Sinagara Park in Lakewood - 3/20/2011

Sunday, I went out to Sinagara Park in Lakewood with a brother from church, Ryan. For anyone following my blog, I'm sure you've noticed this is one of my favorite spots. We were out there from about 3 to 5. There was quite a bit of foot traffic even though it was a bit chilly.

Ryan was handing out tracts and as I've come to know in Lakewood, he was being met with some opposition. At one point during our fishing, a woman named Victoria walked by and Ryan engaged her in conversation. Victoria had a lot of time on her hands and she was very open to listen to the Gospel.

Ryan shared the Gospel with her and at one point she asked something along the lines of what she must do in response to the Gospel. I wasn't sure what Ryan was saying was answering her question, so I offered my past experience. I told Victoria that after reading the New Testament myself for the first time in 2008, I knew I wanted to be saved. I knew God existed, I knew there was a heaven and hell and I wanted to do what I must do to be saved.

I knew Jesus died for my sins, but how did I get the substitutionary atonement apply to me? It was my sin that stood in my way. The hardest thing was repenting (turning away from my sin) and the changes that it would mean to my life. I told Victoria that it would be a radical change in her life, but "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36).

Please be in prayer with me that Victoria makes the right decision, repents of her sins, and places her trust in the only One who can save her- Jesus Christ.

In Lakewood - 7/27/10

Today, around 11:30 I went to Lakewood to meet up with Rob and we stood at Sinagra Park in Downtown Lakewood. I had met Rob a while ago and he adheres to the King James Only philosophy, but we decided today was for witnessing. Rob and I both passed out tracts- I handed out million dollar bills from Way of the Master while Rob had his own tracts.

I was telling Rob about a conversation I had had with a man named Ron who is Catholic. Shortly thereafter, Ron walked by. I had decided that I wasn't going to get into any doctrinal conversations and just do what Jesus said- "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15). While there is a place for honest questions and doctrinal debates, that is not what I am out on the streets for.

Ron was criticizing me for not handing out the abortion tracts he had previously given me. I told him that I was doing what Jesus told us to do in His Word- to spread the Gospel. Ron is very passionate against abortion and accused me of not caring about it. I tried to tell him I was against abortion, also, but that it is not the Gospel. He responded with Jeremiah 1:5: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you."

At this point, Ron got Rob going in a dialogue about the Bible and the Catholic church. Being down this road before with Ron, I just stayed out of the way. Their conversation lasted for a while- what seemed like 30 minutes or more to me. Ron left telling Rob he would be back with his Bible verses and his questions for Rob.

At one point during the day, Jim from the Lakewood Observer came by and asked to take our picture. I had my cross and Rob also had a cross with a serpent behind it and John 3:14-15 on it.

Jim didn't believe the Bible was written by God. I tried reasoning with him by asking him if he wrote something with a pen, who is it that is the author? It is the pen that is actually doing the writing. In the same sense, God used men on earth to pen His Word.

I was hoping I could point out that we did have God in human form on earth (Jesus) and have His recorded words. Jim had trouble believing the Bible was God's Word, but I wanted to point out that Jesus was God in human form. If I could get Jim to read the four gospels, which record Jesus' (God the Son) words, he could find out to be saved. I asked Jim if he believed that Jesus was God. He replied he did not.

Later on in the afternoon, Lamar came by. Lamar is a Youth Minister at a church on the east side of town. Rob asked Lamar what he must do to be saved, and Lamar responded confessing your sins and praying the sinners prayer. I wasn't hearing the word "repentance" coming from him, so Rob and I grilled him a little bit.

I told Lamar that Jesus said in Luke 13 that "unless you repent, you will perish" (Luke 13:3). He said that repentance was necessary- so we asked him what repentance was, and he said it was feeling sorry. We had to make it clear that repentance includes a turning from sin.

Lamar was interested in doing evangelism with Rob and I and gave us his contact information. Lamar was saying the right things about salvation and using the correct terminology and quoting Scripture, but Rob and I were both concerned that his message didn't include the repentance part. I would be interested in doing evangelism with him, but I need to know his message includes repentance.

Rob and I stayed until about 4:15 today. It was a very productive day, handing out tracts and even having a few conversations. My temporary position at the previous company I was at ended about a week and a half ago, but I am waiting to hear back from another company for a job I interviewed for on Friday. Please pray that it be in God's will that I get this job and that His will be done!

A Question About Homosexuality - 6/21/10

Monday, I went to Sinagra Park in Lakewood around 1:30. Shortly after arriving, a young man approached me and asked me, "Would it be a bad thing if I'm gay?"

This is the first time I have been asked about this subject on the street and I need to handle it with extreme care.

I told this young man that I could only tell him what the Bible said about homosexuality. He asked if it said it was bad and he would burn in hell. I told him that it was true that if he looked in 1 Corinthians 6:9 that it does say no homosexual will inherit the kingdom of heaven (The ESV says kingdom of God, but they are interchangeable).

At this point, I was quick to point out the Bible also says that no fornicators, murders, or even liars would enter, either. The young man rightly pointed out that is everyone in the world.

I told him the message wasn't geared for a specific group of people- we all need Jesus. I asked him if he was familiar with the Ten Commandments and he said, "I believe so." I told the young man this law was given to show us that none of us can keep it.

I asked him if he was familiar with Jesus at all and he brought up the issue of forgiveness.

I asked him if would consider himself to be a Christian, to which he replied, "Yea."

I asked him, "If I were to come up to you and ask you, 'How do I become a Christian?' What would you say to me?"

He replied, "Probably say, 'By being a good person.' "

At this point I asked him, "Would you consider yourself to be a good person?"

He said he would. I asked him if he had ever told a lie or stolen anything. He responded he had. I also told him that Jesus considers calling someone a "fool" the same as murder in the heart. I told the young man, "So, by your own admission, I'm not judging you- you're a lying thief, and a murderer at heart."

To which he replied, "OK, well, so are you!"

To which I said, "Absolutely! Absolutely! And we all need to face God on Judgment Day. So based on those three commandments, would he find you guilty or innocent of breaking His law?"

He responded guilty, and I immediately pointed out that I am guilty, also. I asked him if God found him guilty, should He send him to heaven or hell? He responded hell. I asked him if that concerned him. He replied, "Not at the present moment." I asked him if he knew what hell was described as. I told him it was a lake of fire, where the worm never dies- eternal torment.

The young man asked me how we could know how bad it is if none of us have been there. I responded that we have Jesus' words in the Bible.

I asked him if he knew what Jesus did for us on the cross so we don't have to go to hell. I explained that Jesus died in place of us- for our sins. I explained that a legal transaction took place- we broke God's law, but He died and took the penalty for our sins.

I told him it was like being in a court of law with a fine of $1 million in front of you or life in prison. You can't pay the fine and the judge is about to pass sentence and at the last second, someone comes in and puts down $1 million on the judge's desk and says, "Here, I'm paying the fine." The judge looks over at you and says, "You're free to go. Not because you are innocent, not because you deserve it, but because your fine has been paid." That's what Jesus has done on the cross.

I told the young man that what Jesus commands us to do is repent of our sins- turn away from them, and trust in Him like a parachute. I explained how merely believing in a parachute on a crashing plane won't save anyone- you must strap the parachute on, trust the parachute, and jump from the plane. In the same sense, we need to strap on the Lord Jesus, trust Him, and abandon our sins- repent.

I confessed to the young man that my big thing before I came to Christ was dealing with lust. I told him that Jesus said, "Whoever looks with lust is guilty of adultery in the heart." I said to him that I didn't need to tell him how bad it was out in public with all the temptation.

I quickly explain imputed righteousness again to him and told him to look at the back side of the gospel tract I had given him- that it talked about the things we talked about. I asked him if he had a Bible at home, and he said, "I think, somewhere." I encouraged him to look at the Gospel of John and don't take my word for it- read the Bible yourself and see if what I am telling you is the truth.

I told him I know it's a hard message because it was hard for me. I let him know that I really struggled with turning away from my sin and that I still struggle with lust at times.

I asked him if he had a home church and he replied with the name of it and I asked if it was a Catholic Church. He replied it was and I said I wouldn't get into about the Catholic Church, but to remember this: Jesus said, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." I told him God cares about our hearts, not just externalizations.

If you doubt that standing on the street with a cross isn't effective, I hope this post shows you that it can and does draw people in. This young man knew what the Bible says about homosexuality, yet he wanted someone to talk to about it. He may have been afraid to talk to someone at church or someone he knew about homosexuality, but he was able to talk to me about it. I may never see this young man again, but he will be on my heart and I pray that God grants him repentance and salvation.

A Conversation with Jason and John - 6/17/10

Last Thursday, I went to my spot in Lakewood- Sinagra Park in front of the City Center. I stood near the traffic light next to Chipotle. I was handing out tracts and Jason approached me. Jason told me he wanted to offer me encouragement and pray for me. Our conversation lasted for quite a while and Jason did end up praying for me.

Towards the end of our conversation, two young men approached us and one of them, John, asked about the cross. Shortly after getting into the law and John realizing his sinfulness, Jason took over. The two young men were involved in some activities that Jason had been involved in previously. I am glad Jason was there to take over the conversation I had started, because he was able to relate to these young men a way I could not. Jason ended up giving the one young man his number and invited him to an outreach.

I ended up seeing John again the following Monday and he recalled his conversation with Jason. I think I ended up giving John a gospel tract and told him it went over the things Jason had spoken to him about. Please be in prayer for John.

A Conversation With Ron - 6/10/10

Thursday, I went out to Lakewood with my cross around 1:00. Shortly after I arrived, a woman asked me what the cross was about. She told me she was a very religious person and spoke of what her "god" would and would not do. She was very self righteous- only admitting to a white lie, never stealing anything, although she did admit to and did blaspheme in front of me. I told her she was guilty of idolatry at which point she told me our conversation wasn't going to go anywhere and she walked away.

Shortly thereafter, a man named Ron came up to me and started asking me questions about my beliefs. After a while, Ron admitted he was Catholic and wanted to prove to me that the Catholic Church was the ultimate authority here on earth. While he was talking to me, another man got into a verbal argument with Ron, which got very heated at some points- to the point of physical violence being threatened. The situation eventually diffused itself and I am thankful for that.

I went to leave at 3:30 and after putting my cross away and as I was about to shut the door to my car, Rob pulled up. I had met Rob exactly a week prior to this (see this post). Rob is a King James Only Bible believer. Rob asked if I was leaving already and if I wanted to go pass out some tracts with him. We started talking and he asked me if I wanted to go get a coffee and talk. I ended up agreeing and we went to a local fast food restaurant, got something to drink and began to talk.

Rob spent about an hour trying to convince me the King James Bible is the infallible Word of God and other translations do not honor God. Specifically, he has been going after the ESV, which I very much like. I had already told myself I wasn't going to get involved in discussions like this, but yet again, I did.

On Detroit in Lakewood - 4/01/10

Yesterday was not a dull day in Lakewood. I was out from 3:45 to 5:45- this is the first time I have been out anywhere past 5:00. I started out in Sinagra Park on Detroit Road and shortly after arriving moved to the corner of Warren and Detroit. This is a very busy intersection with both foot and vehicular traffic. Very soon after arriving at this intersection, a Lakewood Police officer stopped to talk to me (and this is the first time I got the privilege of having the lights on top of the car turned on for me).

"What are you doing?" he asked.

I responded, "Trying to spread the Gospel."

He told me I was a distraction and could cause an accident. I asked him where I could go, and he responded he didn't know, but I couldn't stand here. He offered the park in front of the city center (where I started out), so in the interest of peace, I went over to that area. I have two friends coming up to Lakewood Saturday to do open air preaching and after standing at this location, I was thinking about using this spot, but now I may run into some problems.

After moving back over to Sinagra Park, I stood in front of a group of youths sittings on the benches that were talking very loudly and using countless profanities. My pastor had open air preached at this spot one time before and didn't have any problems with the police and I am hoping for the same. If these youths can scream and use profanities, we should be allowed to preach.

A man named Glenn came up to me and wanted to encourage me. He told me he had previously been a pastor at a church in the area but had to leave because they started going into a different direction. That sounds all too familiar.

I also had 3 or 4 people make references to Satan yesterday, including one "Hail Satan." I also encountered some youth that were curious about my sign and when I tried giving one of them a Gospel tract, one said he wasn't Christian and another said God and Jesus didn't exist.

On Detroit in Lakewood - 3/21/10

Sunday, I went to the intersection of Andrews and Detroit in Lakewood. Shortly after I arrived, a shop across the street sent someone out in a costume for their business to hand out fliers (though they didn't hand out very many). I don't know if they did that in response to me standing right across the street from them or not.

A man saw my sign and asked if it was about 2012. He talked about a variety of things, including tectonic plates and polar ice caps melting- after going on for a while I managed to give him a Gospel tract and encouraged him to read it. An elderly woman also walked by and commended me on what I was doing and said that in a sense, we are all little missionaries for Jesus.

I was also photographed by ClevelandSGS, a site that documents the Cleveland community. Here is a link to the blog post about me on that site. I handed out a couple of gospel tracts and received quite a few hits from ClevlandSGS.

Back on the Streets - 1/14/2010

Last Thursday, I went back out on the street for the first time in about a month. Prior to this date, for about the last three weeks, temps have been bitterly cold in the area and I haven't been out. Temps are starting to edge back north of the freezing point lately and I hope to get back out on the streets more often.

Thursday, with some of the snow finally gone, I went to the intersection of Andrews and Detroit in downtown Lakewood from 11:00 to 11:45. No conversations, but a lot of people saw and noticed the cross. Hope to get back out there more often, soon!

On Detroit in Lakewood - 12/04/09

Don't let the clear, sunny skies fool you- it was a blazing 35 degrees today! It's getting tougher to stay in one spot with the cross because the cold sets in really fast. I was out from 1:30 to 2:30 and handed out one tract to someone who told she was trying to read my cross. She told me she was very analytical and she needed to know what my cross said.

On Detroit in Lakewood - 11/29/09

Sunday, I went to the intersection of Elmwood/Andrews and Detroit in Lakewood. It was a pretty quiet day aside from someone stopping by in a car headed westbound on Detroit to show me The Villager newspaper and the article about the cross. They asked if I had seen it, and I said I had.

People may have read the article but not thought twice about it, but if they end up seeing me on the street, I may implant a seed to search for this blog which can lead them to the gospel. As winter quickly approaches, temps are dropping- please pray I have the endurance to stay outside in the cold! I handed out about 12 tracts yesterday.

A Conversation with Rob - 11/22/09

Today, I went to the intersection of Elmwood and Detroit in Lakewood from 12:50 to 3:05. While I was there, a young woman who I think I had met last Sunday named Mirena was yelling down from an apartment (in the left side of the picture). She was yelling "Hail Satan!" and later came out onto the balcony. It appeared she was taking pictures of me and she uttered a blasphemy. I tried my best to ignore her.

Around 2:50, a young man named Rob inquired about the cross. He asked if I attended a local church that was nearby, and I told him I didn't. We started talking and I shared the Way of the Master method with him. He was big on how God is love and how God loves everyone. I told him that while God is love, he is also righteous and just.

I mentioned the necessity of repentance and he agreed, but he also told me that we are not to judge. Rob mentioned that God will use us as we are in life (e.g. prostitutes who came to Christ), but I made sure to hammer home the point that God also calls us to repent.

I mentioned a list of sins that were in 1 Corinthians 6 and Rob said that while Paul had some good things to say, he esteems the 4 gospels above them. Rob clearly knew Scripture and we could have gone back and forth, so I finally asked him what he thought of me with the cross. He told me that he had no problem with it and compared it to when John asked Jesus (in Luke 9:49-50) if others casting out demons in His name should be stopped, and He told them not to.

He mentioned he wasn't used to seeing things like my cross. I talked to him for about 15 minutes, but I cut the conversation short because I told my wife I'd be home at 3:00. I left him with a tract and 3 girls who inquired about the cross as I was about to wrap things up.

A Conversation with Daniel and Mirena- 11/15/09

Today, I went back to Downtown Lakewood and initially stood at the intersection of Elmwood and Detroit. I arrived around 2:30 and at 3:00, John, an elder from church, joined me. We stayed until 5:00.

John wanted to pass out tracts, so we walked along the sidewalk on the south side of Detroit to Warren, crossed over to the north side, and came back to my original spot. When we got back to my original spot, John got involved in a conversation with a man named Daron and I got involved in a conversation with a man named Daniel.

Daniel is a Roman Catholic and he and I got into a conversation over apologetics. I ended up talking to Daniel for a little over 30 minutes and our conversation ultimately went no where- he wasn't changing his views and I wasn't changing mine. I need to remember not to get involved in conversations like this and just say to people that I am out here to spread the good news of the Gospel- that Jesus Christ died for our sins and whoever repents and places their trust in Him will have eternal life.

As John and I were about to leave, a young woman asked what my cross was about. Her name was Mirena (if you are reading this and I misspelled your name, please notify me of the correct spelling). She referred to this country as a "capitalist police state" that she lives in. She told us she is majoring in sustainability.

I do not know what college she is going to, but Baldwin Wallace has as Sustainability Major that resembles what she was describing. John tried to stay on a discussion about the Law, but our conversation was going off on many different tangents, including a discussion about if God exists, Jesus feeding the poor, different religions, and hypocritical Christians. I had to get going, so I cut the conversation off and gave her my email address and this blog address and asked her to email me to further the discussion.

A lot of people are starting to look up this blog on Google and someone left a comment on one of my other blog posts: "i think it is rude of you to come to my city. you can feel free to believe in god but i do not want my children exposed to it. i can keep the t.v. off if they are saying things i do not like but i can't turn off crazies with sandwich boards."

God exists and the only way to salvation is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus commands all of us to go into all creation and spread the Gospel. Repent and trust in the Savior today!

A Conversation with Luke, Nikkea, and Sam - 11/13/09

Yesterday, I went back to Lakewood from about 1:15 to 5:00. My cross is just over 5 feet tall now- I was hoping to get away from it looking like an "I" and more like a cross, but it still looks like one. People still clearly know what it means, though, from the responses I get.

I stood at a few different spots along Detroit between Elmwood and Warren. My pastor joined me for a little bit around 1:30 for about 45 minutes. He got involved in a lengthy discussion with a man named Darius, while at about the same time I had started a conversation with a young man named Luke.

Luke inquired what the cross was about. I told him that it is appointed for a man once to die, and then comes judgment, and the question is, "Are you ready to be judged by God?" He said he was ready, and I asked Luke if he was saved. He replied, "I don't know." I then asked him if he was a Christian, he quickly answered yes.

I asked Luke what he would tell me I would need to do to become a Christian. He said, "Uhhh... love. Love one another."

I asked him, "That's it?" He replied, "I think so. Be true, maybe."

I told Luke that Scripture tells us we need to do two things for salvation- trust in the Lord and repent of your sins. I told him I know that it is a love message, but I broke into the law. I told him we've all lied, stolen, blasphemed, looked with lust (which Jesus says is adultery in the heart), and hated (which Jesus says is murder in the heart). I told him we are all guilty and deserve Hell and the reason we need Jesus is because we are all sinners.

I asked Luke if he had ever ready any of the Bible. He told me he had read part of it, and I asked him if he had ever read the Gospel of John. He said he hadn't. I told him that John 3 talks about being reborn. I asked, "I'm sure you've heard the term 'reborn' " and he said he had. I explained to him that when we repent and turn away from our sins, Jesus will give us a new heart with new desires and that is what is required to enter the kingdom of Heaven.

I told Luke that is the message I am trying to spread- what Mark 1:15 says: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel." To trust in Jesus like a parachute- if you are on a plane that is about to crash, merely believing in the parachute won't save you. You have to strap on the parachute, trust the parachute, and jump from the plane. In the same sense, you have trust Jesus and repent of your sins.

I told him to read the back of the gospel tract I have given him. I also told him to read the Gospel of John and make sure what I was telling him was the truth- not to just take my word for it.

I also had a conversation with a man named Nikkea. He was also carrying a sign, but for a business that had just opened up. I told him about how my pastor was trying to hand out tracts earlier and how it was 50/50 with rejection and acceptance of the tracts. Nikkea is a born again Christian and we were talking about the sinful state of the world.

While we were speaking, a woman named Jenny came by and asked for information about the church I attend. She said she really admired what I was doing. She was clearly upset about something and said he need to find her way back.

Another woman also walked by and mentioned that I had an easy job- to hide behind a cross.

Walking past a coffee shop, a young man on his cell phone called out to me, but I didn't realize he was talking to me. Again he called out and I looked back, and I stopped and he came over to me. He told whoever he was talking to on the phone that he would have to call them back.

"I've seen you out here before! I told my youth pastor about you!" I wasn't really sure what to say, and the only thing I could come up with was asking him if he was going to make a cross. I really feel like the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians when he said, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom" (1 Corinthians 2:1). I make a lot more sense when I have time to write something, proof read, and fine tune it. I gave him a tract and continued on toward the intersection of Cook and Detroit.

I also spoke with a man named Sam who says he has been born again since 1961 and was telling me about his life as a comedian. While today was a fruitful day, there were also the usual people who curse at me and reject God.

A Conversation with John Paul and the Lakewood Police - 11/09/09

Yesterday, I went back to the intersection of Elmood and Detroit (and Andrews as another cross street) and I stayed out with the cross from about 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Normally I can only take up to 2 hours standing out there, but for some reason I was able to stay for 5 hours today.

A man named John Paul approached me and he was telling me a bit about his experiences with Christianity and how he was a victim of the modern gospel. I explained to him that the reason we need Jesus isn't because He will make our lives better, but because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. I told him if you look at the early church in Acts, you will see all of the apostles (with the exception of Paul, but quite possibly him too) were martyred.

I told John Paul that we have all lied, stolen, blasphemed, looked with lust (which Jesus said is adultery in the heart), and hated (which Jesus said is murder in the heart). We need Jesus as our Savior, not because He is going to make our life better.

John Paul mentioned he believed there were other ways beside Jesus. He mentioned it would be good if he could imagine God as a person. I told him he could- as Jesus Christ- He lived here on earth and He is God. I also told John Paul that Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. I gave him a tract and told him to take a look at it.

I was also approached by the Lakewood Police. This was my first encounter with Lakewood law enforcement. The officer told me people were saying that I was acting a little crazy or saying some things. I told the officer I hadn't said anything except to a few people who passed by that talked to me. I told the officer that I've also dealt with the Westlake police and that people don't like the message of Christianity. He said, "that could be."

I told him I was just trying to get people to think about if they are ready to be judged by God. He asked me if I lived in Lakewood and I told him I reside in Westlake. He asked what brought me to Lakewood and I told him my pastor and I meet in Rocky River for coffee and I just continued down Detroit Road to this spot because it is a good location. I told him that every one needs to hear the gospel- and he said, "Can't argue with that."

The officer asked for my ID to know who he was talking with, which I showed him. I know I haven't done anything wrong, but I am not out here to cause any trouble. I would rather be on good terms with the police than being standoffish and create a problem.

The officer asked me if I was harassing anyone, and I told him I wasn't, although I do sometimes pass out gospel tracts. He mentioned he didn't know if something just happened or someone wasn't religious and called. I told him I get it and I expect it.

I also tried giving the officer a tract and he said he wasn't allowed to take it, but he is Baptist.

A Conversation with Solomon; Matt and Crystal; and Charlie - 11/08/09

Yesterday, I went to Sinagra Park in Lakewood at the intersection of Cook and Detroit in Lakewood. While I was there, a young man by the name of Solomon came by on his bike and stopped and inquired about the cross.

I went through the Good Person test with Solomon and he saw his guilt in the sight of God and how he should be sentenced to hell (just like everyone of us). I explained the necessity of faith and repentance and Solomon had quite a few questions.

Solomon asked how God would view something he had done previously, and I told him that if we accept Jesus as our Savior, that God won't even look at the past. It is taken care of through the blood of Jesus. I mentioned that isn't to say there may not be consequences for our past actions, but God is not going to judge us based on them. Everyone who does not accept Jesus as their Savior will be held accountable for their deeds, though.

Solomon asked me about people that have never heard the Gospel message, and I told him that we all have a conscience that tells us it is wrong to do things.

After about an hour, I moved to the intersection of Detroit and Elmwood because there was more pedestrian traffic in this area.

Shortly thereafter, a man wanted to see what the cross said, and I showed it to him and said, "It is appointed for man once to die and then comes judgment." I gave him a tract and he and his girlfriend crossed the street. A while later, he and his girlfriend approached me on the sidewalk again. Their names were Matt and Crystal.

They were curious about my church, and I gave them my pastor's business card and also directed them to our church website. I also gave them a Big Money tract which they liked. They inquired about if we printed the tracts ourselves, and I told them that we purchase the tracts.

At this point, I made sure to go through the law and gospel. I told Matt there is nothing I can do on my part to actually save a person- they have to do it themselves. I told Matt that we're all liars, thieves, blasphemers and how Jesus views lust as adultery in the heart and hate as murder in the heart.

"We are all guilty, and we should all go to hell, but Jesus died in our place. He tells to repent of our sins, place your trust in Him and you will be reborn. He will give you a new heart with new desires- it's what John 3 talks about."

I was rushing to get through it because they seemed to be in a bit of hurry.

"Do you guys have Bibles at home?"

"Do you got a Bible," Matt asked. I dug into my backpack and pulled out an ESV New Testament Outreach Bible and gave it to them. I told them I only had one on me, but that I would go to my car and get a second one for them, which I did.

A little while later, Charlie came up to me. I asked him if he was ready, and he replied, "I'm saved. He told me, "We have to build that relationship." I gave him a million dollar bill, and he said, "It takes a lot of courage to do what you're doing."

I told him about my inspiration for the cross (Tony Miano's cross) and how I added Mark 1:15, which were Jesus first words preaching: "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel." I told Charlie I am trying to get people to understand that it is more than just believing- it's repentance also. Charlie told me that it's a total conversion- I agreed.

Charlie shared something he had written down in the sermon he heard in church. "If you give everything to God, but do not give yourself, you give nothing." I agreed again and quoted Matthew 10:39: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." I told Charlie I am completely transformed from what I used to be and he said he is too, but that he has to keep it going.

I handed out about 10 tracts yesterday.

Sinagra Park in Lakewood - 11/02/09

Today I went to Sinagra Park in Lakewood, at the intersection of Cook and Detroit Road. I showed up around 11:20 and stayed until 1:20. Someone in the crosswalk across from me stopped to take my picture- hopefully they will find this blog or at least look up Mark 1:15.

A man walked by and mentioned he was a Christian and told me I was doing good with my sign. When he walked by again, I gave him a tract and we started talking about a few things. He told me he was having trouble in his marriage and could possibly be getting a divorce. He mentioned his struggles with sin and how he would like to be out on the streets, also, but at times he feels like a hypocrite. I told him God wants us to take the first step in repentance.

He also told me he has been reading the Word, but it has been just a story to Him. I told Him about my experiences when I started first reading the Word- Luke 13:3 and the necessity of repentance, John 3:3 about being born again, Matthew 5:21-22 about hate being murder in the heart, and Matthew 5:27-28 about how God views lust as adultery in the heart.

He also asked me what my views on marijuana. I told him Romans (Romans 13:1 to be exact) says to submit to authorities, and our government has said not to use it. He said he knew this, but this wasn't a manufactured drug like crack, but that it grew naturally. I said that poison ivy grows naturally, but we do good to stay away from that, too.

He left with a few tracts and my prayers will be with him.

A Conversation With Ron - 10/20/09

With Indian Summer in effect here, I went to Sinagra Park in Lakewood from 1:00 to 4:00. I haven't been in Lakewood for a while and I ended up stayed for 3 hours today.

After a while, a man named Ron passed by on the sidewalk and took an extended look at the cross. Ron told me he was named after Ronald Reagan, back when he was an actor. I handed him a Celebrity Millions gospel tract and he offered up some laughter. He started reading the back of the tract and got to the part about lust being adultery in the heart.

During out brief chat, Ron told me that he is Catholic, but he admitted he doesn't attend church regularly. I told him the law was not given for us to keep it, but to show us our sinfulness and our need for Savior. I also told him about the necessity of repentance and offered up the parachut analogy.

Ron asked me for some descriptions of hell, so I offered up these: a place where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth," and "where the worm never dies." It sounded like Ron knew about hell being fiery, but he cringed when I told him these two additional descriptions.

After reading the tract, Ron and I ended up talking about the commandments and I told him that the Catholic church leaves out idolatry. I told him Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Ron told me he had a close experience with death. He told me he had been mugged (although he said he had no money on him) and during the ordeal, he heard a gun shot go off. He told me that at this point he prayed to Mary and hoped she heard his prayers. I told Ron I had just finished re-reading the New Testament and no where does it say to worship Mary.

He also mentioned Purgatory and I explained to him why Purgatory doesn't make sense. The Catholic church teaches that one goes to Purgatory for refining before they enter heaven. I told him this amounts to us doing something for our salvation- which is not what the Bible teaches. I told him there is only heaven and hell.

I gave Ron my pastor's business card and he also left with a Big Money tract, an Obama Trillions tract and with an extra tract for his friend. Ron seemed interested in the message of the cross and although he said he didn't have a computer, he was going to go to the library after our discussion. He wanted to look up my blog to read about the message of the cross that I have posted here. Please pray for Ron that he comes to repentance and true faith in our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ.

An Interesting Conversation About Jesus

Yesterday, after joining my pastor in Lakewood Park for a brief open air, we headed over to Sinagra Park in the center of Lakewood. While we were at Lakewood Park, a man driving by yelled that he loved women too much in response to Paul's preaching.



We got to Sinagra Park around 1:30. Paul did some open air while I stood with the cross. Paul left before 2:00 and I stayed until 3:00.



While I was there, I was cursed at once and the same guy who heckled me last Friday about helping the poor also drive by again and said the same thing ("Why don't you go help the poor?").

About 2:40, a woman walked up to me and started talking with me. She told me that I was not out alone and that someone had given her a tract earlier in the day, which she showed me. She told me she was moving from Lakewood to Rocky River and was interested about the church I attend. I told her a little bit about our church and gave her one of our pastor's business cards.

I told her about the Way of the Master course at our church and ran her through it really quick. She told me that people don't know how to repent of their sins- she thought she had but she really hadn't until everything fell apart in her Christian life. She told me how she thought she was a Christian and she was ok. I told her how I used to be the same way.

We both grew up Catholic- her Roman Catholic and me Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic. She was telling me about her past experiences with confession and saying Hail Mary's and Our Father's and not even know what she was doing. She told me she felt good because she was told that was the right thing to do. It all rings so familiar.

I told her about my experience with the abortion protesters and how Catholics sound saved because they agree on repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, but there is so much more that they do that is idolatry. I told her how if you look through the four gospels and all the letters, you don't see any worship of Mary- only writings about Jesus Christ.

She told me how she is interested lately in how Jesus grew up. "Not how they raised Him, but how he grew up. How He thought. He had to go through everything we did. He must have gotten into fights. Did He still have that power back them?"

I pointed out that through all of this, He didn't sin.

She replied, "He had to have sinned, because when He was young, He wasn't trained yet. It's impossible. He couldn't have been God-like from birth on."

I explained to her why that can't be true. Someone has to pay our penalty. It's a legal transaction. Our fine is paid in Jesus' blood. God will only accept someone who is sinless.

"Do you really think Jesus grew up all his life and never swore, never had a mean thought?"

I replied, "But He is God!"

She answered, "Yea, I don't know. I'm questioning that right now. I'm going through that period of time where I really want to know and I'm asking the Holy Spirit to really show me, because I want to know how He grew up. I want to know how He thought, how He acted."

She told me how she heard about how Jesus got mad. She said again, "You know I wonder- how did You grow up? What did You think? I want to walk beside You when You were growing. I want to walk beside You when You were a toddler. I want to walk beside You when You were 3. You have recognition of what You did and didn't want to do? Did You want to go to bed? Did You have a fit? If He was so human and yet God."

I told her that unfortunately Scripture doesn't give us those details. She told me that she doesn't think we know everything. I told her I think we know enough. She said she can't wait until the truth is revealed to her. At this point she had to go.

A guy who was a passenger in a truck recognized me from Thursday in Westlake and asked me if I was the same person.

A little later, before I left, two people came up to me and asked me what my sign meant. She asked me if it was something apocalyptic and I told her that it wasn't. None of us know when we are going to die and we need to be ready for that day.

Sinagra Park in Lakewood - 9/19/09

After John and I were in Kamm's Corner, we went to Sinagra Park in Lakewood. After making a quick stop to pick up John's Celebrity Millions board, we arrived around 1:45. Both my pastor and John have most of the Celebrity Millions on a foam core board that can be set up on an easel (which is what John did). John had to make a quick bathroom run, and while he was gone, someone yelled from their car, "Get out of our town!"

A young man by the name of Ray was sitting in the park having a conversation on his cell phone and he walked in front of the board and inquired about it.



Ray particularly liked the Mr. Bean million, one of which I was able to give him. John asked Ray if he knew any of the ten commandments. John said one of them was, "Thou shall not lie. Have you ever told a lie?"



John continued going through some of the commandments and explained the law and the gospel to Ray.



John asked Ray if he had a Bible at home, and he said he did not. He told Ray that my pastor and I would be here next Friday and to come back and we would have a Bible for him.

John also talked to a man named Tom, who believed in God, but did not accept the Trinity. He told Tom that we have all broken the law and Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins. Tom told John that Judaism and Islam don't believe that. Tom told John that those are 2 out of the 3 religions of the west. He also talked about good works. Sounds very similar to a conversation I had yesterday and on Monday with some Jehovah's Witnesses.

Downtown Lakewood is a tough crowd. About half of the tracts John tried to give out were refused. It will be interesting if my pastor does open air preaching here next Friday.

Sinagra Park in Lakewood - 9/18/09

Above: Pastor Paul open air preaching at Lakewood Park.



After joining my pastor for his open air preaching in Lakewood Park, I went to a new location today- Sinagra Park in Lakewood. It is located at the intersection of Cook and Detroit in the heart of Lakewood.

Today was a pretty interesting day. This was my first time at this location and I generally didn't hand out tracts- just stood silent with my cross. After a while, a man started saying from his car to me, "Why don't you go feed the poor? Help somebody?" I just let him continue to ask the questions over and over until the light turned green and didn't say anything back.

A man came from across the street and asked me what Mark 1:15 was. I told him so many people believe but don't practice repentance. He asked me if I was going to be here tomorrow because he wanted to take a picture. I gave him the address to this blog and also a Gospel tract.

A man driving a bus that was on Detroit opened the bus door and said something to me. I'm not sure what it was, but I am fairly confident it was in support of what I was doing.

I also noticed a lot of activity in the bank across the street- a lot of people looking at the cross from inside the building from time to time.

Finally, a woman came out of the bank and came up to me and started talking to me. She asked me if I was doing this as part of church and I told her I was fulfilling what Jesus said in Mark 16:15 to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all creation.

I told her I used to be a person who believed, but didn't repent. I referenced the "MARK 1:15" on my cross which says, "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel." I never placed my trust in Jesus. I used the parachute analogy with her- believing in a parachute won't save you on a crashing plane, you have to put on the parachute and jump from the plane- in the same sense you have to put on Jesus and abandon your sins.

She asked me, "What about 'faith without works is dead'?" I explained to her that a true Christian should have good works to show for their faith- Jesus said you will know them by their fruit. If someone claims to be a Christian but doesn't show fruit, chances are they aren't a Christian. Not that those works save you- there is nothing I can do to add to Jesus' death on the cross.

I then asked her what version of the Bible she had. "New World Translation."

"Ok," I say.

"Are you familiar with that?"

I say, "I am."

"And how are you familiar with it?"

"I know who uses it." In case you don't know, Jehovah's Witnesses use this translation.

I asked her, "So, what do you believe?"

"I believe that Jesus is God- Jehovah's son. Psalms 83:18." That was obviously a slip of her tongue.

"So, do you believe Jesus is God?"

"No, I don't. He is God's Son."

I told her, "That is one area where we differ. I don't know all the areas we differ, but I know that's one major point."

I told her I believe God is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

"Do you believe in the Trinity?"

"I believe in the Trinity. Absolutely."

She asked me what made me believe that. I pointed her to Matthew 28:19, which says "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

The noun "name" is singular. I told her there are other places where Jesus refers to his deity.

Then I asked her, "Say somebody here gets in a car accident and they have 3 minutes to live. What would you tell them?"

"What do you mean, 'What would I tell them'?"

"If somebody gets in a car accident and they have 3 minutes to live- what would you tell them? What do they do to be saved?"

She said, "It's up to them."

"But, what do I need to do? If I were to get in a car accident and I said, 'I'm going to die-"

"It's up to God," she says. "Jehovah God is the one that decides who is going to go to heaven or who is going to stay here."

"So, you wouldn't tell that person anything? They would just be laying there..."

"Oh, I would comfort them the best I can, but I'm not going to lie to them. I would give them the wonderful hope in the Bible. That there is a resurrection hope. I think that's comforting."

"Ok, what is that based off of?"

"God's Word."

I told her I look to passages like John 3:16, that they need to believe, and the second thing they need to do is repent of their sins.

"Yea.."

"But that's not what you told me. You told me you would go out there and comfort them."

"Yea, and the resurrection hope."

I told her, "The resurrection hope doesn't do anything for me. I need to be told that I need to place my trust in Jesus Christ, alone, as Savior, and repent of my sins- turn away from my sins. Unless I turn away from my sin and place my trust in Jesus, I'm not going to heaven. Luke 13:3: 'Unless you repent, you will perish.'"

I asked her if she would consider herself to be a good person. "Yes!" I took her through the law and showed her how she is guilty before God.

"So would he find you innocent or guilty, based on you break His law?"

"I think it depends on how I live my life my each day."

"Well, try that in a court room. Say I murder somebody. I'm standing in front of a judge and I say, 'Judge, I've done so many good deeds, can't you just slide this murder under the rug?' What's the judge going to say? He is going to say, 'No! Justice needs to be served!' He's going to punish me!"

"But the judge can't read your heart like God."

I say, "It doesn't matter! You've broken the law!"

"It doesn't matter what's in your heart?"

I say, "We'll get to that- but based on your breaking His law- He would find you guilty."

"Yes"

I ask, "Based on a guilty judgment- heaven or hell?" She hesitates. "Sinners can't go to heaven."

"That's where we differ. I think there's going to be a resurrection. God will give people a second chance."

I quote Hebrews 9:27: "It is appointed once for a man to die, and then comes judgment. Doesn't sound like a second chance to me."

"Ok. I have to go back to work."

I gave her a gospel tract and just to be courteous, I took her literature.

Someone who walked by and was then standing at the crosswalk asked me if my sign was in reference to 2012. I told him that it was a general message about Christianity and I told him to look up Mark 1:15.

Another person driving by that was stopped in the intersection asked if the message was about repentance. I replied that it was. I was also cursed at a few times. I can handle that, as long as it stays verbal and doesn't turn into something physical.

On my way back to my car, I passed by a group of teenagers at a local coffee shop and they asked about the sign. I showed them the sign and asked them if they were ready. I told them to go home and look up the verse.

The next time I go to this location, I hope to have my pastor join me to do open air preaching and plan on passing out some gospel tracts.