In Search of a Faith That Was Lost - Portsmouth Evangelism
The car park was quite empty when we arrived for today’s outreach in Portsmouth. The sun was shining, and the weather was pleasant, yet there weren’t as many people about as usual. Throughout the day, we noticed things were a bit slower, but we also noticed an increase in gospel conversations.
Not long after arriving, an Irish traveller asked if I was a particular country music singer (apparently, I look like him). He was a bit disappointed to discover I wasn’t the man he thought I was, but we began to chat about the gospel.
The man told me he was a ‘good’ Roman Catholic, so I asked him how he knew he was good enough for Heaven. He didn’t know. He kept saying, “I am good!” Using the Ten Commandments, I started to show him God’s standard of goodness and how we’ve all fallen short. It was then that he received a phone call and had to leave. Thankfully, he took a tract before he headed off.
Jim was the first preacher today. He spoke from John 1 about how the world doesn’t recognise its Creator. Then, he preached warmly and passionately about the hope of the gospel. As Jim preached, he mentioned his wife, who went to be with the Lord three weeks ago. He explained the hope she had and the certainty he has. This was a man who wasn’t just preaching intellectual theology, but rather preaching from a heart that has been comforted by Christ. Those listening were quite moved.
One of those who listened was a 77-year-old man who had been brought up Methodist. The man spoke to me at the literature table, where he sadly announced that he had lost his faith. He then said, “But I really want to find it again!” Normally, older people are the hardest to reach with the gospel, but not so today! This man listened to the good news and the call to come to Christ. He received a copy of the Bible and an in-depth gospel tract. He also mentioned wanting someone to sit with him and explain the Bible. It turns out that he lives near a good evangelical church, so he gave me his details, which I’ve passed on to the church leadership. Hopefully, they’ll be able to connect with him and continue the discussion.
Another older person I spoke with was a lady who came to the table. She told me she used to go to Sunday School as a child but has lived a life of ignoring God and not having religion. That is, until she got sick. When confronted with the reality of her own mortality, she began to realise her need for God. Now she is trying to work out who He is. We had a good chat about the gospel, and she received a copy of the New Testament, a booklet, and an in-depth tract.
These were just two conversations I was involved with. The team was kept busy with many other chats, too. People all over the city centre were stopping to talk about Jesus. It truly was an encouraging time!
When it came time for me to preach, I spoke on “Hope for a Broken World.” One man who listened to the message took a Gospel at the end. He then said to me, “When you spoke about sin and repentance, I felt very stirred inside. I’m not sure why, as I’ve been a Christian for a long time. I never was a sinner.”
Quoting Luke 5:32, I explained that Jesus didn’t come for the righteous, but for sinners. So, if he wasn’t a sinner, then Jesus wasn’t for him. The man was shocked at the idea that Christ wasn’t available to him, but then he began to admit and see his sin. He listened again to the good news and then took a tract. He also asked if I could record a short gospel video that he could send to his friend in Iran. I happily did it!
It was a busy day of conversations with people from many backgrounds. Please pray for all those who heard the good news.
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