Battle Log
Battle Log > Plymouth Team > Saturday, 27 February, 2010
Saturday, 27 February, 2010
On Friday the 26th February again my friend Phil and I went out to the Plymouth University campus at 9pm to try and catch students walking between the student Union and bars on the campus and down in the town. We hoped at this time we may be able to catch a few more that hadnt already been drinking, or who were at least ameniable to stop and talk.
I went across the road while Phil tried handing out some tracts, and I tried offering a million pound note to a group of guys to see if they would be willing to chat. However I didnt really take much notice of the bottles of beer in their pockets, and after going through 3 of the good person test questions, one of them asked if this was a religious thing, and thats when they started to get very irate. One guy had claimed that there absolutely was no God, and so I tried to reason with them about someone having to have absolute knowledge of the whole Universe for that to be true, and of course as thats not possible, left him with the thought that maybe in all of the vastness of time and space and knowledge that he didnt know, perhaps there was ample evidence for God to exist.
They didnt like this, and as there was about 6 of them, it became increasingly more evident they were not open to a reasonable discussion, they just hurled abuse at my belief in the Bible, that the world was created in 6 literal 24hr days and about 6000 years old, Noahs flood, Jonah and the whale etc.
They had no proof whatsoever for evolution, and one guy was just silent when questioned about evidence of just one transitional fossil or why 2 kinds of animals dont breed or have developed over a long period of time.
I was getting quite frustrated and so tried getting out of the situation quite hastily as one 'biologist' kept putting his hands on me when speaking. They didnt like the fact that I wanted to go, but later on when the group had dispersed to just 2, the guy was more open to talking with Phil and me. He said that he didnt believe in evolution, as in a faith, but that he acknowledged it as fact! Although he still couldnt justify his answers, we tried leaving him with an evolution tract to put in his pocket to read the next morning.
A Plymouth University security guard had also started to look across the road to see what the comotion was about, but thankfully they left quietly.
Later on that evening after a few more good conversations, we managed to speak to 2 students, one turning out to be a Muslim. After acknowledging they had broken the 10 commandments, the Muslim guy knew he was only basing his hope on heaven on the grounds of Allah being merciful to him by weighing up his good and bad deeds on judgment day.
Once explaining that God was a just judge and therefore couldnt pass over our sinning, just like a good human judge if we robbed a bank, and reasoning that our sins were that serious against God and worthy of eternity in hell because they were against God himself, he seemed to appreciate the good news of the cross and that all his past, present ands future sins could be paid for through Jesus death on the cross, without any works or striving to get to heaven himself, but through repenting of their sins and putting their trust in Jesus. He didnt try and reason anything about the Koran or Mohammed at all, even when we mentioned that Jesus was God. They were both pretty wide eyed and gladly took the tracts, and were encouraged to read the gospel of John. Phil and I were very encouraged and prayed they would get in with the C/U at the University, but like most of the conversations, we didnt know where this would lead, but left their salvation in Gods hands
The next day on Saturdays evangelism outreach in Plymouth city centre, I met up with another Church who go out monthly into the city centre.
I had the opportunity to stand and preach, and God drew in a few passers by, older people, some students and teenagers. A Lady in her early 20's stopped to listen, and I could see that she was taking in what was being said which was great. Unfortunatly the day before, an elderly lady had been hit by a lorry and died instantly, which was big news in Plymouth, and so gave me an ideal springboard to preach about, right into the crowd of those entering/ leaving the shopping mall, which was great amplification as well.
2 students asked some questions about where is God and the Virgin birth for some reason, but after preaching for about 10 minutes, saw others from the Church speaking with the lady who had been listening and giving her some information which was great.
Afterwards I had an amazing chat with 2 lads that said they would get right with God as soon as they had finished eating their burger! They were 18 and 20, and listened intently after being concerned that if they were to die that day they would be hell bound. But again, they truly appreciated the good news then even more, and again were wide eyed. I was almost going to see if they wanted to pray there and then, but they seemed earnest enough and said they would get right with God after finsihing off their lunch, so again pray that God worked in their lives and they might turn to him in humility.
God blessed us with a lovely sunny day and lots of people out shopping enjoying the weather, so was a great day, and was thankful God used us in our weakness and small number to speak the truth in love to people about eternity.