Whiteboard Evangelism in Herman Park

What a great way to strike up gospel conversations in a park. You don't really need any artistic talent, just a willingness to be used by God (and that willingness comes from the Holy Spirit). On this particular outing, I wrote the following sayings on the board:

Are you a good person?
How do you know?
God's Law is the standard!

Don't lie
Don't steal
Don't covet
Don't commit adultery

That's just 4 of the commandments

I then drew a picture of the earth with a cross coming out of it and sin nailed to it, with some blood coming from the nails. I wrote above the bloody cross that Jesus saves sinners! Repent and trust in Him! Then drew a big arrow showing His resurrection. When a passerby walked near, I asked him . . .what do you think about this. To which he responded, "you did a good job." I laughed and said ha ha no, I'm not talking about how well it looks, it's not very artistic, but what do you think about that saying there--Jesus died to save sinners! He paused. Nodded his head. And I asked him; do you believe it? A quiet yes resounded. What do you think about this question up here on the board, Are you a good person? Would you consider yourself to be one? He thought he was good, but had done some bad things. So, I took him through some of the commandments I wrote on the whiteboard; expounding God's perfect standard of justice, the guilt and condemnation that this young man is under outside of Christ, and the need for a righteous substitute (someone who is perfect and never sinned to bear the just anger and wrath of God). Hell didn't seem reasonable to this man at first. I took him back through the law, laying the weight of it on his back. Picture a guy squashed on the ground with a 2,000 pound rock on top of him--that's the reality, the future plight of a sinner who is crushed on judgment day because of his tresspasses against the Holy God who is a consuming fire. I reasoned with the man about the seriousness of offense. If he were to murder a homeless person, an earthly judge would give a much lighter sentence than if he were to murder the president. How much sorer punishment you suppose crimes against the most high God of all creation would be? An eternal hell is reasonable. We broke the law, Jesus paid the fine. The righteous for the unrighteous. What a great gift of mercy that God would give us a way out from underneath the judgment rock Jesus. "And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him” Matthew 21:44. We wrapped up the conversation with repentance and faith, gave him a Bible and a contact card, and talked about life. It was a great divine appointment. This must have been why Shayna and I didn't make it to Bay Days this year.


On another note, if there is anyone in the area and they want to overcome their fear of man and get out of their comfort zone. Just let me know, I'd be more than glad to help you share the gospel. We can break out the whiteboard and do a little evangelism. If you're not familiar with the use of the law in evangelism, go ahead and watch the video on the front page of http://www.seedshakers.com/ , it's of Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron teaching what may be the most important message you will ever listen to, called Hell's Best Kept Secret.

Conversing with an Atheist

Evangelist: Hi there, did you get one of these?
Atheist: What is it?
Evangelist: A gospel tract; it's about Jesus!
Atheist: I'm an Atheist; I don't believe in God.
Evangelist. Why don't you believe in God?
Atheist: There's no proof for God.
Evangelist. Sure there is, just look around; a beautiful blue sky, green grass, the sunshine, it really is a wonderful work of God.
Atheist: Haha yeah, that's your opinion. All the evidence points to evolution. Scientists know for a fact that evolution is how things came about, and that there is no need for God.
Evangelist: First of all, not all scientists believe that. And two, it's called the "theory" of evolution because it is not provable. However, I can prove to you that God exists in about 30 seconds.
Atheist: Yeah, right. Let me see!
Evangelist: When you look at a painting, how do you know there was a painter?
Atheist: Because a painter painted the painting.
Evangelist: Very good, that's right. When you look at a building, how do you know there was a builder?
Atheist: Well...
Evangelist: The building is proof there was a builder. And in the same way, when you look at creation it's proof there was a Creator. Your conscience also proves God is real, because God has taken the time to write his law on your heart. You know it's wrong to lie, steal, and commit adultery don't you? Have you ever told a lie?
Atheist. Yes.
Evangelist: What does that make you?
Atheist: Human.
Evangelist: Nah, more specifically!  : - )
Atheist: You want me to say liar?
Evangelist: Yeah, so what do you call someone who tells a lie?
Atheist: Not a liar.
Evangelist: Come on, you'd be a liar wouldn't you?
Atheist: Yep.
Evangelist:Have you ever stolen anything? The value is irrelevant.
Atheist: No.
Evangelist: Even if it was small, something from a brother, sister, a friend . . . anything without asking that didn't belong to you?
Atheist: Yeah, just small things though.
Evangelist: The value is irrelevant. If I reached into your pocket and took 5 dollars from you and ran off, you'd be just as upset if I took 100 dollars from you. So what are you called if you steal something?
Atheist: a thief.
Evangelist: That's right. Let's go through one more commandment--the seventh commandment--you should not commit adultery. Have you comitted adultery?
Atheist: Nope. Haven't broke that one.
Evangelist: Jesus said that if you look at a woman to lust for her, you have committed adultery in your heart. Have you looked with lust?
Atheist: Who hasn't?
Evangelist: So by your own admission. you're a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart, and that's just 3 of the 10 commandments. Do you think you'd be guilty or innocent on judgment day?
Atheist: Innocent, because I don't believe in God.
Evangelist: Just because you don't believe in God, it doesn't change reality. Stand in the middle of the freeway and say you don't believe in trucks--you'll get crushed! Innocent or guilty?
Atheist: I told you, I don't believe in God so it doesn't apply to me.
Evangelist: Well, in that case, "if" what I'm telling you is true and "if" God does exist, would you be innocent or guilty?
Atheist: If it's true, then I'd be guilty.
Evangelist: Should God reward you with heaven or hell?
Atheist: I don't believe in God but if it's true then yes, I'd go to hell.
Evangelist: Does that concern you, that you'd go to hell?
Atheist: . . .If it's true it would.
Evangelist: Let me ask you a question, would you sell one of your eyes for a million dollars?
Atheist: No.
Evangelist: How about both of your eyes for $10 million dollars!
Atheist: No.
Evangelist: Why not? It's because your eyes are important to you, how much more precious is your soul that looks out the windows of your eyes?
Atheist: . . . I see what you are saying.
Evangelist: Let me make it a little clearer for you. Put yourself in a courtroom, guilty of serious crimes. Do you think that the judge can just let you off the hook?
Atheist: No.
Evangelist: How much more strict of a judgment do you think God will
impose on you for breaking his eternal law, the ten commandments. He can't let you off the hook, if he did he would be an unjust judge. When human judges let people off the hook, we call them corrupt. God reveals himself in the Bible as a righteous judge, who judges every person's thoughts, words, and deeds! There is no corruption in God, unlike us, and he will give everyone who dies in their sins exactly what they deserve. We deserve to be punished in hell for our sins. The question you should be asking is: how can a just and holy God spare you of his firey judgment?
Atheist: If I try to be a good person, won't he forgive me?
Evangelist: Let's go back to the courtroom a second. You say to the judge, but judge I'm a good person now, I broke the law and committed those crimes 6 months ago. I've gave to charity, done community service, and even helped out in nursing homes, please your honor, I won't do it again--I'm sorry,please let me go. A good judge would respond with, certainly not! You  broke the law and the fine must be paid. You should be sorry, but being sorry and trying to change your life isn't going to make up for the law you broke. The fine must be paid.

It's the same way between you and God, you have broken his law by lying, stealing, lusting, and numerous other sins. No amount of good works will ever make up for the sins you have committed. Does this make sense to you?
Atheist: Yes.
Evangelist: Back to the courtroom one more time. You are being handcuffed and led out of the courtroom, and all of a sudden the judge says hold up. You turn and face him, and he says to you, you have broken the law and have not been able to pay your $100,000 fine. As a just judge, I have upheld the law and sentenced you to prison. The judge steps down from his stand, walks over to you, takes out his checkbook and fills out a check for $100,000. He then says to you, but as your friend, I am paying your fine. Not because you deserve it, or because you did anything to earn it, but simply because I was showing you mercy. It is a gift from me to you. How would that make you feel?
Atheist: Pretty grateful.
Evangelist: You bet it would! How would you respond to the judge?
Atheist: I would thank him and not go back to that lifestyle of crime.
Evangelist: That's right. Just like the courtroom, God has judged you guilty of breaking his law and the punishment is hell. But God being merciful, sent his son Jesus to pay the fine for the law you broke. The Bible tells us that God took on human form; Jesus became a man about 2,000 years ago and he lived a perfect life, fulfilling God's law, something you and I have failed to accomplish. Because Jesus had not broke the law he could give up his life as a sacrifice for those that have broke the law--Jesus was a perfect sacrifice for sinners. This was prophesied throughout the Bible and it came to pass. As Jesus suffered on the cross he was actually absorbing the penalty of his peoples' sins in his body--The book of Isaiah puts it this way: God laid on his son the iniquities of the people and crushed him. Jesus absorbed the wrath of God: you broke the law and Jesus paid your fine. The story doesn't end here though. Three days later Jesus was resurrected from the dead proving that he does have the power to forgive and cleanse those who have rebelled against his law. To receive this mercy that God is offerring you through his son Jesus, you are commanded by God to repent (that means to turn from your sins as revealed by God's moral law) and to put your trust in Jesus as you would in a parachute! Does this make sense?
Atheist: Yeah, it makes sense.
Evangelist: When do you think you will repent and put your faith in Jesus?
Atheist: Don't know.
Evangelist: Everyday 150,000 people die and open their eyes in eternity, some open their eyes to realize the flames of hell and torment, others meet Jesus face-to-face. Don't procrastinate, your eternal destiny depends on whether you repent and trust Jesus. Hey, do you have a Bible?
Atheist: Yes, I do.
Evangelist: I want to encourage you to read it, start with the gospel of John (it's the 4th book in the new testament). Ask God to give you understanding as you read it. And don't just be a hearer of it, but obey what it says.
Atheist: Ok.
Evangelist: Hey, thanks for talking with me. If you have any questions just contact me through the website listed on the back of that gospel tract I gave you. Have a great day! :-)

Rethink Gospel Tracts

Tags: who is Jesus, why Jesus is significant, what did Jesus accomplish, why Jesus is the eternal Son of God, why is Jesus unique, why Chrisianity is the one true religion, why there is none like Jesus, John 14:6,

It's a small tract to carry around with you--the size of a business card--to give to those who are a little confused about who Jesus is, or simply a reminder to anyone about Jesus' identity and why there is none like Him! The tract then swings to a short gospel message of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection; and our need to repent and trust in the Savior. A good, little way to plant, water, and grow.


Buy the Rethink gospel tracts here.