I helped my mother set up the outreach table last Saturday, outside of Gatlinburg, TN, to tourists of the Smoky Mountain National Park. We were busy all morning and afternoon!
Most of the people who approached were already Christians, but they had questions about the emergent church, contemplative prayer, and Rick Warren's "P.E.A.C.E. Plan." We were happy to explain and offer them free materials, reminding people that what we focus on as Christians is living for Jesus and knowing Him through Bible study. So many of these movements add to that simplicity or take away from it! God did not save us for such movements based on humanism. People listened as I explained and took materials to study more about apostasy vs. truly living according to the Bible.
This man took books in Spanish to share with people at his church in Mexico. It was such a delight to meet him and pray with him.
I told my mother that this is the easiest location, by far! So many people are already Christians. They have many questions, though, about cults and other religions. We gave away many pamphlets exposing the true meaning of yoga, which means "yoke" with Brahmin and Hindu gods and goddesses (which are demonic spirits.) We gave away many of our commentaries on the 23rd Pslam about the Lord is a faithful Shepherd to His sheep.
Some of the people asked us to pray for them and pray with them. A few took materials for people struggling with homosexuality, explaining that they had family members who were homosexuals. Some of our books called After Death, What Then? were taken to give to Jehovah's Witnesses who don't believe in hell.
All of our devotionals were taken. One person asked for a Bible to read while she was here camping.
Sermons were taken, as the people said they would like to listen to CDs as they travel through the Smoky Mountain National Park. We gave out sermons on "The Deity of Jesus," "How Can We Know the Bible is God's Word?" and "Tools of the Occult."
CDs of Jan Markell's radio program also were taken, including "Can You Find God in The Shack?" and a program on "The New Apostolic Reformation."
Our tracts on Heaven are always of interest with so much fascination now on reincarnation via the American media and interest in communicating with the dead.
People also took CDs on "The Angels of God," explaining the difference between holy angels and fallen angels. (2 Corinthians 11:14, 1 John 4:1)
People approach and ask, "Is everything really free?" That gives us a chance to ask if they have ever taken the free gift from God of salvation? (Romans 6:23)
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our account that we may become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). When we realize how much God loves us, we see that the best life on earth is one lived for Jesus! It is no burden, though we sure don't live like the world, and "suffering" is guaranteed. (Philippians 1:29). One woman approached who said she was lonely, and I offered her a devotional from Chapel Hill about how God is close to the brokenhearted. She had tears in her eyes, and we prayed together. I told her that only God truly understands all that is on her mind, but He cares and will never give us more than we can handle. She was also encourged to take the book on the 23rd Psalm. She said she felt encouraged when she left and also took a few CDs of sermons.
First Baptist Sevierville donated 50 CDs of a recent guest speaker who shared his testimony of how he became a Christian after being a football star. All of the CDs of his testimony we packed for the day's outreach were taken. 
What a blessing to meet Bud, a pastor visiting the Smokies. He insisted on giving us a donation, though we kept telling him everything was free. He was such a humble person, stating that he knew we were doing God's work, and he wanted the blessing of giving us some money. He gave us some cash, and he prayed with us. He said, "You are fulfilling the Great Commission."
One thing I enjoy when I visit my mother is the experience of praying with her. We have been taking time each day to pray together down on our knees. We came home after the day's outreach and prayed for Bud, just like we promised him we would. I told him I knew I would see him again. He said we would meet again for sure in heaven.
One person wanted materials for family members who are not Christians and took tracts on yoga and books against evolution for them.
People are surprised to see our table as they stop at the Visitors' Center. God meets people right where they are, and we are thankful to be part of His work.
"And this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ." Philippians 1:9-10
The thrill of the day for me was when a Russian Jewish woman stopped and said she had never read the New Testament. She promised to listen to a CD of Stan Telchin's testimony! She said she would listen to it as she drove back home from the mountains. (Stan Telchin was an Orthodox Jewish man whose daughter came home to announce she had become a Christian. Stan responded, "Judy, have you lost your mind?" His daughter, Judy, began praying for him and convinced him to read the New Testament. Stan Telchin became a Christian after reading more about Jesus, the King of the Jews, in the Bible. A Jewish woman called him after his conversion and lamented, "We've lost you." He said, "You have not lost me! I am still Jewish!") Stan's testimony is sure a powerful one, as he also explains that MANY Jewish people are coming to faith in Jesus. The God of the Bible is the God who loves the Jews and knows how to soften the hardest of hearts and draw His own. (Romans 9: 15-16 )
"If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a Man also came the resurrection of the dead, for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive." 1 Corinthians 15: 19-22
A Catholic teenager came over and confessed he had never read the New Testament. He said in all of his years in Catholicism, he had been obeying the priests and traditions of the church but not reading the Bible for himself. He took a tract on "Scripture vs. Tradition" to read for himself what the Bible says compared to rules men have made in religion. I saw him off to the side reading the pamphlet. 
This young boy was thrilled to take a CD series by John Piper on "Hope." He said he wanted to give it as a gift to his parents.
"Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with Him in glory...So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Colossians 3)
