In our culture, those who would speak up about their beliefs, especially Christian, are viewed as a bit strange.   Part of the problem is that we can tend to feel the awkward tension as we share with others about the Lord.  It is pretty unavoidable, since those that have yet to meet Christ are in darkness, and can’t even understand the message until God brings revelation.  In our interactions, we can err on the side of silence since it’s much less painful, and far easier.  It can seem less controversial, but isn’t a permissible option.  We need to learn to be better witnesses for Christ, taking the step out of our comfort zone while still speaking truth into the life of those we have conversations with.  The initial pain of many conversations started is quickly forgotten and turned to joy when understanding is gained.

     As one component of our outreach ministry, the unusual nature of open air preaching puts these obstacles under a microscope (open air preaching being preaching the Gospel to crowds of people in public places).  For the first few years of active outreach ministry, I didn’t regularly preach in open air fashion, mainly because some of the modern day examples I had seen appeared to turn quickly into a spectacle of someone standing on their soap box arguing with non-Christians.  It seemed altogether ineffective and, more than that, potentially damaging.  This is the premise of some main stream Christian thought – preaching and handing out “pamphlets” simply isn’t working.  If the motive to do these things out of obligation rather than love for Jesus, then it won’t bear much fruit and won’t work.  The Lord showed me the fact that even though someone else is doing something poorly shouldn’t cause me to not do it at all, but to simply be even more determined to do things well.  Without Kris Zoerman on the Truth Tank team, I would likely not even be involved in open air preaching still.  We need to be challenged on how we are witnessing for Christ, we need to raise the level of desire/necessity in ourselves.  We need the eyes of Jesus.

     Much of the time, whether it’s preaching open air or simply sharing the Gospel with someone individually, there always seems to be a need to break down the negative stereotype of how people view Christians.  Our goal shouldn’t be to win an argument, but to bring understanding (e.g. plant a seed).  This is why we follow in the footsteps of Jesus by using the Ten Commandments as the engine to show people that they need a Savior.  We need to expect opposition, but not be hindered by it.  Jesus told the disciples as He sent them out to preach like sheep among wolves, to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.  Have you noticed that America is full of wolves as well?  We should expect the world to hate us, but must have wisdom to know how to speak and interact.  The point is that we have to share… we’re compelled and commanded by Christ.  We can’t ignore it, nor should we be blindly irresponsible in our presentation either. 

     We need to pay attention for the opportunities to share the Gospel.  More than that though, as ambassadors for Christ, we need to make opportunities.  This doesn’t mean that we’re running on our own agenda, but rather, we step forward with the intention to share the Gospel, knowing and trusting God will be there with you in the midst of it.  If someone isn’t open, then you have at least made the attempt.  A recent outreach example comes to mind.  My wife Sara who, if you know her, is quite shy.  I had the privilege of observing her clearly present the gospel to a couple of secular Humanists.  She would tell you that she wanted to come out of her skin when they told her their position, but she went forward anyhow.  The fear of not knowing all the details of someone’s worldview is easily diffused with a presentation of the simple Gospel message.  It’s a joy for me to watch people push their fears aside and be used for the Kingdom.  Be encouraged today, and make an opportunity to share Christ.  For some of you it may feel quite strange, but plow forward and see what the Lord will do with simple people like us.  No pain, no gain.


 

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

NIV 

     I saw an ad in the Toys R Us insert this past Sunday in the Grand Rapids Press that is completely disturbing to me.  Hasbro has come out with new and “improved” version of the classic “game” called the Ouija board.  It is targeted toward young girls, comes in Barbie pink and even includes a pretty vinyl carrying case to tote around to all the sleepovers.  This is no game, but a real life tool to access areas of the occult to anyone open to playing with this piece of garbage.  I can speak from experience of the demonic capabilities from my high school years, as can many others that I know.  I’ve posted my review on the Toys R Us website (we’ll see if they allow it), and emailed Hasbro about removing this trade of cash in turn for opening little girls to the demonic realm.  Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner says, “nothing is more important to me than the safety and well being of the children who enjoy our products.” - http://www.hasbro.com/csr/.  I encourage you to take a few minutes and send the company a quick email for Hasbro to back up Goldner’s words by clicking the link here.

     Over the last month, Kris Zoerman and Greg Beckett have roaming around with a video camera asking the question, “Who are you voting for and why?”  Take a look at the responses compiled from the Grand Rapids area.

     I recently saw an ad on Nickelodeon promoting a web mock Presidential campaign they have held the last few elections in which kids log on and cast their vote.  I checked the site, and guess who won?  Barack Obama.  Shocker.  What are kids going to choose... the young hipster or grandpa?  There were over 2 million votes, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn’t exactly a landslide.  Obama 51%, McCain 49%.  I wonder if CNN added that poll into their political tallying machine…



 

by Tim Nesbitt

      I want to share with you an opportunity that I had to witness to someone that I had the opportunity to meet for the first time.  I was in Chicago, IL at a dinner meeting for work.  I was dining with some Physicians Assistants (PA’s) that I was meeting for the first time.  There was much conversation during dinner and politics came up with the presidential election going on.  I was very interested to find out where some of the PA’s stood regarding the candidates seeing Obama as an Illinois senator and mixed with the fact that everyone at the table was in health care.

     After some light discussion, conversation started to get more in depth with the woman sitting to my left, Jang Mi.   She let me know that she was an Obama supporter, but hadn’t decided on a candidate until recently.  She said she didn’t like Sarah Palin, and that was why she was voting for Obama.  I asked what she didn’t like about Palin, and she said she was turned off because Palin was forcing her daughter and the boy who got Palin’s daughter pregnant to get married all while professing to be a Christian.  She stated she was basing her opinion on the boy’s My Space page.  I decided not to raise issue with the fact that she just expressed to me that she decided to base her vote for President of the United States based on some information from a 17 year old boys My Space page.  I am sure she must have more reason than that, but who knows.

     This conversation was very pleasant and non-confrontational.  I told her that my vote was going to be based on my religious beliefs and not necessarily on economic policy or healthcare reform.  With that said, I told her I felt strongly about protecting the life of the unborn, and that I was Pro Life.  I also asked her if Obama was instrumental in passing “late term abortion” in Illinois, and she said yes.  We spoke about the abortion issue for awhile.  She brought up the cases where a woman’s life was in jeopardy, as most Pro Choice advocates do.  I asked her what percent of abortions were performed for the sake of preserving the woman’s life compared to the percent performed for simple unwanted pregnancies.  Neither of us knew the answer, but agreed that most abortions are likely performed because of unwanted pregnancies.  

     Jang Mi stated that she was spiritual rather than religious.  I asked her what that meant.  She said she was brought up in the church and knew the “Bible stories” but didn’t believe in the New Testament and stories of Jesus.  She went on to say she believes in God and being good.  I asked her why she believed in parts of the Bible but not all of it.  She said that the New Testament and the stories of Jesus were not recorded until a long time after his supposed death.  I asked her about how long after Jesus’ death the first written records that have been found were.  She said about 100 years.  I told her that she was pretty close according to a book I read, A Case for Christ.  I went on to summarize the book telling her that you have to look at things in the context of the times.  I told her that in those times the written word was not a common practice and that literacy was very low.  The common practice to record history was through story telling, at least according to the book as I am not an expert on the subject.  We moved past this point and I asked her about some thing in the Old Testament, in which she said she believed is some of.  This is where I implemented a little of what I learned about the Way of the Master.  I brought up to her that she mentioned that we were good in God’s eyes as long as we, human beings, were striving to be good.  I asked her if she knew the Ten Commandments.  She knew quite a few of them to my pleasant surprise.  I asked her if we were trying to be good by the standards of the Ten Commandments how would we fare.  After going through a few of them she admitted that we have all fallen short of being good.  We discussed that according to the Bible that if any fail to keep the Commandments then they will suffer eternal hell.  That led to discussion on why Jesus is so important to us. He paid the price for our sin.  

     The night ended pleasantly.  Others around us undoubtedly were listening in, but no one else was involved in the conversation.  I told Jang Mi that I was not there to judge her, but rather to love her as the Bible states in the first and greatest commandment.  I also told her that if she truly wanted understanding that she should pray about it and ask God to reveal Himself to her.  At the end of the night she commented that our conversation was one of the first she has had about religion and politics that she felt someone spoke intelligently on the matters.  She also said, “The thing I love about Tim is that I know that he will go home and pray for me”.  I told her that is exactly what I was going to do.

     I want to give God praise for the little knowledge I do have that he has exposed me to through reading and surrounding me with Christians, but more importantly the strength and desire to share His gospel with those who desperately need it.

Note: The offer still stands for anyone to submit a Street Report to receive a free Truth Tank T-Shirt (Tim is sporting his in the picture).  Any sort of witnessing encounter you've had that would be an encouragement to others is permissable.  Thanks to Tim for sharing.
 

"I’ll wait until I am old, then I’ll get right with God."

     You may not get the chance. God may just lose patience with you and end your life. Perhaps you don’t think He would do such a thing. Then read Genesis 38:7 to see how God killed a man who was wicked. Jesus told of a man who boasted that he had so many goods that he would have to build bigger barns. God called the man a fool and took his life that night. Those who say they will repent in their own time lack the fear of God. Their understanding of His nature is erroneous. If they caught a glimpse of His holiness, His righteousness, and His consuming justice, they wouldn’t trifle with His mercy. Such arrogance needs to be confronted with the thunders of Mount Sinai. He is not wise who thinks he can outwit his Creator, enjoy a lifetime of sin, and repent at the last minute. Deathbed repentance is very rare. God killed a husband and wife because they told a lie (Acts 5:1–10). He lost patience with them. Most people think that God’s patience is eternal. It evidently is not.

The Bible says that it is through the fear of the Lord that men depart from sin (Proverbs 16:6). If they don’t fear God, they will be complacent about their eternal salvation (Matthew 10:28).

Excerpted from the Evidence Bible 
 

Thomas Jefferson

In an 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and State.

and

'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.'

     I am not making the assertion that Thomas Jefferson was a true Christian, in fact, the evidence points to him ultimately renouncing faith in Christ.  That said, he still has some wise words for us today.  Sadly, the quote referenced to the Danbury Baptist Association has been badly misused.  Read closely about his one dimensional “wall of separation” he puts forward.  The government shouldn’t be in the business of establishing religion, but the Church should always have her voice.  The second quote is surrounded with some question that Jefferson actually said it, or if it was Gerald Ford.  Very true either way.