On the Street Before Church - 10/24/10

Last Sunday, I had decided I was going to go out again before church. I ended up having a really hard time sleeping the night before and I was so tired and I didn't go out. I decided again that I would go out before church today and I had mentioned to my wife that something would probably happen to keep me up through the night again. It's amazing how many obstacles the devil will through your way when you try to share the Gospel.

My neighbor below me had turned on his exhaust fan in his bathroom around 2:00 AM and it was on for a solid hour before I finally went down to ask him to turn it off. I went outside to see if the lights were on in his apartment and they were, so I knocked on his door and asked him to turn it off. He apologized for leaving it on and then I went back upstairs and back to bed. At this point, though, I was awake.

I started listening to a sermon, hoping I would get tired and fall asleep. I ended up being up for another hour before finally falling asleep. I had trouble sleeping later in the morning again and I was again debating on whether or not to skip witnessing, but I knew it would be the same story next week if I didn't go out.

I ended up going to Rocky River High School, which is at the intersection of Wagar and Detroit. I stood on the north side of Detroit Road across from the track at the high school. Shortly after I arrived, someone who was jogging around the track said something to me, but I wasn't able to make out what he said. After he was done jogging, he came across the street and told me that no one respects extremists and that my sign sucked.

A little while later, Stephen pulled up to encourage me. He told me had he seen me about a year ago in Westlake and wanted to stop. He gave me some of his tracts and I gave him one of my Way of the Master tracts. He gave me his contact information and told me that he would stand with me if I wanted.

At the corner of Wagar and Detroit across from the high school is a Christian Science church, and there is also a church that meets inside the high school. I made sure to stand far enough away from the Christian Science church so as not to be associated with it. I think this was a good location because there are at least two churches on Detroit Road (including the one I previously stood near a few weeks ago).

My intention is not to compete with the churches, just to get people who are in those churches to think about their salvation. I know I used to be one of those who went to church but was not saved and I am sure there are some in those churches in the same situation.