Wow, it's taken me several days to sit down and write this entry. We hit the mall this weekend and were able to talk to about 12-14 unsaved people. I say 12-14 because I'm causas about who I call a Christian. I don't want to skip someone who needs to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I found myself a bit on the nervous side while sitting in the parking lot. My nerves usually go off before I going witnessing, but tonight seemed to be expectionally strong. I don't know if the following events had something to do with it or not, but my heart raced as I prayed and I even asked a friend of mine to be in pray for me as I went "fishing." The best way to break the nervousness of witnessing to people you don't know is to do it. I prayed, asking the Lord for those who would hear, stepped out of the car and almost immediately spotted my first two "fish." They were gauking at a young girl as she walked off. That's great because it gives me ammunition when I ask them about lusting after a woman and that being adultery of the heart.
My heart was really racing as I engaged in the witness encounter (I wonder if evangelism could be considered as exercise?). To my surpurise, they answered no to the "lusting after a women" question. Maybe that's why God allowed me to over hear them lusting after the young girl that just walked away. My heart was racing so fast, I actually stuttered a couple of times and I was glad to be finished with the encounter, but I managed to get through the Gospel and Christ crucified for them.
I decided to get a little dinner at this point and calm down. Other than the struttering, the witness encounter went just fine. As is my custom, I like to get something to eat at the mall before witnessing. I don't know why other than this allows me to survive the people a bit and see how busy the mall is. Our mall is also small, but it was not very busy that day. I was a little shock (must have something to do with the economy). The next witnessing encounter came sooner than I expected:
As I ordered from the menu at the local eatery, I pull out my card to pay for my food and, almost out of habit, I also pulled a million dollar bill tract. Always pay for your food first, before handing someone something that looks like real money (or close enough). Do this so that they don't think your trying to pay with a Gospel tract. I asked if they had change for a big bill and they laughed. Before I knew it, I had six teenagers listening to the Gospel and answering questions. One of which was a Christian, but unfortunitely, she was answering the questions before the unsaved. I actually had to cut her off so I could finish the encounter.
After eating a bite, I decided to go towards the west end of the mall. I say, "I decided," but I know it was God's will for me to go that way. As I walked down the mostly empty mall, I spot about five teens hanging out around the couch seating area (yes, we have couches in our mall). I don't know why (it was God's will), but ducked into radio shack to check out video carmeras and complete forgot why I enter the store five seconds after I did. The store clerk asked me if he could help me find anything. I replied, "I don't know, forgot why I came in here, must be getting old." So, after a several minutes in the store I walked out wondering if I had missed witnessing to the teens. Thankfully, I hadn't and walked straight to them and asked them if they liked magic and pulled out a curved illusion. They said yes and the Gospel was presented. However,...
There happened to be a man from the Army recruiter's office who had walked out to great the teens. I caught him out of the corner of my eye and wondered if he would run me off, argue with me, or challenge me in some way. As I progressed through the Law and the Gospel I saw him nodding in agreement. He never once argued or tried to answer the questions I had for the teens, but politely allowed me to finish witnessing to them. Just as I was finished and about to leave, he told me that he was a Christian also and told me "that was the most comprehensive Gospel presentation" he had ever heard. I was a little shocked...and excited. He invited me to have lunch with him and I said that I would with the disclaimer that I wasn't going to join the army. He laugh and said he wanted to talk to me about the Gospel. That was encouraging. It inspired thoughts of going full time and thoughts of meeting people and being asked to speak in churches. I love to share Jesus Christ with people. That has to come first, so we'll see what happens.
One of the teens that I had just talked to mentioned that he wanted to share his faith as well. As, with anything, I believe that a little training always helps. So, I pointed them to the wayofthemaster.com. If you are reading this and would like to learn how to share your faith, Biblically, and have never heard of the Way of the Master (with Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron), go to the wayofthemaster.com and listen to "Hell's best kept Secret" and "True and False Conversions." This will help you begin to witness the way Jesus did.
The Lord allowed me to witness to four other people that night. The night had started out with nervousness and ended up with so much joy and excitement that I could hardly contain myself.
