Wednesday, March 3, 2010

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

It was Sunday. There were all kinds of worship going on this past Lord's Day, just not all to the Lord.

One of the biggies all over Canada and the United States was the gold medal hockey game between our two countries at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Not surprisingly, this gets the attention of millions and unites sports minded patriots, if but for a moment in time.

I am a Canadian. Kim is an American. We thought we would join in the fray, but in a different kind of way.











For many people, the CanAm showdown was a golden opportunity to flock to the downtown bar and restaurant districts to watch the big game on big TVs. For Kim and me, it was a golden opportunity to bring the gospel to those making their way there. 

I stood on a corner with my cross for the better part of the first 40 minutes as streams of people passed by. Many glanced but were seemingly in a rush to get to the bars and capture a seat for the game.

One older fellow obliged me with an "Are you ready for what?" question that opened up a door for a ten minute discussion. He professed to be an atheist but something in our chat told me he had a conscience that bugged him, though he would not admit it.

At one point a car pulled up by the curb and I heard the driver speaking French on his cell phone. There were three others in the car with him. When he finished his call I leaned into his open window and handed him four French gospel tracts. He took them and asked me what they were for. I was able to converse with him about the gospel for a minute and he listened intently. Grateful, he asked if he could have a couple more tracts to give to some friends he had in mind.

 In between hockey periods, smokers would step out of the bars and onto the street for a few puffs before the game resumed. We took that opportunity to hand out gospel tracts as they puffed away. (Gasp!) 

Kim got into a gospel discussion with one hockey fan draped in a Canadian flag having a smoke before he went back inside to watch the game with his buddies.

 In one way or another, many Olympic hockey revelers received the gospel on Sunday afternoon.

The Lord also blessed us with an opportunity to speak with at length and encourage two young fellows who are professing Christians but have both claimed to have backslidden due to habitual sin. They left us admitting deep conviction and expressed their gratefulness for having spoken with them. Please pray for them.

Kim and I are so grateful to the Lord for giving us this golden opportunity via the Olympic hockey event to serve Him on what would have otherwise been a quiet day. I had opportunity to display the questioning cross; we spoke with many, encouraged a few and dispensed of a load of gospel tracts.

It is so good to be back on the street doing what we most love to do for Him. All glory to God! 

6 comments:

  1. Way to go Paul and Kim!

    I thank God for you two and your passion to reach the lost.

    Prayers are going up for those who took the tracts and those who you had conversations with.

    Keep up the good work in the Lord!
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  2. Olympic Tracting!!! Awesome!! Praying that many would be saved through the proclamation of the gospel. Praise God for the two of you.
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  3. Paul and Kim,

    You an encouragement to me. Thanks for sharing this on the blog.
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  4. So glad to see you back out on the streets!!
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  5. Good to be back (and leg). :)

    Thank you all for the kindness of your prayers and support. Much appreciated.

    Sola Deo Gloria!
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  6. Hello Paul & Kim,

    I believe we met more than a year ago at the detestable "Gay Pride Parade" on Wellington Ave. Glad to see that you have been carrying on with street evangelism.

    My pastor put me onto your website... it would seem you all met a short time ago? Anyway, I also have a blog where I summarize all of our evangelistic efforts:

    http://aformofsoundwords.blogspot.com

    Keeping up with each other's activities will no doubt help us in praying for each other!

    God bless,

    Luc
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