Battle Log

Christchurch (NZ) Team

Friday, 5 March, 2021

Posted by Posted 5 March 2021, 5:35 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

New Zealand Mission - Whangarei - Day Five

What an exciting day!  There were earthquakes off the coast overnight and in the morning (I didn’t feel them).  As we were about to head off to the first outreach of the day at the town basin, we became aware of a Tsunami warning.  After some debate, we decided to change the outreach to Kamo - which is high ground.  Some of the team didn’t make it!  Because our phones started receiving emergency warnings (we received many through the day).  Richard, Christine & Andy had to head for high ground somewhere else… but that was fine, because everyone else was heading for the same high ground, they had opportunities to share the gospel where they were.

A team of about seven made it to Kamo - and it was hot!  We ended up shifting the flip chart to the other side of the street to get into the shade.  I’m glad we did, because we ended up having a wonderfully long conversation with four young teen guys.  They came to grasp the gospel, and then they started asking really good questions.  One of them said: “I’ve learned more just now than I have at school”!  But another of them started processing the cost of the gift, and became resistant.  I exhausted their questions, and all my analogies - but they just didn’t want to leave - how good is that!

After lunch we went to Tikipunga for a change of scene.  As we parked the car, I noticed two guys sitting on a bench in the shade, and I knew that would be a good conversation.  And it was, it was the best conversation of the whole week so far.  Because these two guys were so laid back, Phil and I were able to slow right down and really work through the law and gospel and make sure they really understood.  The checking questions were really powerful, and they seemed to be blown away by the gospel.  One of the guys said, “You’ve changed my mind”, and “I believe that Jesus died for my sins”.  But they were both very engaged.  They were pointed to the Bible and to Clark Road Chapel before they moved on.

We moved back to Kamo for the last hour, and the high school kids were streaming past allowing many opportunities for gospel conversations.  Phil and I got into a lovely chat - almost as good as the last one!  The kid didn’t come from a religious home, but he was a deep thinker and thought about the afterlife all the time.  He already knew there must be a God, and so he heard the law and the gospel.  He really came to grasp it through the checking questions, and I could see him looking intently at nothing as Phil encouraged him towards a Bible and Clark Road Chapel.

Andy made it safely to the airport - praise God.  As my flights home were cancelled earlier in the week, I am now flying out Saturday afternoon, so there will be a final Saturday morning outreach tomorrow.  Thank you for your continued prayer!  Glory to God alone. :)
 


Christchurch (NZ) Team

Thursday, 4 March, 2021

Posted by Posted 4 March 2021, 2:41 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

New Zealand Mission - Whangarei - Day Four

Is it really the end of Thursday?  Time is going so fast.  We have just finished another day of gospel outreach at the Kamo shopping area (morning), and then in Cameron Street Mall (afternoon).

It was quite wet in Kamo - but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm.  There were about eight of us out.  And as per the pictures, everyone was busy in conversations.

I had a follow up conversation with Chris.  I’d had a long chat with him the previous morning in the mall.  So I was really surprised to see him walk past in Kamo!  He had been thinking about what we had talked about the previous day - sadly, he was resistant.  Yet he was happy to chat again - I tried to address his objections as best as I could, but I couldn’t see any progress.  This reminded me of my dependence on God in what we are doing - I can’t convert people!

I had a sad chat with a guy called Hal who claimed he didn’t care about what happened after life - in fact he said he welcomed death (he wasn’t suicidal).  Yet he stuck around and we had a good chat.  He seemed to already understand the gospel, a checking question confirming.  And yet he said, it “didn’t click” for him.  Again reminding me of our dependence on God in what we are doing.

By this stage, Emma and I were paired up and we approached two ladies sitting on a public bench.  We fell into a good conversation - and yet one of those ladies started dominating the air time and resisting, yet I could tell the other lady was interested.  So I started focusing on the other lady, and naturally the conversation split, Emma taking the talker.  It was just what was needed.  I was able to work through the gospel with the lady I was talking to - having to go through checking questions multiple times for her to really start grasping it.  And praise God, the lady Emma talked to opened up and was also able to hear the gospel!

And yet, I was burdened with the need for prayer.  After lunch, Christine suggested we pray together - and we did!  Praying for the lost to understand the gospel and for His help in the work we are doing.

We had a wonderful time in the afternoon.  A guy I had approached on a previous day and refused, approached me today, and we had a long chat.  It turns out he is a Reiki Master & Clairvoyant.  He was deeply resistant, and yet the chat went well - Christine joined in.  He heard the law and the gospel was touched on, but most of the time was spent navigating the resistance.  We parted ways with a handshake, and he took a tract as I had taken one of his cards.

Later I ended up having one of the best chats of the week so far!  Beth was taking some of the new team members through the flip chart when suddenly she noticed two ladies watching from a distance.  Beth invited them over to join in, but they were happy watching from a distance.  I decided to engage them - a mother and daughter and they came to grasp the gospel.  Even after checking about the cost of discipleship, the daughter said there was nothing stopping her from trusting that Jesus died on the cross for her sins.  I asked what they would want to do now, and they brought up the Bible, and the fact that they would want to start going to church!  They don’t live in Whangarei - so I asked them to get in touch via needGod.net (Instagram) so we could point them to a good church.  I also showed them how they could get a good Bible on their phone and they left with tracts.

Ok, way over time on this report, but please keep praying!  Day five and six to come, and we are meeting up for more training tonight. :)
 


Sunnybank (QLD) Team

Wednesday, 3 March, 2021

Posted by Posted 3 March 2021, 9:19 PM by Hung Kwan. Permalink

Operation 513 Battle Log for Sunnybank on Wednesday March 3, 2021 from 1300 to 1500

After a scorching hot day at Toowong, great Storm wiped across Brisbane in the late afternoon and in the evening as such the suffocating heat was flushed away with a much cooler temperature left in the air even in the early afternoon of Wednesday. With such a fine climatic background, God used us today in great team work in multiple cases. At least three times, God used Johnny made the first approach and me to take over or doing a unexpected follow up with obvious divine purpose. Andrew as usual arrived a bit late at 2pm. Martin came at 1pm and we did commencing prayer together. Both are very faithful servant of God. They do street evangelism on Tuesday at Woodridge, Wednesday at Sunnybank, Thursday afternoon at CBD, Friday evening at King George Square. Andrew fortnightly also serves at Redcliffe. So we have four faithful servants serving as a team, with Johnny and Hung on the East side and Andrew, Martin on the West side. However, I may walk to and forth across the foot bridge if the gospel target are in a great hurry that cannot afford to stop and chat. That is basically the mode of Operation at Sunnybank. Recap below are my divine appointments for sharing gospel with 9 individual or group of people: -

1) An Aussie Girl 澳洲少女 in a rush but still managed to passed her the tract and shared her the nutshell of the gospel

2)  Mr Chang å¼µfrom Taiwan 台was willing to listen to my Gospel sharing, Actually, Johnny chatted with him the other day before. Just pray that the repeated message will eventually bear fruit in God's timing.

3) An Egyptians Mum and Son dressing in Muslim Gown and costume may appear hard for approach. But God opened door first for Johnny to help them out to locate the Clinic they are planning to visit, then my turn to help them find the fresh fish market. Two tracts about God's creation and the Good Person question were passed to them. While leading them to the super market, I could manage to share quickly the nutshell of the Gospel. I trust it will be very appealing to them as God had used us to show care and love irrespective of the faith and culture. They show great appreciation for our help and take it serious to keep and read the gospel tracts.

4) Alisa a high school student of kiwi origin who was not feeling very well but still let me walk her across the bridge to hear the nutshell of the Gospel and promised to read the tract and pray to God as moved.

5) Helen 上海,認真 is a middle aged lady from Shang Hai China. Unlike other mainlander, she took it seriously to hear the gospel and ask question when meaning was not clear. She was in a rush for shopping but she still manage to get full understanding of the gospel message considering her a person from atheist background. She genuinely will pray about accepting Jesus as here Saviour after our gospel sharing time.

6) Then came a JW lady 耶証的人that I might have met and chatted before. As I recalled she would ask if we are Christian. Last time I could manage to share her the full gospel and point out to her some wrong doctrine of JW. This time, she might have received warning to stay away from Christian so once she clarified I am a Christian Evangelist, she ran away to avoid me. I could only have pity for her and those JW people who are blinded by the JW teaching.

7) Dustin is from Ireland but seemed to be suffering from back wound that he could not stand straight to walk but have to use a trolley as his walker to walk. His face showed pain and suffering without hope. I anyway approached him as moved by the Spirit and used the excuse to help him push the trolley up the slope of the footbridge. While first showing my care and empathy for him. in the meantime, I share about the future hope for all sinners to be set free through the deliverance of Jesus that we will live a new life ultimately with everything back to perfection and good health. He happily received my tract at the end and feel more happy with someone even a stranger to care about him. I do trust that God has planted a seed of Gospel in his heart that will bear fruit one day.

8) Justin Chen é™³ chatted with johnny over 40 to 45 minutes. When I finished with Dustin, I bumped into Justin, and God moved me to ask him about the conversation with Johnny. He nevertheless told me he is still not moved yet to commit on Jesus and will maintain his own way of life while keep searching for a faith that will give him peace. I then asked why he could have such a long conversation with Johnny if he did not feel interested to pursue the truth of Jesus. He said he actually was interested to know why Christians are drawn to submit to God and the motivation power behind. I thus took the chance to share my testimony of salvation which impressed him very much. His mind was softened to see at least how God guide me step by step to draw nearer to him despite I was the same kind of rational mind person like him. I assured him that it was no coincident that he chatted with both of us for 45 minutes and then another 15-20 minutes. God must have a plan for his life to be changed. Later on, I learned from Johnny that his hesitation to receive the grace of Jesus' salvation is because he is a person of transsexual orientation. He feels he does not have strength to resist the temptation as such he choose to stay and hide himself in his own comfort zone. Pray hard for Justin that the mission power moment will happen on him in God's timing.

9)Then Madam Chang from Beijing 北京張女士 was first stopped by Johnny and she appeared interested to have a chat. But somehow she decided that she had to hurry away with another appointment. I was moved again to follow up with the unfinished chat and walked her across the foot bridge. Surprisingly , she appeared open and receptive to the gospel. I used the analogy of HKG returning back to China so that China can exercise the sovereign power to change or modify Hong Kong. Likewise, we must reconciled with God first by accepting Jesus's redemptive grace so that God can exercise His sovereign power on us again to transform us back to perfect. The analogy hit her spot on that she now think God resuming His sovereign power on our life is the right thing to do for delivering us from the bondage of sin but back to perfection. She rode her bike away joyously with good news in her heart.

今天南區的福音事工分別有遇到中美洲薩爾瓦多的天主教徒、山東濟南王女士、高雄來的UQ男同學 Justin、印度裔女生Yin,他們都聽到了福音,求上帝拯救。


Christchurch (NZ) Team

Wednesday, 3 March, 2021

Posted by Posted 3 March 2021, 3:37 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

New Zealand Mission - Whangarei - Day Three

Okay, it’s unintentional that most of the pictures from today have Andy in them!  There was a team of 12 out today.  It’s so encouraging seeing everyone getting involved, giving it ago, sharpening up - glorifying God and seeing him show himself strong through our weakness.

We started in the Cameron Street Mall again - and it became very busy by 10 am.

I know the team is having awesome opportunities - I’m hearing all the testimonies.  But I think the highlight conversation for me was one that occurred just as I was sitting down to have lunch.  I looked up and noticed three separate people watching a flip chart presentation occurring!  The person on the flip chart could only focus on one person, and didn’t even notice the person at the back.  I watched him start to move off, so I decided to go and talk to him.

I greeted the gentleman, and offered him a tract saying that it explained the content of the flip chart presentation.  But I also asked if he would like to talk about it.  To my surprise, he looked at me and said he would, but that he had had a hip replacement and needed to sit down.  So, we shuffled down the mall until we could find a place to sit.  Then he turned to me ready to talk about religion.

I didn’t hesitate, and we started by discussing how we know God exists.  Instantly he had questions, which I worked through one by one.  We moved through the law, why there is a hell, why hell is severe.  Finally I was able to share the gospel.  His response was that he couldn’t accept it - but I could tell he was interested.  I pleaded with him on the urgency of the matter.  He said he had questions, I offered to answer his questions.  But he refused, he needed time to process what I had said - understandable.  But I pointed him to the local church I am working with: Clark Road Chapel if he decided he wanted to talk further with someone.  He also had the gospel tract I gave him.  We parted ways with a handshake.  Please pray for George.

Before this, a Phillapino lady decided to accept an offered tract - she went out of her way to accept it, so I knew she was interested.  Sure enough, she wanted to talk.  She believed in God - having a Catholic background.  Surprisingly, she considered herself to be a bad person.  I was trying to swing the conversation to the gospel when she started to open up.  She had lost her husband nearly a year ago, and she was lonely.  She even came to tears - understandably.  Just at the right time, Christine came past and I pulled her into the conversation.  It ended up with the lady giving Christine her phone number and follow up will occur!

There was another great story - I started a conversation with a couple of guys.  One resistant and wanted to walk off.  The other wanted to talk, but had to follow his friend.  But to my joy, fifteen minutes later, I see Emma sitting down and talking to this guy (pictured).  So great being in this team, and seeing people have multiple opportunities to engage with the gospel!

After lunch, Andy & I open air preached, and then we moved to the Okara shopping area for outreach there.  Andy had a couple of outstanding gospel chats there.  One while paired up with Phil, the other while paired up with Pastor Andrew.  Apparently Pastor Andrew took them through the law, while Andy took them through the gospel - tag teaming the conversation.  Praise God.

I was paired with Callum, we had a few difficult chats, but at the end of the outreach I had a really great chat with a high school kid named Max - who came to grasp the gospel, took a tract and was pointed to the church.

And I’m over time for this report!  That is just a glimpse of the day.  Overjoyed at how things are going, but won’t stop praying - we are so desperately in need of God’s help in this work.  All glory to Him alone!
 


Toowong (QLD) Team

Tuesday, 2 March, 2021

Posted by Posted 2 March 2021, 6:08 PM by Hung Kwan. Permalink

Operation 513 Battle Log for Toowong on Tuesday February 23, 2021 1330 - 1500

Another scorching hot day but it did not stop us to have many conversations in the Spirit. We as a team have learned to face rejection. Winnie has learned from us that we switch from gospel mode to friendship mode when facing initial rejection. As long as the conversation can linger on, there is bound to be point we can chip in gospel message at a later stage, Recap below are the Battle Log of mine and Winnie.

1) Frank, local Aussie, had an open mind to listen to the Gospel, with a heart yet to be softened further. Anyhow the seed of Gospel was sown. God's work is to be continued.

2) Mirada an UQ student from Roma. Her parents were from Sri Lanka of Buddhist background. Yet she is open to gospel message especially when I emphasize all religions including Buddhism are good at guiding people to be a good persons. But none except Christianity address the issue of sins that are subject to punishment to satisfy the righteous requirement of God. Without Jesus as a perfect person to take our place to receive the punishment of sins, we all will suffer eternally in the Hell of Fire. She admitted Gospel is sensible and logical for everyone to accept.

3) Liu is a Malaysian Chinese from KL of also Buddhism background. Her reaction was similar to Mirada showing receptiveness and is ready to make the step of faith to accept Jesus.

4) Lily is from Singapore of possibly Indian blood. Surprisingly , she is of similar Buddhist background s the previous two girls. The bus cam a bit too quick as such the nutshell of gospel only was shared.

5) Anwah is an UQ student from Sardi Arabia fully dressed in her Muslim background costume. But she again was surprising open showing the greatest degree of receptiveness to the Gospel showing no sign of rejection despite of her Muslim background. She really has the biggest prospect to make the needed step of faith.

6) Josie an local Aussie girl who claimed herself to be Christian. The diagnosis question one was correct that she has 100% of assurance of salvation, but failed to give me reason why she was saved. It was a pity I could not offer him more clarification and teaching as the bus again arrived a bit too early.

Battle Log of Winnie: -

感謝主 今天的带领,讓我遇到八人傳福音的機會。

有三位 UQ 學生,分别來自中國,Richard. 两位 來自馬來西亞,Matthew and Andrew. Matt 會想想宗教問题。Andrew 是得救的基督徒。

中國少女 Grace, 會去教會尋求更多真理。

Lana 相片中的澳洲少女,基督徒,明白救恩。

Jason, 越南青年,會想想宗教問题。

馬來西亞,UQ 女學生,Lily 及澳洲年青人,James, 不願接受單張及聽福音。我和他們分别前後閒談,最後帶入福音。他們都明白了。這也是活學活用,從關牧師及師母學來的。所以每次傳福音都是從中學習,增加經驗。

感謝讚美主。願 主賜福今天聽到福音人士,認罪悔改 歸向 神。


Christchurch (NZ) Team

Tuesday, 2 March, 2021

Posted by Posted 2 March 2021, 3:49 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

New Zealand Mission - Whangarei - Day Two

A wonderful second day of outreach!  There is no way I’m going to be able to cover all the encounters in this short report, but I’ll do my best.  We were out for six hours today - two times three hour outreaches - with an hour for lunch in between.  About a team of ten today.  We started in the Cameron Street Mall with prayer before pairing up and spreading out.

I was initially paired with Christine, and we quickly fell into a conversation with Greg.  He was very happy to chat, and Christine quickly took control of the conversation and shared the law and the gospel with him.  It turns out he doesn’t live far from the church in Kamo: Clark Road Chapel - he even knew someone who attends there!  He happily took tracts, including one with Christine’s contact details.

After this, other Christians started joining the team and we decided to head down to the “Town Basin” - a lovely spot with a walking loop & cafes all on the edge of a yacht marina.

Christine and I found a seat next to the walking loop, and as people walked past we would offer tracts and try to get conversations started.  Two young ladies stopped, and a conversation got rolling.  There was resistance to the idea of God, but they were willing to stay to continue the conversation.  They heard the law, but as I was moving to the gospel - I could tell one of them was feeling uncomfortable and wanted to move on - but they were both happy to take tracts.

We then had another two young ladies stop and they were very happy to talk about spiritual things, one asking good questions.  At the end of the conversation the other said, “I’ve got goosebumps talking about this - thanks so much”.  Interestingly, the two girls were in different places, and Christine and I discussed splitting the conversation in situations like that.

Well, low and behold, our next conversation was an approach of an elderly couple enjoying the marina.  There was instant resistance, and yet they were very friendly - and although they said they didn’t want to talk about spiritual things, they kept engaging us!  And it turns out this was a perfect situation to split the conversation.  I ended up engaging the gentleman, who wanted to spar on evolution, while Christine talked to the lady.  She was open, he was resistant.  She heard the law and the gospel, he had his difficult questions answered and in the process came to understand the seriousness of sin.  She accepted tracts, he refused.  And yet the conversations were very friendly.  We parted with handshakes all round - so very encouraging!

We had lunch down by the marina in the shade.  And low and behold, a guy who had been talked to by Brian in the morning, came over and wanted to talk more - this time with Alan!  Pictured is the team (with a sea gull in the foreground) - Alan is on the right explaining things in the tract the guy is holding.

After lunch I was paired with Phil.  We had two great chats (which I’m out of time to talk about), before the team moved back to Cameron Street Mall.
Outreach continued around the Mall & I’m going to have to leave the pictures to do the talking!  Many chats of all kinds: short ones, long ones, hard ones, great ones - even some opportunity for follow ups from the previous day!

So encouraging seeing so many Christians taking time out of their day to come and be involved - even if it’s only for thirty minutes.  Oh Lord, please encourage your church, and use our feeble efforts for your glory.
 


Christchurch (NZ) Team

Monday, 1 March, 2021

Posted by Posted 1 March 2021, 6:40 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

New Zealand Mission - Whangarei - Day One.

I’m hoping to be able to write daily reports - so they will be shorter than usual.

I made it up to Whangarei without problem on Saturday.  That evening I received a message from Abraham in Auckland: “Are you watching the news?”  It was bad news.  Auckland was going into a 7 day Covid lockdown from 6am on Sunday.  Andy was flying to Auckland at 7am on Sunday! :O  Sadly, this means that the Auckland leg of the NZ Mission had to be cancelled.

What this means is that the first week of the mission will be focused solely on Whangarei.  And the good news was that we were able to get Andy up to join the team in Whangarei early on Monday morning.

Monday started with some training before a group of about ten headed to the Kamo shopping area.  The team scattered.  Tracts were handed out, and conversations were initiated.  It was an encouraging time for me - It was so good seeing God answer our prayer!

Christine and I had a chat with an elderly guy (pictured).  We engaged on how we know God exists, and moved into the law - which brings the knowledge of sin.  We were just about to get to the gospel when, sadly, the guy said he had to go.  He accepted a gospel tract as he left.

We gathered again for a late lunch before heading into the Cameron Street Mall for the afternoon outreach where there were many opportunities to talk with people.  I had lots of conversations, my first too were with guys who seemed to grasp the gospel first time (checking questions confirming), which was very encouraging.

At the end of the outreach, I paired up with Ruby, and I ended up tackling a conversation with a group of about 8 to 10 high school kids.  It was hard work, as I couldn’t hold the attention of all of them, so I focused on three.  The law and the gospel was explained, and various checking questions were employed.  All those kids (and some more that joined them after the conversation started) accepted gospel tracts.

For Andy and I, it’s SO GOOD to be in a new environment, with fresh people to share the gospel with.  And it was SUPER encouraging watching all the Christians getting involved with the great commission!  Please keep praying for the Whangarei outreach continuing tomorrow.
 


Christchurch (NZ) Team

Friday, 26 February, 2021

Posted by Posted 27 February 2021, 9:28 AM by Glen Richards. Permalink

As I write this, I’m sitting in Christchurch airport.  It’s been a while since I’ve been in an airport I’m glad to say!  And yet, I am looking forward to an evangelism change of scenery.  I’m honoured to be involved in three weeks of mission across NZ.  The first week will be in Auckland & Whangarei at the top of the North Island of NZ.  Please keep the mission in your prayer - as always, I’ll be writing regular reports.  Believe it or not, there are still international flights leaving Christchurch (pictured).

Anyway, this report covers Thursday and Friday.

The forecast for Thursday wasn’t good, and so I ended up spending the whole day online.  So many gospel conversations!  I talked to a Palistinian, and also a guy in Tunisia - I’ve now talked to people all across North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt.  I thank God for all these gospel opportunities!

On Friday morning I was also online, and then I headed into Cathedral Square.  It was very overcast, and there was some rain in the air.  Sadly, there weren’t many people there.  Other Christians started arriving: Mike, Andy, Marty, Roy, a Christian guy who had listened to Andy preach the week prior.  Only Marty ended up preaching, the rest of us got into one to one conversations with the few that were around.  Yet, in spite of the lack of people, I had some good gospel interactions.

I approached two late teen guys walking past the Cathedral, they were happy to stop and talk about the deepest question of life: what happens after?  They heard the law and the gospel in an easy going conversation and were happy to take tracts as they left.

Next up a guy walked past, and I said “hello” as I offered him a tract.  Suddenly I realised who it was.  It was the guy I had to call the Police about at Eastgate (a long time ago now).  I instantly closed my mouth to avoid provoking him further - he remembered me and instantly the finger pointing and abuse began.  I started walking towards some of the other Christians - safety in numbers - he kept hurling abuse as I walked.  My tactic worked, he decided to keep walking, but not before stopping, pointing, and yelling at me (with horrible language) about not being respectful of other religions (or something like that).  Marty pointed out the irony of his deep disrespect of me.

I went back to my spot and was soon into another conversation.  This time it was with a guy who had an openness to Christianity and yet was confused on what it meant to be a Christian.  So we went through the law and gospel.  His response was a blankness and doubt.  He wanted to talk, so I listened.  Soon he started touching on conspiracy theories, he wasn’t happy at how Christianity had been “corrupted”.  I gently probed, and then slowly his anti-semitism started leaking out! :o I asked him directly if he hated Jews.  He looked at me as though he had been caught in a sin, but he didn’t repent, he doubled down.  The conversation ended soon after, with him rambling.  I felt sad that I wasn’t able to reach him (through his confusion) with the clarity of the truth.

We headed to the hospital to bring the gospel to the issue of abortion.  As I was getting to the hospital, I started feeling nauseous.  I don’t think it was from nerves - I just needed to eat food.  So before joining the outreach, I sat down to eat my sandwiches.  Feeling better I joined the team.  There were seven of us today.  And it was a wonderful outreach!  Fairly peaceful initially, but then I noticed a girl walking back and forth - I could tell she was recording us while she was also talking to someone on her phone.  She left, but soon after a counter protester turned up, and then two others joined her.  The counter protester was the same girl who had created a big scene about a month prior.

Well, thankfully, this time she was much more controlled.  She wanted to talk, and I agreed - as long as the conversation stayed peaceful.  I had a long conversation with the three of them.  It was tiring, as I worked through all their arguments and kept coming back to: “how do we know what is right and wrong?”  Eventually one of her friends asked: “So, how do you know what is right and wrong?”  “Great question!” I exclaimed and moved the conversation to how we know God exists, and why God is the basis for right and wrong.  I never really got to share the gospel, but I was able to touch on it a few times - one of the two key reasons we are there is to bring the hope of forgiveness of sin, and the complete removal of guilt because of Jesus.

They finally tired of talking to me, and so they moved down the line and ended up having a chat with Jess.  After that, they decided to move to another group protesting abortion across the road.  We had a time of peace before they came back again and sat on the wall across from us talking among themselves.

Soon, more of their friends started arriving.  They came over to me to engage in discussion - first with a couple of guys, and then with another couple of guys.  The second set of guys were very open to discuss “how we know what is right and wrong” - the beginnings of a gospel conversation.  Yet another guy approached me and wanted to give me a piece of his mind, but I told him I already have my hands full talking with others, would he mind going down and talking to Andy.  He didn’t want that, he wanted to talk to us all, but the original guy I was talking to wanted to continue the conversation and so the interrupter had no choice but to talk to Andy.

Suddenly, one of the original counter protesters two friends grabbed the signs Marty was holding and ran off!  He found a rubbish bin and started to try to stuff the signs in it.  I was following him, and when he saw me coming, he took off with the signs again.  I smiled, and calmly followed.  He went round a corner, and when I turned it too, I saw him running out of an alleyway.  I retrieved the signs and started heading back.  I saw the original counter protester, and she said she had nothing to do with the taking of the signs, I was pleased to know her conscience was working.  Just then, the two guys I had been talking to came past, I stopped them and offered them tracts: “Life is Precious”, and “Jesus shows us God”.  They were happy to take them.

The outreach wrapped up with prayer - glory to God, we had many opportunities to engage with multiple people about the gospel and abortion!  I was buzzing.  As I left, Andy was still in a conversation with the guy I had passed to him earlier.

Oh Lord, have mercy!
 


Sunnybank (QLD) Team

Wednesday, 24 February, 2021

Posted by Posted 24 February 2021, 7:00 PM by Hung Kwan. Permalink

Operation 513 Battle log for Sunnybank on Wednesday Feb 24, 2021 from 1330 to 1530

Today Johnny could not make it so I started solo first until Martin and Andrew joined me a little while later. We stayed at the Western side of Main Road near the Bus stop. Basically, God let us experience different sorts of rejection or at least initial resistance, but at the end, God did give us patience to turn around some of the unwilling heart to chat and later on passing over the gospel message in a subtle causal talk manner. Recap below are my Battle Log:

1) A curious guy initially engaged in chat with me even though he showed that he was not interested and did not need God as he opined he is a good enough person. Unfortunately he spotted Martin taking photo of us and become an angry person aborting our talk. We did feel sorry for this hiccup up, but could only learn to take photo more carefully not interrupting the chat while doing our job to capture needed photo for the battle Log leaving real record of this divine encounter and remember it in a prayer.

2) Then I approached a Chinese girl from Hang Zhou. She is the typical atheist reaction simply declining to let me share gospel. Nevertheless, the Spirit gave me a gentle heart to stop talking about the tract but sharing mutual experience of Hang Zhou where I visited many years ago. My friendship approach melted her icy heart and I can subtlely share my life salvation experience with her.

3) A Chinese Buddhist middle age lady was originally approached by Martin, but her limited English trigger my intervention to take over the chat. I miss heard her saying she is a Christian or she did say this to decline the approach of Martin. I anyhow was managed to share exactly to here that all religion including Buddhism advocate to live and act like a good persons but does not address the issue of sin and how it can be forgiven with us accountable for the punishment of our sin.

4) A man gave me initial reception to let me share with him the Gospel, but he suddenly left amidst our chat as if he suddenly remember he has some urgent errand to do.

5) Then God led me to speak to three Uni student Tarrant, Brant and Moses who denied they are Chinese but soon afterwards, I noticed they are actually all youngster from Hong Kong who have great concern about the freedom status of HKG. I identified with them as Hong Konger and led into gospel as the ultimate solution for removing sins from our life as well as from this crooked world.

6) Then I chatted with Yam 任 from HKG 香港 again. She is a Christian but without assurance of salvation. I was glad I can clarify her problem of misinterpretation of the Bible bute pointing her to fully understand we are all saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

7) Then I met again with another Mainlander Chinese from Canteon 廣東,He showed extreme open mind to listen to the Gospel till the bus came. 

8) Lastly I chatted with Sarah the Korean who also rejected me initially. I still held a polite manner to share about my testimony instead of the tract and the gospel. But after a while when we were more or less connected as friend. I actually shared her the gospel that once saved and transformed my life. Praise yee to God.


Christchurch (NZ) Team

Wednesday, 24 February, 2021

Posted by Posted 24 February 2021, 5:42 PM by Glen Richards. Permalink

A hot day in Christchurch on Tuesday.  I started my day of outreach in Riccarton.  Roger couldn’t join me, so I decided not to bring my flip chart and walk the streets instead.  I had many opportunities to engage people with the gospel message.

I had a tract with me that I haven’t used for a while.  It has a question on it: “What will matter to you in 150 years time?”  I decided to make that question the basis of my approach to people.  One lady said: “I want the planet to still be here” - and then she walked off.  People grasp that the planet sustains life, but It fascinates me that people miss the deeper problem of death - a problem that has a solution!

I had to buy myself a cold drink, as the heat was surprisingly energy zapping.  As I was sipping my drink I was handing out the tracts, and I had a guy stop and engage in conversation.  He certainly grasped the deeper problem of death - we even talked about Cryonics for a few moments.  He heard the law and the gospel - but didn’t seem convinced.  He asked some good questions before we parted ways.  He took the tract, and the more in depth one, “After Life”.

I had some good engagements around the bus stops.

I fell into a wonderful conversation with a guy waiting for his bus.  He was a deep thinker, and was convinced there had to be a “higher power” before I had even talked to him.  Sadly his bus came before I could share the gospel with him - but he left with an in depth tract as well.

Another chat was with a young man who wore a cross necklace (he showed it to me).  He said his uncle was a Christian, but he was only half Christian!  I had to probe a bit to understand what he meant.  It turns out he still wasn’t convinced about the claims of Christ.  So going from there, we had a great chat about the gospel.  I could see the penny dropping - it was wonderful to watch.  He seemed deeply grateful for the chat - he shook my hand multiple times before we departed ways.

On Tuesday and Wednesday I was also online.

One of those conversations was with a girl with a mask and a guitar.  I was feeling very lethargic, but I stumbled through the law and the gospel with her (interrupted by her playing me a song).  As I was sharing the gospel, I was suddenly interrupted by another voice that said, “that’s the best explanation I’ve ever heard”.  The girl had a friend on her phone, and she lifted up her phone so I could see her.  She asked if I was a priest!  I proceeded with the conversation by asking checking questions, and suddenly the girl with the guitar started insisting she was a good person.  Her friend on the phone said: “calm down” and then she disconnected.

The last two chats of Wednesday were intellectually stimulating.  The first was a text chat who I suspect was a Muslim, who pretended to be a Christian?  I think he was trying to waste my time, but in the process he ended up asking a truck load of wonderful questions and coming to learn so much about Christ.  The second chat was with an intellectual guy who started arguing against the obvious reality of God.  After a few minutes, I stepped back and asked, “could it be that you’ve been deeply hurt and you’ve wondered why God didn’t stop it?”  He paused and agreed, and the conversation automatically shifted to why God allows evil.  Sadly, he didn’t stick around.  It’s fascinating: I’ve known people to go through immense suffering, and yet it draws them to God - not away.  May God have mercy on this guy.


 


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