If We’ve Only Got One Life…

God’s Sovereignty Over Evangelism, and How To Pray For A Few People

Every Tuesday night, people from church go out into downtown Minneapolis to do contact evangelism.  Daniel and I have been going with them for the last month.

Tonight, God’s hand and God’s plan were clear.

The car we were in was rather delayed… leaving church, for a few reasons, about 15 minutes behind the others, and then it took us forever to find a parking spot.  All the while, I was repenting of impatience and trying to trust and hope that God knew what he was doing…  Of course, He was putting us in exactly the right places at exactly the right times.

Really early on, Daniel and I met a girl looking for a bus home.  We asked her if she knew the Gospel, she said “yes”, and walked us through redemptive history, quoting verses along the way.  We followed that up with the “million dollar question”: do you believe the Gospel.  “No.”

She believes in God, and Jesus, and knows the facts of the Gospel.  But she knows the cost of actual faith - that Jesus would have to take over her life - and that wasn’t a choice she was will to make just then.  Her current state is acknowledging truth in her head and wanting to acknowledge it in her heart.  But she’s not there yet.

We talked with her for about 30 minutes, trying to help her find her bus.  We found out that she’s pregnant and that if she doesn’t leave her boyfriend he’ll make her get an abortion.  So she’s pretty torn up internally and going through some crazy stuff.  We got to talk about how Christianity is about joy - a joy that is deep and true and pervasive, that doesn’t contradict sorrow and suffering but pushes on through it.

We left her with a New Testament, a Quest For Joy tract, and the Quest For Joy CD.  Pray that she would meet Jesus in a compelling way tonight.  She wants to believe.

Our next conversation was with a girl who was already a Christian, was from around here, and was churchless.  We had a good chat with her, talking through the Gospel, talking about Desiring God and what we do there, and inviting her to church with us.  We pointed her to Bethlehem’s website - pray that she gets plugged in.

The last encounter I had was really remarkable.  Bill, one of the guys we were with, and I were walking down the sidewalk and Bill suddenly stops, turns around, and says to this woman, “Can we pray for you?  I feel like I’m supposed to ask you if we can pray for you.”  Her response: “how’d you know?  My mom is about to die of cancer and my toddler is having brain surgery in two weeks.”  Wow!  We prayed for her, her mom, and her kid (who was with her in a stroller, and the happiest-looking kid I’ve ever seen.  He wouldn’t stop smiling!).  We invited her to church on Sunday - she said she’s been looking for a church and everyone she’s asked has been unhelpful.  Pray for her son, her mom, and that she’d come to church next weekend and meet Jesus!

I went into the night hopeful but afraid - it’s hard for me to start and sustain conversations with people.  I was praying that God would give me joy, and help me approach evangelism Christian Hedonistically - doing it for my joy and for God’s glory.  God answers prayer in ways we can never dream, working things out in His perfect wisdom to give us joy in Him and call people to Himself!

-Ben