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Street Witnessing 060112
Street Witnessing
Downtown Springfield, MO & Park Central Square
June 1, 2012
Downtown Springfield, MO & Park Central Square
June 1, 2012
Tonight we went to the downtown Springfield, MO area, including Park Central Square, to pass out gospel tracts and share the gospel. Dennis came out with me to be a witness for Christ.
We arrived approx. 8:00pm, prayed and began passing out gospel tracts to those gathered around Park Central Square. This summer, they are having "Sounds on the Square", where different bands are playing. It helped to draw a crowd, but it was very loud and we weren't able to really get into conversations around the Square area.
As I was walking around the Square, I handed gospel tracts to two ladies. They then handed me a church bulletin / gospel tract. They were out here with their local Springfield church being a witness for Christ. Praise God. We talked for a while, I encouraged them and kept passing out tracts.
As Dennis and I were walking around passing out gospel tracts, we came across other Christians who were out doing the same thing. I think it's awesome that so many Christians are out being a light in this dark world and sharing the gospel of Christ.
Dennis and I walked around the streets downtown and down by the bus stop area.
The later (and darker) it got, more people arrived. It has been a while since I've been street witnessing in the downtown area. Over the past couple of years, we have focused on event witnessing - concerts, festivals, parades, etc. I forgot how rowdy the people can be.
There were lots of people wandering around, cursing, yelling, dressed in gothic dress, many piercings, tattoos, chains, homosexuals holding signs saying, "I am gay", a dark looking guy with "666" on the back of his jacket, etc. I don't think I've ever gone to an outreach where as many of our gospel tracts were ripped up, burned or thrown on the ground or flat-out refused. Between Dennis and I, we probably gave out approx. 800 gospel tracts. Here is a picture of one of our gospel tracts that someone burned and tore up.
The reason I wanted to go back to the downtown area versus doing only event witnessing, is that there is more of a chance to get into good one-to-one witnessing conversations. As Dennis and I were standing on the sidewalk passing out tracts, two guys stopped to look at the ones we handed them. I told them it had a gospel message on the back, and asked if they had a Christian background.
One of the guys said he grew up with two different Christian denominations as well as Catholic. The other guy, Ricardo, said that he is an atheist. Ricardo has been in Springfield for two and a half years, but he is from Germany. I began a witnessing conversation with both of them. They wanted to play a game...I will ask each of them one question and they ask me one question.
We did this for a bit, but the guy with the "Christian" background, quickly tired and went on to talk to friends who were passing by. Before he went off, he asked me, "Does God love Satan?". He proceeded to tell me that he does love Satan, even with all the evil he has committed. I think he was trying to justify that he himself can commit sins, but it's going to be okay, as God still loves him.
His friend, Ricardo, and I continued to have a good talk. He told me he is telling things that he hasn't spoken about with anyone before. I told him that before I came out tonight, I prayed that God would put people in my path that He wanted me to speak to. Ricardo liked that prayer, and acted as if it were true.
He has been in Springfield, the "Bible Belt", so to speak, for two and a half years. He said many people in this area have good family values and are "Christians". He just can't seem to get himself to believe in God, and had many questions and arguments which we discussed, but I believe he is truly seeking for Biblical truth.
During our conversation, his friend kept coming up to him and trying to pull him away. However, Ricardo didn't go with him. He wanted to stay and talk about God. After several attempts of his friend trying to pull him away, he finally said he needed to go. I gave him one of Mark Cahill's "The Most Important Question of all Time" booklets. I asked him to read it when he got the time. He said he "might", it depends on how much "bible" it had in it. I pray that he reads it and the Holy Spirit convicts his heart.
We never know what God has in store for us when we go out in faith to be used by Him. God could have had Dennis and I go out just to hand one gospel tract to someone that He is going to use to convict someone's heart. Our presence alone - being a witness for Christ - can be an encourager for Christians to share their faith or a conviction to someone living in sin that God is trying to draw to Him. God may use a witnessing conversation we had with someone to convict a person's heart as well.
If you are a Christian, I encourage you to be vocal in sharing your faith in Christ. It's Biblical. You don't have to go to a downtown area or a large event to be a witness. Be a witness for Christ where you are - in your circle of influence.
In Christ,
Brad St. Clair