Coexist

We had a wonderful afternoon preaching the Gospel at the Westlake Center in Seattle.   The street preachers were out in force... See here for other blogs...

I was passing out Coexist Gospel tracts.



Lots of good conversations, lots of good preaching, lots of lost people.

Here's what I had planned on saying...

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.   It is not my intent to shove my religion down your throats.   Although I am aiming for your ears.  I don’t want to offend you.   I care about you.   I love my neighbor.   I’m seriously concerned for you.   That's why I’m compelled to come here and proclaim, to preach, to tell you the message, the story, the Good News.  As awkward as this might seem, this message is so important, I’m willing to stand here and share this good news with you.   I’m not here to tell you how to live your life, I have enough trouble living my own, but I am here to point you to the One who will give you eternal life and new life for here and now.   Jesus Christ said, “I am the Way, the truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

If you take what I say as promoting religion, you are sadly mistaken. Man made religion produces pedophilic priests, wars, terrorists, (even in the form of abortion clinic bombers).   Man made religion produces hypocritical, self-righteous, pompous money-grabbers.   Religion just covers up hate, violence, thefts, fraud, rape, murder, assault, drug addiction... Literally, all these things are the symptoms of a deeper problem.

The Law goes here...

The Gospel goes here...

Describe the new birth...

Marysville Strawberry Festival

It was an evening  for great one-to-one conversations, but it turned out not to be a good venue for preaching (too loud).   There were too many to recount here, but in general, the Gospel was well received.

Although I did read 1 Corinthians 6:9 as loud as I could to the 'Beer Garden'.  Shame on you Kiwanis.

By the end of the evening though, I was somewhat discouraged by all the lewdness and drunkenness at the carnival.

As it grew later in the evening, and darkness fell, the mood also became darker.

God bless...

Happy Fathers Day

We had a great time speaking to commuters at the Ash Way Park And Ride this morning. It was very encouraging to see heads nodding, smiles on faces and people saying thank you after we stopped speaking.

Here is what I intended on saying...

Greeting...

I’d like to share a few thoughts with you on this Friday-before-Father’s Day.   First, happy Fathers Day to all you dads.   I’m so thankful for dads that take their responsibility seriously and enjoy the privilege of being a father.

You know, in the Bible, in the book of Exodus chapter 20, (one of the Ten Commandments) says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord gives you.   Sadly, I haven’t always lived up to that commandment.   I’ve disobeyed my dad directly, and I’ve committed sins that brought shame on his head.   I’ve failed that one, how ‘bout you?   Some of the other commandments are “you shall not lie”, I’ve failed that one too, how ‘bout you?   The ninth commandment is “you shall not steal”.   I’ve broken that one too, how ‘bout you?   And the seventh commandment is “don’t commit adultery”, we know adultery is when you cheat on your spouse, but Jesus said, “whoever looks at a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already with her in his heart.”, check mark!

If you’re like me, and you listen to your conscience, you’d have to admit to having dishonored your parents, and been a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart.   On that day that when you die, you’d stand guilty before the Holy, Righteous, Eternal God, you’d deserve an awful, horrible, eternal punishment, and that’s called Hell.   And I don’t want that for you, and God certainly doesn’t want that for you.   God is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance.  It is God’s goodness that leads us to repentance.

The Gospel...

Repentance and Faith...

New Life...

Salvation is by God’s grace, through faith, that not of yourself, it is the gift of God, not of works, so no one may boast.

in Matthew chapter 10 we have the words of Jesus recorded for us; from verse 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. .... 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

God bless...

It Only Took [about] Five Years

About 5 years ago, I was outside one afternoon, doing some yard work.   I had some Gospel tracts in my pocket.   I saw a couple walking right in front of my house, so I thought to myself, "I'd like to get a Gospel tract into their hands."   So I jumped out of the bushes, and said "you're rich" as I held out a Million Dollar Bill Gospel tract.   The man took the tract, looked at it and handed it back to me, and said, "no thanks."   It turns out, the couple lived 2 doors away from me.

Fast forward to yesterday.   That same neighbor has let his front yard become a jungle.   The grass was over three feet tall.   I decided I would ask the man if I could mow his lawn for him for $20.   I went up to his door and rang the door bell.  When he answered, I asked him if I could mow his lawn for $20, and he looked at me sideways, smirking, as if thinking, "do you know what your getting yourself into?"   Finally, he said okay, I don't know if I have $20 though.  I said, that's okay, you can pay me later.

Two hours later, having finished mowing and filling up 2 green waste trash cans, I went up and rang the door bell.   He came out with $20 in hand.   He gave it to me and thanked me profusely.    Then I said, "here's your change, in the form of a million dollar bill.  I said, "Its a Gospel tract for you to read when you get a chance."   He took it, looked at it and thanked me and I left.

Sometimes it can take a little persistence to get a Gospel tract into someone's hand.

God bless...

Willis Tucker Park Farmers Market

I was very fearful, going to the Willis Tucker Park to hand out Gospel tracts, yesterday evening.   Even though I had my evangelism partner and his wife and kids with me, I was afraid of the response I would get from my very neighbors if I tried to hand them a Gospel tract or preach the Gospel open-air.

My fears were unfounded.   We handed out dozens of tracts, and got into a few conversations with people.  I saw some familiar faces, but I don't think they recognized me.   It didn't turn out to be a conducive place to preach the Gospel out loud, but the tracts were well received.

Then afterward, we had a great evening of fellowship with Thomas and Whitney and Conner, Chloe, and Jacob.   [it was hilarious to see the kids on the treadmill, and to be able to get out some old toys that we had and watch the kids play with them.]

God bless

Carrying Their Water Bottles

At lunchtime, I drove over to the 164th Street Artesian well, and handed out "Thirsty" Gospel tracts.   I would help people put their water bottles into their car, and then give them a tract.

I was so encouraged.   I handed a tract to one lady and she asked me about where could she find a good church, so I recommended ours.   No refusals today.   That is vary rare.

Got into a conversation with a very nice middle-aged lady with long brown hair that was in dreadlocks.   She was driving a yellow '67 Volkswagen bug, that was in really good condition.  So we spent some time talking about bugs.  Then we talked about the trivia regarding the artesian well.  She said, the well site has been much improved, since she went there 30 years ago.   It has a little enclosure that looks like a small bus depot.

Then on my way out, handed a tract to a man named Joel, and he asked about where he could find a good church, so again I recommended ours.   Then he asked for prayer because he needed a place to stay, so we bowed our heads and I prayed for him on the spot.  He asked if I was a pastor, and I said "no, I'm an evangelist", and he said, I'm an evangelist too.

God bless...

Mukilteo Waterfront Festival

It was a beautiful evening in Mukilteo last evening.   We walked from downtown, to the waterfront, and passed out many tracts and got in many conversations.

Spoke to Andy and Avery, who were two non-believing young men, who only had minimum wage jobs, so they didn't want to spend the 3 bucks to get into the festival.   Since they really didn't have much to do, they were ok with having a conversation with us.   Andy told me he was an atheist.   I told him, I didn't believe that he didn't believe in God.   I told him he had all the evidence he needed to believe in God; the trees, the beautiful sky, the flock of geese flying over and his conscience.

Spoke to lots of people as we walked back to town including Ganja dude.

Got to preach a little bit on the beach.  That was neat.

Went back to town and picked a corner and read the entire book of First John.   What a huge blessing.

Then went back to the middle of town and preached the Gospel for quite a while.   Got several Amen's, and God bless you's.   Then, toward the end, a couple of Mars Hill middle age women, came from across the street and "lovingly rebuked" (quoted because that's what Thomas said) us because we weren't doing it the right way.   After a brief discussion, and telling us how they witnessed by their lifestyle, I asked, "Yeah, but do you use words?"   That ticked her off.   She went on a little while with some further castigation, and it was time for me to get back to preaching.   I invited her to preach, she wouldn't, so I said, "I have to get back to it, and started off with John 3:16.



God bless...