“I have no hope!” – Winchester Evangelism

Every fisherman knows that the weather can impact if the fish bite or not. The same is true when it comes to fishing for people. It was cool and windy in Winchester today, which made it challenging to engage people in conversation or get them to stop to listen to the preaching. But still, we had a few nibbles upon the gospel, so we give thanks!

I like to start the outreaches by handing out a few tracts and trying to engage people in conversation. This gives me a feel for what is happening in the area before I preach. As I handed out leaflets, an older lady took one then asked what it was about. When I told her it was about Heaven, she said, “I have no hope!” This older lady shared part of her story, but as she did so, it was clear she was placing her confidence in her achievements. Yet, every time she boasted about something, the issue of a lack of hope appeared. 

I told her that she could have hope and certainty of Heaven. She smiled sadly and said, “There is no hope for me. It is too late. I am 83 years old; I’ll have to take my chances with God.” I explained the gospel to her and urged her to trust in Jesus, but she wouldn’t; instead, she said, “God won’t accept me.” With that, she wandered off. Here is an older lady who knows her days are numbered, yet she won’t trust in Christ. Please pray that the Lord will work on her heart.

After the discussion about the hope of Heaven, I decided to preach on “The Way to Heaven.” Preaching into the breeze was challenging, and only a few people paid attention. A few gospel nibbles here and there, but nothing major.

Tract work appeared to be the way forward, as people were open to receiving literature (just as long as they didn’t have to stop). The other team members seemed to be having success in handing out tracts, so I joined them for a little while.

As I handed out tracts, two ladies from Columbia stopped to talk. Their English was passable but not brilliant. Thankfully, I had two copies of John’s Gospel in Spanish in my backpack. Both ladies took the Gospels excitedly. They then began to ask about a local church, so I connected them with a team member who serves at a church in the city.

To finish the outreach, I decided to preach again. As before, the weather proved challenging, but still, a few nibbled at the gospel, and others took literature from the Free Bible table.

On days like this, it is easy to be discouraged, but we must remember that God is absolutely sovereign. He is at work even if we can’t see what He is doing. We rest in Him, knowing that His Word has gone forth, and He will do what is pleasing in His sight!

SDG!

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Josh Williamson is a full-time evangelist with The Open-Air Mission. Since 1853, OAM has been sharing the good news on the streets of the United Kingdom. To stay updated about the work of the Mission, please sign up for the free quarterly magazine and monthly prayer notes.

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