Religion Isn't Enough: The Gospel in Andover!
It has been a couple of months since I’ve been in Andover, so it was good to return to this town once again. There were seven of us out sharing the good news today. The town was quiet, so seven was more than enough to make sure most people walking by were at least offered a tract.
Paul started the preaching by speaking about "Four Big Problems". He did a great job showing the issues we face and then pointing people to Christ as the answer. As he preached, an older lady walked past and took the tract, "Are You Good Enough to Go to Heaven?" As she received the tract, she declared, "Of course I am! I have no bad habits!" Sadly, this lady was self-righteous and on the road to Hell, as she trusted in herself and not in Jesus. She had no interest in hearing about Christ. She simply wanted to proclaim her own goodness.
Next up to preach was Jack from Koinonia Evangelical Church. It was the first time this young man had ever preached in the open air, so he was understandably nervous. Despite the nerves, he did a good job proclaiming Christ from John 3:16. We pray this may be the first of many gospel messages he preaches.
One older man who listened to Jack preach said how much he had enjoyed the message. He then shared that he was a churchgoer and hoped that would get him to Heaven. Using the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9–14), I showed that religion is useless when it comes to salvation. The man agreed and realised he needed to rely upon God's mercy. He took a Gospel of John and a tract. Please pray the Lord saves him.
It was now my turn to preach. Today I spoke on "Wages or Gift?" (Romans 6:23). As I preached, I noticed a few people make their way to the literature table to browse the material and take copies of the Scriptures. One lady who works at a nearby bank came up after the message to ask for a copy of John's Gospel.
Over at the table, Paul spoke with a lady who came from a Mormon background but has since renounced it. She told us all her children are Christians, and she's looking for a church in Reading, so we referred her to Carey Baptist Church. She also received a New Testament and a gospel tract.
Next up to preach was Paul Adams from Open Air Campaigners USA. It was the last outreach he would be with us, so it was good to hear him preach on "What Is Sure?" A couple of people paused to listen, including one lady from a New Age background. She took a Gospel of John and chatted with Paul after the message.
Over at the table, I found myself speaking with several people who were all churchgoers but didn't know too much about Christ. They all listened to the gospel and received literature. It was a good reminder that just because someone says they are a Christian, or attends church, doesn't mean they truly know the Saviour.
I also spoke with a man at the table who is a lifelong Roman Catholic, though over the past year or so he has stopped attending Mass. He said he wants to get back into religion but struggles to find the time. He did, however, say he wanted to read the Bible, but he didn't have one. I gladly gave him a copy, along with a booklet aimed at Roman Catholics.
The final preacher of the day was Tony, who used the problems of today's world to show that the only answer is found in Jesus. As he preached, a lady heckled him, declaring she could do better than Jesus. Tony challenged her, but she simply scoffed and mocked. It is always sad to see this, because one day she will give an account for such blasphemy.
Andover is a quieter location, yet many heard the good news. Please spend a few moments praying for this community and the gospel churches that serve there.
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