Open-Air Mission Outreach: Day 6 – Newquay

We were back out on the streets of Newquay today for our continuing outreach with the Open-Air Mission. As with yesterday, our outreach was split between an afternoon and evening event, and just like yesterday, the town was crowded. Local media is reporting that the music festival which is currently taking place here has brought in an extra 50,000 people on top of all the holidaymakers, and the 25,000 people who normally call Newquay home. With many people in the town, we found ourselves with a wonderful opportunity to reach people from throughout the UK. Newquay is rather strategic for the re-evangelisation of Britain, so we seek to make the most of this summer opportunity.

Upon arriving in the town centre, we noticed that there were many more street traders and street performers than there was yesterday. This made it challenging to find a location to set up for the open-air preaching. To overcome this problem, we decided to split the team in two, with one part of the team setting up the literature table and gospel cart, and the other focusing on open-air preaching. This splitting of the team proved to be very helpful, as people would listen to the preaching, then walk up the street discussing (or mocking) what they had heard. They would then come across the literature team, which was able to take those discussions (or mocks) and turn them into a one-to-one gospel encounter.

While I was manning the literature table, I was able to chat with a young man who seemed to be concerned that he didn’t know anything about who Jesus is. We chatted for a little while, and he took a copy of “The Unique Jesus.” After this, I was able to talk to a local man whom I had spoken to about four times previously. He is a friendly older gentleman, so we were once again able to chat through different biblical truths. One of the advantages of regular outreaches is that you get to meet the same people repeatedly, with each encounter giving further opportunities to witness.

By about mid-afternoon, I was brought down to the open-air preaching location for my turn to preach. Today, I used a simple outline and preached on, “Are You Good Enough to Go to Heaven?” As I preached a small crowd gathered, but then along came Sam. Sam is a young man who liked to perform for the crowd. He told me that he was a brilliant person, and certainly good enough for Heaven. I was able to engage his polite heckles, and the crowd loved it. We went back and forth about the gospel, and in the end, Sam took a copy of the Gospel of John, and so did another person from the crowd.

After the open-air, I made my way back to the literature table, where I was able to chat to an older gentleman who told me that he is a local and that he has listened to me preach in the open-air previously. It turns out he goes to an apostate church in Newquay, but he seems to enjoy listening to the open-air ministry. He isn’t the first older person we’ve met from that “church”, so far all of them have been really friendly and intrigued by the gospel being preached. Along with a lady from our church, we were able to chat to this older gentleman, and give him some good Christian material, including a CD on true Christianity, and a book that explains the way of salvation.

Throughout the afternoon we were able to have many more conversations, including with three young men who had zero knowledge of Christian things. We were able to explain to them the gospel and call on them to trust in Christ. We also had three young men who are Jehovah’s Witnesses stop to chat. They didn’t seem to know their doctrine very well, but they did say if the Bible disproved the Watchtower, then they would go with what the Bible said. Two of them accepted booklets one of which explain the deity of Christ, and the other the Trinity.

After these conversations, we packed down for the afternoon and went home to rest. However, the day’s outreach wasn’t over. We were back on the streets at 7pm for the evening shift.

The town centre was much quieter at night, but we did have the opportunity to have several good conversations, hand out tracts and preach. After one man heckled the preacher, I was able to chat with him. This man told me his name is Noodles, and that he is more perfect than God. I explained to him about sin and called on him to trust in Christ. But Noodles simply maintained that he was perfect and without sin; he was extremely self-righteous. Noodles then went on to talk about how aliens have previously saved his life. It was at this point I thought it best to end the conversation, so I urged him to humble himself and to seek the Saviour while he still had breath.

When it came to my turn to preach, I decided to speak upon, “Jesus in His Own Words” which is a simple message which looks at three of the I AM statements of Christ. Towards the end of the message a few people listened, and one young man took a copy of the Gospel of John.

Today has been a great day of outreach. It was long, hot, and exhausting, but it was worth it! Please pray for the conversion of all those who heard the gospel.

SDG!

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