I read this and think of how much time we, as Christians, waste when we could REALLY BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE in the lives of people for God's glory. All our friend, Christian, did was make himself available. I respect him so much for how he choose to spend his time last Sunday. He normally works with our team on Sundays in NYC, but there had been a misunderstanding about when and where they would meet, so he gave some of his time away to share with others about Jesus, and look what a testimony God gave him back in return!!
(From Christian):
Hi Ladies ["Good News Girls"]
I showed up where we usually are and decided to stick around in case any regulars come by and need something. Well, no regulars came by, but something else pretty cool happened. I realized how easy ministry is in the subways... I just parked myself on a high-traffic corner (near the top of the stairs right across from where our table usually is) with my bag of tracts and just organized a stack of miscellaneous pamphlets in my hand. Every now and then someone would come up to me and ask for directions to a train, and I would accommodate them and hand them a tract or walk with them a bit and talk.
The first guy was a 30-something African-American from Georgia who had come up 5 months ago for a relationship which had since ended. He worked some rapper's bling and had mentioned I would see his name in lights soon. After walking him to the train map to decipher the instructions he had been told for going to 88th St in Queens, we agreed it had to be the A train. He took the tract, and was very grateful and I reassured him that, though the relationship didn't pan out, God surely had brought him here to teach him something through the spontaneity of life.
The second person was a 50-something Russian lady with whom I walked to the train map and then stalled for time by walking in the direction of the Q in the hopes of finding a Russian-language tract. I managed to find one before we parted ways. She had a grin on her face when she saw the language and confirmed she could understand it.
The third was a slightly heavy-set, black-haired, 40ish guy from Germany who thanked me for the tract I gave him, along with directions. I wanted to give him a study booklet on a book of the Bible, but he said he has a Bible and reads it. He added that he's a Jehovah's Witness. I tried to stall but had to let him go because I wasn't finding the little cards written for a JW audience. Then, two minutes later, I found a photocopy of the JW entry in Bob Larsen's Book of Cults and walked briskly in the direction of the R, where I had sent the man. He was standing around the corner in the next hall looking at something---and I was glad to have a chance to give him the three-page expose about the Watchtower Organization.
The fourth was a Hispanic woman who looked to be late 30s going by with her young daughter and another woman. When she saw me rifling though tracts, she asked me to give her whatever I had in Spanish. I gave her two different Spanish tracts. Then, after about a minute, I caught up with her a couple of hundred feet away and added a Spanish-language CD with music or a testimony on it.
The fifth was a police officer, who received an English gospel tract and an invite to Times Square Church's "Christmas Around The World" choral concert going on this week. He gave a genuine "Thanks."
The sixth person was a tall, slender, 30-something black guy also from Georgia whom I exhorted in the faith for a few minutes. He said he will try to go to the TSC Christmas concert and was looking for something to do to celebrate the season. As I probed a bit to see if he knew the Lord, he said, "Sort-of." I told him that knowing Him is simpler than people make it out to be and quoted Romans 12:1-2 about believing and confessing unto justification and salvation. I said the good works are out of gratitude to God but that the faith in Christ's work on the cross is what saves. He testified that God had helped him become clean and sober for some years now and said I was reminding him that he needs to go get his Bible out of storage. With one last word of encouragement to read his Bible, I had to pick up a pair of boots at a store before hustling uptown...
Okay, just to wrap up, I wanted to add that I gave two of the shoe store employees invites to the TSC Christmas concert. The one large black guy was grateful, and the Filipino-looking 20ish girl at the register was very appreciative, saying she also was looking for something to bring "more of God" into her life, because she believes "it is important for producing morals in society." It gave me the opportunity to tell her that is just scratching the surface---and that knowing Christ personally changes your heart and your whole outlook and being...
So, it was not the expected Sunday, but it, again, showed God's willingness to use us whenever we make ourselves available. I'm glad to have redeemed valuable time this Sunday. All four of you are amazing in your dedication and sacrifice to do it almost every week. We know Christ is worthy of far more than any of us do, but I always speak highly of you in view of your heart for, and action on behalf of, the lost sheep and the family of God.
Have a good Christmas week,
Christian C.
(From Christian):
Hi Ladies ["Good News Girls"]
I showed up where we usually are and decided to stick around in case any regulars come by and need something. Well, no regulars came by, but something else pretty cool happened. I realized how easy ministry is in the subways... I just parked myself on a high-traffic corner (near the top of the stairs right across from where our table usually is) with my bag of tracts and just organized a stack of miscellaneous pamphlets in my hand. Every now and then someone would come up to me and ask for directions to a train, and I would accommodate them and hand them a tract or walk with them a bit and talk.
The first guy was a 30-something African-American from Georgia who had come up 5 months ago for a relationship which had since ended. He worked some rapper's bling and had mentioned I would see his name in lights soon. After walking him to the train map to decipher the instructions he had been told for going to 88th St in Queens, we agreed it had to be the A train. He took the tract, and was very grateful and I reassured him that, though the relationship didn't pan out, God surely had brought him here to teach him something through the spontaneity of life.
The second person was a 50-something Russian lady with whom I walked to the train map and then stalled for time by walking in the direction of the Q in the hopes of finding a Russian-language tract. I managed to find one before we parted ways. She had a grin on her face when she saw the language and confirmed she could understand it.
The third was a slightly heavy-set, black-haired, 40ish guy from Germany who thanked me for the tract I gave him, along with directions. I wanted to give him a study booklet on a book of the Bible, but he said he has a Bible and reads it. He added that he's a Jehovah's Witness. I tried to stall but had to let him go because I wasn't finding the little cards written for a JW audience. Then, two minutes later, I found a photocopy of the JW entry in Bob Larsen's Book of Cults and walked briskly in the direction of the R, where I had sent the man. He was standing around the corner in the next hall looking at something---and I was glad to have a chance to give him the three-page expose about the Watchtower Organization.
The fourth was a Hispanic woman who looked to be late 30s going by with her young daughter and another woman. When she saw me rifling though tracts, she asked me to give her whatever I had in Spanish. I gave her two different Spanish tracts. Then, after about a minute, I caught up with her a couple of hundred feet away and added a Spanish-language CD with music or a testimony on it.
The fifth was a police officer, who received an English gospel tract and an invite to Times Square Church's "Christmas Around The World" choral concert going on this week. He gave a genuine "Thanks."
The sixth person was a tall, slender, 30-something black guy also from Georgia whom I exhorted in the faith for a few minutes. He said he will try to go to the TSC Christmas concert and was looking for something to do to celebrate the season. As I probed a bit to see if he knew the Lord, he said, "Sort-of." I told him that knowing Him is simpler than people make it out to be and quoted Romans 12:1-2 about believing and confessing unto justification and salvation. I said the good works are out of gratitude to God but that the faith in Christ's work on the cross is what saves. He testified that God had helped him become clean and sober for some years now and said I was reminding him that he needs to go get his Bible out of storage. With one last word of encouragement to read his Bible, I had to pick up a pair of boots at a store before hustling uptown...
Okay, just to wrap up, I wanted to add that I gave two of the shoe store employees invites to the TSC Christmas concert. The one large black guy was grateful, and the Filipino-looking 20ish girl at the register was very appreciative, saying she also was looking for something to bring "more of God" into her life, because she believes "it is important for producing morals in society." It gave me the opportunity to tell her that is just scratching the surface---and that knowing Christ personally changes your heart and your whole outlook and being...
So, it was not the expected Sunday, but it, again, showed God's willingness to use us whenever we make ourselves available. I'm glad to have redeemed valuable time this Sunday. All four of you are amazing in your dedication and sacrifice to do it almost every week. We know Christ is worthy of far more than any of us do, but I always speak highly of you in view of your heart for, and action on behalf of, the lost sheep and the family of God.
Have a good Christmas week,
Christian C.
