Consistency Pays Off!

Sometimes it takes several months to make connections with people and other times it takes a few moments.  Lately, I've been reminded that consistency does payoff when it comes to evangelism.  The first incident this week involves a guy named Ben that Brady and I met many months ago during our passing out bread in the neighborhood.  Ben invited us in for a while as he continued to sip on a few beers and ask questions about the new church.  Ben has a desire to go to a church in the neighborhood and said we were doing a good thing.  Ben seemed very interested and I saw his eyes light up but all a sudden he shut down before we left.  Since then I have seen him drive up and down our street on his little scooter (he's a maintenance man at UK).  A few days ago I saw him at one of my offices, Starbucks on High St.  I invited him to dinner once again.  I could tell that he was more open to the invitation because he knew I wouldn't give up on asking him. 

            The second incident was today, again at Starbucks where a guy by the name of Tradgen walked up to me.  I had met Tradgen a few months ago and explained to him that I was starting a church.  I invited him to dinner but never saw him again.  Tradgen was a bit embarrassed about not coming but he didn't let that stop him from greeting me.  We ended up chatting for a good 20 minutes about philosophy and then the book of Genesis, how to read the Bible, and if the Bible is written literally.  He was asking some really great questions.  We are going to hang out again and go over more of his questions.  I told him about the possibly of Embrace being on Euclid Ave. and he was thrilled. 

            The third incident was tonight at Common Grounds.  This time Andrew and I went there for a quiet evening just to hang out and sip on some coffee.  But there was an interruption, a "divine" interruption as my 89-year-old friend June Tunstill would say.  Henry came and pulled up a seat.  Andrew and I looked at each other, took a deep breath.  We knew what we were in for…conversations about guns, paintball etc.  Typical things guys like but let's just say Henry takes it a little bit seriously.  We have told him in the past that we weren't interested but politely listened to him as he listed how much the equipment would cost if we joined him.  After a while he mentioned something about his personal life and I started asking him questions.  Our conversation all of sudden was starting to go somewhere and we were sifting through some heavy things.  Typically, I am laid back for the most part with my evangelism approach only when I led by the Holy Spirit to do something out of the ordinary.  As Henry started sharing some deep things I told him that Andrew and I were committed Christians who would pray for him.  With tears in his eyes Henry thanked us and left when he got a phone call.  Andrew was amazed at how patient I was at the beginning of the conversation to see it through and actually go somewhere.  Andrew and I rejoiced that we could be apart of what God is doing!