Battle Log

• Battle Log
• Page 9

Christchurch (NZ) Team

Another month has passed.  Another month closer to eternity.  Time is moving fast.  The older I get, the more I want to forgo the pleasures of this life and invest in the kingdom to come - for God’s glory alone.  The best way I know to do that is to tell as many people as I can about who God is: His justice and His mercy.  And to try to encourage other believers to do the same - as much as I fail to do that.  My prayer is that He will use our feeble efforts to show His strength.

 

This month we had the joy of running a short term mission to… our own city!  Christchurch.  Why travel so far at so much cost, when you can just step out your door to the local streets, markets and meeting places to tell people there about Jesus.

 

For 1 week in September: Monday to Sunday, we spent our days ministering the gospel in our usual outreach spots: Cashel Mall and Riccarton, but we also got to re-visit some of our old haunts: the Eastgate and Northlands bus stops!  It was so good to be back in those spots - Andy and I talked about trying to visit them more often in the future.

 

One chat I had at Northlands is burned into my memory.  It was so encouraging.

 

A bus had just degourged its passengers and I managed to strike up a chat with one of them: a young man - probably in his late teens.  When I asked him what he thought happened after life, he became sad, “I hope it’s heaven, but, there will probably be nothing after I die”.  So, starting from there, I was able to explain to him how we know God is real.  This was when I was rewarded with his first facial change - it made sense to him, there must be a God - hope dawned on his face.  I then proceeded to explain how we know there is a heaven and a hell.  The look of hope on his face broke into a smile - again, it made sense – that means there won’t be nothing after life!  Finally, I was able to reason with him about the bad news: that we clearly deserve hell, but then the good news: what God has done so we can mercifully go to heaven.  And that was when I was rewarded with the final expression change - there is true hope for heaven!!  What a joy and a privilege it was for me to minister this good news to him.  How wonderful is it that God condescends to use a wretch like me to deliver such wonderful hope.

 

Suddenly he had to go, I was able to give him a tract before he scooted across the road and into the mall.  I didn’t have a chance to really work through any of the check questions.  I may never see him again, but, in those brief minutes I was able to pass him the bread of life.  I leave him in God’s hands - I didn’t even get a chance to learn his name; yet, God knows what it is.

 

On Saturday, Craig and I were in Riccarton.  I was handing out tracts when an older lady went past.  “Have you got one of these?”, I said.  She stopped and turned.  “What is it?”, she asked.  “It’s about Jesus”.  Her face beamed.  She bounded up to me and gave me a hug, and then she kissed me on the cheek!  “I’m a Messianic Jew, you’re doing a great job young man”.  She took the tract and bounded off before I had a chance to say anything further.  Haha, I don’t think I’ve ever been kissed for sharing the gospel before!  Always a first.  It made me re-evaluate, am I being faithful in my delivery?  I mean, if I’m being faithful, then the reaction is more often than not going to be that I’ll be spat at – people hate God because they love their sin.  But, no, I think if we are faithful, we will get a range of responses: including joy and hatred.  We must be gentle and respectful, but we must be faithful too, no compromise on the truth.

 

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday Oct 1st 2025 from 1030-1200

Today I served solo again as Johnny had church pastoral ministry in the morning. By the grace of God and the guidance of the Spirit.

First I was led to chat with a working holiday guy from Taiwan. He heard the gospel sharing at the Gold Coast by other OPN 513 folk. He was impressed for our faithfulness to preach the gospel near and far. Then I was led to have divine appointment with an Islander from Fiji but already migrated to call Australia home. He is a Christian but lack of 100% assurance of salvation. He thanked me for the clarification plus a bonus of the right understanding of the meaning and origin of Fair Dinkum. Next was a couple of grandma and grand son from Dalian, They already migrated to Australia as such they appeared quite open and receptive to the gospel message. There were several short and or incomplete conversation. God is in charge anyway for His glory sake.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Sep 30, 2025 from 1030-1200

Today, Johnny teamed up with me again at Toowong. He had many fruitful conversations including a chat with a girl from Chongqing who was moved to accept Christ immediately. In another case, the gospel target mentioned he heard about us or Johnny in particular by his friend. So God really is in charge of all the outreach activities and we are just His vessel.

For me, I also had many fruitful conversations all are the divine appointments arranged by God. I met a girl who has just arrived from Pakistan and appeared at the Toowong bus stop for the first time. Despite she is a Muslim, but she appeared exceptionally open a n receptive to gospel especially on the need of all fallen human to rely on a Savior to take our place to receive the eternal dead punishment originally to be borne by us. Another chat was with a Christian from Norway, yet he did not have assurance of salvation and was happy to gain the correct understanding that, once we accepted Jesus as our Savor, our record of sin has been set to zero by the sacrificial death and atoning grace of Jesus as such we all should have 100% certain that we readily have been reconciled with God being His people again. There are many other successful symbolized by the willingness to take a selfie with me.

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday Sept 24th 2025 from 1030-1200

Good to have Johnny back joining me to so Sunnybank outreach. It is always better to serve as a team as taught by Jesus to send out disciple to go preaching the gospel 2 by 2. Johnny obviously got many chances, so did I as such I was not always free to take photo when he was in a conversation.

My out reach to day was terrific though still have a handful rejection of intentional neglecting. The climax was I chatted with a Pakistanian Muslim who has migrated to Australia as long as me for almost 30 years. But he just got devoiced and was in very sad mood. I think if he was still in Pakistan, the divorce may not happen as only man can divorce woman. I still shared about the love of God but hate of sin but did not choose to using Gospel as the avenue, but using a man to man hug to give him the Christlike love from a stranger. He was impressed and thanks for my empathy while getting the message that being a good person alone will not land us to heaven unless we are perfect. If not we all need Jesus to fill up the void that is created because of our sin. I was able to reach out to Malaysian English speaking lady, mainlanders Christian looking for church and non-believers, Filipino Catholic Christian family of three, Vietnamese Catholic, and a Cross culture dating Aussie boy and Taiwanese girl friend. They all were open and receptive to the gospel. May all glory be to God.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Sep 23, 2025 from 1030-1200

Still served solo today at Toowong. God led me to chat with all UQ students this time mainly from local and with only one from Taiwan but still preferred to chat I. English. Basically ， they are all non believers but all appeared to be open minded and receptive to the Gospel, admitting that no one is perfect as such if there is a heaven kingdom demanding us for a sin free certificate line earthly country asking for a crime free certificate from all immigration applicants, we all will be disqualified as such going to hell. They admitted thus is a very down to the earth analogy showing we all need a saviour to take our place to receive punishment of our sin so that through His sacrificial death, our sin is pardoned and record of our sin is set to zero, satisfying God’s requirement of sin free record for granting us back the God kingdom citizenship.

It is a joy to keep telling good news to the lost ones.

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday Sept 17th 2025 from 1030-1200

The outreach at Sunnybank tends to be rush as bus schedule is too frequent. By by the grace and divine election of God, I still could managed to have a few meaningful conversations with a Mainlander UQ student from Wuhan, a Chinese couples from Shanghai, and a Christian girl from Iraq. For non-believers, gospel was shared, but response from the two mainlander were in big contrast. The younger one I thought would be more open but actually appeared more fearful to have deeper conversation on faith, despite she has also heard of the global reaction to the martyr death of Charlie Kirk that may shed some light on her Gen Z heart to pursue truth and freedom. The couples on the contrary appeared very open and receptive even I shared my personal testimony, involving the reaction of me as well as general Hongkongers to the 1989 Tiananmen massacre.

The most interesting divine appointment was with an Iraq young lady that I first guessed as Türkiye which anyhow is not too far away guess as the near neighbor culture of Iraqi. She is just visiting Australia not coming for study. Conversation with her was open and friendly and it made me wonder how come she behave not a typical Muslim, then she stunted me by showing her cross on her neck chain. I was too over joy to switch asking her the diagnosis questions for Christian, but she failed to show she has clear assurance of salivation, which as an retroactive view, her cross is of catholic style. It was a pity her bus came at this time. I could not but keep marveling the great work of God to raise up Christians in those traditionally Islamic countries and big wave of revival is really happening in Iran, Iraq and Türkiye and almost four corners of the earth because of the Charlie Kirk saga.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Sep 916, 2025 from 1030-1200

Johnny was still occupied with home renovation as such I did solo street outreach again this week. I prayed to God to see if any conversation would lead to the Charlie Kirk assassination and the world wide up roaring impact bringing revival leading people especially youngsters to flood into church and received Christ.

God answered my prayer to have several deep talks with one specially on his opinion of the Charlie Kirk phenomenon. He is not a fan of Charlie and was misled that he was spreading hatred and causing division, But he at least still preserves a basic sense of humanity condemning the violence way to settle difference in opinions. I pointed out to him that Charlie Kirk exactly condemn this mentality and I carefully redirect his understanding on the mission and noble goal of Charlie that he exactly advocated and promoted equal and open dialogue to settle difference or else the world will end up in riot and violence even for irreversible division. I went on to share the gospel that the twisted sinful nature of human nature can only resort to Jesus's salvation by grace through faith which he appeared open and receptive to the gospel message.
Another long chat with a PNG mixed blood high school youngster of Catholic background but professes clear assurance of salvation. It is not because of his family influence but peer teaching by protestant Christian with clear biblical teaching.
It is clear that a big awakening movement needed to be and is about to happen as the continuous influence of Charlie Kirk Campus and high school ministry to bring them back to the biblical based way of life and thought.
There were a few more fruitful chats with mainlander and other people groups all seemingly having all been touched by the Charlie Kirk saga.

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday Sept 10th 2025 from 1030-1200

Doing solo at Sunnybank with majority of gospel targets from Hong Kong and Mainland China too. All of them are non-believers. They are migrants for many years, so still got few chance to hear the gospel. In general, their feed back were open and receptive though still lacking the urgency because of comfortable life here in Australia. One is a retired chef, moving from Sunshine coast to Brisbane. Their top priority is to enjoy a retired life. I anyway also took the chance to invite them to the Peace and Hope Concert on this Saturday in the evening at the Hope community church. They all showed interest to attend, hopefully not out of politeness. I also had chance to approach local Aussie lady, who also appeared open and receptive to the gospel message and also promise to attend the Peace and Hope Concert. I ended up also handing out left over small poster of the concert at the local shop across the road of the Salvation Army Church venue where the Concert will be held.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Sep 9, 2025 from 1030-1200

Had to go solo again due to Johnny's unavailability because of home renovation/maintenance. It was a warm Spring morning that people seemed waking up from a slack luxurious winter sleep over. Had got a couple of good chats. First with an Indian young man who claimed to had chatted with me before. He was migrant from New Zealand but now settled in Australia. He however surprised me that he has a special fond for Hongkong that he goes every year in the past consecutive years. I expressed my sadness for not being able to visit Hong Kong as freely as long time ago. since the pass away of my parents and key sibling all left HKG for overseas new settlement. Touched briefly on his impression and understanding of the need of Jesus for all good persons which he gladly agrees.

Then have another longer chat with a local high school girls. She was impressed by my argument that as long as we are not perfect, we all should have lost the right for the heavenly citizenship unless relying on the help of Jesus to make our record clean again.

Other chats were more causal and brief. I also call for the day earlier than usual.

   

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

I can speak in tongues!  It’s true!  See the pictures for proof.  One of them you will see a snap shot of a TikTok direct message conversation in Arabic.  I don’t know Arabic, and yet I was still able to communicate the gospel (or at least start a gospel conversation).  All this, thanks to modern translation software.  It’s so great.  Whoever it was said, “there are no Christians around me, and I have many questions”.  I responded with, “Sure, what’s your first question?  Also, why can you go to heaven when you die”.  And we went from there.

 

Technology can be used for so much bad, but it can be used for so much good too.  E.g., Roman roads brought the destructive might of the Roman army, but it also brought the gospel.  The printing press has enabled the propagation of destructive ideas, but it also brought the gospel.  The Internet, same thing.  Social media, same thing, Translation software, same thing.  Let’s use these tools for God’s glory, and push back against evil with the most effective weapon we have: the gospel!  His Kingdom come, and His will be done, on earth as in heaven.  Hallowed be His name!

 

This month has been great.  No special outreaches, just regular, routine outreaches: Street work, Online work.  Face to face chats, chats via text.  Training - one on one, both online and on the streets.  All glory to God, what a privilege it is to be able to serve Him and others in this way.  Please keep us in prayer!

 

The other pictures were selections from the month.  Many of them are “spot the gospel chat” style, with many different chats happening at the same time in them.

 

On the Friday just been, there was a spring-like feel in the air.  Nice sun, but a gusty wind.  Roger didn’t set up his flip chart, but Brian and Laura did.  There were heaps of school kids out fundraising for something, and I noticed many of them were having gospel chats with our team as well! (as per the pics)

 

I had plenty of good chats, but the one that stands out really felt like a divine appointment.  I was at the corner of Colombo and Cashel, handing out tracts, when a young man went past.  He took one and I was able to get a conversation started.  He had a fairly good gospel understanding (which is unusual), and yet he was lacking some clarity.  I laboured to sure that up.  He also had some personal struggles that I was able to bring some biblical advice to.  It turns out he had been sitting in the Cardboard Cathedral in contemplation just before our conversation - then he heads down the street and bumps into me!  There are no coincidences!  Is what we are doing effective?  Absolutely!  The gospel is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16)

 

On Saturday, I was very encouraged to have Toby join me again.  He’s a member of the same local church as me.  We were at the corner of Riccarton and Rotherham.  I set up my flip chart, and we had a very very busy 2 hour outreach.  The highlight was being able to talk to multiple groups of school aged kids, including one group down from Nelson for the weekend.  Also, it was so good seeing Toby getting involved and giving it a go!

 

Also, on Tuesday, Roger, Sam and I were in Riccarton in the late afternoon.  Two stand out chats come to mind: the first was with a young guy walking past, I gently asked, “Excuse me sir, can I ask you a question?”  It was almost like he had been waiting for me to ask, knowing what I was going to ask, and really wanted to talk: “Yeah, sure”.  We had a 15 minute chat, where I was able to present the law and the gospel to him, and then work through the suite of check questions.  At one point he made this comment “No one has explained it this way before” - I think the gospel was starting to click with him.  He had been reading the Bible in the Old Testament, so I encouraged him to try again, starting with John.

 

Later, at the same spot, a guy came out of a store and walked past, I offered him a gospel chat.  “No thanks!”.  I responded with, “No problem, have a nice day”.  But he had to stop at the crossing till the light went green.  Because I was there too, he turned and made a comment about the weather.  We fell into a friendly chat, and when the light went green, I walked with him to continue the chat.  I was able to ask what he thinks happened after life, and it turns out that he is agnostic.  We kept chatting and walking, but I wanted to test his interest.  I decided that I would stop walking, and see if he would stop too.  He did!  We continued the chat, which was mainly apologetical in nature. He didn’t stay for too long, but when I offered him a gospel tract the 2nd time, this time he took it.  I was encouraged.

 

Soil ploughed, seed scattered.  God will bring the increase, in His timing.

 

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