Today’s evangelism was most interesting! I was going to Pak N Save supermarket to buy some things and thought ‘I wonder if I could share the gospel with someone in the shop?’  After all, when Jesus ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel (Mark 16:15) the word ‘go’ in this verse means ‘as you go’.  I prayed and set off. When I reached the supermarket, in entered through the turnstile, my iphone ready.  I found the things I wanted but they were out of frozen blueberries. I looked around the aisles as I walked them looking for that right person but there was no one who looked like they had time. So I thought ‘oh well, I’ll just go outside and look for someone.  This is exactly what the parables of the lost penny and lost sheep are all about.’   

Seeing I only had a two or three things in my bag, I went to the express checkout. As I was standing in line, I saw the shop manager near the entrance and our eyes met.  I met her a few months back when the shop ran out of frozen blueberries and I had asked her to phone me when they came in. She did, and I eventually got what I wanted. So, here we were again with the same issue! No frozen blueberries! When our eyes met this time, she yelled out in a nice way ‘We’re out of blueberries again!’  I nodded in agreement and yelled back ‘I will come and see you in a moment.’   Everyone passes by the supervisor’s area on the way out of the supermarket. 

When I got to her after going through the checkout,  she greeted my kindly and asked for my phone number, so she could phone me when the blueberries came in.  We joked around a bit.  I tried to turn the conversation around to the spiritual.  ‘You know I am a minister eh?’ I said. ‘No I didn’t know that! she said, grinning. ‘You know what, we have developed a video that summarises the whole Bible in 11 minutes. Would you like to see it?’  Well, this really lit her candle! Gasping for breath, she said ‘No way! 11 minutes!!??’  I said ‘Yep, 11 minutes.’  Then she said ‘I’d absolutely love to see it, but I can’t right now because I am still working.  Can I see it on a web site? Or can I buy a copy of you? Do you have CD’s with the video on the CD?’  I said ‘Well, when do you finish. Maybe I could wait until the end of your shift?’ 

She said ‘No, I have a whole lot to do when I finish. Can I ask you a question. Do you marry people?’ I said ‘yes, I am a celebrant. Why? Is there someone you want to marry?’  She said ‘Yes, there is.’  She went onto to explain how she had been married before and how she had met a wonderful guy and they had been living together for 5 years. She was head over heals in love with him and he with her.  She wanted to marry but he wasn’t so sure it was necessary. I explained how I thought it was a good idea and God would bless them if they got married, because it’s a scriptural principle, whether they believed in God or not.   I then suggested we prayed for Kevin her partner that God would  move on his heart to change his mind about the need for marriage (Proverbs 20:1). 

She was so excited! If you have read my book and seen my DVD’s, this conversation about marriage was ‘ploughing’ up the ground of her heart to make it ready for the planting of the seed of the gospel.   Then she said the most amazing thing and totally changed the subject.   ‘Julian, about this video. I really want to see it. What are you doing on Saturday at 3:30?’ I said ‘nothing I can think of, why?’  She said ‘How about we meet at a cafe just up the road and I can watch it then!?’  3:30 is when I finish work. I really want to know what it says.’   I said ‘Sounds great. See you at 3:30 Saturday’.  I am going to phone her back and ask her to bring Kevin along. Afterall, the iphone headphones have two speakers, one for her ear and one for his! There is nothing more exciting than working with a non-Christian couple to help them find Christ. Maybe things will go well on Saturday and they come to faith? Maybe not?  Maybe they will be open to doing a pre-marriage course at church? Maybe I’ll end up marrying them.   One thing is for sure, she at least will hear the gospel clearly. If he comes, that’s a bonus because he will hear as well.  And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about – proclaiming the gospel and watching what God is doing and how He is leading.

What are the lessons here? 1) Evangelism has to be intentional. None of this would have happened unless I had planned to make it happen. 2) It didn’t happen like I thought it would happen.  That’s OK. God is sovereign and we have to be ready to adapt.  He wanted me to do some ploughing before we get to sowing the gospel. Proverbs says ‘A man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps’ 3) I prayed before I went. God honours prayer 4) I set out to give the gospel to one person.  This could lead to two people hearing and if they come to faith, perhaps a whole family. Who knows what is in the mind of God? 5) Tools help.  Being invited to watch an 11 minute video which summarises the Bible really seems to interest non-Christians.  So get the tool and get going!

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