Goals: To Learn

As mentioned before, we have several goals for this blog:

• To Obey
• To Pray
• To Learn 
• To Teach
• To Model
• To Report 
• To Encourage

Jesus told people, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."   I remember reading this verse not long after I became a Christian and not understanding the metaphor.   How do you fish for men?   I remember asking a mentor who explained it to me, and I've learned over the years how appropriate the the metaphor is.   

I've recently tried taking up fly fishing. Fishing on the Bow River flowing in & about Calgary is supposed to be some of the best in the world.  But all the technique of casting will not do one any good if you don't know something about the fish and something about flies.  One has to know something about the time of year and types of flies in season, as well as something about where fish hang out and what spooks them.   

The fishing analogy could not be more appropriate.   

Fishing for people is a lot like fishing for trout.  You have to know something about people (& what the Bible says is true of them) and the basics of the Gospel, what they need to hear and what concerns (& spooks) them.   

Learning to fish for people is a life-long journey.  It is not something that is mastered in this lifetime. Rather, it's something you devote yourself to for the long haul.  

And just like fishing in a stream, you have to actually fish for people in real life.  That's how we learn, plain and simple.   

In fact, I often tell people that you don't even know what you don't know until you get into conversations with people.  You will find out what questions to ask, what verses you need to memorize, what types of objections are common, and what concerns people have that the Gospel of Christ addresses.   

And just like you learn to fish by actually fishing, so to you learn to evangelize by evangelizing.   

As I reflect on conversations with people about the Gospel over the years, I've always reflected on what I would have / should have said differently.  And that's just part of the journey.   I've learned the in's and out's of flies, different baits to use, how to approach fish by trial and error.   

And I'm glad to be a life-long student.  And the thrill of the catch keeps me going.   

I once heard someone define evangelism as "taking the initiative in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel and leaving the results to God."  It is our privilege to join God in his mission since he is the Great Missionary.   

Or to put it another way, He is the Master Fisherman, and we get to join him on the fishing expedition.   

Katt - 19 years old; Andrew - mid 20s

Katt & her friend Andrew were dressed from the punk scene and were just hanging out in Kensington trying to sell some cardboard street art for spare change. Pete D. & I asked if they'd be up for some conversation about spiritual topics and they said sure.

Katt did most of the talking at first. She was baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church when she was young but was no longer practicing. She considered herself to be pagan. Andrew says that he is Wiccan, a Druid priest.

When asked to describe her religious experience both within and without the ROC, she said that she believes there is right and wrong in all religions, and that all religions share a common thread of teachings.

She'd like to ask God "Why?  Why does the cosmos exist?  What is the purpose of our existence?"  She doesn't  believe in heaven, but only that our bodies are converted into energy that the universe in turn uses.

Katt is a typical postmodern.  Organized religion is used by people to oppress others. Her experience seems to back it up. She says that after immigrating from Russia, her parents enrolled her in a Christian school in Calgary where she was mercilessly picked on, even to the point where other students threw stuff at her. Her parents became so appalled at her treatment that they withdrew her.

When Katt was 13 she ran away and has been (mostly) on the streets since then. She's pretty turned off to Christianity because of Christians. She said it was not uncommon for Christians to get in her face and tell her she is going to hell for how she looks [I get so angry when I hear stuff like this].

I asked her if she was able to distinguish between Jesus Christ and his followers. She said she totally could, but then rambled on about great spiritual teachers. I honestly couldn't follow her train of thinking.   I tried to pull it back to the issue of Jesus as we learn about him through the historical documents of the Gospels. She said that she has read them, but doesn't remember much about them. Her ignorance of Jesus showed through when she said he was just like any other person who has lived, sin and all.

In talking to her about Jesus, I asked her if I could give her a copy of "The Essential Jesus" which is a fresh translation of the Gospel of Luke and an intro to the story of Jesus leading up to Luke's Gospel and then an explanation of why Jesus is essential. She thanked me for it and told me that she'd be glad to read it. I told her that it is really important to make sure she understands who the real Jesus is and what he claimed and to not write him because of the treatment she has received.

Katt seemed fairly sweet though you could sense her brokenness and bitterness just below the surface.

For a good chunk of our 30-40 minute conversation, Pete was talking with Andrew. He had a tattoo with the words, "Broken Soul." This angry broken soul is convinced that religion is just something used by the powerful to keep people oppressed. Andrew is pretty mad at the world and feels screwed over by the gov't b/c he served in Kosovo and the gov't somehow didn't keep it's promises to him.   He seems pretty messed up from it, saying that there's no such thing as post-tramatic stress disorder.  It's just called "seeing how messed up the world is and not being able to deal with it."

Pray that the Gospel would penetrate both Andrew & Katt's hardened hearts.

On a side note, while we were chatting with them, a fellow stopped by to drop a $5 bill into their collection which made Katt almost squeal with delight as she clapped.  He asked them what they were selling as he looked down at pieces of cut up cardboard with stick figures of robots and cats and letters drawn on them.   He proudly picked up the cat drawing like he had found a prize.  He stuck out his hand and asked Katt & Andrew what their names were (he even shook our hands as well).  He greeted them with a smile and wished them well. I so appreciated this man's gesture of kindness and wondered if he was a Christian.  So often, people like Katt & Andrew are ignored by people who have neither time nor interest to give to them.

We thanked Katt & Andrew for the conversation and they shook hands with us several times as we were leaving.   Pete even bought up his own prized piece of artwork!

Jared - 18 years old

by Pete de Jong

We met Jared and quickly thought that a conversation with him might be interesting. Any white guy with dreadlocks is usually prepared to think “outside the box”. We asked if he be up for a spiritual question to which he replied that he had a few minutes.

We asked Jared about his spiritual background, and he replied that he was raised a Christian (some sort of “missionary church”) and that his parents were still faithful and took their beliefs seriously.  He also indicated that he doesn’t practice anymore but certainly was not hostile at all to us or answering our questions.  Indeed, he was very respectful.  

We then asked him for three words that he would use to describe his religious experience growing up in a Christian church. He used: “thought-provoking, ”“beneficial,” and sadly, “contradictory.”  He’d like to ask God "Why?  What is the purpose of our existence?"   

When we got to the question about what he would say to God about why he should be let into heaven, things took a turn. Jared said that it did concern him that if God judged him according to the 10 Commandments that he would be found guilty of breaking them, and he went on to explain that he could give us all the right answers about Jesus if we wanted them. He explained that he had been taught “all this stuff” and that he even respected it to some extent, but he has more questions now than answers.  He indicated--without going into much detail--that people let him down.

As it was getting really hot on the sidewalk, I invited us all into the Second Cup coffee house for an iced mocha so that we could delve into that a little more. Jared explained that he was now a little late for a meeting he had with a friend but asked if we were in Kensington often because he would like to talk about his questions. We said it would be easy to connect with him, and so we exchanged phone numbers/email addresses, and went on our separate ways.

John followed up by sending this email:

Hi Jared, 

This is John.  My friend, Pete, & I bumped into you the other day in Kensington and asked you some questions about your spiritual background and opinions.  I enjoyed talking with you and appreciate your honesty in expressing that you have some questions.   

I myself had to work through a number of questions and objections to Christianity.  If it is true, I wanted to know it.  If not, then I would have to go somewhere else.   In fact, one of the reasons I became a philosophy major at my university was to study the best questions that have been put forth by the history of western thought.  I'd love to get together with you and hear some of your questions and perhaps offer some food for thought.  I've thought through a lot of this and would love to be able to help you on your journey if I can.

Absolutely no pressure.  I'm just glad you have an open mind and are asking questions and I hope you find the answers you are looking for.  Pete & I would love to buy you a coffee or sit down for a meal and chat.  My treat anytime.

Have a good weekend, Jared.   All the best, 

We really look forward to meeting Jared again.  Please pray that God would see this happen.

-----

John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Lord, please convince Jared that you are the way, the truth, and the life.

Rahwa - 26 years old

While attempting to find relief from the heat of the day under the shade of some trees in Kensington, we bumped into Rahwa. She was on her way to an appointment, but could spare two minutes to answer some questions.

Rahwa said she was a Christian, and had been born a Christian. Asked to describe her experience, she simply smiled and said she loved Jesus. [I like that answer. Anytime anyone mentions Jesus in their description of their religious experience, I tend to get excited.  But read on....]

She'd like to ask God, "What is the meaning of everything?  Why are we here?"

If God were to ask her, "Why should I let you into heaven?" she would say, "Because I have a good heart."

[Insert the sound of throwing a wrench into an engine. Answering this question would be the perfect time to be thinking about Jesus, not your own goodness.  Boy, I wish we had some time to ask her about that and seek clarification.  What do you think about some of the things that Jesus said, namely that there is no one good except God?  Why do you believe you have a good heart? etc.]

She'd rate herself an "8" on the goodness scale.

I thanked her for her time, gave her a copy of the booklet explaining Christianity, and encouraged her to read it.

I must confess, I don't know what to think of folks who follow Jesus, but claim to have good hearts.  That's so diametrically opposed to not only the clear teachings of Jesus (cf. Mark 7), but also of the entire Scripture (cf. Jeremiah 17:9).   Our culture often disciples us well on how to speak about ourselves and many professing Christians have adopted that language.

To be fair, perhaps if Rahwa had more time, she would have been a bit more precise in what she meant by that.  

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Romans 5:6, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."

Lord, while I'm thankful Rahwa claims to love you, I hope she does know the true Jesus and doesn't cling to a different gospel.   Help her to understand that you died for the ungodly--while we were yet sinners, you died for us.  

Christy - 34 years old

My friend, Pete D., & I met Christy in Kensington sitting on a bench texting.   She is a nice, spunky lady from a Roman Catholic background.

When asked to describe her religious experience, she said, "Strict."

"You didn't happen to attend a catholic school growing up, did you?" I joked.

"I'm a catholic school teacher," she replied.   We all laughed at  the realization of what I almost stepped into with that question.   But she was cool with it.  [And for the record, I don't know if she wears certain garb when she teaches].

She'd like to ask God what his plan is for her life.

She's fairly confident about what she believes and her own religious performance.  When asked what she'd say if God asked her why he should let her into heaven, Christy replied, "Because I'm good and believe in God.  I stay true to my catholic beliefs." She rates herself as an 8 on the good-o-meter.

We gave her a booklet explaining Christianity and told her she could take the good person test with the 10 Commandments.  She quickly said that she had kept them all.   My friend, Pete, said that he had broken them all, to which she gasped in unbelief.

"You have?  You've murdered someone."

Pete nodded, "I've murdered people in my heart."

"Oh, that's not murder."

"Actually, Jesus said that if you hate someone, you've essentially assassinated them in your heart," I said.

"No, that's not right.  He didn't say that, " she contended.  "I teach the Bible and theology."  

"He did say that," I replied.

"Nope.  That's not true.  Hating someone is not murder," she protested.

"You can read it here," and I underlined the passage in Matthew 5.

"Well, I will, but I don't believe hating someone is murder," she insisted shaking her head.

"You're not disagreeing with Jesus, are you?" I asked.

She smiled.  "I don't think he said that.  And besides if you do hate someone, you can realize your mistake and then forgive them."

"True," I replied, "but you still hated them."

We looked at some of the other commandments.  I explained that we break them because we are sinful and God must--because He's a just God--judge us according to His standard.

I asked, "If God were to judge you by this standard, would he find you innocent or guilty of breaking his standard?"

"Guilty," she admitted.

"Does that concern you?"

"Well, yes, but everyone would be guilty and no one would get to heaven."

"If God gave us what we deserve, that would be bad news indeed," I said.  "But do you know what God has done so that we could go from being guilty to being innocent?"

Christy thought for a moment.   "Does it have something to do with Jesus?"

"Yes," I answered.  "It does.  Jesus kept the commandments so he could die as a substitute for sinners like you and me."

Christy thought she was in the clear because she new that Jesus died for us.   We chatted a bit more but it was hard to discern who her trust was in--Jesus or herself, or Jesus + herself.  I encouraged her to read over the booklet and think about these things.  She said she would.

Looking back on it, I wished I would have pressed her on the fact that if we cling to our own righteousness, then that is the equivalent of clinging to filthy rags and presenting them to God in hopes of approval, as Isaiah says.   "All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment" (Is. 64).   We need to be saved from both our unrighteousness and our righteousness, because if justification comes through the law, no one will be justified (Gal. 2).

Overall, it was a fun and enjoyable conversation lasting about 20 minutes or so.

Upon leaving, I told Christy that if I were in Catholic school, I wouldn't mind having her as a teacher because she seemed nice enough and didn't fit the stereotype of a strict teacher.

But Pete wasn't so sure.  :)

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Romans 3:27-28, "Then what becomes of our boasting?  It is excluded....For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."

Romans 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."

Holy Spirit, work in Christy's heart so that she will see that salvation is by grace alone and not on the basis of our performance so that she would not boast of any confidence she has in her own law-keeping.

Geraldine - 64 years old

On a sunny day in the Kensington neighbourhood in Calgary, Geraldine was enjoying a cigarette and a rest on a bench.   Pete D. & I approached her & asked if she'd be willing to spare a few moments to answer a brief questionnaire.   She was game for it and so we jumped into a great conversation with her that lasted a good half hour or so.

Geraldine is from Toronto and is passing through town on her way down to the States.   She described her spiritual background as Protestant, but over the last 30 years, she would describe herself as non-conventional.

When asked for some words to describe her spiritual background, she opened up about her experience that caused her to leave the church.   She said that she was going through a divorce and went to speak to her female pastor about it.   The next Sunday, her pastor stood up and began preaching on divorce.   The pastor said that they didn't want divorced people around because "one bad apple can spoil the whole batch." Geraldine couldn't believe her ears.  I couldn't believe my ears. She said she felt betrayed in opening up to her pastor, and so got up and left in the middle of the sermon and has never gone back to church, though she would consider herself to be a spiritual person.

When asked what she would like to ask God about, she said, "What can I do to help you make this world a better place."

"Wow.  That's a great question," I said.

Pete jumped in, "If everyone asked that type of question, this would be a much better place to live."

"Next question," I said.  "If God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into heaven?' what would you say?"

She thought about this for a moment and after asking for clarification, she said, "Judge me on how I lived my life...Because I believed in You and tried to live according to your standards."

When asked to rate her goodness, she said 7.5.   So I thanked her for her answers and gave her a copy of our booklet explaining Christianity.   "This booklet has a 'Good Person Test' in here that allows you to accurately judge your goodness."

"Oh?' she said.

"Yes, it's called the Ten Commandments?  You've heard of them, right?"

"Oh yes," she answered.

"Can you name any of them?"  She named a few of them and then went blank.  "That's okay.  There listed here..." and I pointed to the correct page.   She began reading them out loud.  She acknowledged that she kept some of them, but had broken others.

"If God were to evaluate your life against the 10 Commandments, would he find you innocent or guilty of breaking them."

She thought about this for a moment and said, "Guilty," she said and quickly added, "But everyone would be guilty if God judged us by the 10 Commandments."

"That's true."  I went on to explain that that's is the bad news.  God is holy & righteous and judges justly.   The final judgment for those who die in the guilt of their sins is hell.  That's what the Bible teaches.  That is the bad news."  Geraldine was nodding taking this in.

"Do you know what God has done so that we could go from being guilty to innocent?" I asked.

"He's merciful and forgiving."

"Yes he is," I answered, "but he has done something particular.  Do you know what that is?"  She shook her head.

"He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die like people like us."  She began nodding her head as if it were all coming back to her.   I went on to explain that Christ broke none of the commandments and because of that, he could die in the place of people like us.   He can give his record of righteousness to us because he takes our broken record upon himself.  I explained the necessity of repentance (turning from our sin & independence from God) and turning to faith in Christ.

She said that she does believe that she has done that and that Jesus is leading her in her life.   We encouraged her to reflect on these things, and she said she would.

Pete asked if we could pray for a few of the things that she had mentioned in our conversation and she said yes.  So Pete led us in prayer.

She was very grateful for our conversation.  I mentioned that her story about what had happened to her at her previous church broke my heart.   I told her that if she lived in Calgary, she'd be exactly the kind of person that we would love to have in our community at New City Church.

She again thanked us for the conversation, and especially for the way in which we engaged her in conversation.   As we walked away, she encouraged us to keep doing what we were doing.  

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Romans 5:2, "Through him [i.e., our Lord Jesus Christ], we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

Lord Jesus, enable Geraldine to understand the grace by which we are enabled to stand before You, and to rejoices in the hope of the glory of God.  Help her find her way into a good community of faith.

John (aka "Jerry Garcia") - 44 years old

Pete D. & I headed out on a beautiful but warm day in Calgary to Kensington which always attracts all sorts of colorful people.

John was one of them, and he looked like Jerry Garcia--could have been his brother.   Baptized Roman Catholic, John calls himself a Wiccan and finds himself very comfortable there.   In reality, John has a hodge-podge of beliefs that are part pagan / part postmodern.

When asked for words to describe his religious experience, he simply said, "Seeker."   If he could ask God one question, it would be, "Why?   What is my purpose?"

I asked, "If he were to stand before God and God asked him why He should let him into heaven, what would you say?"

He thought about it for a moment and simply said, "No answer."

"What do you mean by no answer?"

"I just wouldn't have anything to say?"

"Do you believe that there is life after death?  What do you think happens when we die?"

He answered, "I believe in reincarnation."

"How do you define that?"

"I believe that we continue on.  I cannot conceive of myself as not existing."

"Do you come back as an animal, an angel, a human?"

"I don't know.  I suppose you could come back as any life form."

"So you could come back as a mouse?"

"Sure, wouldn't you like to see life through the eyes of a mouse?" he asked me.

"No, not really.  Especially if I'm being chased by cats all the time," I responded.  He shrugged.

"Let me ask you a question," I said.   "Maybe you can help me understand reincarnation.  [This is the "Columbo" tactic I learned from STR's Greg Koukl which helps you to get more information & hopefully put a pebble in someone's shoe that will cause them to think on it more.]  Who or what determines how you come back?"

"I don't know," he thought for a moment.  "Maybe you determine that yourself."

"You can determine you own destiny?"

"Sure.  Why not?" he said confidently.

This is a shortened account of about a 20 minute conversation.  It was impossible to nail John down on anything definite as most of his questions were vague and open ended.   As a seeker, he considers himself as "open,"  but he had my head spinning trying to follow his logic.   It felt like nailing jello to a wall.  Pete & I felt like we took this conversation as far as we could.  And that's okay.  Hopefully, we were able to drop a pebble or two in his shoe.  Knowing that God is sovereign in salvation & in control when you feel like your conversation is going nowhere.  

He did rate his goodness at a 7, and we gave him a booklet explaining Christianity & encouraged him to read through it.  He took it and said he would.  We thanked him for stopping to answer some questions, and he thanked us for the conversation.

Later in the day, Pete & I were talking about the importance of reflecting on these conversations in order to sharpen our thinking and better prepare ourselves for future conversations.  Looking back, when he brought up the issue of reincarnation, I should have asked him the question, "What do you base your beliefs about reincarnation upon?"

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Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."

Lord Jesus, would you seek out and save John who is very far from you and very lost.   Use the Gospel given to him today to draw him to the Saviour.

Goals: To Pray

I have a handful of goals for this blog...

• To Obey
• To Pray
• To Learn 
• To Teach
• To Model
• To Report 
• To Encourage

To Pray.   The Apostle Paul wrote to the young evangelist, Timothy:

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time" (1 Timothy 2:1-6).

The mission that we are a part of is a participation in the very mission of God.   He is the Lord of the harvest, and we are called to pray to him.

So at a very basic level, this blog exists as an aide to prayer, both for myself and for others.   Writing about gospel conversations with people in Calgary helps me to remember names to faces as well as imprinting the conversation more firmly in my memory.

Would you join me in praying for these folks?

I'll try to include a brief prayer at the end of each Gospel Conversation.   There's a place where you can register your prayer as well...

Stephanie - 18 years old

Stephanie nailed it.

Stephen Ave

I met her downtown as she was out promoting the work of an agency that rescues animals from abuse.  She had a mustache on a necklace that she would hold up to her lips to get people's attention.  I stopped to say hello, and she said she had a question for me.

"Good," I replied, "because I have a question for you."

"Well, I'll answer your question depending on how you answer mine" she said.

"Fair enough."

"What's that?" Stephanie asked looking at the questionnaire in my hand with the title "Spiritual Questionnaire" in big letters.

"These are the questions I'm going to ask you about.  But you first."

So she told me about her agency which sounds like a good one.   I told her that our treatment of the environment and ecology depends on how we view the world.   We tend to either deify creation or denigrate it.   Stephanie used the term 'creation' herself so I was curious as to her beliefs.

"Okay, now we're done with my part, I'm curious as to your questionnaire," she said with a look of curiosity.

I told her what I was doing, and she said she was game.

Stephanie is from a Roman Catholic background, but now goes to and evangelical Bible college.   She said that she looks back on her experience with the RCC and saw it only as obligation.  In fact the folks she knows who still go there seem to do it out of obligation.   She spoke of a personal relationship with God now that is "real & relevant" for her life.

She'd like to ask God, "What is my purpose?"   I'm guessing that's a good question whatever your age, but especially pertinent for an 18 year old.  She had plans to go to Israel in the fall and wanted to do some humanitarian work, and then go to university to study international relations.

When asked what she would say if God were to ask her why he should let her into heaven, Stephanie answered, "Are you kidding me?  You're a Christian aren't you?"  I nodded.  "I've done nothing.  It's only by grace and I need the Lord Jesus to save me."

"I like your answer," I said, "but not everyone who says they are a Christian gives the kind of answer your do."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Look here."  And I showed her the answers from a previous conversation where a professing Christian lady said that if God asked her why he should let her into heaven, she would say, "Why not?"

"Wow," Stephanie said.

"Yeah, wow.  Well, I don't need to ask you the last question...."

"Why not?"

"Well, because you nailed the answer."

"Ask me any way."

"Okay, if you would rate your goodness on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being very good and 1 being very evil, where would you be."

She laughed and said, "Uh...a zero!"

I smiled.  "Same here."

I wished her well saying that I trust the Lord will use her wherever she ended up.  I encouraged her to continue strong in the faith and thanked her for the conversation.

-----
Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Lord, I pray that you would use Stephanie for your glory, and enable her to live all of her life for the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to you through him.

Proclaim Course

When it comes to training folks in the task of evangelism, my go-to material is The Proclaim Course.  This course was designed by the folks at Sovereign Grace Ministries & Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA.

From their website:

Want to share your faith buy don't know how? The Proclaim course is a DVD-based evangelism class designed to help everyday Christians like you grow in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Through seven sessions you'll discover how to communicate the gospel more clearly and how to trust God more fully in evangelism. Prepare to be practically equipped and biblically motivated as you join God in this unstoppable spread of the gospel!

PROCLAIM SESSIONS

• The Unstoppable Gospel
• Gifted for Evangelism
• Becoming a Friend of Sinners
• Breaking the Sound Barrier
• Proclaim the Bad News
• Proclaim the Good News
• Putting the Go in Gospel

Why do I like this course?
I like the proclaim course because...

1. ...it is solid theologically (which is no small task these days)
2. ...it uses the 10 Commandments to explain the bad news of both our falling short of God's standard and the necessity of God's justice (the bad news); 
3. ...it nails the fact that God's solution is found in the LIFE and DEATH of Jesus Christ (the Good News)
4. ...it explains the significance of the resurrection (more Good News)
5. ...it calls for a response
6. ...it has an attractive booklet that you can leave with folks [you can download a ppt of the booklet here].  The last two pages are left blank so you can add your or your church's contact info
7. ...plus it has a handy handy questionnaire which is very useful in getting people to actually talk with folks. The questionnaire is low-key and friendly. It is a great tool in intentional evangelism with people on the street.

Check out this promo:



You can see the materials of the Proclaim Course or order them through Sovereign Grace Ministries.

Andrew - 20 years old

I met Andrew waiting at a bus stop in Kensington.  He's a student studying the culinary arts.

Andrew's from a Roman Catholic background, but was eager to say that he is not currently practicing.  When asked to provide some words to describe his religious background, he said, "Boring, irrelevant, & controlling."

"You didn't happen to attend catholic school, did you?" I asked.

"Yes."

"I'd probably use those same words myself."

When asked what one question would he ask God, he said that he didn't really believe in a god.   I asked, "IF God exists, what would you want to ask him?"

Andrew nodded his head, and then pondered the question, and then said, "I don't really know."

"IF God exists and you were to stand before him when you die, and he asks, 'Why should I let you into heaven?' what would you say?"

"Because I was a good person," he said, and then quickly added, "but I don't really believe in a heaven."

I asked, "What do you believe in?  What do you think happens when we die?"

"Well, I believe in reincarnation.  I think we come back as different things."

"Can I ask you a question about that, Andrew?"  He nodded in approval.  "This is something I never been able to understand or figure out:  Who gets to decide how you will come back?  Who judges that?"

Andrew began to backpedal a bit & bristled at the idea of any sort of judgment.  "Well, I don't really believe there is any kind of judgment.  I just think that our energy and matter gets absorbed by the universe and is used for different things."

"Oh, okay.  So you don't hold to a traditional understanding of reincarnation, then?"

"No," he replied.

I told him about my background as a philosophy major and seeing folks journey away from God and towards him.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your goodness (with 1 being very evil, and 10 being very good)?"

He said, "About a seven."

So I gave him a booklet on Christianity that had the 10 Commandments listed by which he could test himself.   I mentioned that it would give him some stuff to think about in light of his background.  We chatted for a moment as I was mindful that the bus would arrive at any moment.  I thanked him for the conversation, and as I walked away, I looked back over my shoulder and saw him reading about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Looking back on this, I wish I would have probed a bit deeper into his reasons for rejecting his Catholicism, since he has thrown Christianity out the window with that.  But I knew the bus was coming and had probably taken that conversation as far as I could.

-----

Matthew 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Lord, as Jesus preached repentance, would you grant repentance to Andrew?  

How not to evangelize!!!

While out & about in downtown Calgary, I came across a fellow who was wearing a sandwich board that said, "All Canadians need to be re-educated in Russia?"  I smiled and took his literature, and this is what it said,

"Canadians are mentally retarded creeps and bums."    

Not the best way to win friends and influence people.  I asked him if this was effective, and he said yes.  I asked him if he needed to be re-educated in Russia, and he said no.  I tried to engage him in conversation, but he just kept answering "Yes", even to questions that were not "yes/ no" questions.

At any rate, whatever his message, I'm not sure that this is the most effective way of getting people to listen to you.

Jan - 54 years old

What do you do when you meet a professing Christian who regularly attends church, but is not solid on the gospel?  That is the question that I was thinking on as I chatted with Jan.

I met Jan eating lunch on a park bench at the Olympic Plaza.   She said she was a Christian who attends a non-denominational church in Calgary.   I was encouraged when she used "Faith, Christ, & Hope" to describe her religious experience.   I'm always encouraged when someone mentions the name of "Christ" or "Jesus" in their answers.

When asked what one question she would ask God, and after thinking a moment, she answered, "What is my purpose?"

But when I asked her the next question, "If God asked you, 'Why should I let you into heaven?' what would you say?" she responded "Why not?"   Major red flag.

"Why not?" I sought to clarify.

Nodding her head, she affirmed "Why not!"  She went on to rate her goodness at a 7, and I gave her a booklet on Christianity that explained that most people rank their goodness at a 6-7.   I told her that the booklet contains a "Good person test" based on the 10 Commandments.  I asked her if she kept the Commandments and she said, "Yes."

We went through a few of them and it became obvious that she hadn't.  I told her that I'm in the same boat.   I went on to clarify that the reason we break the 10 Commandments is because we are sinners.  Our fundamental problem is that we challenge God's prerogative to command obedience from his subjects.

When asked if God were to judge her by the 10 Commandments, would he find her innocent or guilty of breaking them?

"Guilty, but we are all guilty."

"Yes, and you are quoting Scripture."

"Do you know what God has done so that he can forgive the guilty?"

"Does it have something to do with 'grace'?"

"Yes, and it has something to do with Jesus, right?"   Jan was nodding her head and it looked like the light bulb was going off in her head as she was connecting the dots.

So I explained that Jesus lived the perfect life that we are called to, and died the death that we owed.   I gave her the booklet and told her that she might want to read through it again because our only hope is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I thanked her for the conversation.
------

Acts 4:1, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

Spirit, convince Jan that there is salvation in found in Jesus Christ alone.

Devon - 14 years old

I met Devon hanging out outside the YMCA in downtown Calgary.   Asked if he'd be game for a spiritual questionnaire and he said yes.

Devon has a Christian (Lutheran) background.  When asked if he still attends, he said, "A little."  He describes his experience as "respectful, reassuring, and rejoiceful."  I commended him on his use of alliteration.

When asked about  what one question would he ask God, he said, "Hmmm.  That's a hard one."  After thinking about it, he said, "How did you create everything?"

"If God asked you the question, 'Why should I let you into heaven?" what would you say?"

"Wow, that's a hard one!"

"That's okay.  Think on it for a moment."

"Because I believe in heaven," which sounded almost like a question than a statement.   He'd rate his goodness at a 7-8.   I sensed he was getting a bit nervous because the questions were a little more challenging than he had perhaps thought.   That, and a 40-something was asking him questions.

So I gave him a booklet on Christianity and told him that I bet he would find it helpful.  He thanked me, and I thanked him for his time & thoughtful answers.
-----

2 Timothy 2:5-6,  “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all….”

Lord, would you cause Devon to see that Jesus is the one mediator between God and men?

George - 44 years old

Calgary Olympic Plaza

I want to tell you about one conversation with a man named George, 44 years old.   I met him at the Calgary Olympic Plaza watching a band set up.  George just arrived in Calgary two days ago, and though I didn’t talk to him until about 11:30, he said I was the first person who talked with him today.  

He was eager to do the questionnaire, and he told me that he was from a Roman Catholic background, but had not been active since he left home.   He said his religious background was boring as a kid, but he got inspired to go again when he had kids.  

“What one question would you like to ask God?”  I asked. 

He thought about it for a moment and then said with a chuckle, “Why am I not rich?”

“What do you think he would say?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking him.”  We both laughed.

“If God asked you, ‘Why should I let you into heaven…’ what would you say?”   I asked.  

George replied quickly, “I don’t break the law.  I don’t sin other than drink beer.  And I believe.”  

Asked how he would rate his goodness on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being very evil and 10 being very good, he said proudly, “A 10!”  I thought, Hold on, let’s see what the God’s Law will do with him.   And I wasn’t surprised.  

I gave him a booklet on Christianity that explained that most people rank themselves at around a 7, to which George said, “Ooops!”   Then I went on to explain that the Bible actually teaches that it’s impossible to get to God by being good enough, like jumping the Grand Canyon.  Some will make it further than others, but all will come up short. 

I asked George if he had heard the 10 Commandments before, and he said that he had.  When asked if he has kept them, he said, “Sure.”  

“Let’s look at a few of these, George.  The 9^th Commandment says, You shall not lie.  Have you lied?” 

“No…well, if you count the few times….”

“That counts George.”  

“Have you ever stolen anything?  The 8^th Commandment says, You shall not steal.”

“No.”  

“Ever?”

“Well, yes I have stolen.”

“How about this one:  the 7^th Commandment says, You shall not commit adultery.  How about that one?”

“Oh, I’ve kept that one!” George replied a bit relieved.

“Did you know that Jesus said if you look at another person with lust, that you have committed adultery with that person in your heart?”

“Jesus said that?” he asked a little taken aback.

“Yep.”

“No one has ever told me that.”

“One more, George:  The sixth says, You shall not murder.  How about that one?”

“Nope, I’ve never murdered anyone.”

“Did you know that Jesus said that if you’re angry with another that you’ve committed murder in your heart?”

“Really?” George asked. 

“Yep.  Have you ever called anyone an idiot, or been really angry with someone?”  George nodded his head.  “That’s essentially assassinating someone in your heart.”

George replied, “No one has ever told me that Jesus said that.” 

“Yep, he did.  Now let me ask you a question, ‘If God were to evaluate your life against the 10 Commandments, do you think he’d find you innocent or guilty of breaking them?”

George thought for a moment, and as I watched his eyes, I could tell the answer was dawning on him.  “Guilty,” he said nodding.  

“George, I’ve got some bad news for you and some Good News.  Bad news first.”  I went on to explain that the reason we break God’s Law is that we are sinners, insisting on doing things our own way.  The Bible says that we are storing up wrath—justice—for ourselves.  And the ultimate judgment for those who die in their sins is eternal separation from God in hell.  Our sins separate us.   “Does that concern you that if you were to die tonight, and God the just Judge evaluates your life against the Law, that you could end up separated from him forever?”

“Yes, that does concern me.”  

“George, I told you there was some bad news and some Good News.  Do you want to hear the Good News?” 

“Yes” he said, nodding his head.  

I went on to tell him that Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life; that if we judged his life according to the 10 Commandments, he would be found innocent.   In fact, Jesus said in the face of his harshest critics, Who of you can accuse me of sin?  And no one could answer.  

“Really, he said that?”  Yes he did.

I read to him John 3:16, and asked him if he had heard that verse before, and he said yes, and then said, “You know, a common mistake people make is to think that Jesus is God.”

“Well, George, Jesus was God, not God the Father, but God the Son.  You’ve heard this before, haven’t you in your Catholic background?  God is one being in three persons:  Father, Son, Holy Spirit.” 

He nodded and that seemed to satisfy him.  

Having told him the bad news and the Good News, I told him that the Scripture calls us to turn from our sin (repent) and turn to God in faith trusting in his promise to forgive all those who turn to him.  

It got a bit confusing at this point as it seemed that George still wanted to hang on to his goodness/ good works as meriting something.  He told me that whenever he passes a cross on the side of the road where someone was killed, he crosses himself and asks for a blessing.  

I told him that God calls us to trust in Him alone for our salvation and not in anything we can do.   I gave him the booklet and asked him if he’d read over it. 

“Sure.  I’m going to read through this again.   You’ve given me a lot to think about.   I’ve never thought of myself in terms of the 10 Commandments.  I’m going to have to think on all this that you have said.”  

“Fair enough,” I said.  

We talked a bit about his search for a house, his new job, and his first two days in Calgary.  

I gave him my number & email and told him to touch base with me if he needed help on anything.   I gave him a card inviting him to New City Church, and explained to him that we at NCC try to create an environment where folks from all different places spiritually can safely explore Christianity and learn more about it.  He thanked me for the invitation, and I thanked him for his kindness in speaking with me.  

I think this is a good illustration of the principle, “Law to the proud, Grace to the humble.”  George, like all of us, thinks he is pretty good when compared to others, but when we compare ourselves to the 10 Commandments, we see that we fall short.   Once the Law does it’s work, then the grace of the Gospel can come in. 

Please pray for George, that he wouldn’t trust in his own righteousness, but would run from it to Christ.  Pray that he’d be willing to receive the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus.
-----

Acts 10:43,  “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives the forgiveness of sins through his name.”  

Spirit, enable George to see his need for forgiveness and believe in the name of Jesus.

FBI, Erwin, & Amber Sky (mid 50s)

Dave E. & I found these folks just hanging out on 17 Ave.  They all had a diverse background in various religious groups, including Mormonism, Roman Catholicism, Eastern religions (belief in reincarnation), Cree Indian religions, and I suspect Satanism (Erwin had an upside down cross tattooed on his hand, and he showed me the cross he carries--which he showed me upside down.  The meaning is usually a rejection and/or mockery of the Lord Jesus Christ.)

This conversation went from curious to bizarre.   Amber Sky was the primary speaker, while Erwin was supposedly healing her leg she had draped over him even as we spoke.   Amber Sky believes that God would let her into heaven because she is good, and FBI rated his goodness at a 10.

Amber Sky went on to tell me that actually she & Erwin were 'spirit children' who had been walking the earth for 125 years.   She pulled a crucifix out of her bra that she rubbed like a lucky rabbit (I declined to rub it when she offered).

I was glad that we were able to leave booklets on Christianity with Amber Sky & FBI.   We weren't able to make much headway in the conversation since  they all three were speaking about different things and weren't making a whole lot of sense.

I told my wife that if I had it to do all over again, I would have gone straight for Erwin when he showed me his upside down cross and just mention the name of Jesus about every other word.   I don't normally get a sense or feeling about folks, but this was definitely a dark encounter, and I think it mainly came from Erwin.
-----

1 John 2:8b:  “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

Jesus, since you came to destroy the works of the devil, would you destroy his work in the life of Erwin?  

Galatians 1:3-4:  “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age….” 

Father, please deliver Amber sky from this present evil age that she might know you as the One who gave yourself for our sins.

2 Timothy 1:16:  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” 

Spirit, would you pour out your mercy upon FBI and save him displaying your perfect patience as an example to others?

David (early 50s)

Dave E. & I met David who was sitting at a bench on 17th Ave who commented that it looked like we were about to get rained on.   We all looked up at the very ominous clouds that were passing over us.   We chit-chatted for a moment, and asked him if hed' be interested in participating in a spiritual questionnaire.   He was glad to do so.

David said that he is a Christian, but is trying to make his way back to church.  When asked for some words to describe his background with Christianity, he said "Forgiving, honest, & faithful."

The one question that he would ask God is, "Can I live in the new earth."   When asked what he would say if God were to ask him, "Why should I let you into heaven?" he answered, "Because Jesus forgave me."

I gave him a booklet on Christianity and we continued to talk.   He thought it was great that we were out talking to people.  I asked if I could take a picture of the two of us to remember the conversation and to be reminded to pray for him, and he said yes.

After the picture was taken, Dave E. asked if there was anything that we could pray for.   He listed a couple of things, including his mom's bad health.   We asked if we could pray for him right then & there, and he said "Sure.   Can we hold hands?"  So right there at a bench by a bus stop on 17th Ave, we held hands and prayed for him.

I told gave him a card inviting him to New City Church, and he asked for directions.  He was so excited to learn that I was a pastor, and he asked me more questions.  

"Do you have a Bible, David?"

"Yes.  But I'd like to get one that is easier to understand."

"Well, I have a copy of the Gospel of Luke called, The Essential Jesus.   You can have this and read it because it is translated into very readable English."  He was very thankful.

"One last thing, David.   Do you believe things happen for a reason?"

He processed the question for a moment and then said, "Yes."

"Well, maybe this conversation happened for a reason."

I gave my contact info to David in light of some questions he had.  David was very grateful.  We thanked him for answering the questions and for the conversation.   As we were departing, he said that he was going to start reading The Essential Jesus right then.

-----
Colossians 2:7, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

Since David has received you as Lord, Jesus please strengthen him to walk with you so that s/he can be built up and established in the faith.

Christine (late 20s)

Christine was sitting at a bus stop waiting for her bus to arrive.  Dave & I approached her and asked if she'd have time to do a brief questionnaire.

"What kind of questionnaire?"

"We're from a group called New City Church and we're doing informal spiritual questionnaires getting a snapshot of people's spiritual beliefs and opinions.  Would you be up for it?  You can answer as many or as few as you want."

She said she'd be fine to do it until her bus arrived.

When asked about her spiritual background, she said she had none.  "Nothing."

"Nothing?" I asked.

"No.  Nothing."

"What words would you use to describe religion or spirituality?"

She answered, "Well, I have some friends who are Christians...I would say hope, guidance."

"What do you think about your friends?  Are they legit in their beliefs?  I mean, are they sincere?  Do they seem to take it seriously?"  She nodded in approval.

"If you could ask God one question, what would it be?"  She paused for a moment, then began to shake her head slowly.   "I don't know."

"Anything about the meaning of life?  What's your purpose?"  She just shook her head slowly while her eyes seemed to say she was looking for something to say.

Christine said she really didn't believe in a heaven, and that she really didn't believe in anything at all.

Knowing that our time was limited and her bus would arrive at any moment, I gave her a booklet on Christianity and asked her if she'd be willing to read it.  It might give her some things to think about.   She said, "Sure," and we thanked her for her time & kindness in answering our questions, and we shook hands.

As we walked away, Dave & I expressed hope that the Christian friends in Christine's life would be able to communicate the Gospel to her in winsome ways.

-----

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

Because Lord Jesus, You came into the world to seek and save the lost, I plead with you to save Christine who is lost and far away from You. 

James (mid 30s)

by John Ferguson

Dave E. & I found James outside a bar enjoying a smoke break.  He was a bit skeptical as we approached him asking if he'd be interested in doing a quick questionnaire, but after I assured him that we were not selling anything, he gladly jumped in.

He said he has no spiritual background other than attending a church when he was a small kid--nothing that he remembers.   When asked to describe religious / spiritual experience, he answered that it "was a belief in a higher power."   When asked if he believed in a higher power, he said no.

Next question:  "IF God exists and you could ask him one question, what would it be?"

"Why?" he responded.

"Why...what?" we tried to clarify.

"Just 'why?'  Why anything?"  Okay.

"IF God exists and if you were to face him when you die, and IF God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into heaven?', what would you say?"

"Why NOT?" James said with a smile as if that would be the obvious answer.

He then rated his goodness at a 7-8.   We gave him a booklet that had the ranking within it along with a way to test that goodness with the 10 Commandments.   I asked him how he thought he might do if he compared his life with this standard.   He looked up at the sky and thought for a moment.   I assured him that Dave & I both failed that test, to which he laughed and said, "Well, if you guys failed the test, then what hope have I got?"  We all chuckled at that.

I asked him if he could name any of the Commandments, and he could name three:  "You shall not murder; you shall not steal; you shall not covet your neighbors wife."  I told him to check out the test to see how he does.  The booklet has some interesting information in light of that.

James was headed back to work from his smoke break.   He smiled and told us that he was going to read the booklet to his dudes at work.  I hope he did!

We thanked him for his kindness in speaking with us.

-----

1 Timothy 1:15, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners….” 

Lord, I pray that you will reach out and save James since you came into the world to save sinners.  

Keep Sending Out The Gospel

"If there be any one point in which the Christian church ought to keep its fervor at a white heat, it is concerning missions. If there be anything about which we cannot tolerate lukewarmness,it is the matter of sending the gospel to a dying world."


~ CH Spurgeon

Pontien (late 50s)

Pontien [PON-tee-in] was a nice fellow with a great smile from the Congo.   He was out for a walk and Dave E. & I caught up with him to ask him some questions.   Pontien didn't speak English very well, and had a hard time understanding us so we had to repeat our questions a couple of times.

He said that he had a Catholic background which he would describe as good, social, & happy.  If he could ask God one question, he said it would be "to assist me."

We asked the clarifying question, "...to assist with _____ ?"

He answered, "To assist me in life...in whatever I ask."

If God were to ask him, "Why should I let you into heaven?" Pontien would respond, "Because I've done what he asked me to do."  Pontien ranked his goodness at a 9 on a scale of 1-10.

The language barrier was difficult for all of us, so we left him with the booklet explaining Christianity, for which he was thankful and said he would read it when he got home.

-----

Acts 10:43, “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives the forgiveness of sins through his name.” 

Spirit, enable Pontien to see his need for forgiveness and believe in the name of Jesus.

Jason & Camila (early 20's)

Dave E. & I headed out down to 17th Ave to do some spiritual questionnaires.   The first people we met were Jason & Camila who had been dating for about a month & a half (they had met online).

Camila was eager to do the questionnaire.  She has had some experience with different Christian churches and would call herself a Christian.   She doesn't really have a church but attends 'every once and a while.'  She described her experience as 'excited, sappy, & helpful.'

When asked what question she would ask God, Jason spoke up right away and said, "Why are there different religions in the world?   Why is there so much fighting and conflict over beliefs?"  Actually, Jason articulated his thoughts superbly.  Camila said that his question was hers as well.

She went on to state that if God asked her why He should let her into heaven, she would respond by saying, "I always want to help people.  That's just the kind of person that I am."

When asked to rate her goodness on a scale of 1-10, she would put herself at about a 6.   I gave her the booklet, "How Good Are You" and told her that it asks the same question and that most people would put themselves at a 6-7.  I told her that it also had a test in it to see how good she was.

"Oh, I'd go to hell," she responded.

"Why would you say that?" I asked.

"Because I've done some bad things that I regret," she said soberly.

"Well, the test in this booklet looks at the 10 Commandments."  We walked through several of them, and she admitted to breaking them.  I told her that I have too.  "Now if God were to judge you according to the 10 Commandments, would he find you guilty of breaking them or innocent?"

She looked at the list and said, "Guilty."

I explained that the Scriptures teach that God must judge, that we store up wrath every time we sin, and that the final judgment is hell.  "If God is a good judge and just, would He send you to heaven or hell?"

"I believe he would send me to heaven," she responded, "because God is forgiving."

"Yes, he is a forgiving God, but let me ask you a question:  If you stole a car and crashed it, completely totaling it, and you appeared before a judge and you said that you believed that he should let you off the hook because he is a forgiving judge, would he be just if he let you go?"

"But doesn't He forgive?  I mean, I've done a lot of good things.  I try to help people."

"Do you know what God had done so that he can forgive?"

"No."

"He became a person, Jesus Christ, and lived the perfect life that we are called to live.  If you were to compare his life to the 10 Commandments, he kept them perfectly.  He also died for people like us, the righteous for the unrighteous."  I explained this a bit more.

I showed her a sample prayer, and asked if that expressed the desire of her heart.

"I'm not sure," she said honestly.   Jason was deep in thought.

"Well, think on these things.  Read this booklet together, and consider what it is saying, would you?"

"Yes."

I thanked them for their kindness in talking with us, shook their hands, but then Camila & Jason kept asking more questions.   So Dave began talking with Jason, and I with Camila.

They both said that they wanted to find a church, so we told them about New City Church.   They said that they would check out the webpage, and might come by.   They thanked us for talking with them, and again Camila said she'd like to come visit our church.

"We would be honored to have you come visit."  I then asked Camila if she had a Bible, and she said, "Yes, and No."  I laughed explaining that I didn't understand.  She said that it was in Spanish, and she wanted to have one in English.  So I gave her a copy of "The Essential Jesus" (the Gospel of Luke).  And she asked more questions about New City Church.   I gave her my number & email, and told them to call me if they have any questions, or would like to talk more about these sorts of things.

Much more was said in this 30 minute conversation, but this is the gist of it.   Please pray for Camila & Jason, two young folks with some exposure to Christianity, whom I think the Lord is pursuing.  I'm thankful for our conversation.

-----

John 6:44:  “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

Father, in the name of Jesus, I plead with you to draw Camila to Jesus Christ in true faith and repentance.

 1 John 5:11, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”

God, would you give the eternal life that is in Your Son to Jason?