From China to the Falklands: Gospel Encounters in Southampton
It was a lovely and sunny afternoon in Southampton. With the cruise ships being in port, things were a bit busier in the city centre. From the very beginning, people were stopping to chat with team members. It is always good to see people listening to the gospel. This constant busyness continued throughout the outreach – it felt like we didn’t stop!
I spoke with one man at the literature table who told me he had seen an advert for a Bible online, so he thought he would start reading it. He has been studying God’s Word and seeking truth. I was able to give him some material and point him to Jesus.
The first preacher for the day was Mike, who spoke on “Life: What’s the Point?” He did a good job explaining the big questions of life and where the answers are found. It was a very clear gospel message.
As Mike preached, I saw something that was truly sad. A Chinese teenager, possibly a student from the local university, stopped at the literature table and picked up a New Testament. At this, his father ordered him to put it back. I spoke to the father, saying it was OK as the Bible is free. The father replied with a very stern, “NO!” What a terrible position that man will find himself in on Judgement Day for preventing his child from accessing the words of life. Please pray that the father and son would come to repentance.
I also had a ‘first’ today on the streets. A man went by in a motorised scooter with the flag of the British Overseas Territory, the Falkland Islands, flying from it. I mentioned to him that we don’t see many Falkland Islands flags here, and he was amazed that I recognised it. It turns out he is from the Falklands and is here for surgery. We had a nice chat, and he took some gospel material. I’ve never spoken with someone from the Falklands before. The man was getting ready to return home and, hopefully, take the gospel with him.
It was now my turn to preach, so I spoke on “The Road to Heaven”. A few seemed to listen, with two people walking forward to receive a copy of John’s Gospel at the end. It is always encouraging to see people respond to the preaching of God’s Word.
One of those who listened is a homeless lady who has been battling drug addiction. She is trying to get herself clean and is seeking truth. She was very open to hearing the good news and was really touched when a member of the team sat on the ground next to her to explain the gospel once again. She was told that people would be praying for her, so please pray for this lady.
Next up to preach was Jeremy, who clearly explained the good news from John 3:16. As he preached, a Muslim in his religious garb lightly heckled but wouldn’t engage too much. After Jeremy, Ben preached the final message of the day on “What People Often Say to Us”.
The time went so quickly on the streets. Lots of literature was taken, and many people were spoken with about the Lord Jesus. Please pray that all would come to repentance and faith.
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