ANOTHER GREAT DAY - SAME GREAT GOSPEL

Sunday's glorious weather gave us another glorious opportunity to share the glorious gospel in the unglorious (God-lacking) public square.

With cross and gear in tow, Kim and I headed down to our favorite fishing pond, the Byward Market, where we were not surprised to find the place abuzz with a great number of people out enjoying the unusually warm March weather.

Kim started things off by standing up on the box and reading chapter 3 of the Book of John. 

There is something to be said about reading from the Bible in public. It is so out of the norm and it catches peoples' attention whether some hear a few verses as they pass by or, as some did here, they actually stop to listen.

Soon after Kim was done, it was my turn to take to the stand and preach the Law and the Gospel. The dolly that I use to cart our gear around operates as a perfect stand for the "Are You Ready" cross which is placed in front of us while we are on the box reading or preaching.

The cross is an ever present symbol and indicator to the public of what is behind our purpose for being there. It easily catches the eye and curiosity of many. We cannot say enough of its effect and usefulness in various ways as we evangelize on the street.

Not long into the gospel presentation, people started to take notice of, and an interest in, what was being said from the street pulpit. For a few, what was being preached was of enough interest to cause them to stop and listen.

But it wasn't until this young, pleasant, professing atheist showed up and started asking really good questions that a larger crowd started to gather.

 I am convinced that the young man was asking questions many in the crowd were wanting to ask but were too shy to do so. It was like he was their representative.

In our very public discussion, I happened to stump him on a point as he tried to argue that the universe came from nothing. What I found amusing was, at that point, he politely asked if he could stand aside for awhile to think about what I had countered his argument with and come back - which he did!

Meanwhile, another fellow from the crowd spoke up with questions about what he had heard in the gospel preaching which allowed me to reiterate in detail what I had said. New arrivals got a chance to hear what they had missed.

I preached the Law and the Gospel which took about 15 minutes. I focused on the gospel portion for a while after that. But thanks to couple of courteous hecklers and the larger crowd God provided for me through them, I didn't step down from the box for another 40 minutes.

And, as always near the end of our session in the Market, Kim and I spent the rest of our time speaking one to one with some who came to us after our presentation. Following that, we later took time to hand out a boatload of gospel tracts before going home.

Many people heard word of God being read and the gospel being preached in the Market this past Sunday. We are so grateful to the Lord for giving us this wonderful privilege of serving Him this way and we look forward to many more gospel giving opportunities as the even warmer weather makes its way in.

Wherever you may be, Christian, if you are not out sharing your faith in any way, would you prayerfully consider joining us on the street to bring the same great gospel that brings the message of eternal salvation to the likes of what we once were?  

"...devote yourself to the public reading of  Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." 

(1 Timothy 4:13)