I was recently able to team up with a new evangelism partner, who also goes to my church. Interestingly, the opportunity came by way of God coordinating circumstances in answer to prayer:
It happened that one week ago, I had mentioned my outreaches in our Sunday morning prayer group, opening it up for anyone interested to team up and go out, talking to folks about Jesus & salvation. I no sooner had left the building after the meeting, that a fellow named Tim struck up a conversation as we walked to our cars. Without me mentioning anything about my conversation about outreach in the prayer meeting, Tim brought up the topic, mentioning his heart to reach out to the community with the message of Salvation.
This was obviously the Lord's timing! So, yesterday, after church, we had our first outreach. After meeting up at Wendy's, we prayed & started out down at Marine park. Tim struck up a conversation with a Russian family, near the Kaiser viewing tower, who did happen to be christian. We talked with the husband, Oleg, for some time. Even just having dialog with fellow christians in a public setting, I think, helps encourage us to be more open about our own faith outside the four walls of church.
From there, we went along the promenade at the Marine park beachfront, which was more populated than the beach. Our general idea was to chat up someone, hoping for an opening to have an easy segue to talk about faith. We noticed many folks walking their dogs, and it's really easy to complement someone's pet, and start talking. We wound up talking with a lady named Jeanette, who was walking her poodle, for about 20 minutes. Managing by the grace of God to steer the conversation to spiritual matters, Jeanette responded that she was a believer but didn't attend church. (Unfortunately, too many people these days are turned off by church, which makes it easy to be drawn even further away from spiritual matters.) She also mentioned she was on a juice fast for health reasons, and as Tim mentioned he was interested in learning more about it, she gave her contact info for future follow-up.
(This brings up an interesting difference in evangelism approach between Tim and myself. I'm more into directly jumping into dialog leading to giving the Gospel immediately, whereas Tim's approach is more subtle & friendship-oriented to building on a relationship & following up with discussion on the Gospel as he feels the Holy Spirit lead. We are definitely not all "cookie cutter" Christians doing it the exact same way. God made us all individuals, and many approaches to giving the Gospel lead to results as we try our best to yield to God working through us.)
Finally, we drove back to Wendy's, discussing the outreach. As we talked in the parking lot, a young black man (maybe late teens?) walked up asking for a dollar for food. Immediately, I offered a dollar, along with a bible tract, making the statement that along with food, maybe he could use some spiritual nourishment. In talking to "Wakim", he said he was raised in the church, although, like Jeanette, did not seem to be following as closely as he ought. We also offered to pray for Wakim, and his girlfriend, Tyler. Normally, I'd never presume to know the sincerity of anyone receiving prayer, who was *also* accepting money for food, but something interesting happened, after prayer.
Tim had mentioned to him that it was no coincidence, no accident, but rather the Lord's timing, that he had approached *us* just as we were in a discussion about approaching *others* with the gospel. Wakim really seemed to accept that. And when Tim took out his wallet to offer the kid a few more dollars for the "cause", Wakim turned it down! He said no thanks, commenting how he really appreciated our talk with him & prayer for God's guidance in his life. This is the beautiful thing about outreach. When we just show up, God can & will work through us, showing God's love to others.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Pioneer Square...
I haven't posted in a very long time. Work has kept me too busy & I haven't been out as much. But I did get down to Pioneer Square in Portland, Ore. last Friday, Febuary 15. I arrived at 2:15pm which was just when
Ron & Karen Rohman were leaving. They have been doing street ministry for 30 years. As I started handing out tracts to passers by, a black gentleman by the name of James rode up on his bike, dismounted; & then to my delight started to street preach. I was glad not to be alone, as two giving the gospel is more the biblical way. James was great, sharing his testimony, and also singing some Gospel songs acapella. The Max train stops there, so many people waiting for the train couldn't help but hear the message.
About an hour later, I spotted yet another man showing up 1/2 block away, also handing out tracts. I took a break to talk to him. He apparently has a church he leads out of his home. He gave me one of the tracts he was handing out & I put it in my pocket to read later.
More people seem to be taking tracts these days, which is an encouraging sign. To me however, I wish more people that do street ministry would pay close attention to what they hand out. Some tracts I read don't clearly give the message. They present Jesus as a friend & helper (which He is) but sometimes only present Jesus as a way to make this life more fulfilling, without giving an eternal perspective. That's why I like the Billy Graham tract "Steps to Peace With God". Jesus is presented as the only way to cross the bridge from here to eternity in Heaven.
I stayed at the Square fairly late, until 6:30pm. There had been an ambulance parked a block away for awhile, and as I walked back to my car, I saw what looked like someone's cherry coke spilled all over the sidewalk. But then I realized the grim truth, that someone had been hurt & apparently the ambulance I had seen earlier, had done their job. I don't know how the incident turned, but it *is* a reminder that no one knows when their time here on earth is up, and I'm at least left with the good feeling that a few more people were exposed to the truth of God that day, and maybe God could have used the seriousness of the accident
to get people's attention to seriously considering the brevity of life, and the choice we all have to make to be reconciled to God.
Ron & Karen Rohman were leaving. They have been doing street ministry for 30 years. As I started handing out tracts to passers by, a black gentleman by the name of James rode up on his bike, dismounted; & then to my delight started to street preach. I was glad not to be alone, as two giving the gospel is more the biblical way. James was great, sharing his testimony, and also singing some Gospel songs acapella. The Max train stops there, so many people waiting for the train couldn't help but hear the message.
About an hour later, I spotted yet another man showing up 1/2 block away, also handing out tracts. I took a break to talk to him. He apparently has a church he leads out of his home. He gave me one of the tracts he was handing out & I put it in my pocket to read later.
More people seem to be taking tracts these days, which is an encouraging sign. To me however, I wish more people that do street ministry would pay close attention to what they hand out. Some tracts I read don't clearly give the message. They present Jesus as a friend & helper (which He is) but sometimes only present Jesus as a way to make this life more fulfilling, without giving an eternal perspective. That's why I like the Billy Graham tract "Steps to Peace With God". Jesus is presented as the only way to cross the bridge from here to eternity in Heaven.
I stayed at the Square fairly late, until 6:30pm. There had been an ambulance parked a block away for awhile, and as I walked back to my car, I saw what looked like someone's cherry coke spilled all over the sidewalk. But then I realized the grim truth, that someone had been hurt & apparently the ambulance I had seen earlier, had done their job. I don't know how the incident turned, but it *is* a reminder that no one knows when their time here on earth is up, and I'm at least left with the good feeling that a few more people were exposed to the truth of God that day, and maybe God could have used the seriousness of the accident
to get people's attention to seriously considering the brevity of life, and the choice we all have to make to be reconciled to God.
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