Flora Day:“I wish I had found this years ago…. it would have saved me going through the Hell that I have had to go through”
Carrying the cross at the Flora Day festival this year, I was approached by a guy who had been a bare-knuckle fighter. Although “tanked-up” and amused by my antics his attitude changed quickly as I talked about the living God. “What’s your church? I want to come to your church!” Not only has he started coming to church, he has also received Jesus. Last Sunday he brought his brother along who also gave his heart to the Lord. His pastor and I have been visiting him weekly and we have become friends. Jesus, made friends with people and he often made friends with them on the street!
Reading: “I wouldn’t normally listen to people like you”
Wearing a heavy metal Tshirt the young man began to tell us that he’d been to a gospel church as a teenager and that it had freaked him out. Sometimes, in our enthusiasm to communicate Jesus to the world we can aggressively “machine-gun” them with the gospel message. Jesus listened to people and often we read of him dealing sensitively with them. As we were prepared to talk gently with this young man we won his trust. In this case he wasn’t ready to make any commitment but I believe he met Jesus in our conversation and soon he will decide to follow Him. It was great to be out with the cross in Reading and am arranging a return visit to work with a couple of local churches out on the streets in the future..
Exmouth:”There is somebody here with a distended stomach and they are in so much pain”
Deb had just testified over the microphone about recent healings in our church and added the above statement, believing that it applied to someone in the crowd of shoppers in Exmouth town centre. Immediately, a woman responded and received prayer. The pain went away and her stomach shrank. Against a background of gentle worship music, simple testimonies and inspired short preaches the churches in Exmouth are getting out every month on a Saturday morning to confront their town with the gospel. This truly is “Church without Walls” and I believe is impacting the town with an assertive but non aggressive presentation of the good news. Buskers bring their music on the streets, so can we! You can feel the atmosphere on the street soften as Jesus is worshipped in song. It is so much easier to speak of Jesus with an attitude of peace engendered by the music. My friend, Justin gently leads as an MC, interviewing local Christians about their experience of Jesus and then delivers punchy little preaches. Russ the Anglican vicar overseas it all, thrilled to see the church operating in their particular gifting. What a joy to work with these guys and see them returning to their church building so excited over what they have seen Jesus do on the streets
Redruth: “You need to listen to these guys!”
My Pastor friend Tiva works behind the bar at the local cinema in Redruth. Deb and other friends have been reaching out to people in this bar and already two woman have been prayed for and are now coming every week to talk about the Lord. Discipleship is going on in the bar and last week Deb was lead to a young man with a drink problem and with the encouragement of the first two women he was prepared to allow us to pray with him. He also came to church last week. Another guy was ministered to on the streets a few weeks ago by Deb and her friend, Lyn and he also now attends church and appears to be changing dramatically as Jesus is working in his life.
Arthur Blessitt teaches that new Christians often make the best evangelists! He also says that when God is at work , sometimes all you need to do is show up and God does the rest! Recently we have been praying and worshipping more before going out on the streets. My friend Dick has been singing worship songs in the main street of Redruth and things have started happening in an even more powerful way. On more than one occasion we have had even non believers encouraging us to keep going and even thanking us for wanting to try to help them find faith! I believe God wants a New Testament boldness and we are on the edge of a greater visitation of the Spirit as we take worship and Holy Spirit ministry on to the streets. No fear of people, only love!
Falmouth: “Tell her to phone her dad up to tell him she loves him!”
The intelligent student said she was an atheist. We talked of how science could not create love between people, even if they appear perfectly matched. She got that and told us that her parents were separated. I found myself encouraging her to reassure her dad of her love. Feeling the Holy Spirit all over me my friend Roy, a wonderful Catholic Christian prayed over her. “Was that alright?” I asked afterwards. “Was that alright?……that was wonderful….wow!” She left us radiant, aware I believe, that God’s love is real. Earlier that morning Roy had felt led to read the verse: “His preaching will turn to hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers” (Mal 4 v.6)
Orpington: “Anybody wanna buy a cross?”
My friends Mike and Yvonne had a cross lying idle in the attic and wondered if I knew of anyone who would be interested in having it. A few years ago my friends Simon and Jeanette gave their lives to Jesus after seeing the cross being carried past their house. “It’s a bit early for Easter”. Simon had cried out. It was Valentine’s day and I told him that it was the perfect day to carry the emblem of God’s love for us! God is transforming their lives in a wonderful way and they and some of their friends from the Baptist Church are now out on the streets of Orpington with ….guess what? Their own cross. “We took it out the other day and in two hours had prayed with some thirteen people!”, they informed me the other day!
Slowed but praising more than ever!
The Post viral fatigue syndrome continues and am frustrated at not being fit enough to do long distance walks with the cross in other countries. Portugal, Greece, Lithuania and other countries are in my sights but all in God’s timing. Praise God for the others that have been raised up to carry the cross. Weakness physically can slow things down a bit but it can also create a greater dependence on God. To see how God is using Deb and so many of my friends who are seeking to bring worship and operate compassionately with words of knowledge, prophesy, healing and the beautiful love of God on the street is where my joy lies. The future appears glorious. It would be less challenging to stay hidden in our church buildings. The future does not always lie in the comfortable route but in His power, love and message being heard and seen also outside of our meeting places. “Has anybody ever told you this stuff before?”, I often ask people after talking with them about our Jesus. The majority tell me that it is the first time they have ever heard. Thank you for your partnership love and support in this exciting work of God that he is seeking to do amongst us. Lindsay and Debbie.
Bangladesh
I have just come back from Bangladesh where I had a wonderful time!
Redruth
I could hear the beauty of worship music being played by Dick and Deb on the guitar and keyboard on the street. The young man in front of me wanted to ask Jesus into his life. He had clearly understood the gospel and told me that he had started to show an interest in Jesus while in prison. As he received the Lord, he felt a warmth pass through his body. Today I will introduce him to a local pastor. The Holy Spirit is operating in the same way in Bangladesh and Redruth drawing the lost to Himself. It has been exciting to see a number of people who have accepted Jesus on the street in Redruth starting to come to church and to meet weekly in a café in the town centre which acts as bridge between organized church and the street.
Future plans
Am still working with the great Anglican church who reach out once a month on the streets of Exmouth and also have plans to return to Reading. Would love to carry the cross in Athens soon. Thank you again for your prayers as we seek to continue reaching out on the streets.