Oct. 1, 2010 Go Ye into all the World and Preach the Gospel

Praise the Lord that we still have the freedom in this country to do the things that Christians like to do… like share our faith in Jesus and to gather with fellow believers in the Name that is above all other names, Jesus Christ!

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.   Acts 4:12

Ray Comfort preaching at the Deeper Conference

Two weeks ago Lisa, Will, and I were able to attend the Deeper conference in Kentucky and were blessed by not only the speakers at the conference, but also many of the attendees.

People from all over the country and even the world were present.  After the conference on Saturday, there were a couple hundred Christians who hit the streets in Cincinnati to evangelize the city during the Octoberfest Celebration.  Really it was just a bunch of beer booths and thousands of people walking around drinking and getting drunk.

I saw one man, while pushing his little girl in a stroller, spilling beer on her head as he walked along. She kept saying “Daddy! Daddy!” but he didn’t hear her.  We preached, handed out tracts, and witnessed.  It was so loud there that without amplification it was almost impossible to hear the preaching. But none the less, we preached.  There were many people that got offended by a message that was confonting people in their sinful ways, but also many people who were encouraged as usual.  I had two really good 1-2-1 conversations with people as is the case when we go out to share Good News.  One of the conversations was with an army officer named James.  He stopped and listened during the preaching but had many questions.  He was justifying his drunkeness because he said that when he doesn’t drink, he is quiet and boring.  I got to bring him through the gospel and he was thankful, broken and weeping.  He just didn’t want to forsake his own life, though, for a life lived for Jesus…yet.  I gave him tracts and my business card so that he can call me from over seas.  Another of the conversations was with a newly married couple that was out getting drunk. They said that they were Christ followers and that getting drunk was ok to do.  They admitted that their lives don’t match up to a Holy Spirit filled life considering they fornicated prior to marriage and the man looks at pornography.   The man justified his sin and basically sympathized with sinning and not with the God who died to save them.  We left on very good terms and he was thankful that we were out witnessing.  I pray for this man and his wife that they will repent of their sins and put their trust in Jesus Christ.  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36.

Rob Grey preaching at the October Fest in Cincinnati

The day after the Octoberfest I was preparing to leave the Walmart parking lot with my family and drive to Chicago, when I received an email from a man I had never met before asking me to preach at the Bengals football game in Cincinnati.  I emailed him back and made a time and a place to meet.  Thomas Sadowski and I preached with the power that only the Lord can give.  We handed out hundreds of tracts and shared the gospel through preaching with all of the tail-gaters.  Shamefully we were mooned and flashed, mocked, and scorned.

Our habitation at the Walmart in Kentucky

Tom Sadowski preaching to partiers at the Bengals pre-game hellibrations

Shawn Holes taking a brief respite after having preached to the Bengals fans

We made it to Chicago and I got to do exactly what the Lord had been pressing me on.  I preached three days in a row at the local train stations of Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, and Elmhurst, Illinois.  The commuters line up very early to take trains into the city as early as 5:30 and I preach for a little over three hours.  They are a captive audience and as we like to say, “they are just waiting for a preacher”!  On the third day, I preached near Moody Bible Institute and after preaching I went to Cabrini-Green with a couple of the students and witnessed to the least of these… One of the people we met was a girl who was saved from homosexuality a year ago.  We prayed for her and encouraged her to keep fighting the good fight of faith.  We also witnessed to a couple of boys who said they had never heard the Gospel.  We had a blessed time.  I am grateful that God is no respecter of persons and we are free to go anywhere, even if for one soul.  Rejoice with me: for I have found my sheep which was lost. Luke 15:7.

Good News was shared in Chicago

Jake Gardner flew in for a couple of days to preach at Wisconsin Believers Fellowship in Athens Wisconsin. Jake and I preached for two days at this church. We had dear fellowship with these N. Wisconsin brothers and Sisters. Lisa and William stayed back with my folks in Chicago during the Wisconsin and Minnesota outreaches.

Bro. John Hedberg from Golden Valley Minnesota preaches up a storm in downtown Minneapolis at a bus stop where there are lots of people to share with. I shared the Gospel with a woman that said to me, "Hey, you seem to be talking to everybody else but me. Why don't you tell me something?" I was able to share with her for about an hour. she was extremely broken and humbled when I took her through the law and then to the cross. I challenged her to give her life to Christ and get into a good Bible believing church.

John Hedberg, John Chisham, Brad Grant, and I preached at University of Minnesota, Mankato State University, and St. Cloud State University this week.  Jake Gardner could only join us for one day at the University of Minnesota.  These campuses all need Jesus in a very big way.

After preaching at Mankato State, many students came up to us and thanked us for coming.  This happens many times at campuses and is especially appreciated.  Many students boast of their sins and mock.  Some fall under conviction.  We pray that others will continue to sow and water and that God, as He promises, will give the increase.

Jake Gardner preaching at University of Minnesota.

Rev. Gardner witnessing at U of M

Bro Brad Grant witnessing in Dinkytown Minnesota after a long day of preaching at Mankato State University.

Pastor John Chisham preaching at Mankato State Minnesota

Here is a note I received from a student at Mankato State:

Pastor John Chisham preaching at St. Cloud State University.

Brad Grant sharing Good News at St. Cloud State University

John Chisham witnessing at St. Cloud State University

These students hated the message of repentance and faith in Christ Jesus

supporters of our right to say what we wanted to even though they did not agree with the message at St. Cloud State University Minnesota

So that is a very brief update as to what we have been doing for the last couple of weeks.  Many thanks to Ken Fleck for making the Luke 10:2 blog work a lot better!  We are now headed to Hickory, NC to meet up with Jesse Boyd and several other brothers and sisters to share the Gospel in the streets of Hickory at Octoberfest and on college campuses.  May the Lord bless you as you obey the great commission.

In His grip,

Shawn Holes and family