http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227019617315319
http://projectezra.blogspot.com/2011/02/project-ezra-2011-history-and-strategy.html
As an additional encouragement, I have posted some pictures and event reports below, especially from Mission Good Friday, our last event. After you participate this time, please let us know how it went, and post pictures if you have them. If you can not participate, please pray for those that are. Any public evangelism is also spiritual warfare, and prayer support is very necessary. Thanks all, and I’m looking forward to your praise reports!
This is me (Dan), reading in downtown San Jose. This is one of my regular open-air spots. Although you can’t see it in the picture, I am facing a light rail station, a Starbucks, and a movie theater entrance, all situated along a very busy pedestrian walkway. John and Nancy Murphy, the founders of Norcal Seedsowers, our local evangelism team, where there as well, handing out tracts and talking to people who stopped to listen.
Here are a couple blog posts from brothers Allen Peek and Adam Gray, both long-time Project Ezra participants.
http://crossbearingservant.blogspot.com/2011/04/mission-good-friday-2011.html
http://intrepidevangelist.blogspot.com/2011/04/mission-good-friday-2011.html
From Tim Rector: Myself and a brother from our church, Jeff Stone, were able to go to two public places in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada yesterday and read Matthew 26-28. We first read at a park, and then out front of City Hall in downtown Kitchener. Our pastor gave us a large cross that we had standing beside us. Pray for John, who listened to the gospel presentation afterward and showed conviction.
The YouTube video below is from Tony Miano, our group’s founder. He is reading and preaching near the North Hollywood Metro Station in the greater Los Angeles area, southern California.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Nvoy58TRI
From Anthony Merkel: With bad weather here in IL yesterday I decided to read Matthew 26-28 today. God gave us a wonderful sunny 68 degrees with a light wind. I used that wind to my advantage!! Not many people came out, really only my wife, kids, and sister in law Miranda to start with. Midway through 26, a lady walking home from the grocery store stopped and listened to the rest, after we talked a bit we left her with a gospel tract. There were a few people moving around the downtown outside the local bars who could hear the word of God echoing off the buildings, but they never came closer. Prasie God for his word and that one lady who stopped by. I am looking forward now to the Sermon on the Mount reading!
Remember, although it is great to have many people listening, and we pray for that, there may be one specific person God brought you out to preach to that day, as was likely the case with Anthony. There have been times our group has met at our usual Starbucks to go out and talk to people, and never made it more than 20 feet because God had someone He wanted us to talk to there. The important thing is not the number of tracts you can distribute, or how loud you can open-air preach, or that you have immediate and compelling answers for every question that is asked. The important thing is that you give every situation to God, praying for His wisdom and that He will be glorified in all that you do, and then step out in faith and enjoy the privilege of watching Him at work!
All for His glory,
Dan
Today was the most blessed day I have ever had in the Project Ezra ministry. I read the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, at the main intersection in downtown Kitchener. It is a square full of people, and today it was busy.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't a partner to go with me today, but the Lord changed that in a hurry. As I was reading Matthew 7 a man stood beside me and another man parked his bike directly in front of where I was standing. After concluding my reading I began to give a full presentation of God's law, sin, the death of man, the destruction we bring upon ourselves, God's holiness, God's punishment of sin, God's provision in sending Christ, Jesus man; Jesus God, Jesus' perfect life, Jesus' sacrificial death receiving the fullness of God's wrath in our place, Jesus' miraculous resurrection, Jesus' ascent to the right hand of the Father, the gift of salvation by grace not works,the need for sinners to repent and place their faith fully and completely in Jesus Christ alone!
When I finished the man on the bike approached me and introduced himself as Daniel. Daniel thanked me and confessed himself to be a backslider. He told me that he was convicted by what he heard and he also told me he had just been evicted from his home 8 days ago. Daniel was not bitter, but broken. I had the privilege to pray for Daniel and it was quite encouraging to see how broken he was, but how much he was crying out to the Lord.
Then a small man of about 50 years of age, who identified himself as a recent immigrant from Cuba named Manuel, wearing a cross around his neck came to ask me about God. He told me he wasn't allowed to learn about God in Cuba. I asked Manuel if he knew about sin. Manuel said he really didn't know about sin. So I asked him only two things, had he ever stolen or lied, and Manuel confessed to both and said he lies every single day.
I asked him if he knew how God punishes sinners. Manuel didn't know. As I told Manuel his eyes became very teary and serious. After taking time in describing Hell to Manuel, he asked me in an almost pleading voice, "what can I do to be good with God?" I preached Jesus Christ crucified and repentance. Manuel wasn't ready to make a commitment at that moment, but he said he knows he needs to do that. Please pray for Manuel.
Then another brother showed up, named Doug, whom I have never met before, and he has been out street preaching too! Doug left his Mennonite community because of his desire to share the gospel. We established basic doctrinal foundations, fellowshipped, and then Doug and I preached together the rest of the afternoon!
Praise God!