Saturday at the Farmers Market

Well, our friends from the American Atheists were down at the Farmers Market on Saturday, trying to recruit support and doing a poor job of it.

Tony and Ian were out early, preaching on the corner of Court & 3rd. The AA's had a booth set up on 3rd just a stones throw away. No stones were thrown, but the Atheists came out to heckle Ian, complaining that we were stealing: they had to pay money for their booth, but we just came out and spoke without paying a thing. Why, we were nothing more than thieves!

Like our preaching friend Jim said, "What part of FREE speech don't they understand?" I said we should have a pity party for the lads, and maybe take up a collection for them. In all seriousness, we enjoy the opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone down at the FM, including the AA's. May God open their hearts and minds to the gift of eternal life that is in Jesus Christ, and set them free from the darkness in which Satan has them bound in (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

While Tony and Ian had some opposition, we did not. Mary and I got down there around 10:30, and Jim was stationed in the middle of Court Avenue, handing out tracts and preaching to the passersby. I set up in front of Legends, and preached for about 30 minutes. I had the occasional comments "No one is listening", and even a "You're disgusting", at which, at least in my mind, I leaped for joy (Luke 6:22-23). We actually had a lot of support. It was sunny and hot, probably over 90 degrees (Fahrenheit, for any Canadians reading this) with the reflecting asphalt, concrete, and glass. And it was loud. I tried to capture some audio of the preaching, but in doing so I also captured the music from the band 2 spots down.

Overall, we had some good conversations, and I know that Mary passed out a ton of tracts. We also talked to a sincere Christian lady who asked about the "effectiveness" of preaching open-air, etc. We thank the Lord for His grace that sinners saved by grace are allowed to proclaim the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. My God bless you as you reach out with the gospel to seek and to save that which is lost.

Top 5 @ Des Moines Farmers Market

For any of you who ever wondered, I thought I'd give a run down on my top 5 preaching spots at the world famous Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market. Please pray for the ministry down there, and those who go down for the ministry. Its a spiritual battle, and we need the anointing of God's Holy Spirit and a prayer covering from the family of believers. If you will pray for us, would you leave a comment and let us know?

WHO Radio Discusses Preaching at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market

Got a text message this morning from Tony Didlo, our fellow evangelist in Des Moines. There was some discussion on the impact of street preaching at the Des Moines Farmers Market. Tony called in, and you can listen to the podcast at the link below.
http://www.whoradio.com/pages/pp_janmickelson.html?article=10124352

Witness at Tasty Freeze

Mary and I were driving through Marshalltown, and I mentioned I'd like to stop a Tasty Freeze to get something to drink. This is a little ice cream place where you go up to the window, order, and eat outside on picnic tables. Its always a good place to pass out a tract or two, so I was ready...I thought.

Alicia and her two children were just getting their orders and sitting down. I handed the girl the Spanish version of "Are you a good person?" while her mother was getting something from the counter, and after a few minutes, the mother stepped over to where I was standing in line and asked if I had this tract in English. Oops! I only have these in the Spanish version.

But since it is the moral Law preceding grace and the gospel, I went through the entire tract in English from memory, "See, it says here this guy is called Mr. Good Guy (Sr. Buena Gente)...and then they ask him, 'Have you kept the 10 Commandments?' and he says 'Sure'...." I got to go through the whole  Law and Gospel with Alicia, and then talk in detail about the difference between religion and a relationship with the God of the Universe, the Lord Jesus Christ. We had a really long talk, touching on things like water baptism, and how it's not "scaring your kids" to discuss God's righteousness, judgment, and Hell, just like you teach them to wear a seat belt, or to drop and roll if they catch on fire. I was able to give all of them a 10 Commandment penny, encouraged her to think about the gift of God available through faith in Christ, and to read her Bible. She left with my email address, and the web address for www.NeedGod.com.

Please pray for Alicia and her children. Isn't it cool how God guides us to people through such ordinary circumstances like stopping at the Tasty Freeze? And how you can even use a gospel tract in a foreign language to point others to the Lord Jesus? Just amazing....

Opening Day!

Today was the opening day for the 2012 Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market. I arrived around 9:45, and met Jim Bagby and his granddaughter Kaylynn, who had come down earlier and had been preaching and handing out gospel tracts.

With the music and wind direction, the southeast corner of Court Avenue and 2nd Street was the best place to set up, next to our friends from Stam's Greenhouse. These folks have been an encouragement to our gospel ministry down at the Market, and it was good to see them after the 6-month winter hiatus.

God gave us a good day. I used the news story about "Editgate" - NBC's recent firing of 1 producer and 2 reporters over the deceitful editing of the George Zimmerman 911 tapes, done in order to advance a narrative (make you believe a story) that Zimmerman was racially motivated in killing Trayvan Martin. I also used examples of email scams like the one from Nigeria, to springboard to the reality of God, the law, and the gospel. Frank got up on the box next, and then Kaylynn, and finally Jim wrapped it up at 12 noon. We had several hecklers (always welcome) and good gospel conversations throughout the morning.

This was the first time that Kaylynn has stepped up on the box, and she surprised us as she spoke boldly and powerfully, with tears running down her face, because of the hardness of the hearts of men and women, and for, as she put it so well, "the stupidness of sin". As Jim said, would that I had as much compassion for the souls of men and women as young Kaylynn. Glory to God for the work He is doing in this young believer!

I captured some audio of the preaching today on my MP3 player. It has a bit of a buzz due to I don't know much about how to record audio, and although I had this hanging from my belt loop, it was too close to my mouth, and I guess I overwhelmed the poor thing. One of these days, I'll get this stuff down. You can access the audio by clicking here.

You know, it is hard to believe that this is the fourth year that we have had the privilege of publicly proclaiming the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in downtown Des Moines every Saturday morning from May through October. Believe me, we don't presume that we have many days or years ahead to labor for the Master.

Moses said, 

"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away...So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." ( Psalms 90:10,12)

This picture is from May 2009, probably the 2nd or 3rd time preaching at the market. Can four years have come and gone so quickly? And has God given us an open door here for so long, with faithful brothers and sisters to labor alongside? It is surely a wonderful, marvelous thing that God has done for us in our little corner of His harvest field. But so quickly! Oh that we may listen to the words of Moses, and be busy serving our Lord until either we go to be with Him, or He comes for us! God be praised forevermore.

Valley Junction Farmers Market Update

Thursday night Tony, Joe, Gary and I went to the Valley Junction Farmers Market inspecting the fruit of those who claim to be Christian and those who needed to hear the gospel.  It was a pretty good night.  Joe and I teamed with Gary and Tony in the other group. 

When walking through the market it’s always hard to find people sitting around by themselves away from the music and crowds.  People are constantly on the move and in groups.  There are spots either side of the alleyways where there are benches to sit and talk with people.  Once in a while you can find people outside the market who want to get away for a little bit. 

It was a slow night at first, and after some initial contacts that didn’t go as planned, Joe and I were getting a bit discouraged.  We the proceeded to one of the alleyways were we found three Roman Catholic brothers from 12 to 16 years old.  I concentrated my focus on the oldest boy, who was pretty open to what I had to say.  I asked him what his percentages were in getting to heaven, to which he said 70%.  About the 30% looking at the 10 commandments, he knew he was guilty of breaking God’s law.  He didn’t seem concerned because he felt like his sins weren’t deserving of punishment.  While his brothers were listening we told him that the level of punishment increases when the sin is against someone of higher authority.  If you lie to your sister, it’s not as bad as lying to your mother, which she would ground you for a day or two.  Then again lying to a judge is a crime and is punishable by jail and fines.  But since God created the heavens, earth, everything we see (and don’t see), and is the ruler of all, the crime or sin is way more serious, and deserves the greatest punishment because there is no one greater than God.   Plus if God were to reward those with heaven for eternity, He should also punish others for eternity.  With that I think he started to understand.  We gave them the Biggest Question DVD’s and gospel of John to start them in bible reading. 

Tony and Gary had a great night too speaking to a group of young ladies about the gospel.  They said how people got into heaven was by good works and since they were good people.  After talking with them for several minutes, showing their sin using the 10 commandments as the mirror, they understood their sin, and the bad news.  But when showing them their sickness, they begged for the cure and REALLY wanted the gospel.  All the ladies said they were Christians all their lives and never heard anything like what Tony shared.  They all took home the Biggest Question DVD and said they were going to start reading the bible more carefully. 

It was a great night.  My encouragement comes from stories like these, warning those of what will come if they don’t repent of their sin and put their trust in Christ alone.  Seeing the eyes awaken brings joy, and it’s that joy that makes all the difficult things that happen in sharing our faith seem trite in comparison.  The Valley Junction Farmers Market will be going on all summer Thursday nights from 4-8pm with food, music, and evangelism opportunities.