First Time Out With The "Are You Ready" Cross

Yesterday was my first time out standing on a street corner with the "Are You Ready" cross.
I got home from work, loaded the cross into the trunk of my car and drove to the corner of Ortega and Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano. I sat in the Starbucks across from the corner and read my bible while enjoying a tasty iced latte. After reading several chapters I began to pray that the Lord would bless my time out with the cross. I had no idea how this was going to go and was nervous! In fact, I may have been even more nervous than the first time I open-air preached! I "tweeted" a quick update to twitter asking for my brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for me and then headed back to my car to get the cross and my evangelism backpack. I got the cross out of the trunk, hoisted it up and began to walk toward the corner. I said hello to a couple who were hanging out on a park bench and they just stared as I walked past. As I walked down the sidewalk toward the street corner I could see drivers looking up at the "Are You Ready" message on the cross. I crossed the street and turned and faced the traffic and felt very conscious of the eyes that were now staring at me and the cross. I continued to pray that the Lord would use the "Are You Ready" message to cause people to think about eternity. I was also praying that the Lord would confirm to me that this "method" of evangelism is valid.

During the first several minutes I experienced a full range of responses from the motorists who drove by. Some stared at the "Are You Ready" message, some honked, some nodded, some gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up, some shook their heads, and some laughed at me (nobody hollered or cursed at me and I was very thankful for that!). I thought about Tony Miano saying that he experienced a new level of identifying with Christ in holding the cross for all to see and I too experienced this new sense of identification with my Saviour.

Then it happened! I caught the eye of a young man waiting to cross the street. His eyes were riveted on the cross. When he got a walk signal and began crossing, I could tell that he was headed my way. I said hello and asked how he was doing. This began an amazing witnessing encounter that was an answer to my prayers. I was wondering if holding the cross on the corner was effective and the Lord brought this young man along to answer that prayer. Rather than type out the conversation here I'll just let you hear for yourself. I pray that this will be an encouragement to you as it was for me. Also, please pray for this young man. He was very open to the gospel and I believe that he will read the bible I gave to him. I look forward to seeing him in town again to follow up on our conversation. Here's the audio:



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A Preacher Is Born

This past Sunday afternoon at the San Juan Capistrano train station was an afternoon of firsts.
It was the first time out for my newly built "Are You Ready" cross.
It was the first time I had witnessed to somebody who is intoxicated.
But, the biggest first by far was when Dave broke the sound barrier and stepped up onto the box and preached for the first time!!
The day before, at the Huntington Beach Pier, I challenged Dave to write out a gospel message on a sheet of paper and simply read it aloud at the train station. He took me up on my challenge and preached a beautiful gospel message. It was an honor to be there for this first! Dave, job well done my brother!

We will be back at the San Juan Capistrano station again this Sunday from 12pm-1pm so come join us if you are able. I know you will be blessed!

Here's the video of Dave's open air gospel message:


Click here if you don't see the embedded video.

Are You Ready?

It is two o'clock in the morning and a sound startles you out of your sleep. You jump out of bed and notice the heavy smell of smoke in the air. Fearing the worst you start yelling for your wife and kids to get up and get out of the house.
The family is now gathered on the front lawn together in their PJ's and you realize that it is not your house that is on fire... it is the neighbor's house.
You can see the flames through the first story windows and thick black smoke is billowing out of an open window. You see both cars in the driveway and you notice that there are no lights on and it is obvious that they are still in the house, most likely still asleep.
You must now decide what you will do - quickly! Will you stay there, grab a lawn chair and watch as the house is consumed in flames?
Will you simply call 911 and step back as a spectator?
Or, will you run over to that house and start pounding on the door and making as much noise as you can to awaken your neighbor?
You realize that, as a loving neighbor, you really only have one choice, so you start running toward their house. How many methods do you have at your disposal to awaken them? You can holler, knock, pound, ring the doorbell, pound the walls, bring out a bullhorn -- whatever it takes!!

Every day 150,000 people die. The bible says that it is appointed for man to die once and after that the judgment. God's standard with which He will judge is His moral law, the ten commandments. If you have broken one you have broken them all. Ever lied? Stolen? Taken God's name in vain? Hated somebody (hatred is murder according to Jesus)? Lusted (lust is adultery according to Jesus)?
Face it, we have all broken God's laws and are deserving of Hell. You, me, our neighbors, those living in our communities... we are all in the same boat.
As born again Christians we know that there is hope however. God the Father sent His son, Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin, was fully God and fully man, and lived a perfect sinless life that we could not live (He's God and we're not!). At the end of His earthly ministry He suffered (flogged, crucified, was more marred than any other) and died on the cross, taking the wrath of God upon Himself that we deserved.
We broke God's law but Jesus paid our fine in His life's blood.
The bible commands us to repent and put our trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Turn from sin and turn toward God, put your trust in Jesus alone, and your fine is paid - in FULL. That is the good news of the gospel.

The flames are licking at the curtains. The smoke is billowing.
What tools do we have at our disposal to awaken those who are perishing in sin and don't even realize it? Gospel tracts? Preaching? One-to-one conversation? Letters? Email? Facebook? Twitter? Signs (good, biblical ones that is)? Banners?

Several months ago, a dear brother in Christ, Tony Miano, wrote a blog post about standing at a busy intersection in his neighborhood while holding a wooden cross with the simple question written on it, "Are You Ready?". As soon as I read his article I knew that I had to do the same.
Since he wrote that article others have also been stirred up to do the same (Paul Latour, Wayne Dawg).
The testimonies keep rolling in from these faithful heralds of the gospel. People will walk up to them and ask them what "Are You Ready" means and this provides the opportunity to share the gospel message with those who may not get to hear it any other way.

I have built my cross (see the pictures below) and am ready to deny myself, pick it up, and follow Jesus. To God alone be all the glory!
Please pray for me. Wednesday afternoon, before church, I will stand at the corner of Ortega and Camino Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano with the cross. I am nervous just thinking about it but the flames are licking at the curtains and I will do whatever it takes to wake some up.

Huntington Beach Pier

This Saturday we went down to the Huntington Beach Pier to pass out gospel tracts and witness to the lost. There were 60+ fellow evangelists there who were participating in the Ambassador's Academy. The air was electric as many from the academy were preaching the gospel in the open air. Those who weren't preaching were either passing out gospel tracts, witnessing 1to1 or encouraging those who were preaching. It was impossible to make it from the street to the pier without getting a gospel tract offered to you!!
I spoke with several of the academy participants and they all agreed that the academy was the experience of a lifetime -- and that was after the previous days challenges on Hollywood Blvd. battling the intense heat, hecklers, angry pornographers, security, and police! If you want to turbo-charge your zeal for the lost, I highly recommend attending an upcoming academy (the next one will be in April '10).

Huntington Beach Pier

This Saturday (08/29) we will be at the Huntington Beach Pier from 12pm-2pm. The Ambassador's Academy participants will be there as well so there will be 60+ evangelists out sharing their faith! If you would like to join us then let me know by email - Jeff@LoveTheLost.org - or just show up at the pier at noon on Saturday.

Climate Change

This Sunday at the train station was another great afternoon of preaching the gospel to every creature within earshot. There was a definite change of climate at the train station however. It seems that there is another lady working the train ticket booth and, unlike the previous attendant, she is not at all friendly to the proclamation of the gospel!

When we arrived at the train station at 12pm, I setup my flip chart with the "You broke the law, but Jesus paid you fine" poster and the ten commandments. We then prayed and I stepped up onto the box and preached a quick gospel message to the lineup of people waiting for the train to clear the tracks. A man who was playing his guitar stopped to listen. My wife later told me that the ticket booth attendant approached the man and sternly told him that he did not have to stop playing his guitar just because somebody was preaching. He then proceeded to gently and considerately tell the lady that he would not play while God's word was being preached and that he would not even be alive if it were not for God's hand on him! This really baffled the lady and she went back to her booth. My wife spent the next 45 minutes ministering to and being ministered to by this man. What a blessing!

It turns out that the angry ticket booth attendant also scolded Dave for passing out tracts. Please pray for this lady, and pray for our continued favor as we witness at the train station.

Many people heard the gospel on Sunday, the word of God was read aloud, and we were able to get the message into many hands in the form of gospel tracts. Please pray that those who heard would repent and put their faith in Jesus alone for salvation.


Here's the gospel message that is on one of the tracts we use:

Have you ever lied (even once--fibs, white lies, etc.)? Ever stolen (anything--the value is irrelevant)? Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Have you ever looked with lust? If you have said "Yes" to these three questions, by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart; and we've only looked at three of the Ten Commandments. That's how God sees you. Nothing is hid from His holy eyes. Will you be innocent or guilty on the Day of Judgment? Listen to your conscience. You know that you will be guilty, and therefore end up in Hell. That's not God's will. He provided a way for you to be forgiven. He sent His Son to take your punishment: "God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He was bruised for our iniquities. Jesus then rose from the dead and defeated death. He is your "ticket" to Heaven. He is the "way," He is the "Door," the only "mediator." There is salvation in no other name, so pray something like this: "Dear God, I repent of all of my sins (confess them). This day I put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Please forgive me and grant me your gift of everlasting life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen." Then read the Bible daily and obey what you read (see John 14:21). God will never let you down.

Reminder - Train Station Witnessing

Just a quick reminder that we will be down at the San Juan Capistrano train station every Sunday after SCCA's AM service from 12pm-1pm to sing,read scripture, preach the gospel, pass out tracts, and one-to-one witness. Come join us this Sunday and see what the Lord is doing at the train station.

Email me at Jeff@LoveTheLost.org if you have any questions or want more info.