Here is a follow-up from Steve for last Saturday night evangelism in Burbank: The Gospel was proclaimed, and many took tracts and Bibles. There were no serious hecklers, although there were several people who asked questions and engaged in one to one conversations. Dean, Mark and I all preached. Dean was under the weather and Sai was at home sick with the flu. Sharon and Debbie faithfully handed out many tracts and witnessed one to one.
Our friend Roger showed up and all three of us had long discussions with him. It is fascinating to see the Holy Spirit at work. Why does this man, who rejects the Bible as the Word of God, and who rejects the JudeoChristian God of the Bible, take the time, and the energy to regularly seek us out and contend with us? I asked him what gospel he is seeking to share with us. He humbly confessed that he did not know. He tried to trot out the old objection from time immemorial, "If God is good, why is there evil?", as if that were some intractable problem for Christians to deal with. I frankly raised my voice, and replied "Roger! Surely you have been studying long enough to know the answer to that one! That's grade school stuff! Roger, it is our sin that is responsible for evil! God created things perfect. We came along and messed it up!" My tone seemed to shake him up a bit, and just then Dean came up and tapped me to get back up on the box.
Mark stepped in and picked up with Roger, contending with him for another 20 minutes, finally telling him, "So if we are indeed wrong, and I've spent my life loving my neighbor, and doing good to others, and not coveting or stealing or committing adultery, haven't I at least lived a good life? If you are wrong, imagine the despair you will feel as you find yourself in hell facing an eternity of torment." That seemed to shake him up also. It was then that I tapped Mark to get back on the box. We need to continue to pray for Roger. I feel, as I'm sure you do, that God is not through with him yet.
Here is a follow-up from Steve for last Saturday night evangelism in Burbank: The Gospel was proclaimed, and many took tracts and Bibles. There were no serious hecklers, although there were several people who asked questions and engaged in one to one conversations. Dean, Mark and I all preached. Dean was under the weather and Sai was at home sick with the flu. Sharon and Debbie faithfully handed out many tracts and witnessed one to one.
Our friend Roger showed up and all three of us had long discussions with him. It is fascinating to see the Holy Spirit at work. Why does this man, who rejects the Bible as the Word of God, and who rejects the JudeoChristian God of the Bible, take the time, and the energy to regularly seek us out and contend with us? I asked him what gospel he is seeking to share with us. He humbly confessed that he did not know. He tried to trot out the old objection from time immemorial, "If God is good, why is there evil?", as if that were some intractable problem for Christians to deal with. I frankly raised my voice, and replied "Roger! Surely you have been studying long enough to know the answer to that one! That's grade school stuff! Roger, it is our sin that is responsible for evil! God created things perfect. We came along and messed it up!" My tone seemed to shake him up a bit, and just then Dean came up and tapped me to get back up on the box. 
Mark stepped in and picked up with Roger, contending with him for another 20 minutes, finally telling him, "So if we are indeed wrong, and I've spent my life loving my neighbor, and doing good to others, and not coveting or stealing or committing adultery, haven't I at least lived a good life? If you are wrong, imagine the despair you will feel as you find yourself in hell facing an eternity of torment." That seemed to shake him up also. It was then that I tapped Mark to get back on the box. We need to continue to pray for Roger. I feel, as I'm sure you do, that God is not through with him yet.
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