Saturday Field Days

Saturday was another great day of witnessing at the Johnson City Labor Day Field Days. We always have to remember that it is the LORD that draw people to himself. We are just called to sow and water seeds to prick consciences and get people thinking about eternal things. But it is a joy to see people really understand why they need a Savior and why Jesus is that only Savior. So we pray for each individual that passed by our booth, for each one that received a tract, for each one that took the time to talk and hear about the Gospel. To God Be the Glory in All Things. Nate

Johnson City Labor Day Field Days - Friday Night

We had a very good evening with several good conversations. Despite the early rain, the field days did fill up with lots of teens as the evening continued. Shawn was one of the first to approach our booth. He wanted to answer some trivia questions to get a prize but also had his understanding of Law and Grace cleared up a bit. He even called his mother other to answer some questions and listen too.

While finishing with Shawn, Sue talked with another couple giving them a flyer for a free clothing give away our church is having next weekend.

This group of teens enjoyed the free trivia game we were doing but also listened as well as I switch from the natural to the spiritual. Please pray for Newell in the orange, Ed in the white, and Precious in the pink.


Cece, Sue and myself.

Bob H. and Tom J. two Gideons from our church came out to help give out New Testaments. Also thank you to Linda and Barrilyn for coming out Friday night too.

I'm not sure if these girls were part of the "Sydney, Julie, Megan" or the "Megan, Ashley, Michelle, or Emily" group. But none the less, each group went through the good person test, heard the Law and then the Gospel. Pray for the seeds planted in their lives.


Sue had a good conversation with this group of guys.




Not shown in the above pictures, but also please pray for Grace. She came up for the trivia and listened through an extended Law and Gospel presentation.

Towards the end of the evening, I had a very long conversation with several guys who seemed like they just wanted to challenge every aspect of God, the Bible, and Christianity. Please pray for Alex, Garrett, and Justin. (plus a couple other guys). The conversation went well and I thank WOTM for preparing me for several of the arguments that they brought up and teaching how to get back to the Law to keep working on the conscience. Pray for them.

Upcoming Labor Day Weekend Outreach

This Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday we will again running a booth at the Johnson City Labor Day Field Days. We pray that there will be many opportunities to share the law and the gospel with the fair goers. We will be giving out Punch Balloons and Air Head Taffy Candy to those willing to talk to us. We also have some stuffed animals to use to draw a crowd for Open Air Trivia then Open Air Preaching.

For an example of what we hope to be able to do with the open air trivia, listen to the audio on this page or download the MP3 file. Tony Miano draws and holds a crowd with trivia questions starting in the natural and swinging to the spiritual.


Open Air Example

Tony Miano serves as Director of Way of the Master's Ambassador's Alliance.



Last Year's Booth - Noah's Grab Bag

Church Neighborhood Sales Day Outreach

Each year the street that our church is on has a neighborhood sale day. For several years now, we as a church have participated doing an outreach to those walking by the church for the yard sales. We give out free bottled water which is much appreciated on hot August days. But more importantly, we give out "Living Water" by giving out Gospel tracts and trying to get into spiritual conversations. A couple members from the church are members of the local Gideons, and they have joined with us to provide Gideon New Testaments anyone wanting one.

Today, I was able to get into several conversations. The first one of the day was with a nice retiree gentlemen named Edwin. It was sad to hear him tell me he drove bus for his church for 30 some years but yet had no clue how to answer the "Million Dollar" how to get to heaven question. Even with sharing the law and the gospel with him, I still don't know if he really got it. Pray for Edwin.

After the previous night with the teens at our open gym night where so many had no desire to talk, it was a joy and a previlege to talk to a young teen on a bike that was very interested in talking. Chris asked about the Million Dollar Question and went through the good person test with me. I could tell his mind was working and really thinking things through. He understood the court room analogies and said he would continue to think about our conversation. He left with a "million dollar bill", a "Why Christianity" booklet, and a Gideon's New Testament along with a thanks as he rode off on his bike.

Something new for me in sharing the Law and Gospel happened today was when I shared with a married couple. The guy was wearing a Vietnam Veteran cap. They were right with me as I asked about lying, stealing, and blasphemy. Really understanding their guilt. I then continued with asking about murder, getting ready to jump to the normal talk on how hatred is considered the same. Their instant answer was "no" but then something happened, they looked at each other indicated that he as a veteran had seen and been involved in some very difficult situations. It was clear that this was something he had been dealing with for a long long time. I shared that any of that done in service for our country was not the same. I thanked him for his service and was able to continue on to talk of judgment, destiny, concern, and ultimately the Gospel. They thanked me for the conversation and he reached out to shake my hand. I couldn't help but thank him again for his service to all of us.

My last conversation of the day was with David. He indicated that he didn't believe in heaven or hell or any religion. He would just "be buried and rot" I quizzed a bit and discovered he was forced to go to a catholic church as a child until he punched the priest for trying to push religion on him. "So David", I said, "are you going to punch me if I talk with you about Christianity?" I wasn't sure if his comment was a warning or just narrative on is background. Well he smile and said no but also clearly wasn't about to talk. So I asked if he would take a little booklet and read it, Ray Comfort's "Why Christianity". He said he would probably just rip it up when he got home but yet I still sensed that I need to give it to him. He took it and I tolded him that it was a short explaination of the world's religions and why Christianity was different. I said he could read it in maybe 20-30 minutes. "Not for me" was the reply, "I'm illiterate." I suggested that maybe, who I believe to be his wife and sister in law, could help him with it so he could understand. He thanked me and went on down the street. It was a hard one but not too hard for our Lord to reach. Please pray for David.

Until the Nets are Full,

Nate

Church's Open Gym Night

We had a good first open gym night at our church. To be honest we were a bit overwhelmed by the turn out. We had at least 75 and probably over 100 kids come through our doors to play games and hangout. Most were new faces to our church. Obviously sharing the Gospel with them was a priority. It was hard to get the kids interested in any conversations. Most were there just to hang and fool around which presented some difficulty with crowd control. I did get to share one on one with Tyheem, Joe, and a few others. (see pictures) Lots of kids got Million Dollar Bills so I can only pray that they will eventually be read.
Thanks for your prayers, Nate


















Me witnessing to Joe.



Tyheem

Weekend Outreaches

www.tractfromnate.blogspot.com

My church has a couple of outreaches coming up this weekend. I'd appreciate your prayers for many opportunities to share the law and gospel.



First, tonight we are having an open gym fun night from 7-10PM for teens and pre-teens. This is something new for us. While there will be fun stuff to do, more importantly the law and the gospel will be shared "one on one" or "via group" to everyone that shows up. Please pray that the "fun" is balanced properly with opportunities to witness.



Second, Saturday morning and early afternoon is a neighborhood garage sale on our church's street. We will be handing out free bottled water and more importantly sharing "Living Water" to those walking by the church for the sales. We have done this for a few years now. Like the Friday night event, I ask you to pray for the proper balance of opportunities.




Thanks, Nate

Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally

My favorite local festival to witness at has to be Binghamton's Spiedie Fest and Hot Air Balloon Rally. (www.spiediefest.com) This was the third year now that my church has participated. Since it is a balloon fest, we had blow up punching balloons to give out to the children and plenty of Gospel Tracts to any and all that would take them. Well over a 1000 tracts were give out including WOTM Million Dollar Bills, Big $100 bills, pink and blue curves, Evangelism Team's 3's & 7's. One thing that attracted people this year were the pressed pennies with the Ten Commandments on them. I quickly learned a quick 30 second witnessing presentation to run through from the moment anyone asked what they were. Beyond the tracts, we had several lengthy "one on one" or "one on group" witnessing conversations sharing the Law and the Gospel. Many were very greatful to have Christianity explained and most took the excellent "Why Christianity?" booklet from Ray Comfort at the conclusion of talking. I pray now that the seeds planted via tract or conversation will find good soil, will be watered, and that the LORD of the harvest will cause the seed to grow and be reaped for God's Glory and Honor alone.

Pictures:

Sue and Bekah Pumping Balloons

Jeremy All Set for the Crowds

Me witnessing to Brandon

Me sharing with a Lady interested in Pennies

The Lady in the bottle costume came looking

for the guy with the MDB. She couldn't read

it through the face meshing so she asked me

to read it to her. Never witnessed to a bottle

of marinade before.

One group of guys that came back looking for

more million dollar bills. Of course I made sure

to get more they needed to talk to me about

the Million Dollar Question. The conversation

went really well and they wanted the Why

Christianity booklets to read more. Pray for

them.

Signup Date: August 10, 2008

My person BLOG for the purpose of Honoring and Glorifying the LORD in all things by being a faithful "fisher-for-men" in the Greater Binghamton, NY area and anywhere the LORD leads.

Dedicated to the LORD Who by His gracious mercy saved a wicked sinner such as I. Nate