Battle Log

Sunday, 18 September, 2022

Posted 18 September 2022, 4:01 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

So good to be at the end of another week of street outreach in Christchurch, NZ.  Praying that Jesus will return, but if he decides to hold his patience, that I will have another week to proclaim his mercy.

Roger is away in Australia, so this week I’ve been alone in my 2 outreaches to Riccarton (Tuesday and Saturday).  It was great to have Andy and John with me on Friday in the city.  And Susan was with me on Sunday.

Tuesday afternoon's outreach in Riccarton was really slow for the first half hour - only one short engagement, but then I was busy with epic chats for the rest of the outreach.  2 chats in particular come to mind.  (I had to really think, but I’ve finally remembered!)

The first with a young guy.  He was very open to chat, so we talked for a long time, but I had to labour with him towards understanding the gospel (check questions to the rescue).  By the end of it, he was professing faith even after counting the cost, and he was keen to start reading the Bible.  So I gave him a copy of the New Testament (tract marking John) and told him to get in touch in regards to finding a church.  I haven’t heard anything as of yet, so I leave him in God’s hands.

The second one was also with a young guy (maybe a bit older).  It was a short chat, because he followed the logic of the law / gospel presentation flawlessly.  He was making comments like, “that makes complete sense”, and “I’ve never had anyone explain it like that before”.  He too left with a copy of the New Testament.

On Friday, it was great to see Andy and John busy in chats (pictured).

I started out with a difficult chat with a guy who was sadly drunk (he even pulled a bottle of beer out of his bag part way through the conversation).  What was also sad was that he was also completely closed to reason.  I couldn’t really make any progress in the conversation, because he kept cutting me off and taking the discussion off on tangents.  I didn’t try to control the conversation, because he just wasn’t open to hearing the gospel.  So I instead laboured the law, when I could, and even looked for opportunities to end the conversation (and spend the time talking to someone else).  I was eventually able to do that, and we parted ways on good terms.  He stayed in the vicinity, and I noticed him watching me from time to time as I handed out tracts and engaged people in conversation.

The highlight chat of the day was a difficult one.  It was with two young ladies (there was a guy hanging around too, but he was on a phone call and so was never involved in the conversation).  There was much resistance from both of them, and yet, I held much hope that they would open up.  I managed to keep them engaged as I worked through the logic of how we know God is real and cares about justice.  One of them, in particular, said “I really hope there is a hell, I really really do”.  That was a sign that she had been deeply hurt.  Yet, she really really hated Christianity.  I was amazed that these girls had hung into this conversation as long as they did!  I was able to explain the gospel, which was a joy, and even start working on check questions.  The 2nd girl was rejecting it because, “I don’t like the rules” (in other words, I want to be god of my own life and live my life my own way).  But, the first girl trusted me enough to share the tragic hurt in her life - and she had associated this hurt to Christianity negatively because her father prayed to God and yet condoned this terrible injustice.  I pleaded with her to not make the mistake of misappropriation: to associate true Christianity with a misrepresentation of it.  There was still much resistance, and yet she thanked me for being patient with her (seriously, my thoughts were the opposite, I thanked HER for being patient with me).  I pray that she would be able to work through this pain, and find forgiveness for those that hurt her, and mercy from Jesus for the wrong she has done.

The highlight chat from Saturday was with a young couple.  We talked for a long time where they seemed to come to an understanding of the gospel.  They both left with: a challenge to accept the gospel, bibles and tracts.  Later they came back and shared about the fact that they were to have a baby!  What a blessing!

Speaking of babies.  I grieve over the 13,000+ babies that are murdered every year in New Zealand through abortion.  And yet, there is hope for forgiveness of this terrible sin because of Jesus!  It was an honour to be able to take part in the March for Life in Christchurch on Saturday afternoon.  Thank you to all those that were involved.  May we continue to be a voice for the voiceless, and bring the hope of mercy in the gospel.  The root of change is the gospel.  God have mercy!  Raise up labourers for the harvest, for your glory.

There were many short opportunities for gospel ministry on Sunday afternoon.  I shared the gospel with a couple of teens who were interested, but seemed a bit distant.  I shared the gospel with another couple of guys - one of whom was openly resistant.  I was able to catch up with a regular (actually one of the owners of the SoYo I minister outside of on Tuesdays and Saturdays).

But the last chat of the day was interesting.  I had my “What happens after life?” flip chart up.  A group of late teens / young adults went past, and one of the kids was really interested in the question.  I was able to get him engaged in conversation even though all his friends kept walking.  He said he had been Buddhist for 2 years, having converted from Christianity (Catholic background).  The conversation was warming up when his friends came back to pull him away, yet, they ended up becoming engaged in the conversation as well.  Sadly, one of the guys kept pulling it off onto rabbit trails.  I did my best to bring it back, but then the conversation was railroaded when a streetie walked into the middle of it ruining the flow that was there.  Sadly, the kids walked off at that point, but Susan made sure they all had tracts.

God willing, those kids will have other opportunities to hear the gospel.  Maybe from you?  Are you ready and willing to share the gospel in your everyday life?  Maybe you’d be interested in some training?