Post by jed on Oct 5, 2005 16:08:10 GMT -5
Thanks to all that have posted reports. Keep it up, going on for the Lord.
Went downtown again this past Saturday night. Strangely all of the regulars had things come up but I knew that I still had to go... I was compelled to go and preach the gospel. I am not a bold person by nature either. And I don't say this to boast in myself... I was more nervous than I had been in a while, but it was also the first time I had preached by myself in over a year. I always would go with someone or not go at all. But I need to be like Paul, in Acts 17 in Athens, willing to go by himself.
Had at least 4 people walk across the street to ask what I was doing, etc, who seemed interested. All of them were proud and trusted in being a church organist and things like that. I know that next Sat I have to preach on Josh 24:15, Deut 30 and Matt 6. You can't serve two masters. This is not sinless perfection preaching (disagree big time with Wesley on this), it is just 2 Cor 5:17 preaching.
I noticed at least one young lady in a convertible flip me off. It upset me, but not because of me... it was illustrative of the night. People esteemed the Bible so lightly... it seemed as if nobody was all that interested. Of course I can't see inside anyone's heart. I have read on here about some of you preaching in front of clubs and seeing people get out of line and go home. I actually plead with them sometimes to do this. "The club is a place is a wide path of death. Pursue righteousness." The people in the cars at the intersection were interested though. It is moving to see people's faces (even in the dark) who are stopped, who stay stopped even when the light turns green. Surely they are falling under conviction are they not?
I saw some one of the police cars from the division that harassed me drive right by. Praise God.
I would like to ask several questions for anyone to answer and please do.
1. I really want to record our open airs. How do you record yourself, and which Mp3 player do you recommend? Do mp3 players have a lapel mic like a church preacher does? Surely you can't hold it up to your mouth and preach? Or is it better to be filmed? I can secure a camcorder but i would also like a recorder that I would use personally. I sense it to be wise from now on to have myself recorded in the case of any more police encounters.
2.How should you dress? If I am at a college student grunge band club, should I wear thrift store clothes and Abercrombie? Should I wear a tie? Should I wear whatever is normal for me? What about an urban hip hop club? Do I need to wear a jersey? Is this "becoming all things to all men"? (This verse is one of the most misused verses of my day. It has been used to justify all kinds of wordliness under this guise: We have to become "relevant" to the world for them to hear us. Well guess what- the Bible is most relevant book on the shelf and its 2000 years old!)
3. How can you portray the gospel in just 30 seconds at a traffic light? Stick with Luke 13:3? (One time someone rolled down the window and said "You're not telling people how to repent")
4. How much is enough time in prayer prior to an open air? If I have been at work all day, surely I shouldn't just stay home instead of going if someone calls me last minute? Obviously you can't pray too much.
5. What text can you preach from to rebuke this common saying: "We're just having a little fun after work, not hurting anybody." I think I am going to us the Olivet discourse, Mt. 24. Also Luke 17, when Jesus speaks of the days of Noah. I have used Noah before. It's powerful.
Remember this is not a battle against society or the police. Ephesians 6!!!! THis is a spiritual battle, wherein we use spiritual weapons (2 Cor 10:5- it may be first Cor 10:5)
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. And he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev 19; Isa 9; Isa 11.