.shockwave challenge - day 73

We went to lunch with YaYa and LaLa today before they left to go home.  After we scarfed down our food at Zaxby's, I handed one of the employees an invitation card and she immediately said, "Praise the Lord, I guess you know where to find the heathens."  She was making a joke and told me that she was a minister.  I told her that I use the invitation cards as a way to open the door to ask a more important question and I made sure that she had accepted Christ as her Savior.  You never know what someone means when they say, "I'm a minister." People have all kinds of definitions for various Christianese.  That's why we don't ask people if they are "saved," "born again," "Christian," or "go to church."  We ask them if they know for sure they will go to heaven and also clarify how they know if they tell us yes.  Any answer other than, "Jesus is my Lord," or something similar warrants further preaching of the good news and explanation of the truth of salvation.

We spent some time talking with her and listened a lot to what she had to say.  She believed there was a purpose for our meeting today and said she had a church, but would pass on the card to some of the people that she ministers to.  I handed her a few more cards and our "road to salvation" tract to share with others as well.  She was encouraged by our encounter and told us how thankful she was for our obedience to talk to her because she had been feeling alone on her new job, but knew God had a purpose and ministry for her there.  She was fueled up for her next customer or co-worker.

If you've never shared the gospel with someone, why not today?  My mom told me the other day that she shared the gospel with someone for the first time while she was here with Karis at the park on Sunday.  She was so excited!  I remember the feeling well because it never goes away.  I'm excited every time I act in obedience to the great commission.  If you're feeling some staleness in your relationship with God, perhaps it's because you've neglected the number one priority.  Step out and talk to someone about Christ for the first time or second time or one-hundredth time and allow God to breathe some new life into you as you give life to others!

.shockwave challenge - day 59

We went to Smoothie King for a dinner smoothie tonight and I invited the smoothie barista (is that even the correct terminology?) to church. I offered to pray with her and she said she was ok. So then I immediately followed up with the million dollar question. She said she would probably go to heaven because she believed she was a pretty good person. I asked her permission to share with her what the Bible says and she agreed. I presented the gospel to her and she said she believed that Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead and had attended a local church when she was younger. I told her about Romans 10:9 and asked if she had ever prayed a prayer to confess Jesus as Lord and she said no. I was excited because I just knew the next part would be so simple! I was shocked when I told her I could lead her in a prayer to do that and she said, "No, that's ok." Wow!

I just stood there for a moment and so Kristen chimed in with some encouragement about how easy it is and how it's a simple statement of what you already believe is true. She declined again, so Kristen remembered that we had some "road to salvation" cards in the SUV and she told her she'd be right back with a card that has the prayer that she could say on her own. We ran to the car and searched, but couldn't find any cards!!! Aggghh! So I told Kristen to write out the prayer on the back of a Trunk or Treat invitation. She went back inside and handed her the prayer and encouraged her to say it by herself and she would be saved.

I believe she will say the prayer on her own and call on the name of the Lord. We both wished we had those cards with us and we encourage you to take 'em with you as well. You will be able to get a copy on our church website in the next day or so!

Go out armed with the tools you need to be ready to preach the gospel wherever you go! And if you find that you don't have what you need handy, improvise and trust God!