Evangelism, agnosticism, and apologetics ...

Yesterday as my wife and I ran our errands I noticed they started putting little clear boxes on top of gas station pumps that say "TAKE ONE". I don't know why they have them or if there is supposed to be something in them, but I was so excited at the opportunity so I put money tracts in them at 2 different gas stations. What an opportunity to get the gospel into the hands of others!

We also went to Bass Pro Shop to check out all the Christmas activities and decorations going on. Evangelism idea: my wife and I usually carry one dollar bills with million dollar bills (tracts). You don't have to use real money, but we like to. Whenever we are at a check out or somebody helps us we try to give them a one dollar bill with a million dollar tract. We just say thank you, hand them the dollar and tract, and tell them we wish the million dollar bill was real, but the message on the back is! People love getting them without a dollar as well! We were able to do this with the ladies at the booth selling fudge.

Later that evening, I went to witness at the Harbor earlier than usual. It was amazing how much God was at work. For those who don't know, the Harbor is kind of like an outdoor mall right off the lake. There is a pier, lighthouse, amphitheater, movie theater, fountains, and other neat hang out spots. There are usually musical acts going on, crazy acting teenagers, and other random events. There is actually a Michael Jackson impersonator who goes up there and dances around 8 on Saturdays, lol. The pier is not lit anymore for some reason so I strayed away from there a bit as there were lots of serious elderly and teenage PDA going on amidst the shadows...*shudders*

When I go witnessing I can't stay in one spot. I am usually constantly moving around until I engage someone in a conversation. Thankfully there is a lot of land to walk around. Anyways, I started talking to two guys who didn't say much, but showed an understanding of what I was telling them, the law and gospel of Jesus Christ. I moved on and talked to more groups of people and some couples. There were 2 big guys wearing Halloween masks trying to act funny and get attention from lots of people. Last time they were up there they stopped and listened to a conversation I was having with a different group of boys, but they wound up walking off throughout the middle of it. Some people were getting mad that they wouldn't take the masks off while we were all talking which is another reason I think they left.

Thank the Lord they came into my path again, they remembered who I was, and I was able to finish what I started. They are funny, because they don't ever talk. They are like Halloween mimes, but they wound up showing that they appreciated what was said. We shook hands and parted ways. Pray that the Lord does a work on their hearts.

Last night was a little different than usual. There was a little more hostility in the air...not anything serious, but usually the overall tone isn't like it was last night. Usually when I talk to a group of people sometimes there is one person who is acting like they are tuning me out by checking their phone or texting. One girl kept making rude gestures and was obvious she didn't like what I was saying through her actions. When the conversation was over she wound up saying, "we all go to a Christian private school so we already know all this". It was evident the other two did not. Pray that they would see the severity of repentance and trust in Christ alone for their salvation.

I was blessed enough to have many other interesting conversations, but this one that I had with a young couple stuck out to me greatly. I’ll try to sum it up:

“Hey guys how’s it going, did you get one of these”?

“No, a million bucks? Cool, I’m rich”!!!

“Yeah, I wish it was real. It asks the million dollar question on the back. What do you think happens after we die?”

The girl says, “We go to Heaven.” The boy replies, “I think we all just go in the ground.” The girl looks shocked, but jokingly said their relationship is over.

“Alright, well if you believe in heaven, then what about hell”?

The girl said, “yes”.

“Well who goes there”?

“Bad people”.

“So are you guys good enough to go to heaven”?

The girl looked uncertain, but the guy said, “I’m agnostic so it doesn’t matter”.

“Oh, okay. So you don’t know if there is a God.”

He said, loudly and rather flamboyantly, “I don’t know if there is a God and I don’t care!!!”

“Alright, well let’s say that the bible IS real for just a minute despite what you believe because this is serious”.

“Okay”.

I went through a series of questions asking, “have you ever lied….stolen anything…said God’s name in vain which is blasphemy and very serious in His eyes, looked with lust, Christ says that is committing adultery in your heart.”

They said yes to all of them one by one.

“Alright, well based on that standard, since you told me you are a liar, thief, blasphemer and adulterer at heart, if God judged us by that would we deserves heaven or hell for breaking that law?”

The girl replied “hell”, but tried to argue that Christ died for us so no one will go there. The conviction of the law got to the boy and he started getting really defensive.

He replied, “it doesn’t matter because I don’t believe it. “

He led me down some rabbit trails that I fell for such as asking about King Henry the IV, origin of religions, the authenticity of the bible, and morality. I answered all of his questions, but he really didn’t care if I had the answers or not. I unfortunately got into some extensive apologetics (defending Christianity) which is sometimes beneficial, but this guy was doing everything to avoid talking about his eternal destination. Some people really have genuine questions, but this guy was just throwing me off.

He constantly contradicted himself saying he believed what I was saying, but he won’t back Christianity because it hates homosexuality. Usually when someone is so strong about a point like that it is because they have loved ones who are that way or they are trying to take the emphasis off themselves. I have talked to individuals who are homosexual and bisexual and they were never even defensive. They were very nice, courteous, and actually appreciated what I was telling them, but this guy was so hung up on it which shocked me.

“Listen, God hates all sin the same regardless if it is homosexuality, lying, stealing, murdering or what not. He is so good and just that He sees it all the same as sin. The fact that you don’t back Christianity is not going to change the truth of the word of God. I’m not trying to sell you religion, but I am telling you what Christ did so you don’t have to suffer the hell that we all rightly deserve. Regarding homosexuality; man and woman were designed to be together, not man and man or woman and woman. That is God’s design for marriage. We can clearly see that through the design of reproduction and the consequences through aids and other diseases.

He replied, “sorry, I just disagree with you. I think murderers are wrong and they should go to hell, but not for homosexuality.”

“You think it’s wrong because of your personal beliefs and morality. Murderers don’t think murder is wrong. Our sense of morality is greatly flawed; God’s law is perfect no matter how much we don’t agree with it.”

His girl friend kept trying to pull him away the whole time because he was getting really flustered and rather loud.

He insisted that he is nice, he’s nice to people, and he doesn’t do anything wrong and that is all really anyone can do.

“Listen, if there is no God we turn to dust and there is no standard of morality. If it is real there is absolute morality and there is a hell that is everlasting torment and there is a heaven. Please just consider what I’m saying right now. Look in your bible to John to check out what I’m saying. There is nothing more important than what happens after you die.”

“Alright, I’ll consider it.” And we parted ways.

Please pray for this couple. It disturbed me greatly and still does. Pray that God will unharden their hearts and that they would repent and put their trust in Christ.

On a lighter note I met a girl that was with a rowdy group of guys from a couple weeks ago when we met. She remembered me and said we’re on the same page now and that her and her friends left those guys after we all talked. So hopefully God really changed her heart!

Some random big guy also gave me a hug for giving him a million dollar bill, lol, silly teenagers.

All in all, I am so thankful for the opportunity Christ gives us to spread His gospel. We have to step out and do it though. I learned some valuable lessons and was reminded of some last night. Not everyone who says they are a Christian is one, don’t go down rabbit trails, the true gospel will offend others, but we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. All the glory to the Lord, Jesus Christ!

Thanks for reading and may God bless you and yours!

In Christ,

Joey