Stone the Preacher

Anna “Banana” Jackson created a cool T-shirt inspired from some articles from this blog. (Read what the T-shirt says by clicking here.)

 Here’s what she wrote: “This shirt was inspired from a great series of articles on EVTales.com called “You might be a fundamentalist atheist if…” Some of them just made me laugh out loud, and I thought I’d make a shirt out of it.

I’m actually not sure what this would be good for… except maybe getting punched in the face by your friendly neighborhood atheist. Might be good for stirring up an open air crowd.

Whatever you use it for… enjoy!

Check out the Jackson’s cool evangelism gear website, “Evangelism Stuff,” by clicking here… and get your own shirt!

Here’s a review by Ray Comfort on the movie “Expelled.” If you haven’t ever heard about it, you may want to check it out when it opens in April. (See the trailer here.)

It’s 11:20 PM Friday night. We have just returned from watching a special Hollywood screening of Ben Stein’s “Expelled.” I didn’t know what to expect as this isn’t a Christian movie. But after seeing it, I can say that it is phenomenal. The highlight was watching the king of evolution, Richard Dawkins, fall off his throne, big-time. He melted like soft wax on a hot Vegas sidewalk in July. He went from a bold and confident man to a pathetic little mouse, in a moment. He even admitted that he isn’t an atheist. It was wonderful to see him so humbled by a few probing questions from Ben Stein.

I am going to do everything I can to promote this movie. Please go and see it when it is released across the country on the 18th of April. It exposes the blatant hypocrisy of the censorship of ideas, and the freedoms that this country was founded upon. Read the rest of the review here, then read the angry comments by atheists.

A woman found dead and packed in dry ice at an upscale hotel near John Wayne Airport has been identified as Felicia Tripp of Huntington Beach. No further information was available on how she died or how long her body had been in the hotel room. Police found Tripp packed in dry ice in a rubber or plastic container in one of the hotel’s rooms. —L.A. Times, 3/9/08

E-vangie Tales went public on this day two years ago.

“Does it work?”
—A lady at the Farmer’s Market who just received a Giant Money $100 bill Gospel tract. I replied, “Yes! If you read the back and believe.”

“Ohhhhh… noooo thank you. I’ve seen one of those.”
—A thoroughly disgusted woman refusing to take the Giant Money $100 Gospel tract from me.

Oh no! The atheists are on the attack! (Gotta blame it on someone…)

My home computer crashed and the server for my blog has been erratic, therefore I cannot guarantee any new postings until Monday, March 31. But check out these stories and videos from the archives in the meantime.

The theme will be Different People Groups:

Witnessing gone bad at the Hindu Barbeque

The Demonized Buddhist in China

Witnessing to the Homosexual Community

At Venice Beach

Video: A very friendly interview with a lesbian

Video: Two drug addicted anarchists on Hollywood Blvd.

Who were the first New Testament evangelists?  (From Sunday’s question)

All women!

Then as today, men were too afraid to go out and share the good news. Here are the names of these wonderful women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna, and the others with them… (From Mat. 28:1; Mk. 16:1; Lk. 24:10; Jn. 20:1)

This is a great article about using apologetics versus using the Law on sinners and atheists. It’s by Ray Comfort and I think you will enjoy it:

I’m not big on fishing. I far prefer catching. However, there can be no catching without fishing, so I have made a point of studying the skills that make a difference as to whether I catch or fish.
  For example, there is a right and wrong way to bait a hook. Bait should be used to attract fish and at the same time disguise the hook. Fish are not stupid. They aren’t going to bite onto a hook that they can see. So, a wise fisherman baits the hook to hide its deadly barbs. Then, when he sees that a fish is nibbling at the bait, he quickly jerks the line and pulls the hook into the jaw, and reels him in.
Click here to continue reading!

The Alliance Defense Fund continues to challenge an Ohio university’s policy that silences Christians on school grounds.
In October 2002, Jim Gilles was witnessing on the campus of Miami University when he was approached by security officers, who told him that without a permit, free speech was not allowed throughout the entire university. Click here to read the rest from One NewsNow!

Archived version:
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What’s up Doc? This bunny bugs me! Hey! It ain’t about rodent hordes, but the Risen Lord! Try to talk about sin, Judgment Day and Hell to a dude like this and it ain’t worth jack… he kept taking me down rabbit trails.
So I gave him the Million-dollar bill Gospel tract; let it do the talkin’ for me.
The cold hard facts hit him like, well, an egg. What a horrible message to read right before Easter. I sure rained on his Easter Parade.
Put off the old suit, and put on the new Bunnyman; quit hoppin’ and get hollarin’ hallelujah
—because Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death, giving life to all who would repent and believe.

The poor guy was a definite Easter basket case.

A 27-year-old Orange County man climbed a 50-foot Italian Cyprus tree to rescue a cat, then fell to his death while reaching out to grab the stranded feline.

Sgt. Dan Adams says the man managed to grab hold of the cat, but lost his grip and fell to the sidewalk. The cat fell to the ground with the man, was taken to an animal care facility, treated for minor injuries and returned to its owner. —The Daily Breeze, 2/29/08

HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!

 

Question: Who were the first evangelists after Christ rose?

This is a wonderful illustration of this wonderful day… 

The story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life, positive or negative, and remarking, “This is good!”
One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, “This is good!” (more…)

“I’m calling the police… and I’m going to press charges.”
—An older gentleman in a pink shirt who was angrily protesting—and trying to interrupt—my preaching to the line at Pink’s World Famous Hot Dogs in Hollywood last Sunday. The cops never came and my daughter burst into tears.

“You’re brainwashed.”
—The young man reading his Gospel tract while waiting in line to enter a bar after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hermosa Beach.

“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” —Luke 8:16

With the start of a new evangelism class comes a new round of E-vangie Tales (hopefully) from Christians ready and willing to share their faith for possibly the first time. Share your own evangelism adventures even if you are an old-timer.

Right across the street from Oscar I launched into a seven minute sermon. Would the stars be offended at the message delivered on this most hallowed of Hollywood nights? Would the thousands of gawkers consider me foolish for preaching the cross at the crossroads of Hollywood and Highland?

I sure hoped so…

This was one of about ten sermons that we preached at various corners across from the Red Carpet. Unfortunately, the hate church from Kansas was also there on another corner, so we had to distinguish ourselves from them. I actually started out my sermons talking about love, God’s love, so the crowds would know we weren’t out there to hate. I would say, “I come to you with a message of love. I want to tell you how much God loves you. But before I can tell you that, I need to tell you the bad news first….” I would then launch into the 10 Commandments, Judgment Day and Hell, followed by the really Good News of God’s love through Christ.

Across the street from where I was preaching one lost member from The Westboro Baptist Church waved her sign declaring boldly that “God Hates!” I just can’t understand why someone would want to magnify God’s hate. There were horrible, awful signs declaring that “Heath Ledger is in Hell” and that God hates certain people groups. One of those people groups stood behind the “haters” with signs declaring “God loves everyone!”

An overemphasis of any of God’s qualities is idolatry; it was a good thing we were there to set the record straight: The bad news is that God hates sin and anyone who has broken any of God’s commandments is a sinner. God’s wrath is such that all liars will have their part in the lake of burning sulfur; the sexually immoral and all thieves will not inherit the Kingdom of God. BUT! God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Whoever repents of their sin and puts their trust in Christ will have their sins forgiven. That’s love; that’s God’s love! Better than any stinkin’ trophy…Read last year’s account of our Academy Awards adventure by clicking here!

ON THE ISSUE OF ORIGINS, YOU MIGHT BE A FUNDY ATHEIST IF…

21. You think that humans are products of chance but when it comes to human reason we can believe in logic! (Think about it!)

22. You have recently stuck a Darwin fish on your car in the hopes the people with the Jesus fish on theirs will be offended.
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Philadelphia-based street preacher Michael Marcavage has been found guilty of disorderly conduct for proclaiming the gospel in Salem, Massachusetts.

Marcavage is president of Repent America, a ministry that calls America back to its Christian roots. On Halloween night last year, Marcavage was street preaching in Salem, a community also known as “Witch City.” Marcavage was eventually arrested after police charged him with using an amplified megaphone to preach. The charge was later dropped, after lawyers argued that he was arrested before 10:00 p.m. — the hour when the noise ordinance takes effect. However, the Christian activist was found guilty of disorderly conduct. Click here to continue reading!

Click here for archived story. (more…)

On occasion, we get some encouragement. Here are two emails I received from happy customers waiting in line at Pink’s World Famous Hot Dogs (read the article with photos and bad puns here), an eatery that has been a staple tourist attraction for nearly 70 years in L.A.. Every time we go to Hollywood, we try to preach to the hundreds—that’s right, hundreds—standing in line for a hot dog.
First, we hand out Gospel tracts to “warm up the audience,” then we preach a short 8 minute sermon, load back up in the car, and drive away. On Thursday, you will read about an incident that happened on Sunday that went bad.

Dear Hope Church,

I received your 100 dollar bill at Pinks Hot Dog Stand on LaBrea and Wilshire. I was in Los Angeles at the time on business. The middle aged gentleman that spoke out in the parking lot that Sunday afternoon did an exceptional job and was very articulate. It took courage for him to do that because the gospel is offensive to this world that we live in. Please pass on my word of encouragement to him.
Note: The articulate middle-aged man was probably “Righteous Richard” Chavarria. After I preach to the front of the line, he preaches to the back of the line, the line that winds it’s way into the parking lot. Though he’s not middle-aged anymore—he passed that marker many, many, many moons ago— we’ll show him a little grace…

Here’s another one:

I was standing in line at Pink’s getting a hotdog when I was asked the Million Dollar Question. Thankfully I had the right answer and told the nice man that I was a Christian. I think it’s absolutely fantastic that the good news of Jesus is being spread.

God Bless you all, Andrew
The Bridge Bible Fellowship, Reseda

Here is an actual photo of an American Christian responding to Christ’s call to preach the Gospel.

This Saturday we will head on down to the Huntington Pier to evangelize with Ray Comfort.
Meet at Hope Chapel at noon. For more details, and for other info on future adventures, click here!

Read about what happened at a Christian “Outreach” last summer when Ray, his team, and us were out there by clicking here. It wasn’t an “Outreach,” trust me…

25-year-old Jehad Ramzi Razack has been arrested in connection with the beating death of his mother, a 58-year-old resident of Highland Park, authorities said.

***

A 26-year-old man died after a vehicle-to-vehicle shooting on the Hollywood Freeway early Saturday morning, the LAPD said.
—Both reports from The Daily Breeze, 3/2/08

“Because I have a bad mouth, I like fighting, and I steal.”
—Siond Tuli, a very large college student of island descent on why he thinks that he would go to Hell instead of Heaven.

“#?@&%!! Why don’t you shut up! #?@&%!!
You blankin’ #?@&%!!”
—The very manly, angry, linebackerish woman standing in line and reacting enthusiastically to my Gospel preaching before the doors opened at the Torrance DMV.

I reported last week that my wife Karen woke up one morning and discovered that half of her face was paralyzed, a symptom, we discovered, of Bell’s Palsy. Though there has not been much improvement, we are very grateful for the many tears and prayers that have been shed on her behalf. Thank you for all your support. But there is some good news: Karen has a renewed evangelistic zeal. How can that be? Read about it in her own words:

“Since I’ve had the paralysis I’ve come to understand that people are going to think what they are going to think no matter how I present myself.
This has given me new boldness in witnessing. Regardless of how hard it is to form my words—people might think that I’ve had a stroke or that I’m developmentally disabled—I just go right ahead and talk to everybody about the Lord, and hand out more than my daily goal of three tracts. I don’t worry about sounding stupid or looking silly, because there is nothing that I can do about it anyway.”

If you’d like to leave an encouraging word or prayer for Karen, I’ll see to it that she reads them. Please, no bad news. Thanks.

What do you do when the person you start sharing your faith with is already a Christian? You want to make the most of every opportunity; you can’t just let the guy go… can you? After all, God had you stop this person for a reason, right?
 A janitor was driving by in his little broom-mobile when I stopped him with some Giant Money. He accepted it gladly and was more than happy to show off his hard-earned raise. (Remember, California schools are cash-strapped, having to pay all that tax money to the Governator so he can gas up his private jet… but I digress….)

I asked him the Big money question: “If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven or Hell?”

He cheerfully replied that he would go to Heaven because he trusted in His Lord, Jesus Christ.

“What church do you go to?”

He told me the name of his church and actually knew the name of his pastor. Instead of saying goodbye and walking away, I asked how I could pray for him.

“I want to stop smoking,” he replied, pointing to his pipe.
 Laying my hand on his shoulder I asked that God would deliver him from his tobacco habit. He nodded his head in agreement. After we both said “Amen,” I asked him another question: “Are you really serious about stopping smoking?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Then give me your pipe right now and I’ll throw it away.”

To my amazement, and without hesitation… he did!

“No sense asking God to help and not doing all that we can do,” I encouraged.

I tossed it in the trash…

…turning his pipe dream into answered prayer.

I ain’t blowing no smoke neither!

Read the 4 opportunities you should always take advantage of when meeting every person by clicking here.

When he’s not complaining about how cold it is in Canada or how much snow he has to shovel from the roof of his house, Paul LaTour contributes witty, encouraging commentary to this blog and is a fervent Gospel preacher.

Paul sent me a few pictures about how things are done in the frozen North:

I’m just sending you these so you can get a gander and agree that I am a better-looking-gospel-giving-million-dollar-tract-giver-guy than you are. Not to mention…more humble.

I also wanna show you what Timothy 2:4 is all about here in Canada:: “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season.” Just so you know that in Canada we define “in season” as summer and “out of season” as winter. I much prefer the “in season”.

This summer pic is me giving the gospel to a teen (one of many) at the National War Monument on July 1, Canada Day last year in Ottawa.

The winter pic is me doing the same at our city’s annual Winterlude festivities a few weeks ago. See our cool million dollar bill? By the way: minus 20 degrees Celcius. That’s like minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit. My nose fell off before I got home.“

Come on up and give it a try and watch your breath freeze in front of your face before you can finish saying “Are you a good person?”

ON THE ISSUE OF ORIGINS, YOU MIGHT BE A FUNDY ATHEIST IF…

16. You believe that planes, computers, calculators, compasses, etc, were “all obviously designed,” yet the human body, being intricately more complex was “obviously a product of biological evolution.” It seems the more complex the apparatus, the more obvious the “fact” that it was not designed.
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The following E-vangie Tale is by a brand new student who showed up the third week of our 6-week class. On the third week, I surprise the students by taking them out unexpectedly to share their faith. And boy, was she surprised—and touched. 

By Mia McName

I started the Evangelism (without fear) class two weeks late and Steve decided to take us all to mall to hand out tracts - WHOA! what an introduction! I have never given out a tract in my life, so I was a little more than nervous.
However, with supportive sister by my side and cute baby in arms - and the memories of inspirational video in my mind - off we went.

In the mall parking lot, my sister Minnie and I each gave out a Million dollar bill to two women exiting the mall and they so cheerfully accepted, I figured, Hey! this really IS easy. Then we entered the mall and it was a bit different. I felt a bit like a covert operations team, pulling tracts out of the baby bag and dodging the security. It was exciting, but I didn’t feel as if I was making any connections with the folks I was handing the tracts to.

Then Minnie and I went in to Macy’s, looking for the bathroom. On the way, I saw a woman browsing through the clothing. I offered her a tract and she coldly declined. When we started off again, she called us back and asked us why we chose her to speak to. “Did you think I’m stupid?” she asked. (more…)

Last week I asked you to pray for a man who had taken our evangelism class several months ago. He was arrested recently in a Communist country as an evangelist and his whereabouts were unknown. The good news is that he has been located and was able to call his wife to tell her he is okay.

He’s planning on re-entering the country again to reach the lost. Immediately. 

Here are four questions from a radio sermon by Dr. Charles Stanley concerning whether everyone should preach the Gospel. Ask yourself:

1. What can you do?

2. What should you do?

3. What is God telling you to do?

4. What am I willing to do?