Eastbourne Outreach – Day 3
The weather had improved from yesterday, but it still wasn’t brilliant. There was much less rain, but it was still windy and cold. We’ve now crossed the halfway mark of The Open-Air Mission team event, and with each passing day, we continue to see the Lord’s grace on display.
Upon arriving in the town centre, we quickly discovered that we could not set up in the same location where we had been for the past couple of days. Today, there was a market stall in our usual spot, so we had to preach further down the street. At first, we weren’t sure if it would be a good location, but as the day went on, we saw God’s providence on display as numerous conversations took place.
I wish I could tell you about all the gospel encounters the team had, but I can’t share all their stories. As with the other days, I can only recount my own encounters. Time would not permit me to speak of those who gathered to listen to Jeremy preach, the open and engaged young people, or even the hostile professing Christian who rejected the teachings of Christ. I wouldn’t have space to share about the many conversations team members had, nor all the supporters from local churches who joined us. Hopefully, their stories will all be told another time.
When it came to preaching, I was the third preacher of the day. I spoke on the subject of “God is Love.” A few people gathered, including two men who took copies of John’s Gospel. One of those who listened to the message and took a Gospel shared that he had turned to religion while in jail but was still trying to find God. He said that he had just finished praying the rosary in the hope of finding God, and then he came across us! I was able to connect him with a local pastor and urged him to attend church.
Throughout the day, many people heard the good news and were referred to local churches. Our desire is not to be lone rangers, but rather servants of the church. As such, we have a list of recommended churches in Eastbourne that we give to people who are interested in learning more about Christ.
Over at the literature table, I spoke with a lady who claimed to be a lifelong Christian. She had all the parts of the gospel but had not put them together personally. I made sure she understood the truth, then gave her a copy of the booklet “Examine Yourself” by John MacArthur.
Later in the day, I noticed a young man on the other side of the road putting up British flags, as he was part of the ‘Raise the Colours’ movement. I went across to talk with him, and he told me that he had been at the recent ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally in London. He was a passionate young man who loves his country and wants to see the United Kingdom turn around, so I asked him, “What do you think would make Britain great?” He wasn’t too sure, so I told him that we needed God in our nation again. He agreed, and we had a good chat. He took a tract, and I urged him to consider Jesus.
The final highlight of the day was as we went back to the church where we are based. This evening, Ray Comfort joined us via Zoom for a time of evangelism Q&A and encouragement. He was a great blessing to us!
It was another wonderful day on the streets of Eastbourne. Please keep praying for the outreach.
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.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAGAZINE AND PRAYER NOTES