With the Ocean City, MD boardwalk outreach approaching quickly, I wanted to share a story from one of the previous outreaches on the Boardwalk. This story is about a self-proclaimed atheist named Jewel.
Jewel and her friend approached me almost immediately after I grabbed the heaven test sign. The heaven test sign has printed in large blue letters, “Are you Going to Heaven? FREE TEST.” It is a tool that we use on the boardwalk to initiate gospel conversations.
As she and her friend approached me, I asked if they wanted to take the heaven test. Jewel agreed while her friend, the short girl in the picture, remained quiet.
My first question was, “In your personal opinion, what do you think it takes for a person to go to heaven?” Jewel responded, “I don’t believe in heaven. I’m an atheist.” Not exactly the answer I expected but when you are engaging the public, you have to be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within you.
I asked her why. She explained that she grew up Catholic but had decided that she had her own beliefs.
Then I asked what evidence she had found that proved that God doesn’t exist. She said, “Lots of things.” But, when I pressed her to give me specific examples, she couldn’t think of anything.
I pointed to the building next to us, “Do you see that building? How did it get there?” “Someone built it,” She said. “Yes,” I replied, “that is correct. In fact, someone designed the building and then built it.” I asked about the mobile phone in her pocket: “How did that come to be?” “Steve Jobs,” She said. I added that someone also put it together.
“So just as every building has a builder and every phone has a maker, when I look at creation around us, I believe that there has to be a creator,” I concluded.
I then began to ask her the Ten Commandment questions which are part of the heaven test. Have you ever lied? Have you ever stolen anything? Jesus said that if you hate someone in your heart, you have committed murder against that person in your heart.
Jewel admitted to lying and stealing, but not to hating someone. I shared how I had hated someone before even though I was not proud of it. (Jesus taught that hating someone was the same as murder.)
After explaining that those were questions from the Ten Commandments, I then asked, “If God judged you based on your answers, would you be guilty or innocent?” Jewel said she would be guilty. I followed that by asking her what God does to those who break his laws. She responded that she didn’t know.
It was at that point that I asked her to imagine that she came to Ocean City, had gotten into trouble, and had been arrested for breaking the law. “If you went before the judge and he found you guilty, what would he do to you?” I asked. She responded that he would punish her.
“And that is exactly what God does to those who break his laws,” I replied.
Then I went on to explain the Good News of Jesus Christ – how Jesus came to take the punishment for our sins and that by faith in Him, we could be forgiven of our sins and enter into heaven when we die.
She thanked me and then she and her friend – who never said a word – walked on down the boardwalk (After I gave them gospel tracts). I’m praying that the precious gospel seed fell on fertile ground and will one day bring forth fruit.
This was one of many conversations that our team had at Ocean City during the week of outreach. I would guess that there were at least 5-6000 gospel tracts handed out. The gospel was preached using the paint board each night except Thursday which was due to rain. We still went out and gave away tracts and had gospel conversations.
I need your help to be able to join the team this year for the outreach. I’m less than two weeks away and so far, only $250 of the $1100 has come in to cover my expenses. Will you prayerfully consider a donation of $100 or some other amount to help me reach young people with the gospel? There will be thousands of people in Ocean City for this week, June 11-16.
Until the Net is Full,
Darrel
