Chicago Blues Fest Outreach

Sunday is my favorite day of the week on project. We go to church at Cavalry Memorial Church in Oak Park. Then we have our own "Sunday School class" run by the staff. This is an important time of ministry training. Then we go do an outreach in the city, and that is followed by a "date night" with Jesus--two hours one-on-one with the savior.

So, yesterday we did outreach at the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park. By the grace and power of God, it was great. We go around doing spiritual surveys, getting into spiritual conversations, sharing the Gospel, and giving people a chance to respond. Evan and John talked to a guy named Jason who was going through some tough personal stuff. When they asked the survey question, "What is one thing you want to make absolutely sure you do during your lifetime?" he said, "Get saved." Needless to say the Gospel presentation went well. Robin and Ashley talked to a Vietnamese woman who accepted Christ, asking if "Jesus understands Vietnamese."

Finally, David (my awesome discipler) and I shared together. A guy named Nick came up to us and asked us if we would give a couple dollars for the homeless. He flashed some flyer at us, but I thought it was for a movie or something. I'm not sure. But David said he didn't have a dollar on him and asked if he would take a survey with us. He said he would. After going through the survey, David asked if we could share something from our lives that has made a huge difference. He said, sure, why not.

So I started going through the Gospel with him. I was using the "Knowing God Personally" booklet. I explained how God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives. Then I asked what he thinks keep us from knowing God. At first he said not knowing enough could keep us, but then said, "my past." I explained how we are all sinners and all have earned spiritual death. I also explained the way Romans portrays sin as a power over us that represses us.

Then I showed how Jesus--God in the flesh--came to earth and died on the cross. I asked Nick why he thought Jesus had to die. He thought for a moment and then said, "Umm... Well, I guess he died for my sin!" Then he started shaking our hands and it saying, "I got it, I got it." I was stunned. I did not know what was going on, if he just wanted to run away or what. Thankfully, David had the sense of mind to ask, "Have you ever accepted Jesus into your heart?" Nick said, "I'm doing it right now! I'm doing it right now!"

I still was not sure what was going on, but David, filled with the Spirit, went on to talk to Nick for a few minutes about salvation, Jesus' sacrifice, and the permanent freedom and forgiveness it gives us. It was at this time that it became clear to me that things really clicked for Nick and that he did understand and accept the Gospel for the first time right there in front of us. We then prayed for him, and David said, "I don't know if we have any change on us, but--" but Nick interrupted and, putting his arms around our shoulders, said, "You've given me enough. Thanks."

Praise God! We did not even approach Nick! He approached us! It is truly by God's power that He brings men to Himself. Please keep praying for the city of Chicago and the campuses we will go to for outreach on Wednesday.

It is easy to tell that outreach is really the core of what this project is because when we all came back from outreach today, we all felt so much closer and it touch with each other. Morale was up.

Thanks for reading. I will update again Wednesday after our next outreach! Thanks for your prayers!!