Battle Log
Tuesday 30 April 2019
Posted 1 May 2019, 11:58 AM by Matthew Andersen. Permalink
On Tuesday at Woodridge a team of five made it out and God in His providence enabled many encouraging conversations to take place. Over the many conversations the team has had they have slowly become more efficient at articulating the gospel in a way that makes sense and is simple to understand. In each encounter the aim is not simply to get the gospel out of our mouths but to take the person being spoken to on a journey from where they currently are to a place where they understand what Jesus had to say. Although the team is not perfect it is very encouraging to see that more and more people, in the frame of a short conversation are understanding the gospel.
During the afternoon there were many conversations that took place but of the last five conversations (with seven people), five understood the gospel!
Firstly was a conversation with Nellem. He attends a local church around once a month with his family but thought it was goodness that gets someone into Heaven. Over the short conversation Nellem came to understand that anyone being judged on their life will not make it into Heaven as everyone is a sinner and God's entry requirement for Heaven is perfection. But Nellem then came to comprehend the simple gospel! He was able to not to copy back the phrase, "trust that Jesus has paid for you sin" but was able to answer questions that challenged his comprehension!
He was challenged to read John's gospel and to count the cost of trusting in Christ today!
Next was a short conversation with Brandi who did seem all with it and despite best efforts she didn't come to hear the gospel as she wanted to raise other topics. She was shown God's law and her guilt and was given a tract and encouraged to take a read as she ran off to the train.
Soon after Kiana was approached. From the way she was dressed it was assumed that she was a Muslim and it turns out that she isn't. Which was a good reminder not to assume. In the beginning of the conversation the law was briefly touched on but not as in depth as usual, which in some ways was a mistake but thankful God is gracious and there was a chance for her to be challenged by it at the end of the conversation.
Kiana was taken very smoothly through the gospel. Question by question, thought by thought she followed along, comprehending how it all fits together and at the end was able to answer checking questions correctly! She understood that one can be justified by faith in Christ alone! But when asked, "When will you trust in Jesus?" She answered, "I don't know if I need to, I'm not that bad," to which she was pointed out that we are that bad. She then said, "Well what have I done wrong?"
God's law was used to reveal sin and Kiana came to understand that today if she died and was given justice for how she'd lived she'd be sent to Hell for eternity but at the very same time, God's offer of forgiveness stands that she can receive through faith in Christ! She then popped out with a question about the deity of Christ which was partially answered but she had to leave before it could be fleshed out a little further.
Next Meredith was approached and she had a Christian background, in fact she'd attended a local Church for almost ten years and had little to no understanding of the gospel. But through the simple question and answer style communication for the first time Meredith comprehended the gospel of grace that sinners can be saved by faith in Christ alone and then out of gratefulness to God for saving them they will happily serve Him all their days!
Lastly three workers, Fitu, Mark and Levi came out of the train station and were stopped with the question, "What do you think will happen to you after you die?" with a mixture of responses, the law was used to reveal sin, the gospel was preached as the solution for sinners and when the checking questions were asked Fitu was on the money, he understood the gospel straight away! Mark was a bit slower but seemed to also understand and Levi struggled a bit. The guys ended up having to leave without too much discussion after that but Fitu continued the conversation with them as they left.
What a wonderful day of outreach where many people were spoken to and by God's mercy came to understand how someone can be made right before God. Please be praying for those who now understand the gospel that they will come to trust in Christ and receive forgiveness of sin and will as a result start attending a local church, reading their Bible and telling others of this kind Saviour!
View previous Woodridge (QLD) report (23 April 2019)
Woodridge Team (QLD)
Meets 2-5pm every Tuesday afternoon at the Woodridge train-bus interchange on Station Rd.
Contact Ryan Hemelaar for more information.