The Good News in Portsmouth!
What a difference a week can make! This time last week, it was freezing cold, and we had a small team. Today, however, the weather was mild, and there were six of us out sharing the gospel. One of our significant prayer needs for Portsmouth is for more workers – hopefully, today’s numbers are a sign that God is beginning to answer those prayers.
As I set up the free literature table, I noticed people were interested. Then I heard someone say, “Can I tell you the good news of Jesus?” Looking up, I saw that two Mormon missionaries had come in to mislead those who had stopped to find the truth. I paused what I was doing to interrupt this attempt at deception. Those who were the targets of the Mormons left, leaving just the two young ‘elders’ and me. One of the missionaries said, “We all worship the same Jesus.” I countered by pointing out that the Jesus of the Bible is very different from their understanding. I tried to engage them further, but they decided to leave quickly. They never came back during the outreach.
I love Mormons, and I enjoy talking to them, but I also love those they are trying to deceive. So, if they attempt to spread error during an outreach, I will always engage them. We must protect people from the wolves stalking our city centres.
We spent the first thirty minutes of the outreach handing out tracts and trying to engage people in conversation. Then, at 12 pm, Pastor Chris Thomas from Eastney Evangelical Church stood up to preach from John 3:16. He did a great job explaining the gospel from the most famous verse in the Bible.
As Chris preached, people made their way to the literature table. A couple of those who stopped took Bibles and enquired about local churches. A recurring question we had today was from people looking for a church. We gladly pointed them to biblical fellowships and encouraged them to attend.
After Chris finished preaching, we spent more time handing out tracts and chatting with people. Then, I preached on “The Way to Heaven.” A few people appeared to be listening, with four taking copies of John’s Gospel at the end. Two of those who responded to the offer of a Gospel were young ladies who then spoke with a team member.
For the next thirty minutes, we returned to handing out gospel literature and speaking with people. The table had a steady stream of visitors browsing the material, with several taking booklets.
To conclude the outreach, I preached once again. This time, I spoke on “Hope for a Broken World.” As I proclaimed the gospel, a lady stood behind the board listening. Then, at the end, when I offered copies of John’s Gospel to anyone wanting to discover more, she quickly responded. A team member spoke with her afterward and explained the good news once again.
It was an encouraging day in Portsmouth, but the outreach hasn’t finished. Now, we need you to pray for all those who heard the gospel. Please pause and spend a few moments asking the Lord to save all who heard the good news.
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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