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.
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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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?   

Just Do It!

The late D. James Kennedy was a man with a heart for evangelism.  As the long-time pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida, he authored the classic evangelism program, Evangelism Explosion.  Even being the pastor of a large church with many demands, he always scheduled Thursday evenings to share the Gospel with people.

In light of the criticism that he inevitably received as a leader of EE, he had a ready answer.

"I like my way of doing evangelism better than your way of not doing it."

I love this quote!  Pretty sure Jesus does too.

Morris - mid 50s

Last week, I was in Kensington meeting with a new friend who was interested in hearing about our church plant.  After a couple of hours of great conversation, Alan walked several blocks with me to my car.  On the way, we met Morris.

I couldn't tell if Morris was homeless or not, though I suspected so.  He came up to us and asked if we had any money because he was trying to buy a ticket back home to an Indian reservation.  He said he'd been staying with his sister, and he and his wife were in a fight and she had people after him.  I gave him the rest of the change from my pocket.

I asked him his name.  I find that this is simply a human-thing to do.  Especially with the homeless who are used to being overlooked and ignored. 

"Morris" he said, as he extended his hand.

I asked Morris if he had a place to stay.  He told me about his sister's place, but he wasn't welcomed back there.  I told him about the Mustard Seed, which provides shelter for homeless people and those down on their luck.  He said he couldn't go there because his wife had people looking for him.  So I asked him if I could pray for him.

"Are you a man of God?" he asked.

"Well, my friend and I are Christians, and we'd love to pray for you."

He said something to the effect that he believed in the Lord, so I went for it. 

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"If you were to die tonight--and I hope you don't--but if you were, what would happen to you?  Would you go to heaven?"

"Yes, I think I would."

"Okay, If God said to you why should I let you into heaven, what would you say?"

He answered, "Because I have always believed in You."

I briefly shared with Morris that lots of people believe in God, but the real issue is are we rightly related to God.  I said that the Bible tells us that we have all sinned, we've all told lies, we've all stolen....

"Sins like drinking alcohol," he added.

I responded by telling him that alcohol is not sinful in and of itself, but it depends on what we do with it.  Certainly getting drunk with it is wrong b/c we are treating it like a savior, asking it to take our troubles away.  All our sins are why the Lord Jesus had to live and die.  He offers to us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 

He was nodding his head, so I asked if I could pray for him.  He took a deep breath and said yes.  So I prayed for him, for his marriage, for his safety, and for God to open his heart to understand the Gospel that I had spoken to him.

He was grateful, and we said our goodbyes.  I wish I had a copy of my 2WTL tract to give him, but I didn't have any on me (note to self).  

Looking back on this situation, I wished that I had pressed home with Morris the necessity of personal trust in Jesus, but we had spent about 15 minutes with him & it was cold & windy.  I'm glad that outreach is not dependent upon me, but upon God & his sovereignty.

-----

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God, since you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son, I ask that you would save Morris  from his sins and enable him to believe in you so that he might not perish, but have everlasting life.