Evangelism Report

I evangelized at Westport again on Friday night, from 8:30 to about 1:00 p.m. It was for me the most amazing night of Evangelism all summer. For, I paired with a man named Chris, a current student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, who was the most effective evangelist I've ever witnessed. He leading, we conversed with more people than I had ever talked to on any single night. Actually, we probably talked to more people than I had all summer. Chris used "ticket to heaven" tracts. He began conversations thus: "Could you help me out? I'm doing a project/survey and I'd like to ask you a question: What do you think happens to you when you die?"

Again this week I had no tracts to bring. Although I ordered tracts last week from Good News Tracts, they had not yet arrived; and so, Jim was again nice enough to give me a few of the tracts that he had bought for himself. Surprisingly, I ended up with some good tracts to use for the night. Also, I saw several tracts published by and learned about the tract company Living Waters. (Most of the tracts that Living Waters publishes are gimmicky. One involves a "magic" trick, for example.)

We talked to so many people that I remember almost none of their names. In the future I shall take a small notebook with me and write down the name of and information about whoever I talk to.

• Pierce (the jazz man)
• White Muslim young man
• African Muslim man
• Two young men (white) who were "apostate" Christians
• The "philosophy major"
• The Latino young man
• Two young black men
• The angry Mexican whose brother had been killed in Iraq.
• The BP gas station clerk.

Two of the more notable conversations were the ones with the two Muslims. In both cases, something happened that speaks much to the nature of Islam: they nearly began crying in response to the gospel. Now, first, let us remember that, as Luther said, all religions may be divided into two kinds: religions of law and religions of gospel. Religions of law decree moral laws and promise rewards for those who obey the laws. Religions of gospel (there is only one) also decree moral laws and promise rewards for those who obey the laws, but also, knowing that the human condition (viz., depravity) makes the necessary obedience impossible for humans, provide a way for humans to "get" the perfect righteousness necessary to exist in the presence of a just, righteous, holy, perfect God. Christianity—the only religion to provide such a "way"—is therefore the only religion of gospel.

Because of the human condition, and resulting inability of humans to perfectly keep the law, religions of law never work. For, the perfect law can only cause despair for imperfect man. It humbles him and brings him to their knees. The law is a mirror by which we see and are constantly reminded of God's perfect righteousness and moral perfection, and how we fall infinitely short of attaining that perfection.

Not only was I able to evangelize Friday, but today, also, while getting a haircut, another evangelism opportunity fell right into my lap. For, conversing with the young woman cutting my hair, I told her that I was to sing a solo at my church Sunday. Eventually, I asked her whether she attended a church. No, she said. Her mother used to make her go to church. However, the church she had attended had been an extremely charismatic church, one in which there was wild/extreme speaking in tongues, running around, dancing, and other charismatic idiosyncracies. Plus, they were abrasive and disrespectful in the way they presented their beliefs. These were major turn-offs for her, and, as soon as she was able, she stopped attending church. And so, I presented the gospel to her.