Tuesday’s outreach this week at Pitt included several good conversations.
Austin, a student at Pitt, was very receptive as Gene took him through the Law and the Gospel. His friend Gary, possibly a Christian, showed up a few minutes into the conversation but seemed to agree with all he had heard Gene was saying.
Later, Gene had another conversation with a student named Rina with whom he was able to not only go through the Law and the Gospel but explained also why he was there. It was simply because Gene cared about where she will spend eternity, preferably in heaven and not in hell, that he lovingly communicated to her.
Jenifer and I had a fascinating conversation with a young man named Reed who is studying Biomedical Science and Religion. Reed is a Calvinist who believes that an evolutionary process took place prior to Adam and Eve’s arrival on earth. During our conversation Jen was able to communicate the reason for Biblical creation while gently refuting the evolutionary worldview of creation that some Christians hold fast to.
Everyone we spoke to Tuesday evening who accepted our invitation showed genuine interest in coming to the Bible Study. Please pray that they will join us, and should we see them again, to go further in calling them to repent and trust Christ.
Finally, please pray for a man whom I met with for a brief moment. Though our conversation lasted all of about 3 seconds, it was to me, however, one of the most memorable of the evening.
There wan’t enough dialogue exchange for me to obtain a name but the gentlemen was African American and sported a “Star of David” pendant on his necklace. When I inquired of it he became visibly upset and quickly hurried away.
It wasn’t until we sat down for Bible study that Jen explained to me that the gentleman I had met earlier might have been part of a group known as the Black Hebrew Israelites.
Looking back I am grateful our encounter was so short because after doing some research the next day I realized I knew absolutely nothing about this group nor how to appropriately engage.
It probably goes without saying, but if I have learned anything by being in this ministry it is to take all of the unanswered questions that may arise during a witnessing conversation (however brief) and research, research, research!
You never know if you’ll run into that same person again the following week or someone totally different who may pose the same objections. The key is to be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you (with meekness and fear of course) – 1 Peter 3:15.
Please keep Gene and I in your prayers as we go out each week on campus to witness and be sure to check back shortly for a follow up to this post on what I discovered during my research about the Black Hebrew Israelites.
Until the whole world hears,
Dennis
Asst. Campus Leader
Mark 16:15