Christmas Eve Evangelism in Southampton
One day until Christmas! As a result, the city centre was heaving with people doing their last-minute shopping and enjoying the markets. The wind chill made it feel like −2°C (28°F), but we were all well wrapped up and ready to make much of Jesus.
Due to a market stall being in our usual location, we had to find a new place to preach. Thankfully, we found an open space next to a closed shop. From that location, we were able to hand out tracts, chat with people, and preach the gospel.
There were eight of us on the team today, which meant many people were exposed to the good news. At the literature table, I spoke with a lady who had recently retired from nursing. She mentioned that she had previously owned a Gideon’s New Testament, which she had read many times. However, she had lost it and longed to be able to read the Bible again. We were able to give her a complete Bible, along with some gospel material.
The first preacher of the day was Jeremy, who spoke on “What’s Christmas Without Christ?” He asked people what Christmas meant to them, then turned the conversation to show that Jesus needs to be central.
For much of this time, one of our team members, Colin, was engaged in a long conversation with a Muslim lady. She was very friendly and open to hearing the good news. She gladly received tracts and a copy of the booklet, “Why Muslims Reject Christianity”. She then asked if she could take a selfie with Colin, as she had enjoyed their discussion.
When it came time for me to preach, I used a Christmas Quiz to engage people. I asked a series of nine questions, and if someone answered correctly, we gave them a chocolate. Surprisingly, many people were happy to give answers but did not want the chocolate! A small crowd gathered as I worked through the quiz and into the gospel. At the end of the message, five people requested copies of John’s Gospel.
Colin was the next preacher. He spoke on “What Are Your Expectations This Christmas?” and did a great job of challenging people to consider Christ. A man wearing a skirt and dressed as an elf heckled, but his arguments did not really make sense. Everyone else seemed very open to hearing the good news.
It was then my turn to preach again. This time, I spoke on “Name That Carol.” Using three well-known Christmas carols, I presented the gospel. During this, a Muslim man engaged with me. He explained that he does not celebrate Christmas, as he believes in Allah. He was very open and willing to engage, so rather than getting into a lengthy apologetic debate, I simply shared the gospel with him. At the end of the message, he received a copy of John’s Gospel and the booklet, “Why Muslims Reject Christianity”. Two other listeners also requested copies of John’s Gospel.
Jeremy was back up next. Using John 3:16, he explained the gospel and tied it in with what people celebrate at Christmas.
By this point, it was nearly time for the outreach to finish. Before packing up, I decided to run the Christmas Quiz once more. This time, I had several more engagements, including with a young man who believed he was good enough for Heaven. We tested this claim, and it soon became clear that he was a sinner like everyone else. He listened to the good news and then requested a copy of John’s Gospel. Four others who were listening also received copies of the Gospel.
It was a cold but very busy day. This was my last official outreach of 2025, so I look back with thanksgiving for all that the Lord has done. Please pray that the seed which has been sown will fall on good soil, and that many will be saved.
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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