A Saint Named Patrick

Saint Patrick’s Day has come to be associated with everything Irish: anything green and gold, shamrocks and luck. In American cities with a large Irish population, St. Patrick’s Day is a very big deal. Big cities and small towns alike celebrate with parades, “wearing of the green”, music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring, and games. Some communities even go as far as to dye rivers or streams green. Most importantly, to those who celebrate its intended meaning, St. Patrick’s Day is a traditional day for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide because of the labor and influence of a former slave.


Meet Patrick: missionary and church planter. Patrick was born in Kirkpatrick, Scotland about the year 387. His parents took residence in Bannavem Taberniae in Britain, where his father, Calpurnius, was a deacon and his grandfather, Potitus, was a priest. Patrick grew up religious but not converted, but all that would change in his youth. About the age of 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish pirates (sea robbers) who were attacking his family’s estate. When they arrived to Ireland he was sold into slavery to Milchu, the king of Dalaradia, which was the most powerful kingdom in Northeast Ireland. Milchu was a high priest of Druidism (a nature-based pagan religion). It was during Patrick’s job of tending the cattle and sheep of his master in outdoors and solitude that he became convinced of the Gospel. After more than six years as a prisoner Patrick escaped after God spoke to him in a dream telling him it was time to leave Ireland.


After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported having a second dream with another message telling him to return to Ireland as a missionary. To further his education, Patrick went to France and studied under the missionary Germanus of Auxerre. Patrick knew of the daunting task that lay ahead of him. There had already been some Christians in Ireland, and a missionary named Palladius had lately attempted to labor there, but allowed himself to be discouraged and had withdrawn. Patrick had more zeal and patience than Palladius, and gave all the remainder of his life to the Irish, even to the point of denying himself the pleasure of paying a visit to his native country after being ordained a priest and bishop.


Patrick navigated to the harbors of Wicklow, just like Palladius, and was received in a hostile manner by the pagans of Wicklow upon landing. A shower of stones greeted them, and knocked out the front teeth of one of his companions. Patrick persisted with preaching and teaching the Gospel as he convinced pagan Druids that they were worshiping idols under Celtic paganism that kept them enslaved. He made his first convert Dichu, a local chief, and planted his first church in a barn which Dichu gave him, and has since continued to be a Christian place of worship. Patrick soon directed steps towards king Milchu’s residence, were he had spent the days of his captivity. Patrick’s fame had reached Milchu, whose Druids warned him that his former slave would triumph over him. So Milchu set fire to all his household goods and perished in their midst just as Patrick appeared.


Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to contextualize his lessons of Christianity into the native Irish beliefs. For example, Patrick knew the Irish honored their gods with fire, so he challenged the authority of the king of Ireland, Laoghaire, by lighting his Paschal fire on Easter Eve on the hill Slane in honor of the risen Christ. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. Throughout his missionary work, Patrick continued to advance the Church to Ireland by electing church officials, creating councils, founding monasteries and organizing Ireland into dioceses.


Although never officially canonized as a Saint, Saint Patrick is honored on March 17 and has been declared the national apostle of Ireland. Patrick’s influence is seen even in the national flower of Ireland, the Shamrock, in which Patrick used to explain the holy Trinity to pagans. Not only can we learn much about a man who was gripped by the Gospel, but we also see the sovereign plan of God unfolding to bring the Gospel to all people groups. May God put into you a love for a community, city or country to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Moment After Death

I see the sinner who has neglected the Savior, despised the gospel, and refused to repent, closing his life in death: 
   his conscience accuses him, 
   divine justice frowns upon him, 
   hope forsakes him, 
   despair seizes upon him, 
   a cold chill of horror passes over his soul, 
   consternation and dread prey upon his vitals!

His soul then leaves the body:
   it is apprehended by the angelic ministers of justice;
   it is hurried to the horrid pit;
   it sees in the distance, the rolling waves of blue flame;
   it hears the dreadful screams of tortured millions;
   it shudders as it sinks into the gloom;
   an indescribable trembling shakes every power, as it feels the torment!

See . . .
  the curling flames surround it, 
  the boiling waves receive it, 
  the ghastly demons fall to work tormenting it, 
  while the dreadful words “FOREVER!” rattle through all the chambers of the heart!

It looks back upon time, how different does the past appear! It looks forward, and O unutterable misery–there is spread out a vast eternity of varied, endless sufferings!

How appalling does GOD appear now! 
His wrath–how fearful; 
His holiness–how dreadful; 
His unchangeableness–what a source of agonizing woe! 
The thought of His mercy only aggravates present misery; and a view of His slighted grace, adds a thousand pangs to the punishment inflicted by a roused and honest conscience. All is now . . .
  dreadful gloom, 
  tormenting foreboding, 
  and black despair!

The terrified spirit looks . . .
   every way for sympathy–but finds none; 
   for a way of escape–but there is none; 
   for something to mitigate its dreadful sufferings–but in vain!
Shivering, shuddering, terrified, and despairing–it now exclaims in words it once disregarded:
 
“Oh! if this awesome God would let me die,
And not torment me to eternity!
Oh! would He free me from this dreadful woe,
But no! I’m lost, I’m damned–forever so!

Cursed be the day I treated with neglect
The gospel call, and free grace reject;
Oh! could I now one invitation hear,
To cool my burning heart and calm this fear!

But no, my doom is fixed, tis all in vain,
My portion now is everlasting pain!
Hopeless I sink into the dark abyss,
Banished forever from eternal bliss!

In boiling waves of vengeance must I lie?
Oh! could I but curse this dreadful God and die!
Infinite years in torment must I spend,
And never, never, never at an end!

And must I live in torturing despair,
As many years, as atoms in the air?
When these are spent as many thousands more,
As grains of sand that crowd the ebbing shore?

When all these doleful years are spent in pain,
And multiplied by myriads again,
Till numbers drown the thought! could I suppose,
That then my wretched years were at a close!

This would afford some ease–but oh! I shiver,
To think upon the dreadful sound, FOREVER!
In the burning gulf where I blaspheming lie,
TIME is no more–but vast ETERNITY!”

Reader, what if this should be your doom? If you die unconverted–it certainly will be. It may be before twenty-four hours have passed away! How dreadful is the baresupposition–but infinitely more dreadful would the reality be!

What must have been the feeling of that rich man referred to by our Lord, when “in Hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torment!” What would your feelings be? “Unless you repent you must likewise perish!”

If God is Your Enemy

Unconverted reader, did you ever consider that solemn text, “He who being often reproved and hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy!” Proverbs 29:1. You have been often reproved, yet you delay; you have refused . . .
  to bow to God’s authority, 
  to yield to His command, 
  to embrace His mercy,
  to flee to the refuge He has provided, 
  to seek and obtain the pardon which He promises.
Instead, you have hardened your neck. What if He should destroy you! What if He should destroy you suddenly! He can, for He is almighty! He may, for He has threatened! If He should, what a dreadful condition would you be in forever! Shut up in hopeless despair, and destroyed without remedy! 

While you delay, you are in the greatest danger! 
A person slumbering in a burning house, 
a man sleeping on the edge of a precipice, 
a blind man walking round the crater of a volcano
–is safe, in comparison with you!
Around you are kindling the quenchless flames of Hell,
you sleep on the brink of the bottomless pit, 
you are in danger of plunging into that lake of glowing brimstone, where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth!

“But those enemies of Mine who did not want Me to be king over them–bring them here and kill them in front of Me!” Luke 19:27 

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God!” Hebrews 10:26-27  

Consider, consider seriously, that while you delay, God is your enemy–and He is angry with you every day! Every sin provokes God to anger–but no sin is so provoking as unbelief, because it calls God s liar. To have an absolute monarch for your enemy is bad enough–but to have God for your enemy is infinitely worse! “God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If He does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts!” Psalm 7:11-13. 

He waits to watch the conduct of delaying sinners, He gives them space for repentance, He is long-suffering toward them–but they will not turn. 
He will sharpen His sword, 
His bow is ready bent in His hand, 
He has taken out His arrow from His quiver, and
the impenitent sinner is the mark at which He aims! 
Will not His arrows pierce the heart? 
Will they not inflict dreadful pains, and produce incurable wounds? 
Will they not rankle and fester to all eternity. 
If God wounds–then who can heal?

Think, dear reader, if you were shackled and placed before an assembled crowd, to be shot at with poisoned arrows, for injuring and insulting the king, and refusing his pardon–would not your case be dreadful? 

But this would be nothing, compared with your present condition! You have insulted the God of mercy numberless times, in ten thousand ways; you have injured His creatures, you have joined yourself to His inveterate and determined foes! And He has offered you a pardon, not once or twice–but has waited years to see if you would accept it–but you have obstinately refused! And now justice, holy justice, demands that you be punished according to your deserts. Before assembled worlds, your follywill be published, and your sins will be proclaimed! And while God lives to punish, and justice remains unchanged–your sad, your just, your indescribable sufferings will continue!

To have God for ones enemy, is of all terrible things, the most terrible! Just look for one moment at His perfections, and see them all opposed to you. 

If God is your enemy–then He is an Omnipotent enemy–and can you effectually oppose almighty power? He could crush you to atoms–but He will only punish you as justice demands. There is no cruelty in His nature–but there is dreadful inflexible justice.

If God is your enemy–then He is an Omniscient enemy! He . . .
  sees your heart, 
  reads your thoughts, 
  knows your motives, 
  understands your designs, and 
  penetrates the deepest recesses of your soul. 

Can you deceive him? Never! There is not a thought in your heart–but He knows it altogether! Your whole history is before Him–the secret, as well as the public. His eye will pursue you, and rest upon you throughout eternity! Should you sink to the deepest depths of Hell–His eye will rest upon you, and pierce your inmost soul. There is something very fearful in the thought of God’s eye resting upon the lost soul forever, flashing conviction into the heart like the flashes of the fearful lightning.

If God is your enemy–then He is an Omnipresent enemy. As every sin was committed in His presence–so every pain must be endured in His presence. The sense of His presence in Hell, will be very different to our sense of His presence on earth. It will be fearful! It will be very dreadful! He is ever present–how then can you flee from Him? Where can you go? Where can you hide? What will conceal you from an ever present God! 

O hasten to His throne of grace, 
flee into the open arms of His mercy, 
submit at once at His footstool–and 
His omnipresence shall be your joy, your safeguard, and your refuge!

If God is your enemy–then He will be strictly Righteous. He will take no bribe. He will violate no principle of His government. He will never forget or rescind onethreatening recorded in His word. Your just wages shall be paid–no more, no less. He now mingles mercy with His judgments–but there will be no mercy then. He is now emphatically “The merciful God,” but He will not be so then. 
Mercy will then give place to justice, 
grace will then give place to equity, 
and love will then give place to wrath–
in the experience of the lost soul. 

If God is your enemy–then you will have an Eternal enemy. He can never die. From everlasting to everlasting, He is God. If only man were your enemy–he might die; and his death may work a deliverance for you. But if God is your enemy, there is no hope! He ever lives, and while He lives–He must hate sin. And while He hates sin–He must punish the sinner! O fearful case! The eternal God is your enemy! He will be your enemy forever!

Now, reader, dwell for one moment upon the solemn thought: 
God is my enemy! 
I have an Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Righteous, Eternal enemy! 
One from whom I cannot escape. 
One whom it will be Hell to face. 
One whom my conscience will forever justify, while suffering the most dreadful torments.  
Shall I rush upon the sword of His justice–or run into the arms of His mercy? 

Think, delaying sinner. Pause, and say to yourself, 
“I am under the curse and wrath of God.
If I die in this state I shall die . . .
  without mercy, 
  without pity, and 
  without hope.
My sins are all recorded in God’s book,
   I am unpardoned and unblessed, 
   Satan is my father and my god,
   and Hell is my everlasting home!
All creation will despise me. 
All in Heaven will frown upon me. 
All in Hell will eternally upbraid me. 
No one will respect or sympathize with me.
I shall forever lie under the burning wrath of God–a curse and eternal execration!” 

Unconverted reader! 
Sickness is coming!
Death is coming!
Judgment is coming!
Eternity is just at hand!

Splendid Christmas

Sitting down to a great meal with your loved ones, enjoying the warmth of a crackling fire, hanging stockings, decorating the tree… these are the things that make for a splendid Christmas. Nothing beats snuggling into a comfy chair with a cup of hot chocolate, looking at the twinkling lights, and listening to the old familiar carols… 


Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king,

Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled…”


The Christmas season may mean different things to different people, but one thing is sure… it is the time of year set aside by Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.  You’ve heard the story… a virgin was visited by God’s angel and told she would become miraculously pregnant with God’s one and only Son.  An angel told her fiancé, “You shall name the baby Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”  


But what does this really mean?  Aren’t we pretty good people?  Sure, none of us are perfect, but do we really need someone to “save” us from our sins?  To clearly understand what Christmas is about, we must try to look at ourselves the way God sees us… and the way we do that is to see if we’ve obeyed his Holy Law—The Ten Commandments.


Have you ever told a lie?  Have you ever stolen anything?  (Think hard, and be honest… regardless of the item’s value, have you ever taken something that didn’t belong to you?)  Have you ever used God’s name in vain (such as exclaiming, “Oh my G-d!”)?  Have you ever felt hatred in your heart against someone?  Have you ever looked at someone and had sexual thoughts about them?


Here’s the ugly truth. If you’ve told lies, that makes you a “liar” in the eyes of God. If you’ve ever stolen anything, God sees you as a “thief.”  If you’ve used God’s name in vain, you’re a “blasphemer.”  According to God’s word, anyone who hates is considered a “murderer” (1 John 3:15).  And Jesus said that anyone who looks at another person with lust has already committed adultery with that person in their heart—anyone who has lusted is considered by God as an “adulterer” (Matthew 5:28).  


We’ve only looked at five out of The Ten Commandments, but if God judges you by that standard, will you be innocent or guilty of breaking his Laws?  Many people say, “Guilty… but God forgives.”  They may think that God is so good that he will overlook their sins.  Well, God is good, that much is true.  But in the same way that a “good” human judge could not let a guilty criminal go, God must see that justice is done.  You and I will be guilty when we stand before God—guilty with nothing to say for ourselves except that we’re sorry.  But the Just Judge of the Universe can’t let us off for being sorry.  We’ve broken the Law, we should be sorry, but that doesn’t change the fact that he has to pass sentence.  


The Bible tells us the sentence for breaking God’s Laws is Hell.  In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, God gives us a list of those who will not be able to enter Heaven.  Among others He includes: fornicators (those who have had sex before marriage), idolaters (those who put anything in their lives before God), adulterers (those who lust for someone they’re not married to, as well as those who go through with the sexual act), thieves (those who have stolen), and the covetous (those who have greedily desired something that doesn’t belong to them).  And in Revelation 21:8 God tells us that, “…all liars, shall have their place in the lake of fire…”  


You and I stand guilty before God—without a thing to say in our own defense.  But God did something amazing for us so that we wouldn’t have to go to Hell.  Do you know what that was?  He sent his own Son, born of a virgin, perfect and sinless, to die a criminal’s death on the cross in payment of our sins.  Then he rose again, defeating death forever.  


That’s why Jesus was born, to suffer punishment in your place.  That’s what the angel meant when he said that Jesus would “save his people from their sins.”  You see, we can never undo the sins we’ve already committed… we can never live a perfect life as Jesus did.  But God’s word says that if we will repent of our sins (feel sorrow for, and turn away from all the things we know are wrong) and put our faith (entire trust) in Jesus as the only one who can save us, then God will wipe out the record of our sins because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross will be counted as the payment.  


That’s why Christians have such a meaningful time at Christmas.  At Christmas, a Christian is setting aside a day to celebrate the birth of the Savior.  Christmas can be truly splendid because God loved us so much that he sent his Son to take the punishment for our sins.  Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6).  Don’t wait.  Repent and put your faith in Christ today


Courtesy of SplendidChristmas.com

Lyrical Theology – Covet

Before the world began and the fall of man,

You unfolded the drama of salvation’s plan,

And though we violate we’re cursed by the law,

He sent His Son to die and He absorbed it all,

We covet we kill our throats are open graves,

We lie and we steal but He still saves,

It’s happening now new hearts will burn,

All creation yearns for the King’s return.

Super Bowl Evangelism 2012

On Friday, February 3, 2012, one hundred and nine evangelists from California to Canada hit the streets of Indianapolis for the Super Bowl. They had a mission to lift up the name of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the Gospel to the lost.


I (Duane Schneider) was blessed to be part of the team from our Fond du Lac-based Fishermen’s Call ministry. The Superbowl outreach was organized by Bill Adams of Sports Fan Outreach. It is an evangelistic ministry that has been reaching sports fans with the Gospel for over ten years.


Every morning started with 45 minutes of corporate prayer, breakfast, hymns and then two hours of challenging, encouraging Biblical teaching. We would jam into a school bus and reach the stadium about noon.


As we picked out our street corner next to a mall theater, the crowd began to build. I have never seen so many people in one place. One evangelist would stand on a “box” elevated platform and preach the Gospel to the crowd passing by. The reaction was everything from mockingly kneeling, blaspheming and sometimes, even some authentic questions.


John 3:19-20 says, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” As we revealed the light of God’s law, many rebelled. As the Gospel was being heralded, the others would hand out tracts and engage in one-on-one conversations. We handed out tracts with a picture of the Lucas Oil Stadium on one side and the Gospel on the other. These were taken by passersby with little effort.


At 9 p.m. we wrapped up our first day of evangelism and made our way back to camp.


Saturday was a day of light rain all day, but we knew that we had a message that needed to be taken to the streets. As I was handing out tracts, Mchill and Chris, two brothers age 15 and 13, stopped to ask me if I was with the man preaching the Gospel. These young men had a church background but were unsure of their salvation. As I shared the Gospel with them it became clear they had never been born again. I explained how I had also played the game, going to church, praying, doing good things for over 30 years, but I had never repented and thrown myself at the mercy of Jesus Christ to trust in Him alone.


As the three of us stood outside with tears in our eyes, they hung on my every word. I explained if they were the only ones that I got to share the Gospel with all weekend, it would have been worth it. These young men were hungry to know how to get right with God and I praise Him for using me to challenge them to do so.


As the day went on, I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of young Muslim men who knew the Koran very well. As I spoke to them, I challenged them, asking how they could be cleared of their sin. They took a tract and thanked me for the teaching.


Later in the day, I confronted two young men promoting a false religion. I explained the difference between grace and works righteousness. Galatians 2:16, “Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” They seemed more interested in seeking unity than the truth. As we traveled back, I wondered what the Church would look like if it had the same zeal for Jesus Christ as it has for sports and entertainment.


Sunday was a warm sunny day with high expectations. We set up on an elevated platform next to the bathrooms. This meant we had a captive audience at all times. While preaching, one of our team, Robert, had a man try to take his Bible and punch him in the ribs. He replied with a “Thank you sir.” Again evangelists covered the grounds with the Gospel and tracts. I was told of a man who purchased a Super Bowl ticket for over a thousand dollars from a scalper, and upon reaching the gate, he was informed it was a counterfeit and had to leave. I wonder how many professing Christians will hear those words of Matthew 7:23, “Depart from me; never knew you,” as they enter the gate of eternity.


Many are trusting in their good works, church attendance, “Personal Relationship” or the point they “invited Jesus into their heart.” All these things are good, but you must come to God on His terms. Repent (turn from sin, turn to God). Put your trust in Jesus Christ alone. I pray you will not be like the man trying to get his last minute ticket.


It was a true blessing to serve with all the brother and sisters in the Lord at the Super Bowl. Twenty years from now most who attended won’t remember who won the Super Bowl, but I am pretty sure some will remember Super Bowl of 2012 as the year their hearts were changed by the power of the Gospel that was preached.

Black Friday Evangelism 2011

Late on Thanksgiving evening, lines lengthened outside various stores in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, as the midnight launch of Black Friday 2011 approached. But for me and my gospel comrades, these lines of waiting shoppers were an evangelism opportunity. For we are the “evangelistic vigilantes” of Fishermen’s Call, whose bold agenda was not the various deals offered at the stores but disseminating and declaring God’s truth to the souls in those lines.


But the first order of business was pouring out our hearts to the Lord for needed grace and power. The success of our ministry efforts depends not on us, but on our Christ, who graciously seeks and saves sinners (though they seek deals rather than him). Oh, how we need the Spirit’s work bringing the Word home to hearts!


Around 11 pm, we drove over to Shopko, the first of our targeted stores, each toting a stack of special “Black Friday Coupon” Bible tracts. A crowd stretched out from the doors to the end of the building. We made our way through the line, handing tracts to all who would take them. After a quick run there, we headed over to Target. As we approached the store, we were shocked to see a huge line snaking down the building and past adjacent stores! We again made our way through the line, handing out tracts and conversing as we had opportunity.


It was interesting to watch their reaction. Many eagerly reached for the coupon, excited about another deal to be had. As they looked it over, their attitude changed to perplexity. They quietly read the gospel message on the back. When they understand what it’s about, some laughed, and some handed them back, saying something like, “Give this to someone else. I don’t need it. I go to church.” Jesus’ words came to my mind: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:7). This is one symptom of a general attitude we encountered at the stores. Once they understood the message of the “coupon,” they were rather indifferent. They did not value the gospel anywhere near the things they were standing in line to buy.


Then we wrapped up our midnight run at the Forest Mall and the nearby Best Buy store. I approached a young man named Mike standing at the corner of Best Bay opposite the direction the line was heading. He was hoping to take a shortcut in and get a great deal on a television. His opportunism served him in a higher way, as I had a God-appointed opportunity to take him through the law and the gospel.


I also spoke with a young Hispanic man named Jose’ who was standing at the front of the line with his friends (suffice to say, they had been there a while). One of my brothers ran into some young men with whom he had shared Christ’s truth at the county fair last summer. Unfortunately, they were still stuck in apathetic rejection.


After this, we traveled around to the same stores again to pick up any littered tracts. It is interesting to note the condition of some of the littered tracts. They are folded or a little bit crumpled, as if they were disposed of in anger.


We then went to a nearby McDonald’s for food and fellowship. There was a line there, too!  What a time we had there, as our hearts burned together in God’s truth! Our souls were renewed and revitalized by the gospel fellowship we enjoyed over burritos and coffee. This is a huge benefit of Fishermen’s Call evangelism events — the sweet joy of making much of Christ in fellowship.


Later, we were joined by three other gospel comrades for the 4 am opening of some other stores at the mall. At this point, the mall walkway was open, so our team sought gospel opportunities there. My brother and I were blessed by God with a wonderful opportunity to declare the word of Christ to two friends, Brandon and Cassie. What a joy and high honor to share the good news of our King, after laying down the foundation of His law. How gracious He looks to unworthy sinners then!


The team made a final stop for the 6am opening at Menard’s, where tracts were again handed out and our sister comrade was bold in the Lord to speak of Christ with a whole group of shoppers. The Black Friday event (an all-night event for some!) wrapped up with breakfast and fellowship. All glory to God for the work done in spreading His Word!


Will you pray with us for the many who were given tracts or who personally heard the gospel that night? The Lord is faithful to take the seeds planted and make them bear fruit for eternity!

Summer Vacation Evangelism 2012

School is back in session. Football practices are daily.  The days are shorter. Summer is officially over.  The Bible tells us to remember God and His work lest we forget. It’s a good habit to reflect on your God-given summer. How did you spend it?  As a Gospel ministry, Fishermen’s Call would like to share with you how God used us this summer to call the Lost to repentance and faith in Jesus and to train the Called to reach the Lost. Christians from as far as Green Bay and Manitowoc gathered to serve and minister the Gospel in the Fond du Lac area.


Walleye Weekend

Walleye Weekend is a free, four-day festival featuring sporting events, national musical acts, fishing tournaments, and attractions for all ages. Walleye Weekend attracts over 100,000 visitors throughout the weekend of the festival. To draw a crowd, Fishermen’s Call used a signboard with intelligence questions to test the audience’s mind. Afterward, we would test their hearts with conscience-provoking questions eventually leading to the Gospel. Many attendees heard the Gospel with the use of the trivia signboard which had constant traffic. We also used gospel tracts as an ice breaker to talk to people about life and faith; like local teenagers Jorry, Gabriel, Cameron and Ty. This conversation first started out with a handful of teenage girls, then grew as the girls called for their guy friends to come over and hear what we had to say. When finished, they all walked away understanding God’s justice and righteousness as well as His mercy and grace.


Lifest

Lifest is a five day festival that promotes itself as “a party with a purpose.” This was an opportunity to clarify the Gospel to those who assume the Gospel like the churched, un-churched and de-churched. This event assured us that just because you host a Christian event does not mean that all attendees are Christian. After spending much time presenting the question, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” many of the youth responded with answers that were not biblical and lacked assurance.


One conversation spoke loudly to us: On Friday, a young girl, maybe 14 years old, stopped by our booth to take the Intelligence Test.  As she spoke, we noticed a sense of depression about her. Soon it was revealed that the source of her burden was abuse from her brother. We asked how her relationship was with God and she replied “not good.”  As we revealed the truth of the Gospel to her and showed her need to obey the Gospel command, we challenged her to get right with God before she laid her head on her pillow that night.


The following afternoon the same girl came back to our booth, this time with a different demeanor; a sense of peace.  She confessed that last night she had turned to the Lord and put her trust in Him. Oh the joy to be an instrument in the hands of a sovereign God!


During Lifest, Fishermen’s Call were introduced to Christians who wanted to learn biblical evangelism or to be networked with other evangelists.


Fond du Lac County Fair

What a joy it was to minister to the people in our city for six days.  Our Fishermen’s Call booth drew in numerous amounts of locals to have conversations on a spiritual level. The first conversation started out with the man very confident that he was a “good person.”  After the mirror of God’s law exposed the man’s true condition of his heart, this man was left asking, “What must I do to be saved?”  After a clear explanation of the Gospel, our response was not to “say this prayer,” but to do what the Bible says: to turn your back on sin, turn your heart to God and put your trust in Jesus Christ alone.


Not all conversations ended like the first one, but many were fruitful like the conversation with Carlie the atheist.  Our dialogue with Carlie didn’t focus on the existence of God but rather examined the claims of Christianity and raised questions directed at her heart. It was a pleasant chat that left her understanding the Gospel, maybe even for the first time.   Many Christians stepped out in faith and joined us in sowing seeds. Some of the Christians we met for the first time at Lifest, participated at the Fond du Lac County Fair.


What a blessing it was to minister the Gospel in the area where we live.  Even more, how God used Believers from different cities, different denominations, and different churches to unite on the one Gospel for His glory and our joy. Thank you to all who support us by your prayers and labor.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Black Friday Evangelism 2010

The day after Thanksgiving Day is culturally known as “Black Friday.” It is traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Merchants and the media have named it “Black Friday” to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (turning a profit). This year, on Friday, November 26, six Christians, from five churches, from four cities, from two ministries came together to address a need that most Black Friday shoppers had probably not given much thought to… eternity, specifically theirs.

The mission to evangelize the Appleton shopping area on Black Friday was solidified when two gospel ministries, Burnbrothers Ministries and Fishermen’s Call, came together to be obedient to the mandate to seek and save the lost. All the people involved in this mission were united in faith on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This endeavor began at 2 AM, as the laborers woke and gathered to start their trek to Appleton using the travel time as an opportunity to pray. The teams dispersed in two groups of three and headed towards the long lines at the stores that opened at 4 AM. The teams distributed a specially designed gospel tract to the many shoppers in line. The gospel tract’s message concluded with a challenging comparison between Black Friday and Good Friday. As the crowds were waiting for the stores to open for their “doorbuster sales,” they received the tracts with anticipation and curiosity.

Every shopper the team came in contact with received tracts. This opened doors to conversations on a spiritual level. For example, Anthony, a diabetic, was standing in line at Menard’s for a TV. After receiving the tract, he asked what it was and that opened up a 20-minute conversation. Anthony was convicted over his sins and his eternal destiny, and he was told the Good News of what God has done for him in Christ Jesus. He was left with the admonition to turn from his sins and turn to Christ and trust in Him.

One gentleman, after reading the tract returned it, explaining that the team could give it someone else. This opened up an opportunity to clearly explain the Gospel. After a ten-minute dialogue, the gentleman shook the evangelist’s hand and thanked him for his concern.

In one instance, a professing Christian was quick to criticize the method of evangelism being done by Burnbrothers Ministries and Fishermen’s Call while he waited in line at Best Buy for hours with non-believers around him as he remained silent about his faith. May the Lord open his eyes to the truth in 1 John 2:15-17: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

After all the stores opened their doors, the teams went to the mall to take advantage of the crowds on this busy shopping day. The fields were plentiful for the Gospel to be sown. Two foreign men from different kiosks were engaged in conversation with members from the team. One from Turkey and the other Nigeria. By God’s providence, three teenage girls from Appleton, Texas were shopping in Appleton, Wisconsin with their parents. While resting after an early shopping spree, one of the members of the team engaged them in honest conversation for half an hour about the reality of their eternity.

The two ministries finished the morning with breakfast at Mc Donald’s and received a sweet affirmation of the work done; they observed a woman in a near-by booth eating her breakfast sandwich as she read the Black Friday tract that she must have received early in the morning.

Let this be an encouragement to the Body of Christ that the Lord of the Harvest is increasing active laborers, so that much may be sown and much may be reaped. No immediate results were seen, but to pray for a harvest you must first plant the seed. Please pray for the souls of the shoppers that received gospel tracts on Friday, November 26, 2010 that the Lord would draw them unto His Son, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.