The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.
Jesus: Matthew 9:37
How often do we meet people and the first conversation we have with them is about Jesus? Well, possibly on occasion. But how many times does that first interaction build to us introducing Jesus to them?
Last Saturday, a group of around 20 of us headed out to Piccadilly Gardens asking God to give us these conversations. First, we met together for some training by Scott McNamara, who developed this tool during his time working on the streets of Northern Ireland. After hearing his story, learning the structure and a quick practise, we set off to give it a go ourselves.
The opening is simple: ‘Have you seen this picture before and do you pray?’
Assuming the answer is positive, there follows a succinct 9-point conversation frame, taking people through the message of Jesus, how much He has done for them and how much He longs for a real relationship with them. In short, how He is standing at the door of their hearts, patiently knocking, but only they can open it.
When we met up 90 minutes later, amazing stories began to emerge. In all, 12 people met Jesus for the first time and are now in contact with members of MV.
12. In 90 minutes.
The beauty of this tool is not just it’s simplicity, it’s that it seeks out those who are ready or already searching for Jesus. It’s not a platform for religious debate or a lengthy apologetic of Christianity. If people are ready, we continue. If not, with grace, we walk away.
It is, after all, Jesus who saves. If they’re not ready, chances are even the most well rehearsed argument won’t persuade them in that moment. The pressure is off, all we have to do is ask the questions.
This is not a free-heaven-pass hand out either. One of the most important moments was ensuring we would have some way of contacting the people we met. The enemy will fight to win them back; we need to fight harder to keep them. We’re out to make disciples; people who will run the race, not stumble at the start line.
The stories which came out of that afternoon were truly humbling. Young people struggling with depression and anxiety looking for hope and finding it; a guy intrigued by us praying for encouragement at the half way point was invited over and in turn invited Jesus into his life; a lady who had had a song in her head for weeks, discovered it was in fact a worship song and gave her life to Jesus. One of us, after deciding to walk around the area and pray for everyone else, felt convicted to just give it a go once, met a guy, chatted through the card and he gave his life to Jesus. They agreed to call and catch up later, after the football, of course.
Of course there were many others who weren’t quite ready or flat out not interested, but it’s alright. It just wasn’t their day.
It didn’t end there either. The following day, four more people opened the door to Jesus.
Where now? We’ll keep in contact with those we met, keep loving those Jesus sends us and keep going out to the lost to find those ready to open the door. After all, Jesus’ parting words were: ‘Go and make disciples…’ Go. Go, and surely He is with us.
What a journey to be on.
If you haven’t invited Jesus in through the door of your heart, now is always the best time to do it. Here is the prayer we used on the street and it’s all you need to start this incredible journey with Him:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I open the door of my heart
I say sorry for my sin
I chose to follow you and make you Lord of my life
Fill me with your Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name,
Amen
If you’d like to jump out of your comfort zone, ask the question and see what God does, we are heading out again this week: please visit http://www.mvuk.org.uk/JAD for details.
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