My BMW ministry
No I do not drive a BMW but I have a BMW ministry. If you use public transport in Quebec, then you own a BMW which comically stands for Bus, Metro, Walk. Despite the comfort of driving your own car to work I actually enjoy using the public transit system because if oftens opens the doors for me to witness to people whom otherwise I would not meet.
For example, last Thursday night I took a late train home. Upon grabbing a seat I picked La Presse (a french local paper) and skimmed through it for major headlines. Few minutes later, a man sat opposite me and asked if the paper on the seat was mine and whether he could read. The paper was not mine so he picked up some of the leaflets left on the seat by earlier passengers.
Minutes later I put my paper down (got bored) and picked up my New Testament. Soon he too put the paper down (guess he too found the news boring). Do you want to read something more interesting, I asked. Like what, he wondered. That was when I reached into my purse and passed him a French gospel tract. This opened the door for a short discussion after which he put the tract in his pocket and said he would read it when he has time (I hope he does).
Soon after I hopped on the bus to go home, and there I heard two young college students conversing in Arabic. How come you are taking the bus, the girl asked. I normally have someone pick me up but the weather is good tonight, he replied. So, how come you are on the bus he continued. I too have someone pick me up but tonight I decided to take the bus was her answer Sitting on the other aisle, I was thinking in my heart. I know why you two are on this bus tonight. The Lord has a message for you. I furled in my purse and prepared two gospel tracts. Just before I disembarked I looked at both of them, and said (in Arabic) I have something for you to read. "Absolutely Free" was the tract I picked up for them. He had been explaining to the girl about the ritualist religious trip he had completed in order to gain favours with God. I wanted him to see that Jesus gives us salvaltion free of charge.
Earlier that evening, the underground metro had offered me a few opporunities for service too by leaving several tracts on seats and on public telephone booths. The thought that goes through my mind often as I distribute these tracts is "a sower went out to sow the seeds". I often pray that some of this seed will fall on good and fertile ground that it may grow forth and bring fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ who alone is worthy of all praise.
Even so come Lord Jesus and take the throne of this earth for you alone are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Do you speak French, English, and Arabic? Gee whiz, how is that?
I think "Absolutely Free" is a great name for a gospel tract, but, as you can tell by my avatar, I am a bit partial to it.
Thanks for sharing that!
Antonio
Personally, this is my opinio of tracts:
-there are a good source of saying everything short and sweet, but how much is a person on the street will understand? Yes, hopefully the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts, but I would not base my ministry on these tracts. I would use them as a refrence to give the person I am talking to. But if you do not get to talk to every person on earth in a deep conversation, I would use the Gideon Bible... it is the Word of God and then in the back it has all the verses that a tract would have and guides the reader in to believing.
-So that is what I think. Its a great oppurtunity for ministry but the reader must understand the words that it contains to understand what to be born-again means, and the path of christianity means!
Well hope you do not disagree with me Auntie, but that is what I have to say!
Danielle
Danielle, you mentioned the person on the street so I thought I'd ask on how many tract-passing outings have you been. I know you witness much to classmates and such, but I just ask in order to weigh the experience behind the comment. I held the same view for a while even after having passed tracts a couple of times. Then the Lord gave me 4 souls, one of which I'm still in contact with. Some came to church. Also, we have half a dozen church members today who were saved from a tract on the street, one of whom is a missionary in China today.
Keep up the good work, mom, in all your ministries!
(but I still say that it should not be the basis of the Lord's ministry!)
Love you guys, say hi to Sara and Auntie for me :),
Danielle
Your determination and tenacity is inspiring!
:)
However, my parents have a FORD (For Old, Risky Drivers)
BMWs and Mercedes Benz. Anyone with chariots of fire?
But I like the FORD, ahahaha, good one!!!!
(i'm confusing you by the minute--right?!--'cause that's my goal.)