Tonight there were five of hitting the streets around the Park Central Square area of downtown Springfield, Missouri.  A Great News Network (GNN) Seed Sower, Dana, and her husband, Jeff; myself (a GNN Local Leader), Greg and Tim. 

It was "First Friday Art Walk" downtown. It was pretty crowded, even though it was wet and drizzling rain.  We met up and prayed.  Then we split up into teams.  Greg and Tim took off one direction and Dana, Jim and I started off in another.  We handed the Giant Money gospel tracts to three young people named Niki, Noreka and Vernon and told them it was a gospel tract.  They agreed to take the Good Person Test.  They admitted that if they were to die tonight that they would probably go to hell.  I explained the need for repentance and believing / trusting in Jesus Christ to be born-again.  They thanked us for talking to them. 

We walked to the City Utilities bus depot and all over the streets around Park Central Square, as well as the clubs, and passed out tracts.  Between all of us, we passed out approx. 300-400 gospel tracts throughout the night.  We met back up at the square and decided to do some open-air preaching.  We have an Anchor Mini-Vox PB-25 speaker box that projects sound all over the square.  We drew a crowd by giving away stuffed animals when a trivia question was answered correctly.  Then I asked for a volunteer to get a larger stuffed animal, and that they would have to prove to be a good person. 

A young man named Casey volunteered. He admitted to being a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer-at-heart.  The Bible says that all liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire, and that no thief or adulterer will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and that the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.  He admitted that he will be guilty on Judgment Day and if died he would go to hell. 

I explained that we broke God's Law and Jesus paid our fine.  Jesus said in John 3:3, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  To be born-again, one must repent (turn from sin and turn towards God) and believe / trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Repent - 2 Peter 2:9b says, God is not willing that anyone should perish but that all should come to repentance.  Believe / Trust - John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.  To believe in Jesus is to trust in him like you would trust a parachute.  You have to put on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.  Live for Him each and every day, denying your old self. 

Casey did not prove to be a good person and did not earn the stuffed animal.  However, he was told that he could reach out and take the gift.  Just like salvation, there is nothing we can to do earn it, we just have to reach out in faith and take hold of salvation.

During the night, Greg and Tim had some interesting conversations with a few people.  One was a lady from SBU that was going to be leaving soon on a missionary trip to Egypt. 

We began walking around and passing out more gospel tracts.  Greg and I walked to the bus depot one last time and spoke with a man named Doug.  He used to be into wiccan and has committed every sin there is, he said.  He said that he was truly born-again now.  We will be praying for Doug.  We prayed and then left for the night. 

We thank God for bringing people into our paths tonight.  We pray the Holy Spirit will convict each person that received a gospel tract or that heard the Word tonight. 

If you would like to learn more about witnessing simply, effectively and biblically, please contact me.

In Christ,


Brad St. Clair