100's of youth, children and tribal people coming to Jesus on this outreach. We baptised about a 100 last week from only 2 JSP's. Thats our abbreviation for an unscheduled - "Just Stop & Preach".
Actually, many more still to be baptised but we ran out of time. However, last night as the sun went down we arrived off the beaten track at a seaside fishing village. Among the multitude of banana and nipa leaf huts clustered among the coconut trees & small canoe like fishing craft we pulled out the small wireless sound system and with the click of a switch we were ready for yet another unscheduled JSP, and the disco music began...
The atmosphere was noticeably spiritually dark in that place and the children who came in droves were boisterous. The place though reasonably clean was untidy and littered with discarded papers & empty packets. These are normally sure fire indicators that reflect the level of sin and spiritual decadence in a place. Almost always, the cleaner the place, the better behaved the children the more praying believers you find in that village. The darker and dirtier the place with unruly children the more of a fight you’ll have on your hands to get the gospel preached effectively. Having said that, we have seen prevailing prayer and fasting reap great reward against these places. It’s a true saying “the darker the night the brighter the light”.
We play disco music loud to draw the crowds. If we play Christian type music they wont come. We have the understanding that though we personally don’t like worms, fish like worms. So, since and we are fishers of men we use the bait that our particular fishes like - disco music. Of course the line is drawn there. We don’t offer free alcohol or makeup. Doesn’t scripture say "He that winneth souls is wise"?
When possible, like this night, we will back up the music draw with door to door personal invitation. Soon many gathered in the darkness except for a single 40 watt bulb, many bringing their own seats and benches with them, and then the rubbish music is turned off. Usually without song or much introduction members of the team simply begin to share a testimony gospel as each is led. We aim to be brief and clear in our delivery, presenting a risen and resurrected Christ as our gracious God given substitute for sin and our only way to heaven.
We have no set schedule or format. We all understand the imperative nature of our mission that we are not there to entertain or lightly inform, but pull them back from the very brink of hell. So, with that everyone does or does not speak as they are impressed. Sometimes only two will share one time and other times maybe four will share 2 times. It’s very freeing being led by the Holy Spirit. Whoever feels that during their slot its time to offer an appeal for salvation, without any emotional keyboard music they will just put it out there and without fail, this night like every other night many gave their lives to Christ. Though, this night no one felt to say so much about healing in this place, regardless, several healing miracles took place anyway. God is so good. It’s also good that people see it affirms Christ alone as the healer and not us.
Baptism
We make clear in all our gospel presentations that “He that believes and is baptised shall be saved”Mark 16v16 and accordingly we present full immersion baptism as a command of the Lord Jesus Christ and like the Ethiopian Eunuch we encourage it to be a sooner event in ones life rather than later. Several asked to be baptised and it was arranged we would meet them on the beach there early next morning. Twenty three arrived and the team presented again the purpose of baptism as the end of their old life and the beginning of their new life in Christ and that baptism was not something to do as an emotional response, but rather a meaningful submission in obedience to their now Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Any that wished to reconsider was advised to do so but none drew back and all were duly baptised before the all the witnesses present. This took place right there in the sea outside their own homes.
Prior to this, as we had arrived and were walking towards the agreed baptism area, one of the team witnessed to an old cripple man sat along the way. He wanted to know who we were and why we were there and someone took the opportunity to answer his questions in full. As a result of which he immediately responded to the offer of Gods forgiveness of his sins and received Christ as saviour.
We had about finished the last baptism and here was this dear old man being helped limping down the beach toward us with nothing but faded undershorts on his skin and bone body and a towel flung over his shoulder. He had asked someone to bring his as he also wanted to go through the waters of baptism there and then. It was quite a moving sight and a painful reminder that in the west many have far less urgency to align their hearts with Gods command to repentance and baptism since God is often presented as a big ol friendly Santa Claus and it dont matter if you do obey Him and it dont matter so much if you dont. I have no idea what bible they are reading in that they can miss what this frail yet astute old man can grasp within minutes. This dear old man cared far more about being right with God and saved than he did about the opinions of his neighbours looking on. This had been his community for over 60 years. I guess couple that with the fact that life is very fragile here. Nature, war, disease and accident all lurk close and have caused many an empty space in these little huts. The people here do not seem to suffer the same delusion of immortality that so many in the west do. Lord help us all.
Actually, many more still to be baptised but we ran out of time. However, last night as the sun went down we arrived off the beaten track at a seaside fishing village. Among the multitude of banana and nipa leaf huts clustered among the coconut trees & small canoe like fishing craft we pulled out the small wireless sound system and with the click of a switch we were ready for yet another unscheduled JSP, and the disco music began...
The atmosphere was noticeably spiritually dark in that place and the children who came in droves were boisterous. The place though reasonably clean was untidy and littered with discarded papers & empty packets. These are normally sure fire indicators that reflect the level of sin and spiritual decadence in a place. Almost always, the cleaner the place, the better behaved the children the more praying believers you find in that village. The darker and dirtier the place with unruly children the more of a fight you’ll have on your hands to get the gospel preached effectively. Having said that, we have seen prevailing prayer and fasting reap great reward against these places. It’s a true saying “the darker the night the brighter the light”.
We play disco music loud to draw the crowds. If we play Christian type music they wont come. We have the understanding that though we personally don’t like worms, fish like worms. So, since and we are fishers of men we use the bait that our particular fishes like - disco music. Of course the line is drawn there. We don’t offer free alcohol or makeup. Doesn’t scripture say "He that winneth souls is wise"?
When possible, like this night, we will back up the music draw with door to door personal invitation. Soon many gathered in the darkness except for a single 40 watt bulb, many bringing their own seats and benches with them, and then the rubbish music is turned off. Usually without song or much introduction members of the team simply begin to share a testimony gospel as each is led. We aim to be brief and clear in our delivery, presenting a risen and resurrected Christ as our gracious God given substitute for sin and our only way to heaven.
We have no set schedule or format. We all understand the imperative nature of our mission that we are not there to entertain or lightly inform, but pull them back from the very brink of hell. So, with that everyone does or does not speak as they are impressed. Sometimes only two will share one time and other times maybe four will share 2 times. It’s very freeing being led by the Holy Spirit. Whoever feels that during their slot its time to offer an appeal for salvation, without any emotional keyboard music they will just put it out there and without fail, this night like every other night many gave their lives to Christ. Though, this night no one felt to say so much about healing in this place, regardless, several healing miracles took place anyway. God is so good. It’s also good that people see it affirms Christ alone as the healer and not us.
Baptism
We make clear in all our gospel presentations that “He that believes and is baptised shall be saved”Mark 16v16 and accordingly we present full immersion baptism as a command of the Lord Jesus Christ and like the Ethiopian Eunuch we encourage it to be a sooner event in ones life rather than later. Several asked to be baptised and it was arranged we would meet them on the beach there early next morning. Twenty three arrived and the team presented again the purpose of baptism as the end of their old life and the beginning of their new life in Christ and that baptism was not something to do as an emotional response, but rather a meaningful submission in obedience to their now Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Any that wished to reconsider was advised to do so but none drew back and all were duly baptised before the all the witnesses present. This took place right there in the sea outside their own homes.
Prior to this, as we had arrived and were walking towards the agreed baptism area, one of the team witnessed to an old cripple man sat along the way. He wanted to know who we were and why we were there and someone took the opportunity to answer his questions in full. As a result of which he immediately responded to the offer of Gods forgiveness of his sins and received Christ as saviour.
We had about finished the last baptism and here was this dear old man being helped limping down the beach toward us with nothing but faded undershorts on his skin and bone body and a towel flung over his shoulder. He had asked someone to bring his as he also wanted to go through the waters of baptism there and then. It was quite a moving sight and a painful reminder that in the west many have far less urgency to align their hearts with Gods command to repentance and baptism since God is often presented as a big ol friendly Santa Claus and it dont matter if you do obey Him and it dont matter so much if you dont. I have no idea what bible they are reading in that they can miss what this frail yet astute old man can grasp within minutes. This dear old man cared far more about being right with God and saved than he did about the opinions of his neighbours looking on. This had been his community for over 60 years. I guess couple that with the fact that life is very fragile here. Nature, war, disease and accident all lurk close and have caused many an empty space in these little huts. The people here do not seem to suffer the same delusion of immortality that so many in the west do. Lord help us all.
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