In the Shadow of the Cathedral – Salisbury Evangelism
Today’s outreach started later than planned, as my 40-minute drive to Salisbury took 70 minutes. Even though our plans were changing, we rested on the fact that the outreach started at the minute the Lord had ordained. Salisbury was a bit quieter than usual, but there were still a few people out enjoying the pleasant summer weather.
I commenced the preaching by speaking on “Steps to Peace with God.” A couple of people paused to listen, but there was no interaction, and sadly, much of the street seemed empty. Yet, I am sure a few heard snippets of the gospel and different verses being proclaimed.
Not long after the first open air, one of the team members found himself in discussion with a militant vegan who insisted we didn’t need to get right with Jesus; rather, we needed to be right with the animals. This form of religion is growing in the UK. Recently, we’ve had several encounters with those who worship and serve the creature instead of the Creator (Romans 1:25).
A highlight of the day was meeting a few Christians who were encouraged by the work. They took material about our ministry and promised to pray for us. We also encouraged them to be active in proclaiming the good news.
Another highlight came when a Jewish lady with whom we’ve spoken previously asked for a Bible. We gladly gave her a copy of God’s Word, and she took several booklets. Over the past year, the team has been slowly chipping away at her. Please pray the Lord reveals the Messiah to her.
Next to preach was Paul, who spoke on John 14:6. Breaking down the verse into segments, he showed that Jesus is our only hope. After Paul, Tony preached. Using the election and the promise of change, he stressed the change people really need. A few people paused to listen, including two who took copies of John’s Gospel.
I preached once more for the day, this time on “Hope for a Broken World.” One young man walked by heckling, saying he wanted to go to Hell. I tried to engage him, but he wasn’t interested. Then an old man came past mocking. I pointed out that his grey hair indicates he is getting closer to meeting God, so he needs to listen to the good news. It doesn’t matter what age someone is; the natural inclination of the human heart is to love darkness and hate light (John 3:19-20) – this is why we need Jesus!
Two ladies sat on the seat next to me while I preached. They listened but didn’t engage. Afterward, they told a team member they were from Brazil, so we gave them gospel booklets in Portuguese. They thanked us for the booklets, then sat there reading them. As they left, they called out their thanks once again.
Paul finished the outreach by preaching on “Six Certainties.” He explained that life is short, sin is serious, death is certain, judgment is real, Hell is a dreadful reality, and Christ alone can save. A couple of people paused, and one took a New Testament from the table.
All this took place in the shadow of Salisbury Cathedral. This historic religious building fills the skyline, yet sadly, despite all the religion, there are very few true Christians in Salisbury. Please pray that the gospel seed which has been sown will fall upon good soil.
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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