“I’d Be All Ears!” – Portsmouth Evangelism

It was a wet day in Portsmouth! Even though the weather forecast said drizzle with it clearing by lunchtime, the reality was different. The rain was mostly constant, with a few dry patches in between. Into this dampness, we set off to share the good news.

There were only three of us out today, but based on the quietness of the city centre, that was enough. Due to the rain, we didn’t set up our free literature table, instead, we just used the open-air board and focused on tracts and one-to-one conversations. Throughout the outreach, we saw a high uptake in people receiving literature, so we rejoice that the gospel spread via the printed page.

When we finally had a break in the weather, I preached on “The Big Picture of Easter.” A few people stood undercover to listen, but no one engaged. A Christian lady told me afterward that she was encouraged and enjoyed the message.

Making the most of the pause in the rain, Roger preached next. He spoke on “Four Big Questions.” A young man stood listening, and then he asked a question, he prefaced it by saying it was a difficult question that no one could answer. His question was, “Who created God?” Before Roger could respond, a man who was listening called out, “That is easy!” The bystander then gave a very good apologetic answer. It isn’t every day we see something like this occur!

Toward the end of the day, I spoke with a young man who appeared to be looking for answers. He told me about his past, including the pain and trauma that he had been through. He mentioned the death of his infant, and how that had caused him to believe in God. But he was also convinced that he was too bad for God to save. As we chatted, I asked, “What would you say if I told you that there is a way for you to be forgiven, and have all your sin removed?” He looked at me and said, “I’d be all ears!” It was a joy to share the good news with him, explaining that Jesus has paid the penalty for sin. At the end of our chat, he told me that nothing was stopping him from trusting in Jesus. He took a copy of John’s Gospel, a couple of booklets, and directions to a good evangelical church near where he lives.

Despite the terrible weather, we rejoice that the truth spread. Please pray for all those who heard the good news.

SDG!

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Josh Williamson is a full-time evangelist with The Open-Air Mission. Since 1853, OAM has been sharing the good news on the streets of the United Kingdom. To stay updated about the work of the Mission, please sign up for the free quarterly magazine and monthly prayer notes.

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