How are you being treated?

John 15:18-20

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.

How's the world treating you, Christian?

Take a walk with me back in time a couple thousand years ago. Christians were routinely put in an arena with blood thirsty lions that were waiting to tear their limbs apart while spectators went crazy with delight. Why did these Christians allow this to happen? They could have simply renounced their faith and would have been set free. Backsliding wasn’t as common then as it is now so what was the motive to let a lion rip you apart?

How about trying to translate a Bible into the modern English language of the day as William Tyndale did in the 16th century? Tyndale’s final words as he was about to be burned at the stake? “Oh Lord, open the King of England’s eyes”.

Fast forward to July, 2005 - When 34-year old Jiang Zongxiu went to her neighboring market last June in Guizhou Province, China. Along with her mother-in-law, Jiang went through the marketplace, taking opportunities to hand out Bibles and Christian literature and telling people about Jesus. Only this day they had an encounter with the Chinese police.

The two Christian women were handcuffed together and brought to the police station. They were interrogated throughout the evening of the 17th. The next morning they were sentenced by the Public Security Bureau (PSB) to 15 days incarceration for "suspected spreading of rumor and disturbing the social order."

Jiang and her mother-in-law knew the risk of spreading Christian literature in communist China. Both had been active in their church for more than 10 years and dared to go forth. Even when they were arrested, interrogated and sentenced to serve 15 days, they were willing to accept the consequences of their actions - all from a government that claims to have "freedom of religion."

But it was not enough for the PSB to arrest and beat these two Christian women for the crime of passing our Christian literature. In the afternoon of June 18th, Mrs. Jiang Zongziu was pronounced dead by the PSB office of Tongzi County. They claimed she died of "natural causes." The fact is she was beaten to death.

Christian, when was the last time you shared your faith? No, I'm not talking about that fish on the back of your car. I'm talking about walking up to that friend, co-worker, brother, grandmother that you know is not saved and sharing the Gospel.

Have you resided yourself to just showing up to church on Sunday and keeping to your own little world? Has your witness become non-existent because at the mere mention of the name of Jesus a sinful world would stop smiling at you? Are you reluctant to mention the word ‘sin’ to a sinner because he might be offended? Are you afraid to mention the bloodstained cross because the world might laugh and spit in your face?

150,000 people will die worldwide today and a vast majority of those people are going to hell.

Who do you know in your own little world that needs a Saviour?

How's the world treating you, Christian?

The Great Commission

Reconciliation by the blood, by the substitutionary sacrifice of the infinite Son of God,this is the message for our ministry: if we do not testify this it were better for us that we had never been born; for if we do not preach this constantly and incessantly, we have missed our main topic, we have failed in the great commission which our Master sent us to execute.

C.H. Spurgeon

The Gospel

Hat Tip to Ike -

Quote of the day -

“Evangelism is not an option for the Christian life.”

Luis Palau -

Death happens to everyone -

What if atheists went door to door?

Pride Fest: Team Member Perspective Take Five

Wayne teamed me up with his ministry partner who has a lot of experience with evangelism. I am shy and awkward around other people and my job was to walk with and stand and pray as my team mate introduced people to the Lord. My team mate approached a number of people and delivered "million dollar bills" and questioned and searched for open doors. My partner is very friendly, open and caring and does not intimidate people. It seemed to me that he was having more of an impact on people than he thought he was.

We went to one booth with two young women selling t-shirts and other small items. One of the women was named "L". My team mate began as usual and I prayed for an open door and that God would speak through him. He began to focus on "L" and she was speaking openly and honestly with him. During their chat it felt like there was electricity in the air around us and it became intense.

At a certain point it was like a lightning bolt came down, through my partner and into "L". I saw it, my team mate saw it and the woman's friend saw it. It shocked both of them and even me and her friend became very nervous and started moving things around on the table and trying to distract "L". She got up and walked outside and came back several times as though she didn't know what to do. I watched the friend while my partner kept talking with "L". I have known Wayne's ministry partner for several years and this was his voice but it didn't sound like him speaking. There was no hesitation at all and every word seemed to be chosen by God specifically for "L". This may sound overly dramatic and I can't say what really happened but this was what it felt like to me.

It was truly an awesome experience!

I know our people fairly well and their hearts do not contain hatred for anyone. They were there out of love and concern for people's souls. It had nothing to do with homosexuality. These were God's children they were talking with.

Here's the part that Wayne and my team mate don't know yet:

For the rest of the morning I felt lighter as though a burden had been lifted from me as my partner continued to approach other people. In our condensed, 4 session, Way of the Master class Wayne had asked us all to examine our hearts and ask "Am I doing enough?". The answer is clearly no. Went to most of his 8 part series and then to this festival with them.

My part was small but was a blessing to me!

I had a commitment to be at the Capitol at noon for a protest against corruption in government. Got there about 12:30 and said "Sorry for being late, was at the Gay pride festival." Jaws dropped and someone said "NO WAY".

This gave me the perfect opportunity to hand out 4 million dollars and explain what we were doing and why. Explained that we hadn't gone there to protest but to save souls. Told them about "Way of the Master" and the Ten Commandments and discussed it with them.

For most people this would not be a big deal but it was another cliff for me to jump from.

This was a great day for me!

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I know that you were way outside your comfort zone that Saturday. I praise God that you swallowed your fears and joined us in proclaiming the good news to the lost.

You went from a classroom environment on learning how to share your faith to actually watching someone share their faith to handing out tracts yourself.

We may be hearing about you open air preaching on the streets of Canton soon!

Thank you for your obedience and thank you for being a huge part of His Feet on the Street!!!

Dawg