A Freezing Outreach in Southampton
It was absolutely freezing in Southampton! The remnants of yesterday’s winter storm were still being felt, with the wind chill making it around -6°C (21°F). Unsurprisingly, the city centre was much quieter than usual.
After setting everything up and ensuring all our equipment was tied down so it wouldn’t blow away, we began to share the good news. Mike was the first preacher. He spoke on “How Will the World End?”
One man stopped to listen and began to engage. It was clear he wasn’t interested in what was being said; instead, he wanted the floor to share his worldview. Mike passed him over to me, so I began to engage the man on a one-to-one level. The man had some strange Gnostic ideas and used AI to answer questions and determine what he believes. He was very closed and not interested in talking.
Another man who stopped to listen to the preaching was much more open. He had a football, which he would pass to Mike, who would return it to him while still preaching. It was unique to watch two men kick a ball back and forth while the gospel was being proclaimed. The man had a long conversation with Mike afterwards and later came back to talk further.
It was now my turn to preach, so I spoke on “Hope for a Broken World.” There was little to no engagement. All I pray is that some snippet of the gospel was picked up by someone as they walked by.
While all this was happening, Nigel was busy talking to a man who was very open and seemed to be not far from the Kingdom. After a long conversation, Nigel was able to pray with him.
The preaching continued as Ben spoke on “What People Often Say to Us.” One man listened and took a Gospel of John.
While this was happening, team members were busy in conversation. It was then that I found myself talking with two ladies who objected strongly to our promotion of Christianity. They were hostile from the beginning, declaring that our concept of God was wrong, as they believed they were gods. I responded by pointing out that there is only one God, and they certainly weren’t Him. I also took them to Psalm 82:6–7 to show that those who claim to be gods die like the mere humans they are. They left, shouting a few unprintable words at me.
As I was still processing the last conversation, a man walked past objecting to the message. He claimed to have an IQ of 146 and said he was an atheist (though he rejected labels). He wanted to show off his intelligence; however, when his arguments were answered, he quickly walked away.
The final sermon of the day was from Richard, who spoke on “Life: What’s the Point?” He had good interaction with several people, with a few taking Gospels and literature at the end of the message. It was an encouraging way to finish the outreach.
Overall, the day was cold and slow, but people still heard the good news. Please pray that the Lord would save those who heard the gospel today.
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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