Skate Park News -- Part 3

This is the third in a multi-part posting from the Janssen / Skate Park Small Group.

When we went to the skate park on June 7, we wanted to share the Gospel with the kids there. One of the ways of doing this is commonly called, "open air preaching." The idea is relatively simple: stand in a public place, speak loudly, and share the message of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible.

Sometimes, to get attention, it helps to be speaking to someone directly, so other people can hear a conversation going on. Many times, through chatting with someone, the questions and thoughts that people will have about the message being spread will be answered or addressed through this channel. That is where CJ came in.



CJ is a young man, about to turn 19, who does not believe in God, Heaven, the devil, Hell, or any of the other tenets of Christianity. He said that he only wants to live for today and doesn't care about what happens after this life. So, we took the time to speak to him in an open-air format and walk through the Gospel with him.

You may be thinking, "Why would you want to talk to someone who has these beliefs if he isn't going to listen?" First, you never know when the Holy Spirit will move in someone's life. It is possible that through this preaching, CJ would repent of his sins and put his trust in Jesus.

Second, what you can't really see in this video is the two to three dozen kids who were standing around, sitting on benches, and eating the food we served up. Even though CJ may be fixed in his beliefs, these kids were listening to the serious message of the Gospel. Afterwards, in speaking with those kids further, they understood the basics of our faith. Some of them, as we could see, were being affected by God's Word being preached, and we hope for their salvation.

Third, hecklers and people who oppose what is going on can draw a crowd. People draw in more people, and a person who may not, "go with the flow," can entice more people to show up. Some of CJs friends walked over to where we were when they saw him talking with us.

Remember that when you share the Gospel with someone, you may not be sharing it to only that person. Eavesdroppers, passers-by, and other people around the area may be listening and get convicted by the Holy Spirit.

And please remember to pray for kids like CJ. May God work on his heart and save his soul.