Do you want to be blessed by God?

To many, the idea of being involved in Open-Air work is terrifying. It is for me, too, sometimes, and I've been involved with it for about two and a half years. So why do I do it? Why do I think others should do it?

Mainly, because it appears to be the most often used method in the Bible. It is also a way of reaching people who might otherwise never hear the true Christian gospel, especially tourists. But also, it's simply very rewarding. Do you want to be blessed by God? Then get involved in Open-Air evangelism [obviously, there are better ways, like loving Him, and talking to Him, and trusting Him in the middle of suffering, etc. - but this is a good one too :o)].

An example: yesterday, I came back from Cardiff to Oxford, and went out onto Cornmarket to join the Open-Air work that I knew to be going on. I didn't have a message prepared to preach, and only planned to help to form a crowd, and give out tracts to those who stopped. However, there were only two others there: my friend Daniel, and a full-time evangelist called Andrew Geuter (who, incidentally, is one of the most wonderul Christians I've ever met). So, after a while, I was called upon to preach.

Andrew has a few texts on large pieces of paper which go up on a board, so I decided to preach on one of those: Jesus says, "Come unto Me all ye who are weary, etc. (from the AV as well). I offered up to the Lord a quick prayer to the Lord, and began. Well, it wasn't going great, I was struggling for coherence due to no preparation (even when I'm prepared I'm not the most coherent) and then a crowd of kids descended upon me and started asking questions.

It was brilliant (though scary). I no longer had to try to preach a coherent message about the cross from a text that didn't mention it: I simply answered (or tried to answer) their questions, many of which were good questions which allowed me to preach Christ as the answer; other people came along and listened in; I was able to enter into debate with a Muslim gentleman on various issues; Andrew was able to get into conversation with many of the children; and a girl who I know from a school where I taught stopped, and I was able to have a good conversation with her.

Three of us had simply gone out, reliing entirely on God (we had no other option), and we saw great blessing. that's what Open-Air is about. You can't rely on yourself, you have to rely on the Lord, and you have the great privilege of seeing Him work, and answer prayers, and bless those who trust in Him.

Come on guys, wherever in the world you are, go out into the highways and byways, and COMPEL them to come in!