Seeing the Harvest! – Portsmouth Outreach
It isn’t every day that we get to see fruit for our labour. The nature of open-air evangelism is that we meet people from many different backgrounds and geographic regions. We may only ever see them once, and then they are on their way. I am confident that many are being truly converted by the Lord through the work we do, but we don’t always see the fruit. Today, the Lord let us see a bit of the harvest… more on that below!
The temperature was high, and everyone was feeling the effects of the heat. Very kindly, the Lord provided us with a shaded area to preach. This allowed us to set up the open-air board and literature table in the shade, while still providing ample room for people to stop and listen.
I started off the preaching by speaking on “Wages or Gift?” (Romans 6:23). As I preached, a crowd began to form. Normally, when a crowd gathers, someone heckles – but not today. People listened to the preaching, then many of them made their way over to the literature table to request New Testaments. Four other people also asked for copies of John’s Gospel at the end of the message. It was a lovely way to start the outreach.
After the open-air, the literature table was busy with people asking questions and looking at material. Persis spoke with a lady who had been baptised but had since walked away. This lady was now interested in reading the Bible, so we gladly gave her a copy.
Soon, the preaching started again; this time, Jim preached on the importance of seeking the Lord. A few listened, with several making their way over to the literature table or speaking with team members. What struck me was that all the team members were engaged in conversation. People were happy to stand in the shade discussing the gospel. Something I found really fascinating was that many of those listening and seeking more information were young people.
One lady stopped at the table, where she spoke with Margaret. The lady shared her story and listened to the gospel. After hearing the good news, she asked if she could ask Christ to rescue her. Right there, in the middle of Commercial Road, this lady bowed her head and cried out to the Lord for salvation. Team members prayed with her afterwards; she took a New Testament, a booklet for new Christians, and was referred to a local church.
I was the final preacher for the day; this time, I spoke on John 3:16. The difference between my first message and this one couldn’t have been starker. This time I had very little interaction – but still, some heard snippets of the gospel.
As we packed down for the day, Jyothi shared with us a conversation she had with a gentleman. This man had listened to us preach in Portsmouth last year and took a copy of the Bible. He went home and began to read the Scriptures. As he read the Word of God, the Lord saved him. This man is now trusting in Jesus and attending a local church. It was really encouraging to hear of the harvest that is coming in. Only eternity will make clear how many people the Lord has saved through the gospel work in the open air.
Please pray for all those who heard the good news today. May the Lord rescue many and bring in a great harvest!
SDG!
_____
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.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAGAZINE AND PRAYER NOTES