Battle Log

• Battle Log
• Page 136

Thursday Afternoon at Sunnybank had a smaller team than usual as some of the members are away for various reasons, so there were only six people out. Thankfully the team were still able to have many conversations and to share with people what God has done to save sinners.

The afternoon started with a bit of rain, keeping the day cool and some good conversations were had under cover. Sheema is an Indian lady and had some very weird views, she wanted to hold onto the idea of karma, that Heaven and Hell are actually in this world. She was shown a range of reasons as to why these things can't be true and was pointed to God's law to show our guilt.

It was pointed out that justice requires a penalty not just a consequence. She was shown God's goodness and how this means sin cannot go unpunished and therefore all of humanity is in trouble, unless God has done something to satisfy His justice. Thankfully God has and this was shown to Sheema briefly as her bus arrived.

Next was a conversation with Brad. It was a sad conversation as Brad who had grown up in the Church said that he was a good guy and therefore he was pretty sure he would be in Heaven. He was shown God's law and saw his guilt but still held onto the idea that he was good enough. Then Jesus' words were quoted to him, "You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" and he still was unwilling to admit that he was not worthy of Heaven, even when Jesus had been so explicit.

He was left with the ringing reminder that all are guilty and was given a tract as his bus arrived.

One of the last conversation of the afternoon was with a lady named Sarah. It lasted for almost an hour, as Sarah listened, pondered, asked questions and displayed interest. Sarah raised an objection early that was touched on but not fully expounded until late in the conversation. What was wonderful was that Sarah's objections, unlike many other peoples were not simply, "I am trying to convince myself this isn't true by using any argument I can think of", rather she was engaging and had some questions about how it could all work.

The tell tale sign of the genuineness of her questions was that she understood and accepted the answers because they made sense, even if the pain was still real. The most exciting part of the conversation, after she had understood the Gospel and how it will change ones life she said, "I'm really thankful that we've had this conversation and now I am just considering if I can trust in Jesus because I wouldn't want to say that I do, without really meaning it or being willing to follow through".

Sarah had preempted and was "counting the cost" before she was even challenged to. She was encouraged to read John's Gospel and to consider attending a local Church. Please be praying for Sarah that she would seriously consider God's offer of salvation and that she would trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of her sins!

Please also raise Sheema and Brad up in prayer that God would use the challenges given to them to lead them to want to know Him! And please pray that they would speak to friends/family in their life who are Christians about this topic!

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

Today saw outreaches into the City and outside the Hospital.

At the hospital, God blessed me with two very special opportunities to share the Gospel.

The first was with a young lady who came from the USA and whose school, there, had had a mass shooting!  So she has now lived in two cities where mass shootings have occured. :(  I shared the Gospel with her, explaining the hope for eternal life found only in Jesus.

And then a young man came out of the hospital, on to the foot path where I was, so he could smoke a cigarette.  I said hello and a conversation started.  And it turns out that this man lost two people in the terrible shootings one and a half weeks ago - one of whom was his younger brother.  He said he lived in Christchurch for 15 years, but now lived in Australia, but if he had been in Christchurch, he probably would have been in the mosque too.

I had a wonderful opportunity to share my sympathy and compassion to this young man, and to all those that were grieving the loss of loved ones.  I then had an opportunity to talk about the justice of God, but how we required justice too but that Jesus was the only hope for forgiveness.  He said we were brothers.  But I said we weren’t, but that we were neighbours.  And because I loved him as a neighbour, I wanted him to know of Christ.  He said we were brothers through Adam.  And I conceded that.  (But Adam brought sin and death into the world, and Jesus, the second Adam, atoned for sin, and defeated death - we weren’t brothers in Christ.)  Our time to talk was brief.  As soon as he had finished his cigarette, he had to go back into the hospital.  We parted ways with a hand shake, and he took a Gospel tract from me.  But I thank God for the brief opportunity.

I’m still praying for my Muslim neighbours in Christchurch.  That they would continue to receive support, and be able to grieve.  But that they would ultimately get to hear the amazing good news of forgiveness of sin, only found in Jesus Christ.

In the city (Cathedral Square), I was pleasantly surprised to see a man with a scale model of Noah’s ark set up!  Plenty of people were showing interest, which was very encouraging (see picture).  When I got a chance, I introduced myself, and we briefly chatted and exchanged contact details.

I then moved to a spot where I could do some flip charting.  Two conversations in particular stood out from my time there.

The last was with a young man who couldn’t stand still!  But was very engaged in the conversation.  He said he was in a car accident recently, so what I was saying was pertinent.  He had time on his hands, and so I offered him a Bible and Gospel booklet to read, which he gladly received, along with a challenge to repent and trust in Christ today - as he didn’t know if he would get another day.

Later, our resident atheistic heckler turned up.  I knew he was going to give my Noah’s ark model friend some grief - and so he did (see picture).  I continue to pray for our heckling friend.

Tuesday saw our regular Riccarton Road outreach.  The foot traffic is always light at this location, but I’m often having good conversations with people anyway.  And this was no exception: 3 outstanding Gospel conversations occurred.

The first was with a high school student who was well versed in evolutionary science.  I refused to let this become a distraction from a clear presentation of the Gospel.  I did this by saying I could prove that God exists in 30 seconds.  This got his attention, and I proceeded to use Romans 1:18 - 20 to show how he knew God existed, with the assistance of the "building means builder; creation means creator" analogy.  I then moved to conscience (which means: with knowledge) as how we absolutely knew right from wrong.  He was interested enough to then do the good person test via flip chart and so heard a thorough Gospel presentation.  He was obviously challenged by it, and started asking good questions.  Eventually we got back to the issue of evolution, which is important, and I’m happy to discuss.  But sadly he refused any literature, insisting that he was right.

The last was with two young men.  They were willing to do the good person test, but didn’t seem too interested.  I asked a checking question at the end to see if they understood the way to salvation, completely expecting them to get it wrong.  But to my surprise, they got it right.  It just goes to show that we don't know what's going on in the heart / mind of people.  I think one of those guys was actually very interested in what I was saying.

I continue to thank God for enabling me to be out sharing the Gospel as I am, and I thank all you who are supporting me in this.

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This afternoon at Woodridge there was a great distraction that bought many people to the area, stopped trains running but also kept conversations short as many people wanted to see what was taking place.

As the afternoon began, conversations went ahead as normal and the team were excited to see a number of people responding positively to the Gospel. An early conversation was with Marley, who had quite messed up ideas due to years of drug use and the irony of some of the things she said was plain.

She argued that people get what they deserve, that the world the way it is and the things we receive in this world are because of the way that we act. Then later she went on to argue that she doesn't deserve her life the way it is.

By the end of the conversation she saw the universal guilt of humanity, the penalty our sin deserves and the only hope for us, Jesus Christ's perfect life, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. She was also recommended to a local Church in her area!

An interesting conversation later was with Joanne. As the conversation first started her partner didn't want to listen and she kept encouraging him to. Sadly as the law was used to reveal sin he got frustrated and left. Joanne on the other hand came to understand the Gospel. She had been to Church a number of times but never understood the Gospel. Thankfully she was on the ball. She was asking good questions, understandings things and following up with responses that made sense.

It was very encouraging to see. She too was recommended to a Church. Please be praying for these two that God would use these two conversations to draw these ladies to Himself. That they would come to trust in the great God who provides salvation to the lost!

One other conversation that took place late in the afternoon was with a young man who once went to Church and said that one day he would "repent" and that God would let him into Heaven. When asked what he meant by "repent" he talked about changing his life and trying to live the right way. It was pointed out that this is not repentance, rather repentance is simply a change of mind about sin, which will result in trusting in Christ and what He alone has done to save, which together will lead to a life lived for God, not for sin.

It was important to point out that it is trusting in Christ that saves and the resultant turning from sin is just that, a natural response to salvation, rather than a requirement to be saved. He was challenged to consider it seriously because none of us know when we will die and stand before God. He didn't seem overly moved but was left with the strong warning that unless one trusts in Christ, they will pay for their own sin in Hell.

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If you're confused or scared about what to say in evangelism, you don't need to be afraid. You don't need to rely on yourself or your own strength, you have the Holy Spirit.

You also don't need to try and learn alone, there are many other Christians who are willing to show you how to evangelise, stand alongside you as you seek to share and give you simple tips and encouragements for future conversations.

We can work together, with each other, to reach the lost in this world with the Gospel.

Take a few minutes, hear some encouraging stories from a recent outreach of team members being able to encourage and equip those who are newer to evangelism in how it can be done!

Come join us next Saturday, 7-10pm in King George Square, you'll be glad you did!

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Myanmar (Burma) Short Term Missions

As the time for the next Myanmar trip approaches, may Linda's encouraging encounter with Peter, get you once again considering joining the team for the next trip to Myanmar.

If you're interested check out this information page.

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The team again headed to Capalaba to share with those using the local bus service, what God has done to save sinners from the wrath to come. It is hard to over state how good of a location it is. It is a four direction bus station where all the platforms are adjacent and therefore there is always a consistent cycle of people coming by. There are regulars who you can check in with each week and encourage further. There are regulars who God is offering the opportunity to hear the Gospel each week and yet are still declining it and there are those who come and get to hear for the first time!

If you have the ability to make it to Capalaba on a Monday afternoon, send the team a message, commit to a date and you will be glad you chose to come on out!

This week conversations were as usual, packed with excitement and the Gospel. An early conversation was with Amber who as the conversation came to a close was able to articulate the Gospel back and understood the simplicity and beauty of trusting in Christ. She was then left with the lingering question, "When will you trust in Christ?"

A very similar conversation took place later in the afternoon with a man named Ben. In the same way as Amber, he understood the Gospel, repeated it back and then when asked when he will trust in Christ said, "right now". A little more was shared and he was challenged to count the cost, trust in Christ, start reading his Bible and then find a local Church. Please be praying that the profession that Ben made would be a reality that would begin a new life in honour of God and living for God.

A conversation late in the afternoon was with Annalise. She heard the law, its consequences, God's goodness and the Gospel and was challenged to trust in Christ. She professed that she already was but that because of her family was unable to go to a local Church. It was sad to see that as a young lady she was limited from hearing God's word preached and proclaimed by her family but also that she was fearful of them as well.

She was encouraged to count the cost and to begin to read her Bible more. She actually had her Bible on her and said she read it from time to time, which was encouraging to hear. She was encouraged to spend some time in the Gospel of John to come face to face with Jesus.

Please keep these three in prayer that they would heed the call of the Gospel, that their lives would be changed and that God would continue to work in their lives, some to bring them to a saving knowledge of the truth and for others that if they have already come to trust in Christ that God would lead them into a deeper knowledge of and intimacy with Him.

Please also prayerfully consider using some of the time that God has given you to join the team in an outreach this coming week, that God may use you to proclaim His excellencies!

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West Country (UK) Team

On Saturday 23rd March, George, Harry and myself met up in Plymouth city Centre for outreach, before Laurie joined us later. Simon and Ed were both working so unable to join us, but I prayed for our group, specifically that God would bring people to hear Gods word being preached and for Christians to be encouraged if passing by, and we were blown away by just how good God is in answering our prayers!

George preached first and talked about the instability of Brexit and how politicians and people were worried about the future, but that our stability had to be in Christ who never changed and promised he would never leave us and forsake us, no matter how life went. A man in his early twenties stopped to listen, and as he went forward to the basket to get a free Bible, and I spoke to him and he was called George too. He said he was in the Navy, and had previously had no belief in God or spirituality and had been quite against it, but a while ago had gone to Church with his Mum and had some sort of spiritual experience which made him reconsider his views.

He was very open to talking and gladly took a new testament, some tracts and a card for our church and said he would think about what we spoke about. While Harry and I continued to hand out tracts to people walking by while George preached, a man walked over called David who had been listening to what George was saying. He was Polish and said he was a 7th day Adventist and asked if I knew of any Churches of that denomination in Plymouth. (I know some Seventh day Adventist churches have sound doctrine but others maybe not so sure in regards to not keeping the Sabbath on a Sunday but a Saturday and that those that didn't too were not saved.)

I later spoke with a group of 3 tall school kids age 13/14 who seemed a lot older. We had a good conversation and they took some tracts with some things to think about. There were several students from the school I work at in town that day and was good to be able to give them some tracts and were very shocked at what I was doing compared to being in school covering lessons, which will hopefully lead to some good conversations next week. I also saw 3 staff from the school and gave them tracts too, which could lead to an interesting week ahead!

I later preached about a gas explosion in an elderly woman's house that ahd happened that morning that caused massive devastation to her house and neighbors, and fortunately she survived with injuries. I tried to show how gas naturally does not have a smell, but the smell was put in there by gas companies so we knew if we were in danger, if not could be lethal, and how sin in peoples lives had devastating effects that could be seen in society. I also spoke on Luke 5 where Jesus healed the paralytic lowered through the roof. Jesus clearly showed us from this passage that he was God, he could rad peoples minds, and that peoples biggest problem is not their physical ailments or need to see a miracle before they would believe in God, but for their sins to be forgiven.  

Around seven school girls aged 13 came up to me while I was preaching and started asking lots of questions about God, the Bible, why we were there, but also some disruption and ripped a new testament. We spoke to them which led to most leaving, but a couple stayed behind to ask serious questions about God and about how easy it was to get in trouble ins school and hand around with friends that led to mischief, and how they could stay out of it. They all took tracts and caused several passers by to stop and listen to what was going on.

Laurie came a bit later and was handing out several tracts and had a great conversation with a lady (pictured) who said she was a Christian but had trouble with alcohol abuse. Laura was able to minister to her and share about how her Church does a recovery course which she would be more than welcome to attend

While Harry preached later on, a man with a cross bike drove up and got off and started listening and heckling while Harry preached. This also caused a few other people to stop and listen to what was being said. Harry used the mans bike as proof of a designer , and the man agreed his bike must have an intelligent designer, but denied God was the Creator of everything, and even said o me later he didn't believe his brain was intelligently designed! The man started filming me on his phone and asking lots of questions about where people came fo and who made God, and almost interviewed me for his Facebook, asking me various questions. He said he had been brought up in the church and baptized as a child but didn't believe now, but I shared a bit of my testimony with him and the gospel and what had happened to me when 16 and 24, and he opened up a lot more had eventually gladly took a New Testament and some tracts and a living waters DVD 'Why Christianity' which he said he would watch.

A man and woman that knew him stopped while I was speaking to him, and the man claimed that he was the devil and had done too many bad things wrong in life to be forgiven, but I said there was no sin that could not be forgiven because Jesus was God and suffered for our sins on the cross. The man asked if I would forgive him if he held a gun to my head and said he would shoot me, and I said yes I would forgive him, but only because I now have the Holy Spirit in me, and if all of my many sins had been forgiven because of Jesus, then I now could forgive others as I had been forgiven an even greater debt. He was a bit shocked at this, but his partner took a tract from me as they left.

A family from Scotland came to chat while Harry finished preaching that had moved down here while their Son was having physio. He was in his early twenties and said he had been in the army and an mine had blown up near him and led to damage to his pelvis and leg. They were evangelical too and knew well of Ray Comfort and the evangelism we were doing and were very encouraging and had started attending a church near me. They took some information about our church and some tracts and we hope to hear from them again.

There were lots of tracts handed out that day, with people stopping to read the intelligence test, others stood in shop doors listening while their wives shopped and lots of young people passing through going to the MacDonald's behind us.

When we packed up around three hours later we went for food and fellowship and were all blown away by just how good a day it had been and was so encouraging, especially that God had answered our prayers and we pray that people would repent and trust the saviour and see God's goodness and mercy to them in Christ. We hope to meet again next Saturday in Plymouth city and Centre and hopefully my Auntie who is 76, disabled and uses a walking frame and attends another church wants to come out and hand out tracts with us, as she takes tracts from me and posts them through letter boxes in surrounding streets, which shows you are never too old to be used by God for His work and so there is no excuse! SDG

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

A busy weekend for the Christchurch (NZ) team over the weekend.

Saturday was the Malvern A&P Show.  A large site was hired and a bouncy castle was set up for kids to play on while gospel conversations were had with the parents, as well as the usual flip chart set up.  There was a large team of adults and children, including newbies which was very encouraging, to run the flip charts and hand out gospel booklets.  And the gospel booklets were specially designed and written for the local area by Good News 4 Malvern.  You can read it here.

In spite of low foot traffic at the show, it was a very busy time with many gospel conversations.  Over 600 booklets were handed out, including one to the local MP, who also listened to a very brief gospel presentation.

A highlight conversation for me was a long one with 3 young adults who asked difficult questions around the issue of homosexuality, suffering, and forgiveness.  It was evident that we were loving as well as faithful in the gospel message we shared, as when the conversation came to an end, and a handshake was offered, hugs were given instead!

On Sunday we ran our regular afternoon outreach in the central city.  The weather was good, and plenty of people were out and about.  But it was very hard to get people to stop for a conversation!  It just goes to show, that it’s not always going to be easy.  But Jesus is worthy of our worship in obeying His great commission - no matter the result!  Each of the team eventually all had at least one gospel conversation - and who knows, it may be one of those gospel presentations God uses to lead a person to Christ.  Salvation is in His hands.  All glory to Him.

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In an evening when there were thousands of people around throughout the night, there was a team of 19 Christians that headed into Brisbane City to share the Gospel!

Excitedly Kane mentions that 50-60 people heard the Gospel but the reality is it actually is higher than that, over 100 people heard the Gospel, through more than 70 conversations over the course of the evening!

And if there were twice the amount of team members, there could easily have been twice the amount of conversations!

Bek shares about a conversation in which she was able to share the Gospel with four people at once using the flipchart. 

Lastly, Andrew brings an encouragment that whilst he is often scared, in prayer he is reliant upon God and as a result God uses him. You can hear about a conversation he had with two British men about what God has done to save sinners!

Praise God for raising up labourers and for encouraging the team through many conversations. We will see you next week!

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Bribie Island (QLD) Team

Today was an extremely encouraging time as the team held an outreach at the jetty on Bribie Island.  People were very receptive to talking and taking tracts.  Many people received gospel tracts, and about seven Bibles were taken, as well as various literature.  It is amazing to see the openness of young people in particular in talking and receiving gospel literature. 

Mark, an ex-military man, was brought up with an Anglican background.  He didn’t believe God would send him to hell because he felt he had done a lot of good in his life.  Mike shared the gospel with him and gave him some literature which he promised to read. 

Aiden and Josh, young men who weren’t sure if God existed, also went through the Good Person flipchart.  Aiden was more sceptical with many questions, while Josh listened more intently.  They left with John’s Gospel and various tracts.  

Two groups of young people asked questions about being a good person, and they received the gospel.  Several young men on the jetty heard the gospel, and later came to take Bibles.  Ruby and Renee, two young grade 6 girls, went through the Good Person Test and left with a Gospel of John each.

Please pray for these people that God would remove their spiritual blindness and move them to repentance and faith.  Pray that more people would read God’s Word and direct their lives by His truth.  Pray that God would grow His Kingdom and do a mighty work here on Bribie Island. 

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