MIA: (Ministry in Action) Door-to-Door Edition

It was just two weeks ago last Saturday that the students descended upon Owen Sound to tell the world that Jesus saves. Going door-to-door is an annual activity that gets the students involved in witnessing early on in the year and prepares them, if only a little bit, for Open Air Evangelism in Toronto and Hamilton.


The students received Personal Evangelism Training on Friday and Saturday morning. They learned how to approach people and how to start a conversation. They also learned how to steer the the conversation towards the gospel and away from rabbit trails. One of the most practical things they learned which could be applied in numerous ways was the importance and method of sharing a personal testimony. By lunchtime on Saturday, the students were at least slightly prepared for door-to-door. The students were nervous and yet excited about the opportunity to share their faith.

Saturday afternoon, several van loads of students hit the streets of Owen Sound ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ. They spent over two hours going door-to-door in several different neighbourhoods and receiving many different responses.


The students took some questionnaires with them in order to have a conversation starter. These are some of the questions with some varied responses.

In answer to Who is God?:
        "When I hear about God, I think about religion and church."
        "God is a divine presence and we cannot know what He is like."
        "The universe is God."

In answer to What happens to man when he dies?
        "When man dies, since all do, they just cease to exist."
        "We each make our own ideas about the future."
        "When you die, you join the spiritual soul of God."

In answer to What is right and wrong?
       "No one knows what is right and what is wrong so we have to compromise."
       "You should follow the golden rule, but right and wrong is opinion."
       "You do what you are brought up to believe. Each to their own."

The responses that are written above are saddening and yet they are just a few of many similar beliefs. Because the world has fallen into the trap of believing a lie, Christians need to speak the truth. St. Francis of Assisi once said," Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words." However, scripture tells us there is more than just actions involved with preaching the gospel.

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! "

Romans 10:14-15

This is what the students did in the streets of Owen Sound. They brought the glad tidings and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. After all was said and done, about sixty tracts were given out and most importantly one person accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. It is so awesome to see God work in and through the lives of the students this year.

BW

Open Air Evangelism

    Last week students and staff of WOLBI were out on the streets of Toronto and Hamilton sharing our faith with anyone who would listen.  Sam Frey, Word of Life's Open Air Evangelist, trained us and ministered with us all week.  We were all nervous but 'pumped up' to share God's incredible message of the gospel.

It was amazing to see God work through us and help us realize that we need to be obedient to God's call to share our faith and then let God work through us.  Every year students fear it and love it.  This is the real purpose we are all here; to tell others about what Christ has done for us.

"I loved open air...It was amazing to see the life change when people got saved...I was tired every night but excited for the next day knowing that we were going to share the most important truth people need to know and believe.  It was one of the most valuable experiences of my life. Open Air did many things in my life, just in the short week. Most of all Open Air Week made me not ashamed of the Gospel, realizing that it is all God, all we do is give the message. It has made me bolder in witnessing and has made my relationship with Christ a lot more serious." Alumni (Grad 2010)

Students this year said:

"People were shutting me down and I was so discouraged so I began to pray.  I looked up and there was a guy on a park bench so I went over to talk to him and he ended up getting saved.  It was such a good reminder that God has a plan and that even when we don’t see it, He is always working."

"I have been considering ministry in this area and it stood out to me that there are so many Christians who are struggling and it's so important to minister and pray and encourage other believers."

"I loved it.  I loved the challenge.  I loved doing what I didn’t think I ever could."