Burbank Media Center Follow-Up 9-8-12

Many of our regular evangelists were serving at the Harvest Crusade last night or had other plans so we had a lean, mean team of only three of us: Dean, Steve and myself. 

 Dean did a great job answering some questions from hecklers and getting the gospel out.

 This guy even grabbed some bibles and DVD's for himself and his friends who were listening.

 AND THEN THERE WAS ROGER. I'll admit I encouraged Roger to go up to the microphone in hopes that it would help Steve learn to "contend for the faith" with a notoriously contentious heckler AND possibly draw a crowd...

... and that it did!! Look at how the crowd pictured above went from very few people to THIS in a matter of minutes.

This is something I learned from Ray Comfort:

"Never fear hecklers, they are the best thing for an open air."

Roger is the perfect heckler for doing that.

Steve did a great job sharing the gospel and defending the faith for an HOUR SOLID!

At some points Roger was getting heckled by other hecklers. Roger eventually was drawn away by hecklers into a side argument.

 As the crowd died down we were met by several people who had encouraging words for all of us. We even ended with giving Roger a hug and thanking him for his help. ;) What a great time!

About 30 bibles went out during the open airs and many people heard the good news.

WHAT I LEARNED:

Many times when Steve would share a scripture Roger would respond with "Thats just your opinion."

What should our response be to this assertion? Here are a few great responses I found on the web:

Sometimes in an informal debate you will encounter people who dismiss your argument by saying, “Well that’s just your opinion.”  This is nothing more than an attempt to relativize your conclusion without rebutting your arguments.  There are a few ways you can respond to this.

The first is to ask, “Isn’t it just your opinion that my view is just my opinion?  If we ought to dismiss opinions because they are opinions, then your opinion should be dismissed as well.”

The second is to say, “No, this is not just my opinion.  I have provided reasons for thinking my opinion is actually true.  If you would like to try to rebut my reasons you are more than welcome to do so, but do not dismiss my view with a mere hand-waving as if I have merely provided you with an assertion, rather than an argument.”

The third is to say, “Yes, I have an opinion, but so do you.  This much is obvious.  But what follows from that observation?  The question is not whether we have opinions—we all do—but whether we have an informed opinion.  If we both have informed opinions, then the question becomes Whose opinion is better informed?  We determine the answer to that question by evaluating the strength of our respective arguments.  I have presented you with my argument, and now I am interested to hear your response to that argument.”

What we need to remember first and foremost: These are not our "opinions" they are what GOD has said. The prophets said over 2000 times in the Old Testament "Thus says the Lord!" If it was good enough for them its good enough for me.

Is it a Baby or a Fetus?

Burbank Media Center Follow-Up 9-1-12

 The Lord has been faithful to raise up laborers. Ben, Ruth, Sharon, Mark, Dean, Sai Steve and myself went to seek the lost on Saturday night at Burbank Media Center.

 We've been staying at Burbank Media Center the past two months and it seems the more I go there the more I like it. The Lord has been giving us wonderful opportunities to share the good news. Here Steve preaches the Gospel which even a child can understand.

 Ruth sharing the good news and handing out tracts.

 I've really been liking to "Whitfield" it. I'm convinced that when you use no microphone your voice has a sense of urgency to it thus draws attention to the message.

 We were visited by our local regular heckler "Roger the Nemesis." A title which he gave himself. Its interesting to see how the Lord has brought Roger into our lives. He has heckled us on several occasions since I've started this ministry about 4 years ago. Sadly Roger foolishly rejects the Jesus Christ of the bible an refuses to submit to the truth that He is the ONLY WAY to heaven.

The great thing about Roger is he usually helps draw a big crowd!

He said that we should be paying him. ;)

 Amanda came up to the mic when I asked if anyone believed in evolution. 

 The crowd really started to get pretty big for Burbank at this point. 

 Anyone who deals with hecklers for an extended period of time knows that your brain starts to shut down. When Amanda believed that HITLER didn't deserve the death penalty even though he murdered 10 MILLION people... this began to defy logic to me. She acually believed that he could be "rehabilitated." How many people sacrifice justice in the name of tolerance and then pride themselves for it.

The Lord wants a society to uphold law because it's a reflection of His nature. When we pervert law & justice we distort societies view of God. We then send the message to criminals "you can steal and not pay back what you owe or murder people and live." Its no coincidence that Amanda created a God in her mind that does NOT punish sin.

Dean got up just in the nick of time and kept the Gospel burning bright till the end! About 30 bibles went out along with many tracts. We had conversations with people until the end and finished the night with a little pizza and fellowship.

WHAT I LEARNED: Many of the objections to Christianity come from people who have a wrong view of God and a wrong view of themselves.

What is True Heroism?

"In my judgment the greatest heroes are those who are the human means that God uses to change people forever. Those are the real heroes. They're the ones that are the instruments that God uses to bring people to Him into His kingdom. To give Him glory and serve Him forever."

-John MacArthur

Burbank Follow-Up 8-26-12

 We've been having a great turnout of evangelists and a lot of good encounters at Burbank lately. The Lord has put it on my heart stay at Burbank Media Center every Saturday same time and place to build consistency and opportunity for others at our church to join us. Ruth and Ben have gone the past three Saturdays in a row along with the regulars: Mark, Sharon, Debbie, Dean, Sai, Steve and myself.

Steve was up on the box about 5 minutes before having this nice gentleman ask what seemed to be sincere questions about the bible.

 Ruth was handing out more of the Harvest Crusade invitations with tracts.

 The highlight for me was when I open aired and had Randy come up to the mic. He was just contensious enough to draw a pretty good sized crowd. The main truth that he found offensive was that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to heaven. I let him know that Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - Jhn 14:6

I asked him if 2+2 could equal 5,6 or 7? When he said no I let him know how narrow minded and intolerant he was. ;) The question is not wether we LIKE what Jesus said but is what Jesus said TRUE?

This set him over the edge and he stormed off yelling.

Dean did a great job preaching. Afterwards several of us grabbed some pizza and went to watch the Dinesh D'Sousa movie 2016. The Lord has really been using this evangelism team to not only reach our town for Christ but to develop strong relationships with each other. We are truly becoming a little family.

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." - Jhn 13:35 

Burbank Follow-Up 8-18-12

 Keeping this post quick because life has been super busy. We had a great time last Saturday night. Here Mark was getting heckled by a guy who asked "How old is the Earth?" and "What about dinosuars?" I have a question: Are those questions going to matter on judgment day?

 Sharon and several on the team handed out invitations to the Harvest Crusade with tracts inside.

 This was Ruths 2nd time out with us. Both her and Ben are new and have been a total blessing.

 Mark faithfully prays for us while we preach.

There was a great moment in the night I equate to being in the "Eye of the Storm" where all of a sudden there were about a dozen people just standing quietly and listening to the preaching of the Gospel. I mean LISTENING to it. And not a one heckled. A young guy named Raymond came up to thank me and said it was as if "someone grabbed his attention as he walked by and he couldn't help but listen." He then said, "its like someone turned on the lights and he understood everything."

Lord willing Raymond will respond by trusting in the Lord!

Pray for Steve & Connie

Please pray for Steve, Connie and his granddaughter. Steve and Connie are faithful soul winners in Colorado Springs. His wife and grand daughter were recently in a horrible car accident. You can read about it at his blog HERE.

I met Steve and Connie last year where we were in CO and had a wonderful time witnessing with them. Your prayers are appreciated.

Burbank Follow-Up 8-4-12

 When Steve and I met at CBC parking lot we thought we were going to be the only people. BUT GOD God is faithful to raise up laborers!! Dean showed up. Then a new guy John. Then Nathan... Dan... when we got to Burbank Media Center we were joined by Elder Bob, Pastor Alvin, Sai and a new family came out; Glen & his wife Anne-Marie with their two kids... WOW!!

 Okay may be it wasn't the wisest choice of shirts to wear in light of current events. But it was met with much "love and tolerance" from some passer buys. 

 Dean, Nathan, Elder Bob, Steve and I all preached the good news.

 Dan also did a "Name 10 (commandments) and you get $20".

River took the challenge and stole the show by naming all 10 and getting $20! It was part of his "seminary fund" which is where this kid is probably going one day as he was on fire to share the gospel with folks.

What a great God to send so many laborers!

"To be a soul winner is the happiest thing in this world. And with every soul you bring to Jesus Christ, you seem to get a new heaven here upon earth." Spurgeon

CHICK-FIL-A DAY!

 TODAY IS SUPPORT CHICK-FIL-A DAY! If you haven't gone to buy something from them to show your support please consider it.

 I showed up at the not-so-local Northridge Chick-Fil-A to what was more of an "event".

 The line wrapped completely around the building, cars were backed up the street to go through the drive thru. I just happened to have a couple hundred Million Dollar Bill tracts which I was blessed to hand out to those waiting in line.

It was a really nice time even though it was a long wait on a HOT day! I met several Christians, we talked about the "controversy." This company was totally prepared and on the ball! They offered umbrellas for shade and water to those waiting in line. I was met and served with courtesy and the food was da bomb! Its a strange time in America when buying a chicken sandwich is considered a "statement". If I had to choose between chicken sandwiches or muskets... I'll go with the sandwich.

I would encourage all those who supported Chick-Fil-A by standing in line to consider STANDING up and sharing the Gospel with someone. :)

Spurgeon Quote of the Day! 8-1-12

I do not come into this pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ. My hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my Master will lay hold of some of them and say, "You are mine, and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself." My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will.


-Charles Haddon Spurgeon