this is where the Gospel may be better "caught" than "taught". But for acquaintances I run into every now and then, I wonder if Jesus' habit of using stories and parables might be particularly helpful.
I used to go to a workout gym, and ran into a lady named Angel once in a while. We would have only polite, shallow conversations until one day when I asked for her opinions about the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25 for an upcoming sermon I was giving. This is the story of the servants who were all put in charge of different amounts of gold and held accountable for what they had done with it.
Angel said she is Catholic but believes the Bible is only a human invention, not to be taken as the Word of God. She was familiar with the parable of the Talents but confused it with the Prodigal Son, a story that makes her mad because to her it seems the younger prodigal son is rewarded in the end for squandering his inheritance while the older brother was responsible with his.
Angel takes great pride in the hard work she does for a living, looking down on most poor people for being lazy. She liked the parable of the talents, because the two hardworking servants are rewarded for their efforts. Still, she felt the punishment of being cast in the outer darkness and the weeping and gnashing of teeth for the lazy one was too harsh. She finished her workout and had to leave before we could talk much further, but I feel that instead of burning a bridge of communication, talking about this parable helped build a bridge with Angel, and I felt I could share more gospel truths with her in the future.
Jesus, who taught so much through the use of parables, also said "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword". He knew that His good news of the Kingdom of Heaven would cause division, even among family members.
The gospel is by its very nature confrontational. Isn't that one thing we fear about witnessing - causing division? This is especially true when it comes to people we have an ongoing relationship with. So how do we avoid "burning our bridges" when sharing the deep truths of the Gospel, truths that could easily cause discomfort, division, and even alienation in the relationship we have with a loved one or a friend?
I believe this is one reason for Jesus' use of parables in conveying spiritual truth. They have a way of dispensing truth in small, easy to swallow doses rather than in a fatal overdose. I might not have the luxury of time with a stranger I may never see again, so with them I've learned to get to the point quickly. But with ongoing relationships a parable sharing spiritual truths might be just what they need to hear.
2/13/12 Dennis, about 30
This week I've been trying a different approach to witnessing. I've been asking people for their opinions about Jesus' Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25. At a local coffehouse I asked a man named Dennis if he would take a few minutes to read it and tell me what he thinks of it. I gave him a sheet of paper with the parable printed on it and my questions below - I think just handing him a Bible would have been too intimidating - and he read it carefully before we talked. I found out later that Dennis has come to doubt God's existence in favor of a sort of new age "communal energy source as higher power" theory about God, but for the sake of our discussion he seriously considered what God would be like if He is indeed like the master of the servants in the parable. It led to a much longer conversation focused not on our individual beliefs but on what this Bible passage actually says. Dennis saw what valuable truths and insights can be mined from a section of scripture, and my prayer is that he will take the Bible more seriously and begin to read it for himself.
This week I've been trying a different approach to witnessing. I've been asking people for their opinions about Jesus' Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25. At a local coffehouse I asked a man named Dennis if he would take a few minutes to read it and tell me what he thinks of it. I gave him a sheet of paper with the parable printed on it and my questions below - I think just handing him a Bible would have been too intimidating - and he read it carefully before we talked. I found out later that Dennis has come to doubt God's existence in favor of a sort of new age "communal energy source as higher power" theory about God, but for the sake of our discussion he seriously considered what God would be like if He is indeed like the master of the servants in the parable. It led to a much longer conversation focused not on our individual beliefs but on what this Bible passage actually says. Dennis saw what valuable truths and insights can be mined from a section of scripture, and my prayer is that he will take the Bible more seriously and begin to read it for himself.
2/11/12 Nick, Cody both about 20
In preparation for an upcoming sermon based on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) I've decided to take an unusual approach. I've asking people on the street what they think of it. "Do you think God is like the master in the parable? Why/why not?" "What does it say about the Kingdom of Heaven" and "Who do you relate to in the parable?" etc. So far it has led to some interesting conversations. Two guys in a Burger King today - Nick and Cody - couldn't accept that God would punish the servant for hiding his talents. They went on to say that the parable is more about God testing us while we are here on this earth and rewarding us for the good things we do. "But what is the purpose of a test if the consequences are the same whether we pass or fail?" I asked. "Would there only be a reward or might people also be punished for their actions?" Though not usually seen as evangelistic in nature, I think this parable teaches some basic ideas about God that are required to understand the Gospel - that He is the Master and has every right to hold us accountable for our actions. That just as He will welcome his faithful servants to "Come and share your master’s happiness!" - He also has the right to "throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness". My questions about the parable led to a clear explanation of the Gospel. Naturally, Nick and Cory saw themselves as the good guys in the story, so I needed to go on to give them some "good person questions" based on the Ten Commandments to help them see things from the perspective of God's law before His grace in Jesus could make sense. As Nick and Cody agreed, they need to do some business with God - please pray for them!
In preparation for an upcoming sermon based on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) I've decided to take an unusual approach. I've asking people on the street what they think of it. "Do you think God is like the master in the parable? Why/why not?" "What does it say about the Kingdom of Heaven" and "Who do you relate to in the parable?" etc. So far it has led to some interesting conversations. Two guys in a Burger King today - Nick and Cody - couldn't accept that God would punish the servant for hiding his talents. They went on to say that the parable is more about God testing us while we are here on this earth and rewarding us for the good things we do. "But what is the purpose of a test if the consequences are the same whether we pass or fail?" I asked. "Would there only be a reward or might people also be punished for their actions?" Though not usually seen as evangelistic in nature, I think this parable teaches some basic ideas about God that are required to understand the Gospel - that He is the Master and has every right to hold us accountable for our actions. That just as He will welcome his faithful servants to "Come and share your master’s happiness!" - He also has the right to "throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness". My questions about the parable led to a clear explanation of the Gospel. Naturally, Nick and Cory saw themselves as the good guys in the story, so I needed to go on to give them some "good person questions" based on the Ten Commandments to help them see things from the perspective of God's law before His grace in Jesus could make sense. As Nick and Cody agreed, they need to do some business with God - please pray for them!
How Can We Do Gospel Outreach When It's So Cold Outside?
2/10/12 Jose and Rosario both about 30
It was cold and snowy on my way home from work, but people still need to hear the Gospel so I decided to take my witnessing outreach indoors. I looked in the window of a laundromat as I drove past and saw that it was full of people, so I turned around and stopped in to see what the Lord might do.
The first person I talked to there was a man named Jose who was doing his laundry with his wife, Rosario. His faith in God begins and ends with his occasional visits to mass at their Catholic Church. Jose doesn't read the Bible on his own; in fact he doesn't even have one. He simply trusts that if he tries to be good - like going to church - he will be rewarded in the next life.
We talked about the impossible standard that being "good" requires. Jose believes God should just forgive us when we ask, so I explained how God's justice can't be bought with cheap apologies. The cost was tremendous - His own Son, Christ crucified - and available for those who repent and believe.
I gave Jose and Rosario a Spanish-language Bible and saw a wonderful sight as I drove away and looked again in the laundromat window. This time instead of just people mindlessly doing their chores I now saw a man and his wife intently reading God's word! There was something about that sight through the frosty windows that really warmed my heart.
So how can we do outreach when it's so cold out? Reach in - to coffee shops, grocery stores and yes, even the laundromat!
It was cold and snowy on my way home from work, but people still need to hear the Gospel so I decided to take my witnessing outreach indoors. I looked in the window of a laundromat as I drove past and saw that it was full of people, so I turned around and stopped in to see what the Lord might do.
The first person I talked to there was a man named Jose who was doing his laundry with his wife, Rosario. His faith in God begins and ends with his occasional visits to mass at their Catholic Church. Jose doesn't read the Bible on his own; in fact he doesn't even have one. He simply trusts that if he tries to be good - like going to church - he will be rewarded in the next life.
We talked about the impossible standard that being "good" requires. Jose believes God should just forgive us when we ask, so I explained how God's justice can't be bought with cheap apologies. The cost was tremendous - His own Son, Christ crucified - and available for those who repent and believe.
I gave Jose and Rosario a Spanish-language Bible and saw a wonderful sight as I drove away and looked again in the laundromat window. This time instead of just people mindlessly doing their chores I now saw a man and his wife intently reading God's word! There was something about that sight through the frosty windows that really warmed my heart.
So how can we do outreach when it's so cold out? Reach in - to coffee shops, grocery stores and yes, even the laundromat!
2/6/12 Chris, about 23
Please pray for Chris, a young man I met today while shopping and witnessing at a Target store. Chris remembered me from a conversation I had with his sister months ago. After that conversation he came to visit my church and attends our larger central congregation with his father on occasion. He said he is touched by the inspirational music and inspiring atmosphere, but I began to wonder exactly where he is at with the Lord. "Church is important and helpful, but where are you at with the Lord? What would happen should you die today and find yourself before His judgment throne?" I asked. "Well I could die any day - I have stage four cancer" he told me. I'm sure I looked shocked, so he said happily "Luckily, its in remission now, and I feel great!" This added new urgency to my witnessing, so I continued to ask about his beliefs, finding out he basically believes he will be good enough to go to heaven. To complicate matters, Chris has obviously adopted a homosexual lifestyle and struggles with a reading disability which keeps him from comprehending meaning while reading. He gave mental ascent to the Gospel message I shared with him, but I could detect no heartfelt conviction. We talked about alternative ways he might study the Bible other than reading, with participation in a small Bible study group being my first recommendation. Please pray that God will move quickly in his life while there is still time.
Please pray for Chris, a young man I met today while shopping and witnessing at a Target store. Chris remembered me from a conversation I had with his sister months ago. After that conversation he came to visit my church and attends our larger central congregation with his father on occasion. He said he is touched by the inspirational music and inspiring atmosphere, but I began to wonder exactly where he is at with the Lord. "Church is important and helpful, but where are you at with the Lord? What would happen should you die today and find yourself before His judgment throne?" I asked. "Well I could die any day - I have stage four cancer" he told me. I'm sure I looked shocked, so he said happily "Luckily, its in remission now, and I feel great!" This added new urgency to my witnessing, so I continued to ask about his beliefs, finding out he basically believes he will be good enough to go to heaven. To complicate matters, Chris has obviously adopted a homosexual lifestyle and struggles with a reading disability which keeps him from comprehending meaning while reading. He gave mental ascent to the Gospel message I shared with him, but I could detect no heartfelt conviction. We talked about alternative ways he might study the Bible other than reading, with participation in a small Bible study group being my first recommendation. Please pray that God will move quickly in his life while there is still time.
2/3/12 Anroch, about 60
I stopped at a Burger King where I met an older gentleman named Anroch (spelling?) who agreed to answer some questions about his spiritual beliefs. He is an African-American from the old South and and a baptist upbringing. He said his name is a traditional African name, though I'm not sure if its a name he was given at birth or that he assumed later in life. He has explored many types of beliefs and has now created his own custom-made religion that is very much like that of the movie "Avatar", where God is seen as a sort of natural energy field where we all come from and to where we all return after we die. He critcizes the God of Christianity, saying that such a God would have no right to allow such pain and suffering to exist on earth, and he believes we create our own heaven or hell by the way we live our lives. Anrock spoke with an authoritative tone as if he has it all figured out, though he claimed no outside information source such as an established religion. I talked about the problem of believing God is like an energy source - that just like we now know a lot about using and controlling electricity for our own purposes, with enough information we would eventually use and control such a "higher power" in the same way. I reminded him that the God of the Bible makes choices and has preferences and is completely sovereign - if He wasn't He would be our servant and we would be the "gods" instead. Anroch saw no problem with this and said he believes we are all gods after all. I asked, "But isn't that what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with - that they could be like God themselves and make their own rules rather than obey the real God? What happens when the earth is filled with masses of people who each feel they deserve to be God and rebel against His laws - wouldn't that lead to the selfishness, violence and injustice that he was just complaining about?" Anroch has been inventing his own religion for years; he wasn't about to let a stranger at Burger King convince him of anything new. But I know God is much bigger than that....
I stopped at a Burger King where I met an older gentleman named Anroch (spelling?) who agreed to answer some questions about his spiritual beliefs. He is an African-American from the old South and and a baptist upbringing. He said his name is a traditional African name, though I'm not sure if its a name he was given at birth or that he assumed later in life. He has explored many types of beliefs and has now created his own custom-made religion that is very much like that of the movie "Avatar", where God is seen as a sort of natural energy field where we all come from and to where we all return after we die. He critcizes the God of Christianity, saying that such a God would have no right to allow such pain and suffering to exist on earth, and he believes we create our own heaven or hell by the way we live our lives. Anrock spoke with an authoritative tone as if he has it all figured out, though he claimed no outside information source such as an established religion. I talked about the problem of believing God is like an energy source - that just like we now know a lot about using and controlling electricity for our own purposes, with enough information we would eventually use and control such a "higher power" in the same way. I reminded him that the God of the Bible makes choices and has preferences and is completely sovereign - if He wasn't He would be our servant and we would be the "gods" instead. Anroch saw no problem with this and said he believes we are all gods after all. I asked, "But isn't that what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with - that they could be like God themselves and make their own rules rather than obey the real God? What happens when the earth is filled with masses of people who each feel they deserve to be God and rebel against His laws - wouldn't that lead to the selfishness, violence and injustice that he was just complaining about?" Anroch has been inventing his own religion for years; he wasn't about to let a stranger at Burger King convince him of anything new. But I know God is much bigger than that....
2/2/12 Rafael, about 45
At a park I met a man named Rafael who grew up Catholic, joined the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW), and has now dropped out of religious involvement altogether. He left the JW's because he couldn't live up to their legalistic standards. He now simply tries to live by the Golden Rule and hopes that he is doing enough in God's eyes. We talked a while and I ended up explaining why the JW's have such high legalistic standards. In a nutshell here I explained that the JW's believe that Jesus is a created being rather than God incarnate. As a created being of finite worth Jesus would not be able to bear the sins of the world or even our own sins for that matter because -being of infinite worth- God's justice demands an infinite penalty for our sin and rebellion against Himself, or a substitute of infinite worth. However, as God's only begotten Son, Jesus provides the perfect sacrifice - able to die in our place because He has never sinned Himself; and able to take upon Himself the sin of all who will put their trust in Him because He has infinite worth and value. The natural conclusion of a JW would be that, because they believe Jesus is only a created being, his sacrifice on the cross was incomplete and must be supplemented with good works - leading to a legalistic mindset that asks "what more do I have to do to be saved?". The Christian, on the other hand, is able to say "I'm saved! I want to do the most I can do express my love and gratitude toward my Savior!!"
At a park I met a man named Rafael who grew up Catholic, joined the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW), and has now dropped out of religious involvement altogether. He left the JW's because he couldn't live up to their legalistic standards. He now simply tries to live by the Golden Rule and hopes that he is doing enough in God's eyes. We talked a while and I ended up explaining why the JW's have such high legalistic standards. In a nutshell here I explained that the JW's believe that Jesus is a created being rather than God incarnate. As a created being of finite worth Jesus would not be able to bear the sins of the world or even our own sins for that matter because -being of infinite worth- God's justice demands an infinite penalty for our sin and rebellion against Himself, or a substitute of infinite worth. However, as God's only begotten Son, Jesus provides the perfect sacrifice - able to die in our place because He has never sinned Himself; and able to take upon Himself the sin of all who will put their trust in Him because He has infinite worth and value. The natural conclusion of a JW would be that, because they believe Jesus is only a created being, his sacrifice on the cross was incomplete and must be supplemented with good works - leading to a legalistic mindset that asks "what more do I have to do to be saved?". The Christian, on the other hand, is able to say "I'm saved! I want to do the most I can do express my love and gratitude toward my Savior!!"
2/1/12 Calvin, about 45
On my way home from work today I stopped for some groceries. Wherever there are people there are opportunities to share the Gospel so I struck up a conversation with another shopper named Calvin. He was more than happy to vent his frustrations with the hypocrisy and injustice he sees in our government, capitalism, church, and God Himself, saying that he can't believe in a God who would let the world get into the horrible state it is in. He reminded me of some of the "Occupy" protestors I've seen on TV. We had a long, interesting discussion right there in the frozen foods aisle. Calvin grew up in a southside Chicago housing project and, beginning with his grandmother's Baptist church, has a history of moving from one church to another. However because of the hypocracy he says he found, he now claims he can't believe in God. What could I tell Calvin that he hasn't heard before? Calvin believes strongly in his own sense of right and wrong, so I asked how he measures up according to his own standard. Asking about specific sins such as lying helped him to see he is guilty of the same wrongs he judges in others. I asked how the world would be if people obeyed their God-given conscience. "Can we really blame God for allowing the world to be in this state, or should we take responsibility for it ourselves?" We didn't solve the world's problems in the 20 minutes or so that we talked, but I pray this conversation might have helped Calvin to stop blaming them on God.
On my way home from work today I stopped for some groceries. Wherever there are people there are opportunities to share the Gospel so I struck up a conversation with another shopper named Calvin. He was more than happy to vent his frustrations with the hypocrisy and injustice he sees in our government, capitalism, church, and God Himself, saying that he can't believe in a God who would let the world get into the horrible state it is in. He reminded me of some of the "Occupy" protestors I've seen on TV. We had a long, interesting discussion right there in the frozen foods aisle. Calvin grew up in a southside Chicago housing project and, beginning with his grandmother's Baptist church, has a history of moving from one church to another. However because of the hypocracy he says he found, he now claims he can't believe in God. What could I tell Calvin that he hasn't heard before? Calvin believes strongly in his own sense of right and wrong, so I asked how he measures up according to his own standard. Asking about specific sins such as lying helped him to see he is guilty of the same wrongs he judges in others. I asked how the world would be if people obeyed their God-given conscience. "Can we really blame God for allowing the world to be in this state, or should we take responsibility for it ourselves?" We didn't solve the world's problems in the 20 minutes or so that we talked, but I pray this conversation might have helped Calvin to stop blaming them on God.
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