Battle Log
Saturday 21 September 2019
Posted 22 September 2019, 5:09 AM by Mike Strydom. Permalink
We had quite an eventful afternoon here at Bribie. It was raining earlier in the day, so we weren’t sure how many people would be at the Bongaree Jetty, but when we arrived, the beach had come alive with people. A boat club was having an event, drawing quite a crowd, and many families had come to enjoy the warm weather and beautiful water. It was the busiest we have seen the jetty since Australia Day. A good few hundred tracts went out, and we had some meaningful conversations.
One man refused a Gospel tract in January, saying he didn’t believe in God and that “All religions are bad!” Again today, he refused a tract, but another team member offered him an ‘Are you a good Aussie’ tract, encouraging him to read it and share which parts he disagreed with. This opened up to a conversation regarding his own beliefs. He is an evolutionist, atheist, and hardened ex-Catholic. Although he says he gives his own children freedom to choose what to believe, his early years as a good altar-boy, being forced into an empty religion has made him bitter and skeptical. His idea of Christianity was based solely on what he saw in the Catholic church as a child, immoral, hypocritical, and greedy. Because of the inconsistencies he had seen, he refused to accept the Bible as valid or true. He did stay for a lengthy conversation and took the tract with him when he left.
A foreign lady came and asked for an English Bible. She seemed to be a Christian, but was led again through the Gospel, and she took a Bible, Gospel tract, and Christian book. Another lady asked for a Bible, as did a young man and his friend who seemed very attentive to the Gospel.
One elderly lady was asked what she thought happened after life. She said she believed in God, heaven, and a sort of justice, but she firmly rejected the Bible as God’s Word. The heartbreaking thing was that, although ignorant of the Gospel, Christ’s work, and grace, she was sure she was heaven-bound because she had gone forward at a Billy Graham conference in 1956. She didn’t want to discuss further, and she did not want a tract. It was sad to see her misguided, hardened to the Good News, and yet sure she was going to heaven. Her final words were, “I hope my actions speak louder than words.” Pray for her lost soul!
Nearing the end of the afternoon, the owner of one of the boats was engaged in a conversation. Being a science teacher, he was an evolutionist, firmly opposed to the idea of God and the Bible. Various objections were raised against the theory, but he would not listen. He stood firm on his belief that there is no God, and his moral standards were shaky, standing solely on what society decrees as “right.” He was reluctant to make any concessions, saying that IF there’s a God, and IF on judgment day he stood before Him, he would be totally innocent, having only told little white lies and stolen little things. He didn’t believe in even a historical Jesus, so his anger was not murder in the heart. Although the conversation was moving toward the Gospel, he had to hurry off, and he returned his tract. He was not visually questioning, but we pray that a stone has been put in shoe, and doubts in his mind. May God bring him to the truth.
Two young people received tracts and were given the Gospel. They asked a few questions and seemed very interested. Then they were open for our team member to pray for them. It was a very positive discussion. Please pray that this seed will take root in their lives.
A major trait we saw in those we encountered today was a skepticism of the Word of God. Many have turned from belief in God and have embraced evolution as a substitute. Pray for a revival of the fear of God in this land.
A pastor from Logan encouraged us in our work and took a few tracts to pass on. Others also thanked us for what we are doing, and we will continue to share the Gospel and invite other Christians to join us. All we can do now is pray that God’s Word will bring forth fruit. Pray for those who heard the Gospel, and for those families who received tracts. May souls be saved, and God’s name glorified.
View previous Bribie Island (QLD) report (24 August 2019)
Bribie Island (QLD)
Meets various Saturdays of each month 2-4pm at Bongaree Jetty, Bribie Island, Australia.
Contact Michael Strydom for more information.