From Beer to Bible – Portsmouth Evangelism
It was cold, grey, and windy, yet the city centre was busy. Shoppers were rushing to and fro doing their last-minute Christmas shopping, while others seemed to be simply enjoying time with friends and family. Since last week, the Christmas market had expanded, so we were thankful to be able to preach in our usual location.
Last week things were quiet; that certainly wasn’t the case today. From the moment we arrived, things were busy. People were taking tracts and chatting at the literature table. Team members were engaged in good gospel conversations, including one Nigel had with a man who had previously been hostile towards us. Colin also had a good chat with a spiritualist.
Pastor Chris from Eastney Evangelical Church was the first to preach. He spoke from Matthew 1, explaining how Jesus is Immanuel and the Saviour. A few people listened, including a couple who spoke with Jim afterwards.
I was next to preach. My message was very similar to Chris’s – I spoke on “What’s in a Name?” In this open-air sermon, I explained how Jesus is God with us, and how He came to save us. A few people listened, including a lady who said she had been sitting further along the street drinking a beer when she heard the preaching. She wanted to hear more, so she came over to listen. She ended up taking a Bible and speaking with a team member. She went from beer to Bible! Four other people also took copies of John’s Gospel at the end of the message.
Next to preach was Colin, who spoke on “What Are Your Expectations This Christmas?” I didn’t get to hear much of his message, as Sarah invited me to join her in a discussion she was having with a Roman Catholic lady. We had a pleasant chat with her. She seemed to be genuinely seeking the truth and had a high view of Scripture. We explained the authority of the Bible and urged her to trust in Christ alone.
Towards the end of the outreach, I thought it would be good to read the account of the birth of Jesus from Luke 2:8–20. After reading the passage, I shared a few thoughts on the text and then offered copies of John’s Gospel to those who wanted to discover more about Jesus. One man gladly took a copy.
As the outreach came to a close, I offered a tract to a man passing by. He was very willing to talk, so we chatted for a little while. He comes from a Church of England background and hopes that his good deeds will outweigh his bad. I shared the gospel with him and urged him to consider Christ. Since he struggled to read, I was able to give him the CD, “Sure of Heaven.”
So many things happened today in Portsmouth. The Lord truly is kind. 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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