Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake - 11/30/09

Monday, I went to the intersection of Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake. Not much to report, just that it's cold!

Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake - 10/28/09

Today, I went to the intersection of Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake. I was there from a little after 3:00 to 5:00. I have never been at this intersection during this time so I am hoping a lot of new eyes got to see the cross today.

Today was a pretty quiet day. When I set up my tripod to take this picture, someone in one of the north bound lanes of Columbia asked me what I was taking a picture of. I told them I was an evangelist and take the picture for this blog. I handed her a gospel tract and told her to read the back side when she got a chance.

I gave a tract to someone walking by and she wanted to make sure I was advocating the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. Also, a security guard came out from the Cuyahoga Community College Corporate Campus (to the right of where I am standing in the picture) and politely asked me if I would considered moving.

Tri-C has an issue on the local ballot to fund education and he mentioned they didn't want my sign to be confused with all their campaign signs. He acknowledged that I wasn't doing anything wrong, and I told him that he was correct- that I was on a public sidewalk. I asked him if it would help if I crossed the street to an opposite corner, and he said it would, which is what I did for about the remaining half an hour.

I know I didn't have to move, but I completely understand their position and after this coming Tuesday, the signs will be gone and it will no longer be an issue. I gave the security guard a tract after I told him I would move and he gladly accepted it, saying he likes to have things to read. I handed out a total of 3 tracts today.

Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake - 10/13/09

Today, I went to the intersection of Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake. I arrived at around 12:50 and stayed for an hour. I was not well prepared for the cold- it's not so much the temperature that is rough (in the upper 40's/lower 50's- about the same as yesterday), but the wind. It's in the upper 50's in the lower part of the state- I hope they are enjoying it! I think I finally need to break out the winter coat. It was just about a month ago that I was in shorts, flip flops, and worried about a sun burn.

A guy in a truck asked me what I was protesting and I told him I was just trying to get people to think about their eternity. I saw someone do a search yesterday on "Cleveland Cross Guy" on Google and found my blog and also someone today. I am hoping they will click on "I have seen the cross. What does it mean?" to get the law and gospel presentation.

Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake - 10/06/09

Today I went to the intersection of Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake. I arround 11:20 and stayed until 1:00. Today was mostly quiet, aside from a guy rolling down his window to curse at me and another guy yelled out, "I'm ready for anything!"

Tomorrow is supposed to be very windy, so I am headed out in a few minutes with the cross to another location today.

Police Called On Me - 10/01/09

Today was a lot nicer than yesterday- the temps were in the upper 50's or lower 60's and the wind was very light (barely noticeable). I arrived at the intersection of Center Ridge and Columbia in Westlake around 12:30.

After no more than 15 or 20 minutes, a Westlake Police officer drop by and motioned for me to come over to his car. I offered a warm, "Hi," and he told me that he had received a call that I had been making gestures as cars were going by. I told him that wasn't true and that I was just standing there, silently. I do occasionally wave to people if they wave to me or give a thumbs up, but nothing obscene.

He asked me if I was taking pictures, too (I bring along a tripod so I can set up my camera and set it off by remote). I told him that I like to document where I go. I told him again I wasn't making any gestures and was just trying to warm people or their impending judgment. I told him we never know when we're going to die. He answered, "Absolutely. We have no problem with that." I told him that I am sure there are people opposed to the message (obviously). I did not try to give the officer a tract (another Westlake officer told me they weren't allowed to accept anything), but I wish I would have tried.

I had a man ask if the message on the cross was in reference to Judgment Day. I told him it was. He told me he was ready, although God would find him guilty. I am assuming that since he said he is ready for Judgment Day and he acknowledges his guilt that he also knows of the forgiveness offered through Jesus' blood. I think I also told him to look up Mark 1:15 and do what it says.

Two younger people drove by and sneered at me "God doesn't exist. You're wasting your time."

Another woman also asked me what Mark 1:15 is, and I told her- "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel." She said she would look it up. I passed out a Big Money tract to someone passing by, but missed a few other opportunities to hand out tracts. I stayed at this location for 2 hours today. I'm not sure how much longer I will have the opportunity to be out on the street and also the winter is right around the corner.

Columbia and Center Ridge in Westlake - 9/22/09

Today, I went to a new location in Westlake- the intersection of Columbia and Center Ridge. Both roads are five lanes at this intersection and one of the Corporate Colleges of Cuyahoga Community College is at this intersection (as seen in photo).

I arrived around 12:00 and stayed until 1:45. Even during the middle of the day, traffic at this location (as well as a lot of others in Westlake) is moderately busy. I time the light and it was usually one minute for one street and 45 seconds for the other. I counted the number of cars that went through the intersection at each green light, and I would conservatively say that 25 cars on average went through.

If I take that number times 90 minutes (from 12:15 to 1:45), that's 2,250 cars that passed through the intersection- at midday. For as many professing Christians as there are in the United States, I rarely get anyone waving or beeping their horn. It was no more than a dozen today out of 2,250. Even if I use 12 out of 2,250, that's about one half of one percent.

1 Corinthians 1:18 comes to mind: "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."