El Camino College 04/23/09

Yesterday I took the afternoon off work and headed over to El Camino College to join Pastor Steve Sanchez and his team from Hope Chapel Hermosa Beach for a couple hours of college campus evangelism. I spoke with a couple of young guys who were very open to the gospel, a professing believer who doesn't agree with sharing your faith, a young man with a tender heart and conscience, a professing believer who couldn't tell me how to get to heaven, and a couple of possible gang members (one guy came up behind his friend while I was talking to him, put his finger to his friends head and yelled, "BAM... I could have killed you if that was a gun!!").

I have audio for all these conversations, but I want to share just one. Normally I will just approach somebody, hand them a gospel tract and ask them the million dollar question, "If you died today would you go to heaven?". As you can see in the photo above, Pastor Steve sets up several flip-charts with the Intelligence Test, which is a fun way to initiate a conversation and swing it to the spiritual. I have never used the intelligence test since I am very comfortable just approaching somebody and asking them where they would go if they died. But yesterday I decided to try something new and take somebody through the intelligence test. What did I learn from this experience? 1) The intelligence test does not work very well if there is a slight language barrier. 2) "Do you consider yourself to be a good person?" is a great question to get back on track when the intelligence test fails miserably. 3) God is AMAZING and uses us despite our weakness. 4) God is AMAZING! Did I say that one already? WELL HE IS!! Here's the audio clip:


Click here if you don't see the embedded audio player above.

Redondo Beach Pier 04/16/09

Yesterday afternoon I headed over to the Redondo Beach Pier and did some witnessing before class. I was glad that the "No Fishing Allowed" sign only depicted "fish" and not "men".




I was also glad that I was not fishing for "White Croaker" but for those who are in need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. After all, it is appointed for man to "croak" once and after that the judgment.



Last night marked probably the best and most encouraging one-to-one witnessing conversation I have had since I have been actively sharing my faith on the street over the last year. Most of the one-to-one conversations I have had lately have all been rather difficult conversations. I believe that God knew I needed some encouragement so he allowed me to have the following conversation.

Notice how God has been working on this couple, drawing them to Himself. It is apparent that they have been pondering the things of God and what a blessing it was to have been a part of His dealings with them. Did they repent and put their trust in Jesus on the spot? No. But, I believe that some stony ground was tilled and seeds of the gospel were planted on some good soil.

Also, notice (at time marker 4:45) that Falstina says, "Usually I would cut somebody off who approached me like this, and I'm really hungry, but I like talking to you so keep going, go ahead". This was "friendship evangelism" as I define it. This was a friendly conversation! Even though we were talking about a difficult subject (sin, law, death, judgment, heaven or hell), this was - and was perceived as - a friendly conversation. I can truly say that I love this couple. I do not want them to spend eternity in Hell. I want them to repent and put their trust in Jesus. I loved them enough to pray through my fear, get out of my comfort zone, and approach them despite the fact that they were complete strangers and I had no idea whether they would be friendly or not. I allowed my love for them to overshadow my fear. Glory to God!!

Ok, this is getting kinda long so I'll just let you listen for yourself. I'd love to get some feedback and discussion going about this conversation, so please leave a comment.



Click here if you don't see the embedded audio player above.

Tax Day Tea Party Protest 04/16/09

Yesterday, before heading to church, I drove over to Mission Viejo to the corner of La Paz and Marguerite where I knew there would be several hundred people protesting at Mission Viejo's Tax Day Tea Party protest. I thought that this might be a great way to get the gospel message in people's hands in the form of million dollar bill gospel tracts.
I passed out 100 gospel tracts in just under 15 minutes. EVERYBODY took a tract who I offered it to. I just said "did you get one of these?" followed by "it's a part of the stimulus package" and people were grinning from ear to ear and asking for more to give to friends.
These tracts are great and are very easy to give out to people but the best part is the biblical gospel message on the back:

The million dollar question: Will you go to Heaven when you die? Here's a quick test. Have you ever told a lie, stolen anything, or used God's name in vain? Jesus said, "Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Have you looked with lust? Will you be guilty on Judgment Day? If you have done those things, God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart. The Bible warns that if you are guilty you will end up in Hell. That's not God's will. He sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for you. You broke God's Law, but Jesus paid your fine. That means He can legally dismiss your case. He can commute your death sentence: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Then He rose from the dead and defeated death. Please, repent (turn from sin) today and trust in Jesus alone, and God will grant you the gift of everlasting life. Then read your Bible daily and obey it.

Preaching At The San Juan Capistrano Train Station 04/10/09

This afternoon I headed down to the San Juan Capistrano train station and read Matthew chapters 26-28 and preached a quick gospel message to those who were hanging around. I would estimate that ~30 people heard the gospel and many others passed by while I was reading from Matthew.



If you don't see the embedded player above, click here.

Mission Good Friday (from thelawmanchronicles.blogspot.com)

The following is a post from Tony Miano's blog, thelawmanchronicles.blogspot.com entitled "Mission Good Friday". I am going to take him up on the challenge this Friday afternoon. If you would like to join me (the support would be greatly appreciated), just let me know by email - Jeff@LoveTheLost.org - and we'll work out a time and place to meet.

Here's the post:

Mission Good Friday

The mission is simple and can be accomplished anywhere.

This is a call to all Christians everywhere, whether or not you are a street evangelist.

Find a public place--preferably a place where people gather (the size of the crowd matters not). Climb atop a box. Open your Bible. And read Matthew 26-28 (that's right: all of it) aloud, using the voice the Good Lord gave you.

If you have never open-air preached, and you don't think you are ready to do so, then simply read the text with love in your heart--love for God and love for lost people. The Scriptures can speak for themselves. The Word of God is true, powerful, and entirely sufficient.

Open-air preachers: Read Matthew 26-28 as your springboard for heralding the Law and the Gospel.

Join me in bringing Good Friday to the people who likely will not darken the door of your church.

Think of it. Men and women around the world, in large cities and small towns, reading the Gospel to the lost.

Who's with me?!

Please share your "Mission Good Friday" testimonies, here, by leaving comments on this post.

Redondo Beach Pier 04/03/09

On Friday, I joined the Hope Chapel Hermosa Beach evangelism team for some witnessing at the Redondo Beach Pier. We passed out lots of gospel tracts and had a few one-to-one conversations.

Below is a conversation I had with a Jehovah's Witness couple. They wouldn't stay long enough to hear the gospel, but I gave them a clear presentation of God's law.



Click here if you don't see the embedded player above.

April Fool's Day

Psalm 53:1
The fool has said in his heart,"There is no God." They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.