Several years ago, I went on a mission trip with our youth to Brooklyn, NY. That week we spent cleaning out an old store front to convert into a Church. The storefront was located in the neighborhood of Crown Heights.
Strange Place
A most unusual place. On one side of the street was where the Hasidic Jews lived and worked and on the other side was where people of color lived and worked. It was like an imaginary line in the pavement. Neither crossed the street.
The Hasidic Jews wore the traditional garb, a long black suit, a black hat and had long beards and side burns. We saw very few woman on the Jewish side. On the other side of the road, were regular folks with a mix of middle class and street people. Here we were, a group of white Southern Baptist carrying our tools off of the subway marching down the sidewalk. We stood out like a sore thumb.
World Changers Mission Trip
So during that week, we had a group of about 15 youth working. The Church was an old storefront. It had been recently converted into a worship center. It needed a lot of TLC. We cleaned, we painted and organized the area for the Pastor. The Church was located on a heavily traveled street. So we saw lots of people and lots of people saw us. As the crew chief, it was my responsibility to get the job done and keep the kids safe.
Street Vendor
On Tuesday, a street guy came walking on to our site. You could tell right off that he hadn’t had a bath in a very long time. His clothes were tattered and had a very distinct smell. I was in the back of the building when he entered. He started talking to some of the teenage girls. So I bolted to the front of the Church to take care of the situation. I puffed up my chest, flexed my arms and asked him, “Can I help you?”. He was selling drill bits. Just trying to hustle up a little money. Really quite harmless.
Who needs to Hear the Gospel?
I let him give his spiel about his drill bits. I told him that we didn’t need any. But thanked him any how. As he was getting ready to leave, I felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to ask him if he understood what it meant to go to Heaven? He said that he didn’t really know. I asked if I could tell him what the Bible says about it. He nodded his head and said yes.
By the Power of the Holy Spirit
After a few minutes of presenting the gospel, I found myself hand in hand praying with the man. That day he asked Jesus into his heart. That day, a stinky wretched man was saved from the bowels of Hell. That day, he was saved forever. His Soul matters!
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10
God is calling you to Go and Seek the Lost!
Who do you know that needs to hear the Gospel. Is it your neighbor, the check-out lady at the grocery store, your hair dresser or someone at work? God is calling you to find the Lost and tell them the good news so that too can be saved. God doesn’t want anyone to perish but have eternal life like yourself. God is calling you to Go and Seek the Lost!
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
John 10:28
“If not You, then who will go for me?”