Battle Log

• Battle Log
• Page 16

Christchurch (NZ) Team

I’m out of routine, so this report is late.  It’s currently Wednesday, and we are in windy Wellington.  We are: Roger, Andy and I.  And we are serving alongside the church: Calvary Wellington for outreach this week.

 

But, this report is about last week.  God willing, I’ll write about this week's activities in this coming Sunday’s report.

 

Last week we had 3 street outreaches.  Roger was with me in Riccarton on Tuesday.  Andy & John were with me in the city on Friday.  And then Friday evening, the 3 of us flew to Wellington.  Saturday morning we ran a couple of evangelism training sessions in the morning, mainly with members of Calvary Wellington.  And then on Saturday afternoon, some of them joined us for a street outreach in Lower Hutt to put what we had been learning into practice.

 

So, going back to Tuesday.  I’m going to have to look at my photos to see if I can remember any of the details!  Ah, that’s right, it was dry and cloudy when we started the outreach, but by the end of the outreach, it was pouring with rain.  I remember having 2 long chats.  The first was with a young student, he had a very long beard!  He is studying brewing at Lincoln University, he is involved with the Christian Fellowship group there, and yet he is agnostic.  I spent my time in conversation reasoning with him on why he is actually suppressing what he knows about God, the law, and the gospel.  He wasn’t convinced.  I leave him in God’s hands.  The law brings knowledge of sin, and the gospel is the power of God for salvation.  I can’t remember the other conversation now.

 

On Friday, with Andy, in the city, the outreach started with a conversation with 2 overseas English students.  One was a Muslim, I forget which country.  The other was Japanese, and pretty much an Atheist.  Andy started the conversation and I was with him.  The Muslim became engaged, and the Atheist became disinterested.  I ended up moving out of the conversation to engage others (I later re-engaged the Japanese student who had backed out of the conversation with Andy – it didn’t help, he made it clear he didn’t want to talk, and so I respected that).  Andy ended up having a wonderful chat with the Muslim.  Later, at the end of the outreach, Andy had a conversation with a couple that left him, in his own words, “buzzing”.  It was with a young man who had a Catholic / Orthodox influence in his life, and his Mother (who joined later in the chat) who understood salvation was by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus' sacrifice alone.  He came to grasp the gospel, and was challenged to forsake his works, she was stoked that the conversation occurred!

 

The training on Saturday seemed to go well.  I was encouraged by the turn out, considering that I had run the training the previous year.  This year I structured it differently, and tried to go deeper on some of the points.

 

The outreach in the afternoon went really well, in spite of the wind!  There were many opportunities to plough and sow.  I’m sifting through those memories now: I’ll report the glimpses that I remember.

 

An older man went past.  When he realised I was religious, he made it clear he wasn’t interested and moved on.  Then he turned, and mentioned that his father had been religious: exclusive brethren.  This had caused much division in his family, so he wanted nothing to do with religion in his life.  He was friendly, and I did my best to hold him, but he moved on.  But then, about 5 minutes later, he was walking past again, and we sparked into light conversation again.  This time he stayed, and he opened up to going deeper in the conversation.  He still believed in God, heaven and hell.  Yet, he thought you had to be good to get to heaven.  I was able to take him through the law, and challenge him on that.  I seemed to be making progress, before he had to move on.  I can’t remember if he took a tract or not, but I was grateful for the opportunity.

 

Another memory is of talking to a young man with a Catholic background.  A standard law & gospel chat ensued.  But soon after, 3 of his friends came along.  I was able to engage all of them.  1 didn’t believe in God, but the building / builder analogy clicked for him.  He opened up to the gospel conversation, even though his 2 friends disengaged (1 became a bit silly).  It was a great chat.

 

I spoke to some people at the bus stops.  The final chat was with an elderly man who was very Catholic.  Sadly, he didn’t engage in my attempts to share the gospel.  I ended up listening and dropping seeds as best I could.  He seemed a bit lonely and appreciated the opportunity to chat.

 

Okay, I think that covers it.  Please keep us in prayer as we continue to labour with Calvary Wellington in many locations across the Wellington region this week.  Glory to God alone!

 

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday September 4th 2024 from 1300-1500

Again just Johnny and Hung teamed up to serve at Sunnybank. Johnny had many fruitful chats including an over half an hour to 45 min chat with a Christian from Sudan asking many theological questions. Hung did a short round as needed to make prearrangement with the hospital for BCG chemo therapy starting next Wednesday.

1) First led to chat with a man from Uzbekistan. It is a Central Asian nation and former Soviet republic. It's known for its mosques, mausoleums and other sites linked to the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean.

2) Then a long chat with an elderly from Guangzhou, China who claimed we had a chat 3 years ago but he kept seeing us in Sunnybank. Mindset was hard to change that he insisted all everyone can do is just a good person and don't care about anything. I nevertheless used cancer treatment to illustrate that sin , even one in a life time still will have serious consequence of eternal separation from God.

3) Dan from India now studying at Griffith appeared receptive and open for the gospel. receptive

4) Then another long follow up chat with Mr. Li ?from Taiwan as he had chatted with Johnny ?many time before. Working hard to change his mindset as a good person.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Aug 27th 2024 from 1330-1430

Thanks God that Edwin was able to join Johnny and Hung at Toowong and we made a good team to get as many conversations as it was led by the Holy Spirit with good result in general despite occasional rejections still happened to test our faith and perseverance. Recap below was the brief battle log of Hung.

1) Ping an ABT Australia born Thai who appeared very open and receptive despite he claimed to be a Buddhist. Showed appreciation for taking a selfie with me.

2) Next with a young man from Tokyo, Japan who was willing to chat though not too keen on the gospel message.

3) Then approached a Local Aussie girl but just have time for a brief chat and handing her a tract

4) Then caught up with a mainlander whom I chatted before but he was not in the mood to have a follow up chat.

5) James from Ipswich who was very keen to hear the gospel message as such a friendly selfie at the end.

6) Next was an Indian school girl again I have chatted before. She was however busy in texting.

7) Then have a long chat with a Malaysian girl of Muslim background. But she was also all open and receptive to the Gospel.

8 ) Next was Basroma from Mumbai. He was very keen to chat about faith despite he himself is a Hinduism follower. He was however moved by my personal testimony how Jesus saved me and gives me internal peace despite facing Cancer relapse. He also was happy to have a selfie with me.

9) Alfaro a Muslim from Indonesian but was also open for chat of gospel and Christianity and admitted that Jesus is the logical answer for the forgiveness of our sin by dying for us on the cross but rose from death to be king of the new human race.

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

God has given us another week of his patience.  Another week of street outreach is complete.  It was a more difficult week.  I had less chats than I usually do.  I was encouraged this morning, in my local church gathering, by the corporate reading of the Bible.  We are tracking through Acts:

 

- Acts 16:14 esv

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

 

It encouraged me, because it's God who opens hearts to receive the gospel seed.  It doesn’t depend on me.  Yes, we have a responsibility to preach the gospel, but God is in control of salvation.  We can rest in that.  Even when things don’t seem to be going well, we can just put our heads down and continue to plough and sow.  God may bring no increase - that’s up to him - his justice will still be magnified.  If he does bring increase - his mercy will be magnified.  Either way, we will praise the Lord.  The work he does in us to obey, and persist - that also brings him glory.  We can be satisfied in him alone.

 

Roger was sick on Tuesday.  So it was only John and I out.  I didn’t bring my flip chart, deciding to work at the bus stops.

 

I had a very large group of high school boys come to me.  They wanted to make fun of the preacher.  It grieves me to think about it.  Because there will be a day, when they are alone, facing God.  There will be no jokes then.  I wasn’t put off, I did my best to engage them anyway.  When they got bored, they moved on.  Some wanted tracts, I said I’d give them one as long as they didn’t throw them.  I think I gave out about 5.  Soon after, one of them came back, and gave me back a tract - he said his friend had thrown it.  Who knows, maybe one of them will keep it.  Maybe in the future they will read it?  The gospel is the power of God for salvation.

 

Later, a young man at a bus stop gladly took a tract and wanted to chat.  There was an openness about him as I shared the law and the gospel.  He was talking about some of the struggles in his life.  Late in the chat, he revealed he had talked to me before.  I think he said it was a year ago.  He wanted my contact details.  So I gave him my number.  I haven’t heard from him as of yet.  May God open his heart and save him.

 

I talked to a young lady who was on a break from her job in the mall.  I talked to a young high school student, who went to church but wasn’t clear on the gospel - he thanked me.

 

Paired with John, I was able to talk to a couple of guys: 1 was adventist, and the other catholic.  Later, John shared with 3 young students.

 

It’s funny, reflecting on that outreach now, I was able to talk to more people than I remembered.  God is good.

 

On Friday, Roger and Andy were with me in the city.  A windy day.  Andy seemed to have a particularly good chat with two men from China (pictured).  We also met a new open air preacher.  He spoke for a long time, I listened for a bit, and he rotated over scripture and gospel truth.  I was encouraged.

 

On Saturday, I was only out for 30 minutes.  I had 1 short chat, and handed out some tracts, but it was so slow, I decided to head home and do some online outreach instead.

 

Sunday (today), I had Joseph and Elijah with me.  First day of spring and a lovely day!  Lots of people were out and about.  But it was slow from an outreach perspective.  At the start of the outreach, the few opportunities we had met with opposition.

 

Yet, we persisted, and by the end of the outreach, we had had some good opportunities to share about Jesus.

 

I’m looking forward to a day off now.  God willing, we will have another week of his patience to be salt and light.  I will also, God willing, be in preparation for the evangelism training this coming Saturday, up in Wellington.  Thank you for keeping us in prayer.

 

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday August 28th 2024 from 1300-1500

Today, it returned to normal for Johnny and Hung to team up at Sunny bank. The weather already turned very warm and good for open air outreach. Both of us had non-stop opportunities to share with people of different nations. For Hung majority today were from Mainland China. And most of them appeared open and receptive as recap per Battle log below.

1) I was led to approach an elder man by the surname of Wang ? from Shanxi Tai Yuan He was only visiting his son's family but was very open for interaction and discussion with receptive attitude.

2) Then a longhair guy by the name of Guo?from Jiangsu Nanchong doing Marketing at UQ . He appeared also very sensible and rational in mind and open for discussion. He seemingly admitted the gospel is a good news for all imperfect good persons.

3) South Africa lady only declared she is a Christian after I shared the full Gospel. I quickly tested for her assurance of salvation which is only 95 %, but the bus arrived leaving no time for me to clarify and she on the other hand also not care to clarify.

4) Then I was ignore by a very cold face girl from Mainland China in comparison to the others today. Perhaps it was a contrast God wanted me to know that he already blessed me with many humble and teachable mainlanders.

5) Then I was led to connect with a bearded young UQ student from Henan He claimed himself a religious guys accepting concurrently the Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. , he knew mixing up religions is not advisable but he claimed he did not have enough clue to make a choice while he has relatives affiliating with all three religion. but he was extremely frank and friendly

6)Then I was led to approach a lady from Taiwan who claimed she once chatted with one of us, but not me and basically understands and accepts the message of the tract. I encourage her to pray for conviction to make here final step of faith.

7) Next was a Catholic Christian but behaved very self protective and lack assurance. Our conversation was anyway interrupted by a call.

8 ) Then I connected with a tall young guy by the surname of Li ? from Liao Ning who also appeared very open for chat and interactive discussion .

9) Next was a Japanese lady? but her bus arrived too quick even for handing out a tract.

10) Finally connected with a man from USA but showed no interest to chat, I anyway still use " fair dinkum" to get him engaged but then my chat was interrupted by Johnny asking me to minister to an old lady living in Wynnum but now attending a Korean church at Logan.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Aug 27th 2024 from 1330-1430

Rest for a day after my Mobilization ministry for CSACC in Adelaide. I was now back on to the street here in Brisbane with Johnny and Edwin. As a team, we worked with God to reach out to many people , both Christians or non-believers likewise. Basically, Edwin made approach and engaged into conversation very quickly. Today, I was moved to do follow up chat with some of those whom Edwin already made the first contact. This is a new kind of team work as inspired by God. Recap below is my Battle Log for today.

1) I was moved to approach the last person at the end of the queue who happened to be a HongKonger girl coming to do medical study but same as local student she has to do a medical related first degree first. She is a non-believer but appeared open and receptive to the gospel with genuine interest to know more to the extent she even chose to skip a bus to let me finish the gospel. I even had more time to share my testimony how I could lead a purpose driven life with peace and joy despite now I am diagnosed with relapse of Bladder Cancer.

2) Gordan is from a Malaysian English speaking Chinese family but he is born in Australia. He quickly declare himself a Christian and really passed my check of Assurance of salvation having 100% certainty to heaven. I helped him to appreciate the teaching of the Bible from God's mission point of view and he was smart enough to get my sharing about Jesus addressing Mary her mother by "Woman" instead twice.

3) Zheng? from Zheng Zhou Fujian claimed he got the tract on the table inside the UQ Library and had read it. I of course moved to test his understanding by sharing the full gospel once again which he really felt amen and promised he will ponder it most seriously tonight.

4) Mainlander woman whom Edwin had approached and I was moved to dig deeper with an extended chat mainly recap of the gospel and sharing my testimony. She was emphatic and impressed by the mission oriented life of Christian and was receptive to the gospel message.

5) Another Mainlander lady from Luo zhou appeared a bit skeptical initially but still let me shared her the full gospel And claimed she understood the message I shared to her as such she did not need to take a tract.

6) Finally a Local Aussie showing lack of interest initially, but I use the original of dinkum to soften his defensive mode and willingly to hear the gospel.

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

All this week’s street outreaches went ahead.  The weather is getting warmer, which is great!

 

A team of 4 in Riccarton on Tuesday.  Some mixed theological positions among us, and so we had some robust conversation over coffee afterwards, yet we all agree on the essentials.  We had a great time in evangelism.

 

I had set up my flip chart and I was straight into a gospel conversation with 3 young people.  My memory of that chat is getting a bit dim now, but I remember it to be a good one: they came to grasp the gospel, which is the power of God for salvation.

 

Roger had a good sit down chat with a lady (pictured).  And I remember having a great opportunity at the end of the outreach, with a young Korean guy.  He had a Christian background.  I was able to bring some gospel precision into his thinking.  He seemed blessed, which was encouraging!

 

On Friday, there was a team of 3.  For me, I remember it being a difficult outreach.  I had 2 chats where the people I was talking to insisted that they were good and had done nothing wrong.

 

But, one encouraging thing happened.  In the morning I had been praying for a man I’ve talked to a lot on the streets.  I was praying for his salvation.  I haven’t seen him for a long time, maybe a year, or more?  I began to wonder why I continued to pray for him.  Well, in the afternoon, I saw him again!  Although we have vastly different worldviews (Atheist vs Christian), we have a mutual respect and friendship.  We were able to catch up briefly.  Sadly, the reason he is back in town is because of family health issues: sickness and death.  He teared up about it and had to move on, but he came back later and introduced me to some of his other family members.  I’m now encouraged to keep praying for him!  God’s timing is perfect.  Lord, save him, and his family.

 

Saturday’s weather was really nice.  I was in Riccarton.  I set up my flip chart, and prayed, and then I was straight into my first chat.  It was with a streetie (homeless).  He claimed to be a Chrisitan, and even talked about the church he attended.  Yet, he clearly didn’t understand the gospel.  I had to gently slow him down a bit, and start engaging him on and bringing precision about the law and the gospel with him.  Slowly, some light seemed to shine into his thinking - I could tell by his responses to my check questions.  I knew I needed to labour more, but he decided to move on at that point.  He had a gospel tract.

 

About a minute later, I looked down and noticed a bit of gospel tract on the ground in front of me.  I was a bit confused and picked it up.  There was some wind.  Slowly I put 2 and 2 together.  I went down Riccarton Road a little bit.  Sure enough, I found little bits of gospel tract down the footpath.  He had torn up the tract and thrown it away (pictured).  His reaction to the light was to scurry for the darkness.  He is currently rejecting the gospel.  What can we learn?  1)  Sometimes we don’t know what someone's response will be - yet that is out of our control.  Focus on what you can do, and leave the rest with God.  We share the gospel, God regenerates hearts.  He may have rejected, but someone else may accept.  2) It’s not too late.  He may be rejecting now, but soil has been ploughed, and seeds sown.  While he has breath, there is still hope.

 

I had some other good opportunities during this outreach (although it was slow).  The one that sticks in my mind the most was with 2 young teens.  1 was interested, the other was not.  They came to hear the gospel, and I was able to run through a few checks before the one who was not interested managed to pull her friend away.

 

In contrast, Sunday’s outreach was very busy.  Really nice weather and lots of people out and about.  There were various groups out.  There was an animal rights group and some JW’s.

 

When Thomas and I turned up, Andy was already in a chat (pictured).  It went long.  Andy said it was a really good one and reckons he’ll be in touch with the guy again.

 

I hadn’t even finished setting up my flip chart, when 3 young guys were there interacting.  Apparently I had talked to 2 of them before - but I don’t remember them.  They wanted me to share the gospel with their friend.  But I wanted to recheck where they were at.  All 3 of them were in different places.  And I couldn’t get a flow rolling with any of them.  It was a bit’s and pieces chat.  My checks revealed that they weren’t 100% clear on the gospel.  Yet, there is much interest in them.  I was able to invite them to church, which is now running a foundations Bible study (for new believers, or those investigating).

 

I had lots of interest in the flip chart for the rest of the afternoon.  One chat would roll into another.  I had a particularly great chat with a young Catholic guy.

 

Later, Thomas was with the flip chart, while I was freestyling.  3 young teens went past.  1 believed in heaven, one didn’t believe in God at all.  I was able to show him how we know God exists, which he conceded to.  And so I addressed all 3 of them on how you can get to heaven.  1 of them surprised me by giving me a really good answer: “believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins”.  I asked him what church he went to: he didn’t.  So?  Where did you learn that?  His answer: TikTok!  I was shocked. So, I moved into checks.  He wasn’t 100% clear in his understanding of the gospel, and so I was able to labour with all 3 on this, with the time they gave me.  They all accepted tracts and thanked me.  I pointed them, not to TikTok, but to the Bible.  Specifically, John’s gospel.  That kid gratefully accepted a copy, and said he would read it.

 

Thank you for continuing to uphold this ministry in prayer!

 

We will be in Wellington in 2 weeks, for a week of outreach.  We will be running some training on Saturday morning, 7th September.  For more details, and to register, go here.

 

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday August 21st 2024 from 1300-1500

It was a dramatic day. I started the outreach work not firstly on the street at Sunnybank bus stop but God opening up a door for me to do mobilization work at SIC. First I noticed there are pile of Chinese Good Person tract in the office and the church office staff told me there are more stock in a box in the store room. It triggered a sharing and witnessing time with Fong Li the Muang minor tribe worker in the SIC office. Then I met Rev Samuel Suen outside the lobby eating his lunch. I was moved to invite him to do the rare Cantonese Kairos and hopeful learn to be a mobilizers of SIC Mandarin congregation. Let's pray for God's work to move Rev Suen to prioritize his time to do this 16th online Cantonese Kairos.

Then I rushed back to Sunnybank to do my solo street outreach with very encouraging results reaching out to local Aussie, Vietnamese, Japanese, Malaysian and two mainlander Chinese all with positive result as recap below: -

1) I actually caught up with Anthony for a longer chat for the fist time after he got off from the bus asking for time near the Pharmacy Warehouse. He remembers me and appreciate me catching up with him showing him the sort of love in Christ.

2) Then I was led to approach a Vietnamese young man first study here that stay for a job. He is of Buddhism background but still open enough to listen to half of the gospel when his bus arrived and got a tract as follow up and revision.

3) Rejected by an Islanders or indigenous woman with a child.

4) Then I caught up with a lady called Jiang ?from Sichuan Chandu. We build rapport quickly because of my past Sichuan earthquake disaster relief team involvement in PTDS. She was open to the gospel sharing and found it appealing in the context of sin in human race particularly the substandard school building getting 99% students and teachers killed with not time and chance for evacuation.

5) Then I was led to approach Obama from Tokyo now got a PR by business investment. He claimed he heard the gospel and got the tract here in Sunnybank but from an Aussie so possibly Gary or even Andrew. He ascertained he still has kept the tract at home, but he asked a few more for him to hand out to his friends. So, he was all amen to the gospel message.

6) Then I was led to Janice from KL Malaysian. She is non-Christian but did being invited to church. She heard the "Gospel" a few time, but she felt mist impressed this time about the logic why every one , good or bad guys included all need Jesus as our Savior. She also was more than happy to post for selfie with me as appreciation.

7) Last but not the least, A young guy Yu? from Shandong doing a Master degree in UQ also showed complete openness for the Gospel, and appreciate the message as a wake up call for him as one of the endangered specie of Good Person.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Aug 20th 2024 from 1330-1430

Today Hung was doing Street gospel outreach at Toowong Bus stop solo again. All other committed regular team mates were not available. The process was pleasant basically in terms of both the Spring like weather and friendliness with most gospel targets. In particular connection with two mainlanders were also delightful and fruitful.

1) Nissan UQ student doing Commerce from Deli is of Hinduism family background, but he himself is very open and receptive to the gospel as such he was more than happy to took a selfie as a gesture of appreciation for our chat pointing him to a way for eternal life.

2) Next was a young man from Chengdu China, doing food management at UQ. We clicked instantly because of my Sichuan earthquake disaster relief work. He found no offence in chatting about religion and salvation which he basically found it logical and made sense to him.

3) Then I was moved to approach two girls, one Aussie and other seemingly from Southern Asia. The non Aussie girl seemed uneasy and reluctant but the Aussie girl is all amen with my full gospel sharing. Pray or conversion and real life transformation work happening to her.

4) Next was yet another Indian girl , waited a short while for her texting as such only just had time for an introduction and nutshell of the gospel but she appeared friendly and open.

5) A local Brisbane guy who is non religious but still polite and patience enough to let me share him with the full gospel.

6) Last but not the least , yet another mainlander from Chungshan as such he can speak good Cantonese. It helped cultivate friendliness interaction for Gospel explanation.

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

Raining hard all Sunday.  I decided to do online outreach instead!  But all 3 of the other outreaches for the week went ahead.

 

Some comments on the photos.  The irony of Andy and Craig evangelising a JW, while in the background, the JW’s are ‘evangelising’.  Also, in the background of that photo, you can see Roger and Lani talking to someone via the flip chart, and then in the picture of Roger and Lani, you can see Andy and Craig in the background.  I enjoyed the symmetry of that!

 

On Tuesday afternoon, in Riccarton, I decided not to bring my flip chart.  Instead, I intended to do outreach at the bus stops, while Roger used his flip chart on his usual corner.

 

As I turned up, there was a young man sitting in the seats.  I was able to get a conversation going.  It was a great chat.  He smiled multiple times as he grasped the concepts I was explaining.  I managed to get through many of my check questions before he moved on.  He came across as someone without purpose, not knowing what to do with his life.  May the gospel give him ultimate purpose.  He is in God’s hands.

 

It felt a bit awkward doing bus stop outreach again - you have to be direct, and you get many rejections.  But it’s such a fruitful opportunity, being a confluence of people.  I had some surprising opportunities - people you wouldn’t think would be interested in a chat, were.  Soil was ploughed, and seed scattered.

 

As I did my circuit, I would check in with Roger.  He seemed to be busy, in fact, he had a couple from China on the line, and they were very animated as Roger took them through the flip chart (pictured).

 

Later, I talked to a young Christian lad, also with Chinese descent.  He gave me 5 minutes, which was nice of him!  It turns out he wasn’t clear in his understanding of the gospel - subtly trusting his works.  I was able to point this out within those 5 minutes.

 

I noticed there was a guy floating behind me as I was talking to the lad.  So, as the lad moved on, I decided to delicately engage him (I could tell he was interested, but something was causing him to hang back).  I wasn’t direct, instead, starting with light conversation.  To my surprise he said I’d talked to him before, a month or so ago, in the city.  I don’t remember him.  He wasn’t interested in the gospel then, and he wasn’t interested now.  And yet, I sensed there was an interest there, something was under his skin?  Anyway, his wife turned up and they moved on.  He refused a tract.  I was encouraged.  Our feeble efforts for God’s glory are effective in God’s strength.  We cast the seed to the wind, and it finds purchase.  We plant, and have no idea how it grows - but it does.  Don’t give up!

 

We had a little evangelism revival on Friday in the city.  2 members of our church joined the usual team.  I wonder if the wonderful preaching from last Sunday was an encouragement?  So a team of 5: Roger, Andy, Lani, Craig and myself.

 

Nice weather, and lots of people about.  I was initially paired with Craig.  We were quickly into a conversation with a young couple (of whom both were in different places: he was closed, she was half open).  It was an apologetics heavy conversation, friendly, with many questions both ways - good engagement.  She accepted a tract at the end.

 

By this stage, Lani had arrived, and Andy was free from his chat.  So Craig went with Andy, while Lani paired with me.

 

Lani later went and joined Roger on his flip chart.

 

Everyone seemed busy.  My highlight chat was with a Fijian lady.  A very religious background, claiming the Bible as the ultimate authority.  And yet, she didn’t have a grasp of the gospel.  It was a fairly long chat, where I laboured with her on this point.

 

Interestingly, she had talked to some World Mission Society of God cult evangelists the previous day in Riccarton, and she was going to go along to their meeting on Saturday.  God providentially placed me on her path on Friday to warn her.

 

A highlight from the conversation was when I asked her, after much gospel labour, “so, if you died today and God asked, ‘why should I let you into heaven’, what would you say?”.  She thought and started her response with “Because I have done…”  I instantly stopped her, “now, think on what you’ve just said, do we go to heaven because of what we have done?”.  Her response was, “ohhhh”.  It was a powerful moment in the conversation.

 

She really appreciated the chat.  She recognised that it was no coincidence that we talked.

 

Saturday was slow.  I spent an hour, handing out a few tracts, and not getting any conversations.  Yet, right at the end of the hour, I was able to get into a conversation with two young teen guys.  They heard the gospel before they moved on.  I was encouraged.  The effort is always worth it.  Even if no one stops, God is still glorified in our obedience in going.  It’s about him, and it’s for him.  Don’t give up in this hard, but joyful labour of sharing the gospel of Jesus!

 

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