"And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."- Matthew 4:19
Spurgeon (1) wrote, " I think I may say to every person whom I am addressing -If you are yourself saved, the work is but half done until you are employed to bring others to Christ. You are as yet but half formed in the image of your Lord. You have not attained to the full development of the Christ-life in you unless you have commenced in some feeble way to tell others of the grace of God; and I trust that you will find no rest to the sole of your foot till you have been the means of leading many to that blessed Saviour who is your confidence and your hope.
Let us ask Him to give us grace to go a-fishing, and so to cast our nets that we may take a great multitude of fishes. Oh, that the Holy Ghost may raise up from among us some master-fishers, who shall sail their boats in many a sea, and surround great shoals of fish!"
In this regard an important milestone occurred for me personally on October 21, 1995. On that day together with another Christian we took a table into the market place in the centre of a major city. On the table was a collection of free Christian literature and tapes and on the front of the table a sign reading," Jesus said, You Must Be Born Again. "
The actual vision for the counter (table, literature, sign, etc) was received, I believe, in the Spring of 1992 so it took about 3 1/ 2 years before I actually started going into public places with the table. During that period of 3 1/2 years I helped another Christian gather supplies for his counter.
Initially we started obtaining supplies from out own stocks plus purchase of Christian literature from charity and Christian book shops. With time other Christians started to donate books, magazines, tapes, tracts, etc. Literature containing marketing was generally edited out and not placed on the counter.
Regarding tapes, have collected to date lots of " master" tapes which may be freely copied.
With time the witness set up " evolved. " On July 12, 1997 we started outside preaching in the market place, then in other places in the city plus other locations outside the city. In 1998 we started with PA systems (megaphone and microphone). More recently the witness set up comprised a portable pulpit, PA and sign(s).
In 2004/2005 we started the manufacture of CD/DVDs ( normal audio, MP3s and videos/films ) for FREE distribution.
One scripture reading which I have meditated on several times with respect to witnessing on the streets is the following passage in 2 Kings 7:3f.
3 ¶ And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king?s household.
Samaria was in terrible famine when Elisha suddenly announced four gallons of barley will be sold in the markets of Samaria for 40p! (TLB). Meanwhile, the Bible says that there were four leprous men living near the gate of the city deliberating what to do!
They appeared to have 3 choices:-
a. go into the city
b. sit still where they were
c. go into the enemy camp.
Choices a and b would result in death whereas with option c they reckoned they would have a chance to live!
It is very interesting to note that when they arose to go into the enemy camp the enemy left their camp at the same time because God frightened them off!
In other words God moved when they moved (note the phrase in the twilight in verses 5 and 7).
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1. Spurgeon, Charles " Instruction In Soul Winning "
