BETWEEN THE PILLARS BY THE SHOPPING CARTS

I was running late.

I should have been in the Aldi’s parking lot by 10:30 at the latest, but all the little details of a busy Saturday morning delayed me. The wash, the groceries, the dishes, etc…

Instead of meeting everyone at church and heading over, caravan-style, to Aldi’s, I drove straight there, hoping that’s where everyone would end up.

I pulled into the parking lot and peered over the steering wheel. Were they here? Did I miss them? Did they go somewhere else?

Plastic trash bags and squashed water bottles littered the parking lot. Rite Aid, Subway, and the liquor store filled out the little plaza. I scanned the sidewalk, looking for familiar faces.

And there they were – between the big pillars that hold up the roof overhang, next to the chain of shopping carts where people shove in quarters to set their carriages free.

First, I saw the pastor with his shock of white hair. Never a coat -- always a sweatshirt, no matter how cold, and heard his booming voice, “I want to give you the gift of good news today. Jesus loves you.”

And there’s one of my outreach buddies for over 20 years. A small woman whose hands freeze in this weather. Even with two pair of gloves on, it will take all day to get feeling back in her fingers after an hour outside.

My sister was there, as always. She had a cappuccino in her travel mug and was talking on her cell phone, telling another person she will get them whatever it is they need, and she’ll drop it off later. She is a whirlwind of industry and havoc, who does ten things while the rest of us do two.

A few more have joined the ranks. A missionary from the Far East stands quietly around the corner to engage those headed into the liquor store. A woman, fairly new to the church, with so much energy she makes the Energizer bunny look sleepy, and another Pastor who is always with the senior pastor, Elijah and Elisha.

And there we all are. Gloves, scarves, coats (or not), extra socks, and because it is the Age of Covid – masks all around.

We joke with each other, hand out tracts, encourage the shoppers and always, always – tell someone about Jesus.

“Can I give you this tract that tells you how much God loves you?”

“Do you know how much Jesus loves you?”

“If you died tonight, do you know if you will go to heaven?”

We’ve been going to this plaza in a not-too-bad area of Baltimore for the last 3 years or so. Before that we went to the Northeast Market, okay in the daylight, not recommended for after dark. And occasionally we go to the Flea Market in Dundalk, a huge conglomerate of inside and outside vendors.

We are different ages, different races, and many times, because our church is home to a Bible college, from different countries.

We go in the cold, in the snow, in the heat, in the rain. There are no eloquent speeches. Just believers, sharing the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ – as the Lord told us to do.

Seventy-five percent of the people are polite and happy to see us. This is Baltimore, after all, and despite what you may hear on the news, it is a city of faith. Fifteen percent are a little brusque and give us the “I’m good” talk-to-the-hand brush off. A very few are rude, even a little confrontational, but it’s rare. But the rest, the ones we love to talk to -- stop, listen, ask questions, and God willing, get saved. We may not know, as we stand there in the parking lot, the impact of our obedience, but God will show us in eternity.

And He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

I would like to point out a few things about that verse.

Did Jesus say to bring the gospel to others when it was convenient? Easy? On your way? Where your friends were?

Did He say to preach to people who look like you? Act like you? Talk like you?

Did He say to go to the poor only? The rich? The educated? The influential? The destitute?

Did He say you needed an education? Money? A good wardrobe? A nice car?

Did He say only the pastor should go? The Sunday school teachers? The singers? The board of elders?

The answer to all those questions, and any other stipulations you might come up with, is “No!”

I love the succinct-ness of the Lord. He doesn’t over speak. He gives the command and moves on. There’s not a lot of explaining. Just ‘go’ and ‘preach’. To whom? Everyone. Where? Everywhere. What are you preaching? The gospel.

So … let us go into all the world and preach the good news of Christ. Whether the words flow from your mouth like honey, or they tumble out unevenly like broken pebbles – no matter.

Soul winning is done intentionally. About 100 or so people meet at my church on Saturday mornings and we break off into small groups of 5-15 people. Some head out into neighborhoods close by the church, some to the towns surrounding Baltimore, and a few go an hour or so away into VA, DE, and PA. We are all different and we are going in different directions, but we all say the same thing.

“Jesus Christ loves you and He died for your sins. Would you like to know Him as your Savior?”

ARE YOU SAVED?

Jesus died for the sins of the world. He perfect, holy blood was poured out on the cross as payment for all sin – for all mankind – no exceptions. If you have not asked Him to be your Savior, please do so now. Ask Him to forgive you (His answer is always ‘yes’) and ask Him to live in your heart (again—always ‘yes’). If you do this, you will be saved, and when you die you can be assured of living in heaven for eternity with the Lord.

If you would like to talk to someone about your faith,

or if you are looking for a church,

please go to:

ggwo.org