East Ridge Parade

Well, it has been at least a week since I have made any type of post but my family and I have been away visiting for the Thanksgiving holidays. Over the next few weeks our evangelism team will be heading out to many parades in the surrounding Chattanooga area. Last weekend was the East Ridge, TN parade. I grew up in the East Ridge area so I knew it was going to be a pretty good sized event…and it was. There were tons of people lining both sides of the main road in town.

Many members of our team showed up and it was really great to see them again. Steve and his son Timothy came up from Dalton to help us distribute many tracts. Steve and I hit the streets to pass out as many tracts as we could. I bet together we passed out at least 800 or so. People young and old love the giant money tract! Jeff took Timothy out with him and had many great conversations with people while he was sharing the Gospel. Below, Jeff explains some of his witnessing encounters.

• It all began with approaching a women in the BI-LO parking lot.....she was not interested in talking due being faced with death too many time during the past week; she did however take a tract.
  
• Next I spoke with Bob, who was sure he was going to heaven when he took his last breath because he said that he had repented of his sins and trusted in Jesus Christ for his salvation.
  
• A short walk later we came upon Daryl and Tammy as well as their two daughters Haley and Madison waiting for the parade to start. We handed them some tracts and they were curious so we began a conversation with them regarding what happens after death. Was there anything "out there"? That lead us to a discussion of God's Law (the 10 Commandments) as well as His Grace through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from death. They said they had just been talking about what would happened to them after death a few days before the parade. They intently listened as we went through the Ten Commandments by asking them questions. They then determined that they were guilty before God and that they did deserve and would go to Hell. We then shared with them that we cannot save ourselves it is only through repentance and God's Grace through Jesus Christ. They were listening very earnestly as we discussed how Jesus came to this earth and lived a perfect life in every way (thought, word, and deed) and how he took our sins upon Himself and took our punishment upon that cross and died a horrific death through crucifixion, but then rose Himself 3-days later thereby defeating death and had over 500 witnesses that He had risen. And that we can only escape our judgment, the wrath to come, and an eternity in Hell by repenting of our sins (confession to God, asking forgiveness, and turning away from sin) and trusting on what Jesus Christ did for us through His shedding of blood, death and resurrection and that He is who He says He is...GOD. That we cannot save ourselves, but our salvation is only through Jesus Christ. I then asked them if there was any sin in their lives that they loved so much that they would throw away a future with God and spend that eternity in Hell suffering God's wrath for those sins? They looked extremely concerned at this point and then I asked them one more question....would they sell me one of their eyes for $1 million dollars? They replied no. I asked how about both of their eyes for $100 million. Again, they said no. I responded that of course not, their eyes are the windows of their souls. How much more important should their soul be and where it (they) will be spending eterniity. I then asked them to take to heart our conversation and to seriously think on these things.
  
• The next conversation was interesting, we talked with some 5 workers at a refreshment stand for cokes, hot dogs, and such.....all the answers varied, but were all based on works salvation and "live and let live". During our questions regarding the Law several of the folks walked away to get more stuff for the stand and only one woman remained to listen. After we finished talking about God's Law and Grace the woman was somewhat apathetic and we left.
  
• Next we met up with 4 teenage guys walking, so we joined up with them and started our conversation by handing them some tracts and asked them what they thought was going to happen to them when they took their last breath and died. Answers varied from they didn't know to one laughing and stating that he was going to Hell. We soon stopped and met up with one of the teenager's family and the talk broadened to include his family as well. The teenagers' interest faded, but we continued to talk with the parents, sister, and friend. In the end the mother was the only one to stay engaged in the conversation and even after admitting to be a lying-thieving-blasphemer- adulterer at heart still maintained her "goodness" and said that God would determine in the end after death were a person goes. It was very disheartening after going through God's Law and Grace that she maintained her position, however we can only plant or water and be obedient in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
  
  God bless!