During the mission month in May, MAC at the city center held a four-day course “Evangelists . . . Evangelistic Zeal”, covering theoretical and practical approaches in evangelism. It aimed to equip believers with the skills to start a conversation when preaching, make good use of an illustrated handbook entitled “The Precious Gospel”, write an impactful three-minute personal salvation testimony, and how to help participants at evangelistic events take a step forward in their relationship with the Lord.
We thank the Lord that 17 Cantonese- or Mandarin- speaking believers signed up for the free course. In addition, two sisters in the Lord from a different church in Manchester and three people from North America attended the training. The instructors of the UK Short-term Mission Center, together with four attendees from last year, stepped out from their comfort zone and energized by the Lord’s grace and love, preached in restaurants and on the streets, experiencing the realities of preaching.
The most unforgettable takeaway for these “evangelist trainees” is learning how to warm up to strangers. Starting from a casual chat, gradually talk about the other person’s life and their inner needs in life; make good use of leaflets or booklets, guide people to establish a reconciled relationship with God in a timely manner. Count on the wisdom given by the Lord, actively resolve queries and challenges relating to the gospel. Regardless of the situation, sincerely and enthusiastically bless people, experience the promised presence of the Lord and the joy of preaching the good news!
At the invitation of an elderly sister from the Mandarin Ministry, I swiftly visited three casinos in the city center within two hours and came into close contact with the elderly at different places. I deeply feel that this is a neglected gospel field. The lost sheep of the Lord are scattered among the mountains and on the high hills. Who will go to find them and when will it happen? Unexpectedly, at the evangelistic meeting in May, an 89-year-old lady decided to believe in the Lord, and an elderly man in a suit became interested in the gospel after listening to the sermon. In June, under the guidance of the Lord, the evangelistic team held a “mosquito-sized” evangelistic meeting, but more than 10 elderly people and guests participated. The Lord’s work does not stop!
The Kingdom of Heaven is near, spare no time to save souls! Chinese Language School, the special educational needs group in the Mandarin Ministry, English classes of ESL and WEC missionaries, different age groups in various fellowships, and the diverse ethnic groups that our cross-cultural team contacts are all gospel fields entrusted to MAC by the Lord and urgently need to be harvested. Who is willing to go for the Lord? Whether you have believed in the Lord for a long time or recently, and no matter how many gifts you have, as long as you are willing to offer yourself to save a soul in the flames like offering a glass of water, the Lord of MAC’s Outreach Evangelistic Team is waiting for you!
Pastor Alan Ip