SWAT TEAM Witnessing - Springfield, MO - 6/23/06

Street Witnessing And Training
Taking Evangelism Across Missouri
Friday Night - 6/23/06 -- Park Central Square –
Downtown Springfield, Missouri

The gospel tracts we use can be found at Gospel Tracts: Living Waters Store.

Report from Brad:
As I arrived in downtown Springfield and began walking into the square, I noticed that GNN Seed Sower and SWAT TEAM member, Michael Borich, as well as Jeff Reeb, was already witnessing to someone (see below for Michael’s report). I also noticed that as soon as I entered the square, a man stood up and began walking towards me. As he got closer, I noticed that this man was Josh, a self-proclaimed pagan. He has studied Wicca for the past 10 years. He normally wears a pentagram on a necklace.

We have been talking with Josh most weeks that we are out on the square. He went from being a heckler, to not heckling us (although he does, at times, still heckle other Christian preachers out in the square). I’ve given him gospel tracts, a gospel of John, talked to him about the Law, his sin against God and his need for repentance. I’ve also been a friend to him and just talked about his life. He said, “you will be proud of me, I’ve stopped studying Wicca, I’m not wearing my pentagram and I am now going to church.” I told him that is great news. I asked if he had been reading the materials that I gave him. He said that he had. I then gave him a New Testament that I had with me, and told him I will bring an entire bible (old and new testaments) with me next time to give to him. Praise God for convicting Josh. He still has a long way to go, but he’s headed in the right direction.

Two police cars were in the square when I arrived. They have been hanging around quite often lately. A couple of weeks ago, I was told that the police caught someone with a 9mm pistol in the square, and that there had been more fights than usual. The police drove away, then the people started arguing. The police parked and walked back to the square in “stealth mode” and broke up the arguing, handcuffed a person or two and dispersed the crowd. I witnessed to these people and did an open-air preaching to them tonight – see further in the newsletter.

Michael and Jeff were still witnessing to someone, so I walked over and passed out the Giant $100 gospel tracts to three men (late 40’s or early 50’s) sitting down, Jimbo, Brad (who had attended Bible college) and Gunny (Gunnery Sergeant-he had been in the Marine Corps).

They said they had Christian backgrounds and were pretty good people. I took them through the law, then spoke about grace, and how to be born-again. They said they were all doing the best that they could. They mentioned that I should go to the “Victory Mission” that was down the street and preach to them in the evenings before dinner. He was serious and kept mentioning it. I may have to look into that.

Michael, Jeff and I walked over to the area under the pavilion where the fight(s) broke out earlier and the police showed up. There were probably 12 people hanging out. Michael and I began giving out Giant Money $100 and Million Dollar Bill gospel tracts. They loved them. Danny, one of the guys there, had quite a few tattoos on his body and was telling us the meaning of each one, said that he liked us, and that we’re not like the rest of the “Christians” that come down and yell at them. Michael and Jeff left to go witness at the bus station, but I stayed to witness to this group for longer.

I decided to a mini open-air preaching time with these folks. I had some stuffed animals that we used and I gave them away to the people that answered the trivia questions accurately. After a while, I had a larger stuffed bear to give out to a volunteer that could prove to me that they are a good person. Amanda accepted. As I was taking Amanda through the law, all the people around her admitted to being a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer-at-heart.

Amanda only admitted to being a liar and a blasphemer. She wasn’t as “bad” as the rest. However, I mentioned that James 2:10 says, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” So, she admitted that she will be guilty on the Day of Judgment and would be going to hell. I explained that we broke God’s Law (the 10 Commandments), but Jesus paid our fine. We must “repent” of our sins and “trust” in Christ to save us. Amanda didn’t prove to be a good person, to win the stuffed bear, but I gave it to her and explained that this is just like salvation. We didn’t deserve it, but God sent his only son to die for our sins. We must reach out and take hold of it. The names of the folks that I was speaking to were named: Danny, Amanda, Cory, Tish and Leo and their baby, Angel faith.

Michael, Jeff and I met up and met a guy named Bill. He is a veteran from the Marine Corps. He said that he has years of street witnessing experience and gave me his number. He said that he would like to come out with us sometime. Praise God.

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Report from Michael Borich:
When Jeff and I arrived at the square I played "Amazing Grace" on the harmonica, which usually draws people's attention. A young man on a bicycle rode over to us and asked if the song was meant to be ironic, because of the two police cars parked in the square and the rowdy group of young people the police were talking with.

His name was Richard, and he was a college student at MSU, a recent transfer from Carbondale, Illinois. He was intelligent and told us he had a church background, but had gotten turned off by the hypocrisy of "Christians" so at the moment he was down on religion. We didn't go through the good person test because he had other issues he wanted to talk about. He asked Jeff to share his testimony, which he did, very effectively. We gave Richard some tracts, spent about half an hour talking with him-- we did manage to get in the law, sin and judgment. Pray for God to soften his heart and not be distracted from the gospel truth by past actions of other Christians.

At the bus station I had an opportunity to share with Jim -- 70 years old, a former Evangel College student, a thoughtful gentleman who wanted to talk about the 7 seals of Revelation and what prophetic events were awaiting us. He seemed solid in his Christian faith and knowledgeable about scripture, but was struggling with some financial-personal problems.

I also had the opportunity to speak with Carl, an African-American with 7 felonies, and his companion, Jeremy. Carl, in particular, felt he was a child of God, but knew he was not living for the Lord. He said he had a big problem with anger and rage. Again, I gave him some material to read and just encouraged him to seek the Lord, find a good faith community, and maybe even think about going into fulltime ministry as he would have a powerful testimony and had a natural speaking ability. He had just come to Springfield from Kansas City. Jeremy mostly listened, but both were friendly and grateful that I shared God's love with them.

Jeff and I also went through the good person test with a couple young women who turned out to be Christians, but it was good practice and they didn't seem to mind being asked about how good they were. We even gave them a couple stuffed animals.

We passed out a lot of gospel material -- it great evening. All Praise to Jesus.

I will send you the book and check on Monday.

In His Service,
Michael
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In Christ,

Brad St. Clair
www.repentandturn.com
www.gnnlocalleader.com