Battle Log

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This past week of outreaches has been exciting seeing more and more people come out and many people hearing the gospel. Wednesday afternoon was no different. During the afternoon a number of people came up and did the flip chart, asked questions or were approached and came to hear what God has done to save sinners.

An early conversation was with two young ladies who'd grown up Catholic and were sure that they knew the way to Heaven but when asked, they had no idea. They rejoiced in their sin and laughed their way through the good person test but the realisation of the predicament seemed to hit home behind the charade. They were shown that they goodness can't pay their Hell punishment in the same way that it won't pay a speeding fine.

They were shown the desperate position that they are in but openly declared that they loved their sin and didn't want to give it up for anything. They didn't even get to hear what God has done to save sinners as they left gloating over some of the things they'd done.

Next with a conversation with Ryan who has spoken to the team before months ago. He too had a strong Catholic background but last time had asked many questions about the Bible. Not ones that were attempting to undermine it but ones with an interest to understand how it all worked together. He couldn't quite remember the gospel and so that was reiterated again for him and this time he seemed to get it. He once again was challenged with the seriousness of what had been said, that God had been merciful to let him live these past few months but that he wasn't guaranteed another reminder or another chance to respond in faith and therefore he should count the cost of following Christ and trust in Him today!

The last conversation of the afternoon was with Connor and unsurprisingly he too had a Catholic background. He had almost no memory of most the things the church teaches but said that he was already trusting in Jesus. As usual he was show God's goodness, his wickedness, the penalty this deserves and then was walked slowly through the gospel as he took a while to understand it.

What was exciting was that he did finally comprehend it. He was able to explain it back simply, even when he was challenged by questions. He came to understand that he may have believed that Jesus existed up until this point but that if he was to respond by trusting in Christ that this would be the first day that he'd ever done so, simply because before this point he didn't know what it even meant. He said he was thankful for the conversation, would open up his Bible when he got home and think about Jesus has said.

It was truly a display of God's providential rule as Connor was just waiting in the city for an hour before catching a flight back home that evening and he had the chance to hear for the first time in his life how a sinner can be forgiven.

Please be praying for those who heard the message today that God would mercifully show them their sin and cause them to trust in Him!

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On Tuesday at Woodridge there was a team of seven out! Praise God for raising up labourers! It was exciting to see how many people were around and even greater, there were many non-Christians who as a result heard the gospel of Jesus Christ!

An early conversation was with an elderly gentleman named Chip who had grown up in the church his whole life and knew quite a lot about Christianity but was so assured that it was his personal goodness that would gain him everlasting life! He saw God's law and his guilt, he saw the penalty sin deserved and said that it was a risk he was willing to take. He then was shown the gospel and surprisingly understood it straight away! Yet, he remained adamant that he did not want it. He was shown the reality of judgement and the reality of death but Chip remained defiant.

There was a lady who had been spoken to weeks earlier about the gospel, dropped past last week and remember the way to Heaven and this week when asked she said that she is trusting in Jesus! She was given a gospel and John and said we should have questions to ask her about it every time we see her. She said she'll read John one, this week!

Another guy named Matthew, who had previously spoken to the team remembered most of the previous conversation but struggled a little bit with remembering how one receives forgiveness. He thought it was by asking (which for the record is super common, second only to "be a good person"). But with a few well aimed questions and some quick reminders of the analogies Matthew seemed to get it. He too was encouraged to read his Bible and hopefully next time he won't just know the gospel but will know God as well!

There were two weird conversations in a row, the first guy said he was willing to listen but didn't want to talk back. So being as simple and careful as possible the whole gospel was explained and usual and simple questions were answered along the way. The man was thankful took a tract and that was the end.

Next a guy was approached who at first seemed interested and then just went quiet. He too was challenged by being told that, "Whilst you may be able to ignore another human being, you won't be able to ignore God forever, one day you will stand in his presence and on that day anyone trusting in themselves will be found guilty and sentenced to eternity in Hell".

There were a scattering of other conversations. A man who goes to a local church but has no idea about the way to Heaven. A guy who played the harmonic (pretty poorly) during his answers and the questions. A Muslim who did not want to hear but just kept saying what she had been told, even despite careful attempts to show her that the intention wasn't just to "share ideas", all she did to the issues raised with her own system were pretend that they weren't a problem.

There was a final encouraging conversation with Richard and Jamika who saw why we know God exists, realised they were guilty when shown God's law and came to understand the serious penalty sin deserves. They were then briefly shown the solution and were handed tracts as their bus arrived. They seemed interested and were encouraged to try and think about it and read the tract before next time.

Please be praying for those today who heard the message of salvation that they would not just understand it but trust in Christ! Praise God for the opportunity to come on out and share His name and please be praying that God would raise up more labourers to go out into the fields that are white for harvest!

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On Monday at Capalaba there was again a team of four. What an encouragement to think that just a few months ago there was usually only two team members out but now due to the commitment of some men and women of God to come out eat week it is regular to have four or five team members out! Praise God for raising up labourers!

The first conversation of the afternoon was with Rotisha, she saw how we know God exists, then was shown the guilt we have in our failure to obey God and the just punishment of Hell that this sin deserves. She was then shown what God has done to save sinners and understood that it was a gift received by faith. She was being asked some questions to help clarify when her bus arrived. She was encouraged to read the tract and to consider what was said.

Next a man was approached for a conversation but upon hearing the first question he said, "I have cancer and I know I'm going to die soon, so I don't want to talk about it". It was sad to see that his denial was most likely going to lead him to a far worse eternity than he could be heading to if he'd heard of and trusted in Christ.

A man named Michael, was approached and had some church background but what was glorious, was that over the next half and hour he came to understand the gospel. What was most surprisingly was that this was the first time he'd ever understood it. He'd grown up in a Presbyterian church but hadn't really gone since he was a young adult. But at the end of the conversation he said he was so thankful for the chat, said that he would count the cost this day of trusting in Christ and asked if there was a local Church he could attend and was directed toward one right near his home.

Soon after this a young lady named Tala was approached. Her mother is a Mormon (and she often goes with her to the temple) and her father is a follower of Stephen Anderson. She said she heard what they both said about topics and knew they were both wrong. Specifically on the topic of how one is made right with God. Her Mormon mother says we trust in Jesus and we must do good works to earn forgiveness and her IFB father says, you simply believe and even if you never obey God you'll still go to Heaven.

Tala was taken through the gospel and came to understand that although she knew both wrong extremes she came to understand that to be forgiven all one must do is trust that Jesus paid for their sin and this will always be followed by thankful obedience to God. She said this made sense and said she wanted to trust in Christ today. She asked a lot of other questions and was given many answers, repentance was explained, the role baptism plays was shown and she was very encouraged. She said she wanted to start reading her Bible and would start attending a local Church separate from her parents!

One final and exciting conversation was with Harley. It is rare to run into Christians on the street and even rarer to run into a professing Christian who can actually explain the simple gospel but what was exciting was this man named Harley. He admitted he wasn't the smartest guy but it was beautiful to see that after never setting foot in Church most of his life just a few months ago he started attending a local Church and has trusted in Christ. Even when asked some trickier questions he answered them with ease because he knew that faith in Christ saves and could even explain where our good works fall into the picture.

It was exciting to see and when asked if he was sharing his faith he mentioned that he has been trying at work, so far with little success but he was encouraged to keep pressing on because just three months ago no one would really have believed that he could become a Christian.

Please be praying for those who heard of Christ for the first time or came to understand the gospel this day that God would save them from the wrath to come! Please pray for Harley that he will be able to speak of Christ to his work colleagues that they may come know Him as well!

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To encourage local Church goers to finish their night of fellowship with some evangelism after the evening service, some Operation 513 team members from other outreaches have been heading back into Brisbane City on a Sunday night for a shorter outreach to encourage and equip people who usually wouldn't make it out to outreaches during the rest of the week. This past Sunday was the third time it had happened and over the outreaches there have been nine, seven and seven people out respectively!

What an encouragement to see. Of those, there have been six people out sharing their faith for the first time! Last Sunday night one young man, who was hesitant at first to come on out, when asked when he'd be joining us responded, "Next Sunday if you're keen". What an excitement to see that people who were once totally fearful of sharing their faith are now excited to come out again sometime! It could be you too!

The evening was filled with a range of conversations, even in two hours there is usually the ability to have three to five decent length conversations. The first of the evening was had with three Africans. They had grown up in a Church and said that they would be going to Heaven because they'd kept the Ten Commandments. When shown numbers five through nine, with their universal guilt being revealed this slowed them down very quickly. Then they turned to saying that they would be going to Heaven because they'd asked God to forgive them for their sins.

They were shown that God's forgiveness isn't given on the basis of the request but it is offered as a gift to be received by trusting in Christ. Over the course of the conversation Adi and Jerry the two men seemed to understand it but Mary seemed resolute that she would be let into Heaven on the basis of something she had to offer God! This was heart breaking to see her pride causing her to reject Christ!

This was followed with a shorter conversation with a Muslim and an arrogant anti-theist. The Muslim was quite happy to chat and was engaging well, being challenged and was responding well to the gospel. His anti-theist friend on the other hand went between ignoring the conversation and loudly asking questions he didn't want answered and declaring that it was clear to everyone that God doesn't exist. There was some moments of patience as this friend would settle down after a few moments and the conversation could continue with the Muslim. Sadly the Muslim was unable to finish the conversation as his friend got too rowdy and he decided it was better to leave. He apologised and said he was thankful for the conversation that was had up until that point.

The final conversation of the evening with was a Jewish lady named Verity. She had a Jewish family but one of her grandparents were Irish Catholic so she had some strong heritage there as well. It was a longer conversation than normal as Verity came to understand who the Jewish Messiah was and why He needed to come. She saw that by the OT law all of humanity is condemned for there is no sacrifice in the Old Testament that takes away sin, rather a whole sacrificial system that temporarily covers sin, pointing to the day when God Himself would come to be the sacrifice and priest to atone for the rebellion of those who would come to Him in repentant faith!

Verity understood how someone can be saved and was challenged as to when she would count the cost, give up her false claims of autonomy and trust in Christ. She gave a few little reasons but mostly they were based around emotional upset from the way her family who all claimed to represent God had acted. In the end of the conversation she was strongly challenged, was given a gospel of John to read and she said, "That was a very well articulated message, I understand it now!"

Please be praying for those who the team spoke to that they would not just know what God has said but that they would be shown their wickedness, trust in Christ for their forgiveness and as a result live a life pleasing to God, even going out to share what God has done to save other sinners!

Why not come on out Sunday June 2nd, at 19:30-21:30 in King George Square? You will be glad you did!

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The weather in Hobart is turning cold and the leaves are falling and the days are getting shorter. Also, the foul festival, Dark Mofo is looming large in the minds of Tasmanians. Yet in the midst of the gathering darkness there are many opportunities God gives us to speak for Him in Hobart.

This week there where many chances to preach the Gospel and read His word at Speaker’s corner. Hopefully this was a God honoring contrast to the angry atheist who preached on Monday. He was urging people to be good to the poor (which we should), be kind to each other (which we should), and to join the revolution (which we…. wait, sorry what?). He was very angry and swearing about how the poor and outcast are treated. Every Christian gives hearty agreement to caring for the poor and outcast, God loves and gives dignity to all as His creatures, so we should too. Unfortunately, this atheist was also urging people to walk away from God and be part of an atheistic revolution of some kind.

No-one who has ever tried consistently to do good to people would say it is easy. And I would say from scripture that without the Spirit of God in us it is impossible to truly love and be kind. Unfortunately, this is far too common today, atheists assuming that the morality they have arrived in a vacuum or from themselves. Something there is no evidence for and plenty of evidence against. They want to urge the behavior which is good and at the self-same time argue to do away with the foundation for morality, a transcendent loving law giver.

I hope and pray that people would see the difference between the bad behavior and foul language of this and other atheists who frequent Speaker’s Corner; and the many different Christians who have come in love and spoken of God’s love.

I also had two good conversations this afternoon one with Mr D. and the other with a semi-regular visitor Mr F.

Mr D. came up and spoke to me after I finished preaching and asked me to speak about his mother. From the start it was clear that Mr D. was very drunk so I only hope and pray that some of what I said to him stayed with him. As we talked Mr D.’s very sad story came out. He’d lost his mother to a stroke or heart attack and then had the heart wrenching experience of losing his nephew to suicide and his brother also. He was very sad and very lonely and deeply missed his family. We prayed together and I asked that God would heal his wounds and give him peace. I then spoke with him about his drinking, urging him to give up the alcohol that was slowly but surely killing him. He was very concerned to honour his mother and so I encouraged him to give up the drink because his drunkenness dishonors his family, his mother and God. As he left, he thanked me and I pray that God will fill his soul with Christ’s love and save him.

Later in the day Mr F. walked by as I was handing out tracts. He and I have discussed many things over the years and I have always appreciated his keen mind, and the rapid-fire discussions we have had. Today we were speaking about freedom of speech and a comment about communism turned out discussion to the teachings of Marx. Mr F. and I discussed the different aspects of communism and the teachings of Marx for quite some time and challenged each other’s point of view. I certainly learnt something about communism and I hope that Mr F. went away with something to think on regarding Christ. As always it was good to talk with him and we shook hands and parted smiling.

These two conversations left me with the important lesson, compassionate listening is vital to sharing the gospel. Both these men are precious people made in the image of God and hearing what they have to say as well as sharing the message of the Gospel is important. Please pray for me and all those who share the gospel in Hobart, that we would be listening as well as we speak, and that we would speak only to the glory of God!

Praise His Name!

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Please pray for

     A., a teenaged lad who was going to commit to Christ today after he admitted it would be foolish to delay;

     Charlotte and Matilda, teenaged girls,  who were likewise keen to commit after Natalie took them through the flip chart.

     M., a Hindu lady who had never heard but gladly received a gospel of John after Railee presented the claims of Christ to her.

     2 young Muslim men who also took a gospel of John each after Lee-Anne told them of the uniqueness of Christ satisfying God's perfect standard of justice.

Ryan had a couple of Hong Kong Chinese to take through God's good news. He had attended a church as a youth. She had another religion. She was challenged with the fact that at death, one goes to heaven or hell; there are no other options. She saw her guilt on hearing some of God's moral law. When she was queried what she thought she needed to do to get to heaven, she said 'live better?' She realized she deserved hell. Hearing the rest, she could answer the checking question to show that she now understood the gospel.

When challenged to the fact that she had to jettison her other religion and rely on Christ alone, she got reticent to keep engaging. So Ryan talked with him who came to understand the message. He said he knew Ryan was alright to listen to as he did not have a 'name tag' , i.e. he had had problems from Mormons before today.

He was encouraged to download a Bible and search the Scriptures. Pray he does and God uses him to witness to his wife once he is converted.

As always 'To God be the glory for He alone is worthy'. We thank you Lord for using us imperfect witnesses in such an exciting and fulfilling way.

 

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The weekend saw two outreaches and a fellowship BBQ celebrating another summer of Gospel outreach for the Christchurch (NZ) team - Soli Deo Gloria!

Saturday morning was foggy as a team of two set up a flip chart in Cathedral Square, but by the end of the outreach, in the early afternoon, the sun was shining.

The highlight conversation of the outreach was a follow up from the outreach the night before.

On the night prior, outside the bus exchange, a lively Gospel conversation occurred with some teens: three girls and three boys.  Sadly, the kids were talking about the drugs they were planning on taking, and the girls were being rude and disruptive - while two of the boys were keen to engage with the discussion.  I tried to keep the girls attention away, while Mike focused on sharing the Gospel with the boys.

Well, in the morning, four of those kids came walking through Cathedral Square - including all three of the girls.  They looked very surprised to see me - as though I had been out all night and into the next day trying to talk to people about Jesus.  The girls were a lot calmer now, and were open to engage sensibly.  They had another opportunity to hear the Gospel; I was able to go through the flip chart with them.  And it turns out one of those girls had been through the flip chart once before.

But, sadly, as far as I could tell, they were not willing to respond at this time.  One of the girls even threw the tract I gave her in the bin.  My heart goes out to them.

On Saturday evening, some of the team gathered for fellowship and an “end of the summer of outreach” celebration which, on top of all the weekly outreaches, included:

• A Brisbane trip, experiencing our first abortion outreach & for a conference.
• Some time in Auckland outreaching with teams up there.
• 2 x Myanmar missions.
• Another Tell Me Conference.
• The Ellesmere A&P Show outreach.
• The Canterbury A&P Show outreach (3 days).
• End Abortion Now Conference with Jeff Durbin and team.
• One of the team made it over to the Gold Coast for the Schoolies outreach.
• The Christmas in the Park outreach.
• The 2 week local summer mission.
• The Sparks in the Park outreach.
• The St. Patrick’s Day outreach.
• The Oxford A&P Show outreach.
• 2 x Easter Hot Cross Bun and Gospel Tract outreaches.

We are also celebrating the fact the two of the team are now being supported to spend more hours out on the streets each week.  Many thanks to Operation 513 and Redemption Church Christchurch and all those giving through those organisations for allowing this to happen.  May we continue to serve the Lord faithfully by bringing the Gospel to many, and by encouraging Christians to get involved.  Thank you!

Sunday was very hot considering we will officially be in winter in a few days time.  A team of five headed out.

For me the outreach started with a nice long chat with one of our hecklers (I’m going to stop calling him a heckler soon).  I spent a lot of time listening to him talk, and hearing his bitterness and grudges towards hypocrites.  I found myself wishing this man would come to Christ, and feeling completely powerless to do anything about it.  The only thing I can do is share the Gospel.  And so I decided to break into the conversation and ask him what the Gospel is (since he is such an expert on “Christians”).  He didn’t know.  And so, I proceeded to take him through it, as foolish as it seems.  I know he has heard it plenty of times before: he has heard us preaching it many times.  But he listened (with only a little mocking).  I will continue to pray for this man.

By this time, the rest of the team had arrived.  This was the third (or fourth?) time out for three of them - but sadly the last, as they are moving to another part of the country for work.

They have been a massive encouragement to me out on the streets.  Chris was the shyest.  But today I watched him refute a homosexual “minister” on the subject of "love and truth" and he did it in such a loving way.  And then while that conversation was happening, another man walked through swearing at us and cursing God.  But they took it so well.  It’s so wonderful seeing them grow in confidence.  It makes me wonder how many more Christians are out there that are letting their fears stop them from using their gifts to reach people for Christ.  Be encouraged!  Get involved! :)

May they continue reaching people with the Gospel in their new home town! :)

I will be taking a week off and getting some time for encouragement in God’s word at the Impact Bible Conference in the Hawke's Bay, so I won’t be Battle Logging till the week after.  May you be blessed as you reach out to people with the Gospel wherever you are!
 

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Bribie Island was beautiful this afternoon as the team met for outreach.  It was a real blessing to have a local Christian and his son come and join us in sharing the Gospel and distributing tracts.  Some of the team letterboxed the waterfront post boxes with Gospel tracts, while others walked along the footpath, handing tracts to pedestrians.

          The first people to be engaged in a Gospel conversation were three young men, Jack, Jordan, and Isaiah.  They approached the literature table, and each took a Gospel of John.  Although one of them had a Christian grandmother who took him to church each week, none of them were familiar with the Gospel message, and they were taken through the law and the Gospel, using the Good Person Flipchart.  They were genuinely interested and promised to think seriously about what they had heard.  Perhaps the most encouraging part was when they went onto the jetty, and, sitting on the roof with a friend, proceeded to read the Gospel of John aloud.  They were still going when some of the other team members walked underneath and heard the words, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”  Pray that God move these young men to look to the Lamb of God for salvation.

          Taylor and Shiloh, two young girls, also heard the Gospel.  Despite warnings of coming judgement, they continued to scoff and make light of their sin.  They received tracts and took a book of John, but still did not seem to understand the truth they had heard.  Please pray for these girls that God would soften their hearts to the Gospel and open their eyes to see His truth.

          Johan received a tract and read it.  A team member approached him and asked him what he thought of it.  He was very unsure of what he believed and didn’t have any clear idea what happened after death, or even if God existed.  He was taken to the law and his sin, then led to the cross and Jesus’ atoning death.  He was urged to repent of his sin and trust in Christ for salvation.  He expressed thanks for having heard it, and he promised to seriously consider it.

          Near the end of the outreach, a young boy came to the table and took a tract and a gospel of John.  Cooper said that he was going to become a Christian in nine days’ time.  He was asked why, and he explained that in nine days he would be ten, and he hoped to convince his mother to allow him to be baptised into Christianity.  He said he wanted to become a Christian because he thought it would make him a better person.  He said that yes, he would like to hear more about Christianity.  He was taken through the Good Person Flipchart and heard the Gospel in its entirety.  Although he did not think he was a bad person, he realised that even as one murder makes someone a murderer, one lie makes a liar.  He quickly realised that hate makes someone a murderer at heart.  He understood his guilt before God and his need of a Saviour.  As he heard the Gospel, it seemed to make sense to him.  He heard that baptism doesn’t make you a Christian, but faith in Christ.  He said that he didn’t go to church, but he wished that he could.  He left pondering on the reality of what it means to become a true Christian.  We praise God for having laid serious thought about eternity on the heart of this young boy, and we pray that the seed which has been sown will find good soil and that salvation would come as a result.

          It is always a blessing and a privilege to share God’s Word with others.  We know God is able to save to the utmost, and He uses our feeble efforts to bring glory to Himself.  We praise God for the work He is doing on Bribie.  Pray that lives would be impacted by the Gospel they have received in the form of conversation, or as a tract taken home and read later.  Pray that Christ’s church would grow, and His kingdom would spread to the ends of the earth, beginning at our doorstep.

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Unlike last week, Thursday was a nice day, so there was no interruption of the two outreaches in the afternoon: in the City and at the Eastgate bus stops.

As I arrive a little later than Andy for the City outreach, I often turn up with Andy already deep in a Gospel conversation.  This day was no different (pictured).

We were in various spots in the City for this outreach: High Street, Cathedral Square, and at the corner of Cashel & Colombo - where I ended up having a wonderful conversation with a man who had recently converted to Bahá'í.  While listening to this man, I also had the opportunity to explain the law and the Gospel.  We parted with a hand shake.

We finished the City outreach with open air preaching in speaker’s corner.  There weren’t many people about, but there were some who heard the Gospel.  One of our hecklers was attracted, and came over to add his thoughts - but I can barely call him a heckler any more - we get on too well!

I always enjoy the Eastgate outreach, as tiring as it is with the constant conversation opportunities.  It’s wonderful to be able to have many follow up conversations.  There is one young man in particular that I’m meeting every outreach there like clockwork.  Every time, I ask him if he has thought any more about the things we have discussed, and often have an opportunity to challenge him to respond to the Gospel.

This outreach I also had many opportunities to offer tracts to bus drivers as they were changing shifts.  I was pleasantly surprised with the encouragement I got from two of them about what we are doing.  Although one quickly skimmed the tract and handed it back - not interested.

Friday saw three outreaches.

The first was the Gospel + abortion outreach outside the hospital.  This is the outreach I find the hardest because of all the outward opposition.  This makes me think back to all the times I’ve found outreach to be difficult.  I remember first setting up the flip chart in Cashel Mall (years ago) and being really nervous about what I was doing.  I remember my first encounters with a difficult heckler - and not wanting to head out because of him.  I remember how hard it was when I first started open air preaching.  God has helped me through all those difficulties - and I’m stronger for it!  So I have a confidence in God that He will help us in this new area of ministry.

Thankfully, this time, the outreach was relatively calm.  There were four of us: two male, two female.  A security guard did venture over at a distance.  I gave him a smile and a wave.  He acknowledged me and then moved off.

I think the initial adrenaline connected to this new outreach has burned off.  I’m now preparing myself into a pace for a marathon in the fight to bring the Gospel to the issue of abortion.

The afternoon saw our second outreach of the day: in the City.  There was a team of eight - including two from the OAC team.

We started with open air preaching in Cathedral Square, and then moved to Cashel Mall.

It was so encouraging to see a new team member so naturally starting conversations with strangers walking past (pictured).  It was also a reminder of how good it is to have many different types of Christians out sharing (male/female, older/younger, etc) - as people seem more drawn and open to a conversation with some people rather than others.

One of those conversations ended with a tract being offered and accepted.  The person receiving the tract opened their wallet to carefully put it in - and it was observed that they already had an Easter tract in their wallet!  How encouraging.  They were reminded to actually read those tracts!

The outreach was very eventful.  There was another high school student climate change protest.  Afterwards it lead to many wonderful conversations.  The subject of climate change was used to start conversations, and students were asked how we would solve the problem.  I would agree that there was no planet B, but I would then talk to them about the fact that there was no life B either - what happens after you die?

I’m out of time to talk in detail about some of the conversations had.  But one young Muslim girl (pictured), who had been minutes away from the mosque on that fateful day, heard the law and the Gospel and asked wonderful questions confirming that she was understanding it.  And another group of girls (pictured) stayed for a long chat.  One in particular was very interested, and it turns out she had talked to me at the last climate change protest on the terrible day of the mosque shootings.

The day finished with the evening outreach into the city, with conversations: in Cathedral Square, outside the bus exchange and everywhere in between.  Mike started a Gospel conversation with a group that he had stopped with the Intelligence Test tract (pictured).  He ended up having an hour long conversation with one of Jehovah’s Witnesses - all the while his girlfriend, who claimed to be Christian, kept trying to drag him into a nightclub!

I thank God for all the wonderful opportunities to present His Gospel over these two days.  May He be glorified.
 

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Wednesday saw a busy day of outreach, including trying out a new location.

First up was some time spent in Cathedral Square.  I had an interesting conversation with a young lady with a Christian background but who was now leaning more towards atheism.

I was curious as to what her understanding of Christianity was, so asked her what she thought was required to go to heaven.  I wasn’t surprised when she described a requirement to be good enough.

So I had an opportunity to explain the grace of Christianity to her: the Gospel.

Her response was interesting.  She said she didn’t really care.  But I was able to gently explain that she did care: her life was precious to her.  I challenged her if she would sell both of her eyes for ten million dollars - and she agreed she wouldn’t.  If her eyes were precious to her, how much more was her soul.

I challenged her to respond to the Gospel.

After lunch, I moved to the hospital, and set up my flip chart on the footpath outside one of the entrances.  I managed to hand out some tracts, and have one good conversation via the flip chart there.

But as I was walking from Cathedral Square to the hospital, I ended up passing by the law courts, and I realised that there were a decent amount of people walking past.  So I decided to cut my hospital outreach short and try out that spot for outreach.

As I got there, there was a young man standing outside having a cigarette.  I approached him, offering him an Eternity tract and managing to spark up a conversation.  We were able to discuss the existence of God.  But, sadly, as soon as he had finished his cigarette, he had to go back in - so I wasn’t able to share the Gospel.  But I’m glad he took the tract.

I didn’t set up my flip chart, as I just wanted to get a feel for the location.  I was able to pass out some tracts, and have a brief chat with a gardner working outside.

I decided to finish the day by going back to Cathedral Square.  And I got into a long conversation with a very polite atheist/agnostic (his words) who had a degree in philosophy.

He completely rejected the building = builder; creation = creator analogy.  And I wasn’t making any progress on the intellectual front.  So I decided to change tack and address his conscience.  I asked him if he would allow me to explain Christianity to him - which he was open to.  I was able to explain the seriousness of sin, via the law, and that hell was reasonable in light of that - but that’s as far as I got - he quickly changed the subject.

So a busy and tiring day of outreach.  As always I leave the results in God’s hands.
 

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