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Open-Air Mission
‘Holding fast the faithful word...’
(Titus 1:9)
(Titus 1:9)
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‘Holding forth the word of life...’
(Philippians 2:16)
(Philippians 2:16)
Steve Burton
Regular open-air opportunities in Bedford, Hemel Hempstead, Luton, St Albans and Stevenage.
Click here to read
Steve’s Testimony
LIVING LIKE AN ATHEIST?
During my personal reading recently I was faced by a very searching question the author posed concerning our attitude to heaven. He asked, ‘If God is objectively real and we are answerable to Him, and assuming heaven is our final place and our most fitting company, why then do we live as if heaven doesn’t matter and as if God were just another fine idea?’ I ask myself the question: Do I keep eternity in mind or mainly allow the things in this life to hold me back from pointing dying souls to the Lord? How we need to point people beyond the material and to heaven.
Carol was angry with God because she blamed Him for the sufferings and pains in the world. Each time I tried to speak to her about the truth that God became man to suffer in the sinner’s place, she fiercely and loudly responded. I offered her a booklet by John Blanchard, ‘Where Is God When Things Go Wrong?’ and asked her to read it in a quiet place when she had calmed down. I was pleasantly surprised that Carol agreed to do this. How she needs to look beyond the sufferings in this life, though they are not to be devalued, and consider the eternal sufferings of those who ultimately reject God!
We regularly meet charity workers on the streets. Clive was one and he came to speak to me after listening to my talk. He didn’t believe in heaven or hell, but had some belief in spirituality and God. Strangely, he then spoke about the earth being heaven and hell, but also believed perfection could be reached here. I explained that Jesus Christ gave a very clear picture of hell, which is far worse than anything we know in this life. I also shared with Clive that none of us could reach moral perfection because of our sin. I tried to show him that only in the next life, for those trusting Christ Jesus, would sinless perfection be attained.
The big challenge for us in today’s Britain, as people launching into the deep and fishing for men, is that we ourselves keep our focus on the things of eternity. The next challenge is to persuade our materialistic countrymen of that eternity they haven’t fully realised exists. Then finally it is to point them to the only One who is the way of escape from hell and the sure passage to heaven.
Carol was angry with God because she blamed Him for the sufferings and pains in the world. Each time I tried to speak to her about the truth that God became man to suffer in the sinner’s place, she fiercely and loudly responded. I offered her a booklet by John Blanchard, ‘Where Is God When Things Go Wrong?’ and asked her to read it in a quiet place when she had calmed down. I was pleasantly surprised that Carol agreed to do this. How she needs to look beyond the sufferings in this life, though they are not to be devalued, and consider the eternal sufferings of those who ultimately reject God!
We regularly meet charity workers on the streets. Clive was one and he came to speak to me after listening to my talk. He didn’t believe in heaven or hell, but had some belief in spirituality and God. Strangely, he then spoke about the earth being heaven and hell, but also believed perfection could be reached here. I explained that Jesus Christ gave a very clear picture of hell, which is far worse than anything we know in this life. I also shared with Clive that none of us could reach moral perfection because of our sin. I tried to show him that only in the next life, for those trusting Christ Jesus, would sinless perfection be attained.
The big challenge for us in today’s Britain, as people launching into the deep and fishing for men, is that we ourselves keep our focus on the things of eternity. The next challenge is to persuade our materialistic countrymen of that eternity they haven’t fully realised exists. Then finally it is to point them to the only One who is the way of escape from hell and the sure passage to heaven.