Saturday Night Evangelism - Fourth Of July Fireworks - Monroe, La. - July 6, 2013

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The fireworks display was moved to downtown Monroe this year to coincide with the Downtown River Market. There were different vendors  set up for shop and bands playing. We met around 8:00 across from the corner where I had my accident over twenty years ago.
Bro. Charles, Bro. Gary, Bro. J. J, and I were on hand, giving out around 450 tracts. We started out at the levee, where some were gathering for the fireworks. Bro. J.J. had one on ones with Derek and Edward. I gave a tract to a Hindu man that was walking with his daughter. We gave  out tracts as we walked toward the River Market. At one spot, there was a band playing outside. I gave a tract to a man who had a beer in his hand. Many drinkers were recipients of tracts this night. They don't know it, but they have an invisible sign over them that says "Give me a tract!" 
Bro. J. J. and I split up near the end to give out tracts before the fireworks started. I saw a friend that I haven't seen in a while. I was best man in his wedding. He was there with two of his children. I gave him a tract and got his number to catch up with him later.
I talked with Kevin, who didn't take a tract. He sounded like he was a Hebrew Israelite. I tried to take him through the Ten Commandments, but he side stepped my questions. I shook his hand and went back to tracting. 
Bro. Gary and Bro. Charles are Gospel tract machines! They came back to get more tracts after they gave out their stacks! We had a great time at this event! I am so thankful for men like Bro. Charles, Bro. Gary, and Bro. J. J., who have a burden and a zeal for the lost. 
Prayerfully, we will have more with us next year!

Gospel Tract Spotlight - It's 2am....

This is a brand new tract that is in the August mailing from the Bezeugen Tract Club. It is a great conversation starter. People need to be warned that their spiritual house is on fire. 

What if in a very real way, your "spiritual house" were on fire? Would you want to be warned? Just like waking you from your sleep to warn you of a house fire, someone cared enough to give you this card to warn you that, "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). Have you ever lied? Stolen? Hated? Jesus calls hatred murder (Matthew 5:22)! Ever used God's name carelessly? That is blasphemy (Exodus 20:7). If God judges you by this standard, will you be innocent or guilty? Heaven or Hell? God does not want you to go to Hell (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9). Two thousand years ago, God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to earth. Jesus being fully God and fully man; had no sin and lived a perfect life, fulfilled the Law and then willingly became the perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. He died on a cross to pay for your sin (1 John 2:2). Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin, death and the devil. "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you" (Ephesians 5:14). If you repent (turn from your sin) and believe the Gospel, God will forgive your sin and give you eternal life (Mark 1:15). www.AfterLifeCatalog.com        80-BEZEUGEN        (802-393-8436

Evangelism Event - Fourth of July Fireworks Display In Monroe, La. / July 6, 2013

This Saturday, the Monroe Jaycees will be putting on the annual fireworks display. We have went to this event for the last two years, distributing tracts and having one on one conversations. We are going to meet around 7:30 while the crowd gathers to view this display. There will be about 6 or 7 of us going. Please pray that we have divine appointments. It is a great blessing to have the freedom to witness about the saving power of Jesus Christ!

Using The “Are You A Good American? Tract / Happy Fourth of July - 2013

I posted this originally on the As You Go blog from Bezeugen Ministries. 

I have been having a great time using this tract. Today, I gave out a few while saying "Happy Fourth of July! I still have several left to pass out at our local fireworks display on Saturday. There are many opportunities to use this tract.
I gave one to a veteran one day at Walmart. I gave two to a man and his son. After the man read the tract, he walked by and said that he was guilty. They both thanked me for giving the tracts to them. Another man that works at Walmart said that his mother was a Christian, but he we was not born again. I asked him to read the message when he had the chance. Displays with the American flag are great places to leave this tract.
Thank The Lord for the freedom that we
have to share our faith in America. We can preach on the streets, hold up signs and crosses, give out tracts, and have one on ones with the lost. Let's take advantage of these precious freedoms everyday! We were set free to see others set free!

Gospel Tract Spotlight - The Texting Tract

If you are a member of the Bezeugen Tract Club, you received the texting tract in the July mailing. This is a great tract to witness with because just about everyone sends text messages on a daily basis. I have gave some out to people as they were on their phone or text messaging. As I gave a few out tonight, I would say "Here's the world's smallest iPhone!" Then I would explain about it being a tract. Several people had their iPhones in their hands. Here is the story behind the texting tract from the Bezeugen Tract Club Site:

Ministry Spotlight - Strong Point Ministries

Bro. J.T. Strong left for Kenya today. He will return in November. God has opened up so many doors for ministry in this part of the world. Here is an exert from the site that will inform you of the work that is taking place: 

Strong Point Ministries is currently working in the Western Province of Kenya, leading personal evangelistic efforts, equipping the church to do evangelism, and caring for fatherless and needy children. We have a burden to go into very remote villages where the gospel has not reached and lead those precious souls to the Lord Jesus Christ.  We also desire to help the local pastors and leaders become equipped to do the work of the Lord and preach the gospel. We are so thankful for the mighty ways God is moving in the hearts of people in the tropical, green hills of Western Kenya. Many are coming to Christ through the power of the gospel, and countless lives have been and are being changed. We have passed out tens of thousands of gospel tracts in this area and brought thousands of Bibles into this area where many cannot afford to buy a Bible due to the endemic poverty in Africa. Many have been saved through these efforts, and we expect to see many more brought to the Saviour. Pastors have also been taught many things about evangelism through conferences and personal discipleship that have increased their knowledge and zeal for sharing the gospel. We believe that personal discipleship to pastors is one of the most powerful ways to see a lasting change in Western Kenya. The Holy Spirit has put a burning desire in our hearts for the native people become equipped to do personal evangelism. Jesus said "GO YE into all the world and preach the gospel" so we desire to equip our brothers and sisters to carry out the great commission. There is a strong spirit of dependency in Africa, and this is a powerful stronghold of the devil to keep the church in Africa from being what God has called it to be. However, we believe through teaching these people and showing them the love and humility of Christ this nation can be changed, one person at a time.

The Bible teaches us that pure religion before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, that God is a father to the fatherless, and we are to defend the poor and needy (James 1:27, Psa. 68:5, Psa. 82:3-4). Therefore Strong Point Ministries has a true burden to care for the fatherless children of Africa. We have a children's home called Hand of Mercy Children's home in Mungatsi, Kenya where we house children who come from various backgrounds of poverty, suffering, and hopelessness. However, now they have been given hope physically, mentally, and spiritually. Our faithful and godly brother Pastor Morgan Otundo lives at Hand of Mercy Children's home, and is the spiritual father to our children. The children love him so much that they refer to him as "daddy." Hand of Mercy Children's home is not an "orphanage" but a loving family. We have taken children off the streets where they were daily surrounded with harsh conditions along with the terrible realities of drugs, alcohol, prostitution, which lead certain death. We have taken others who have been neglected or mistreated by their families. We have also taken children whose parents have died, and were left lonely, heartbroken, and confused.  However, through Hand of Mercy Children's home our children now have a loving family, a safe place to sleep, and plenty of wholesome food. Children we have taken in who had no opportunity to receive an education are now some of the brightest students in their classes. Children who knew nothing about the love of Jesus Christ have now experienced His saving grace and are even leading others to Jesus. Our Hand of Mercy children are very fine preachers who go through the local villages sharing the love of Christ with many people, and many have received Christ through seeing the witness and testimony of these wonderful children along with the mighty miracles that God has done through Hand of Mercy Children's home. Our children attend church services each Sunday where they often lead worship, and every morning before school and every night before bed they have a Bible study, praise and worship songs, and prayer. These children are truly being raised up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Hand of Mercy Children's home is a very special place that God has His hand of mercy upon!

Bro. J.T told me that a door has opened for prison ministry, also. Please keep him and other brothers that will be joining him later. Be sure to visit the website @ http://strongpointministries.com/

Gospel Tract Spotlight - Are You A Good American?

The Fourth Of July is just around the corner. The "Are You A Good American?" is a great tract for this time of the year. This one is in the Bezeugen Tract Club for July. I have gave this one to several people, wishing them a Happy Fourth. I'll say "Here's your Fourth of July Gospel tract!". I will ask "Did you get your Fourth of July tract?". 

This tract blends in with any display that has the American flag. I gave one to a Vietnamese man the other night at Fred's when I saw him with Fourth of July decorations. Keep a watch on the As You Go blog  @ http://www.bezeugen.org/asyougo

as I post about places  where I leave this one. Firework stands and displays welcome this one with ease. It can be ordered through onemilliontracts.com Here is the message on the tract: 

America is a wonderful country, but what does it mean to be a good American? Is it someone who loves baseball? Football? Beer? How about this question, are you a good person? The Bible says in Proverbs 20:6 "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness." Let's see if you qualify as being a good person. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen anything, irrespective of its value? Jesus said, "I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). Have you ever looked at someone with lust? The Bible says that if someone hates another person they are a murderer (I John 3:15). Have you ever hated anyone? If you have answered "Yes" to the previous questions, then you have admitted that you are a liar, a thief, an adulterer and a murderer and we've only looked at 4 of the 10 Commandments. If God were to judge you by this standard would you be innocent or guilty? You know you are guilty and deserving of an eternity in Hell. Do you still think you are a good person or do you now understand that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23, I John 3:4) and deserve the wrath of God? Jesus Christ came to earth and died a criminal's death not because He had broken the Law, but because we had. Romans 5:8 "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." What should you do? Repent, turn from your sins and put your complete faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 

Friday Night Evangelism - June 7, 2013

Bro. Gary, Bro. J.J., and I met up to go to our hot spot, the Trial Bar, for preaching and witnessing. We usually meet at the Monroe Walmart parking lot at 9:30. From there, we go to the Cracker Barrel convenience store to load up a few beer cases with tracts and get water. Before we go to the bars, we have our prayer walk where we pray while we walk to a set of railroad tracks. On the way to the tracks, i offered a "Get Out Of Hell Free" tract to a man that was walking by us. He didn't take it.
Two bands were playing at the Trial. I brought our cross with "Are you Ready? on it. I've been wanting to do this for a while. I bought a pack of 4" adhesive letters from Office Depot at lunch time Friday. This was inspired by Tony Miano, Paul Latour, and Vernon Costello. They use one that is smaller. I want to get one like theirs soon. Bro Gary held it up for most of the night. I preached first. Our first conversation was with a man named Jack. He was interested in what we were doing. He said that he family was not religious. We talked about the Gospel and how Jesus took our place. I gave him a tract before he left. We pray that Jack gets saved soon! Kenny came out to ask us if we were protesting. He is from Southern California where he said he had never seen what we were doing. Bro. Gary and Bro. J.J. told him that we were talking about the Gospel. He seemed to have his own brand of Christianity. He took a tract from all three of us. Bro. J.J. was able to preach for a little time before the first band played. Jerry came out and talked with Bro. J.J. for a long time. He, too, had his own way with God. A troubled young man came over to tell us that we weren't helping anyone and he was aggravated about what we were doing. He suggested that we pick up trash or wash someone's feet. He picked up some trash around us and some in front of the bar so we could see him helping out. I think he may have been on something. A another young man showed me his Jesus tattoo as he was going toward the bar. He had been drinking a few. After Jerry and Bro. J.J. finished their conversation, we called it a night. Where will you share the Gospel this week?

Gospel Tract Spotlight: A New One From Bezeugen Ministries

This is posted by Carl Kalbfliesh on the Bezeugen Ministries Tract Club website: 

The story of the On a Scale of 0 to 100 tract

While some friends and I were out witnessing at the mall  during lunch one day, we were talking about different ways to transition a conversation from the natural to the spiritual. We often do this by asking people questions. One friend suggested the question "On a scale of 1 to 100, how sure are you that you would go to Heaven when you die?" The question is right to the point and covers a number of scenarios. Even professing Christians that go to church every Sunday might answer less than 100. And the unbelievers most certainly would answer less than 100. Regardless of the persons answer there is always a follow-up question to consider. Let's look at the possibilities.

If the person answers 100%, then we can follow up with something like "WOW! You really sound confident. What makes you so sure that you will go to Heaven?" Now at this point the person can profess their faith in Jesus. If so, great, we are talking to a brother (or sister) in Christ. I like to ask some follow-up questions like if they are reading their Bible regularly, what church they attend, how they got saved, etc. Most true believers will be encouraged by these types of questions.

If they answered 100%, but then when we ask them why they come up with something about religion, or anything other than repentance and faith in Jesus, then it leads to a Gospel presentation. Similarly, if someone answers anything less than 100%, then you can ask them if they'd like to be sure and you can share the Gospel with them.

We have found that this question is a good conversation starter. We have been using it effectively for some time now, so, we printed the question on the front of a new tract which is in the July 2013 mailing.

Chris, Daniel, and The Man Who Doesn't Believe There Is A Heaven

I originally posted this in the As You Go Blog at http://www.bezeugen.org/asyougo

Friday night at Walmart, I gave out several tracts as we went through the store. I spotted a young man walking with his attention on his iPhone. I slipped him “Name 10 Things On Your Bucket List” as he walked by. A few minutes later, he came back to ask “What is a bucket list?”. He had never heard the phrase “kick the bucket”. His name is Chris and is 18 years old. I explained that it was used to talk about when someone dies. He said that he wasn’t saved. I took him through 4 of the 10 commandments. He said that he would be guilty and would go to hell. We talked for several more minutes. I encouraged him to repent and put his trust in Jesus. There are a lot more young people out there like Chris. We need to be prepared to witness at all times.Take tracts with you “As You Go”!

Two other witnessing encounters:

We ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant Friday night. A lot of the workers know us! I usually give out a few tracts each time we go there. I talked with Daniel, who told me that he was from Honduras. I have him the Spanish version of "Are You A Good Person". He said that he wasn't a Christian, but didn't believe in Islam, Mormons, or Jehovah's Witnesses. He seemed to have a Christian background, but is far from The Lord now.

On my Wednesday lunch break, I gave out a few tracts as I went through Walmart.I offered an "Are You A Good Person?" tract to a man that has just got out of his vehicle. He asked me what it was about. I asked if he knew if he as going to Heaven. He asked me how did I know there was a Heaven. I told him by the Bible. Then, he said that there wasn't a Heaven and that he didn't want to talk anymore. I told him that we will find out in the end. I know that there is a Heaven and a hell. I want to see people make it to Heaven. I pray that this man will see the error of his was way, repent, and believe the Gospel! Do you want others to go to Heaven. Let's rescue the perishing!