Final night of Mardi Gras Outreach 2012

The joint Praise Rally at the amphitheater just outside Jackson Square was one of those events that you rarely see in the "church world." By joint I mean that more than 800 believers gathered at one spot and assembled around a worship band that led passionate praise in public for about 45 minutes while inserting times of intense prayer for the city of New Orleans and more specifically the Mardi Gras event. I would say that 90% percent of those gathered were doing some sort of evangelistic outreach during Mardi Gras. This tells me that their level of passion is up about three levels from the average believer, the intensity of prayer and praise was elevated accordingly. Which all makes for one enjoyable experience. A REAL SHOT IN THE ARM AS FAR AS  THE LAST NIGHT OF OUTREACH GOES.

Our team used this a shot in the arm to go into the fields that are white unto harvest. (John 4:35). We believed that our strategy for the evening was to move up and down ROYAL searching for the divine appointments. Some members of our team had made purple NECKLACES WITH THE WORDLESS BOOK BEADS and they shared the GOSPEL using these tools. They made over 30 necklaces and gave them all away in conversations through the night. Many of these ended with them praying with these individuals.

 

During the PRAISE RALLY we prayed specifically for PRODIGAL SONS AND DAUGHTERS to come home. I believed that this was our specific assignment for the night and we prayed accordingly as we moved up and down ROYAL.

My DIVINE APPOINTMENT for the entire outreach happened during this time. His name was Chris and he approached me (SEX ED) asking what this saying on a t-shirt meant (INVERT THE VIRGIN). I told him I had no idea but I was interested so would he go find out and come back and tell me. He went and had a conversation with the individual wearing the t-shirt then came back to say it was and advertisement for a band.  The HOLY SPIRIT enabled me to turn the conversation to being a FOLLOWER OF CHRIST. In this conversation I found out that Chris was a PRODIGAL SON WHO HAD TURNED HIS HEART FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST  to anger bitterness and resentment due to the fact that his 22 month old daughter and wife were  killed by DRUNK DRIVER. Due to this tragedy he quit FOLLOWING CHRIST and began to medicate his pain with alcohol. Long story made short is I was able to bring him to the point of decision and he turned and literally ran from me. This broke my heart and I cannot stop thinking and praying for Chris.

I know that God placed me in his path and orchestrated this opportunity.

WHO WILL GOD PLACE IN YOUR PATH??????

ARE YOU WILLING FOR HIM TO USE YOU AS AN INSTRUMENT OF HIS GRACE FOR ALL THE CHRIS' IN THE WORLD. My prayer is that you will open up your heart and be ready to  allow the HOLY SPIRIT TO FLOW THROUGH YOU.

Blessings,

Ed

MARDI GRAS OUTREACH 2012

 A DIFFICULT NIGHT . . . . BUT NOT WASTED WHEN SPREADING THE LOVE & GRACE OF GOD!!

We began by waiting in Jackson Square for our drivers who dropped us off, so while waiting we assembled our POSITIVE SIGNS THAT SHARE LOVE, HOPE, AND GRACE.

Connor struck up a conversation with me while his friend was in conversation with another member of our team. I love it when this happens because you know they will be more open to a conversation which you started. He told me that the two of them were "TRAIN HOPPERS." I took the bait and listened for several minutes while he told me about the dangers and adventure of their travels. As a listened to him the Holy Spirit just dropped the thought in my spirit that he and his Dad were at odds which is why he took off from home at such an early age. Connor's response was to pause, look at his shoes, tear up and say, "WELL MAYBE . . ." I knew the Holy Spirit was on target so I seized the opportunity to tell him of the love of a Father who would never reject him. His buddy came over and he was ready to go so I ENDED THE CONVERSATION BY HANDING HIM A VERY SIMPLE TRACT ENTITLED LOVE TAKES A CHANGE OF HEART. My words were to the effect of put this in your pocket and read it at a quite moment and reflect on what I have told you about the FATHER WHO WILL NEVER REJECT YOU.

While this was going on Connie went over to a palm reader in the square and gave her some money because she was complaining that our signs were ruining her business. Because of Connie's generosity the lady really opened up to Connie. Her name was SASSY. She told Connie that last year she got into an altercation with some so called "christians" who shouted insults at her and her friends and eventually ended up injuring Sassy physically to the point that she had to be removed in an ambulance. She told Connie that we had a different way about us and she was glad to know us.

We moved from Jackson Square to Bourbon St.and this is where it became a little challenging in that people did not stop and engage us in conversation as the night before. All of our conversations we initiated which is not all bad and most of them were fruitful.

Collin was in an intellectual who wanted to talk about religion and intellectual matters which would do his spirit no good. We kept trying to point him to Jesus. Every once in a while he would contemplate something that we said and go back to the mind games of stuff that has nothing to do with a real and personal Jesus. We eventually prayed for him and said our goodbyes.

After supper our team went to Jackson Square again to engage people in conversation without the benefit of having a large group with our signs. This went very well as some members of our team were able to lead a man to relationship with Jesus and some others prayed with a person who was practicing "SPIRITISM OR CHANNELLING."

We then headed back to Bourbon St. and St. Ann's which is the part of Bourbon St. where the gay bars are found. My team had not experienced this part of Bourbon St. yet, so I had separated them in teams and gave them 20 minutes to go in different directions while Connie and I stood still with a sign in the middle of the street. Our sign read, "ARE YOU GOING TO HEAVEN?" sub text "TWO QUESTIONS REVEAL THE ANSWER." The two questions are "If you died tonight would you go to heaven?" no matter what they answer you immediately ask, "How do you know?" Well Connie got danced with, we got beads thrown directly at us and I had girl who thought she would expose herself right in my face. I closed my eyes and looked at the ground while they said vulgar things and Connie stepped over right in front of me as shield. Our team arrived back on time we went on down to the "NORMAL SECTION OF BOURBON ST." (HA, HA).

At this point some things begin to BREAK for us. Everybody on the team got in some really good conversations and we prayed with many people.


Adrian and her friends struck up a conversation with us because I was wearing Texas Tech attire and they were LSU fans. Adrian continued to talk to us casually while her friends were acting crazy. Connie just chatted with her and I just stood there listening to her when the Holy Spirit said talk to her about the very difficult pain and rejection in her life. I asked her to not think of me as strange or weird and I shared with her what the Holy Spirit was showing me. SHE BROKE INSTANTLY AND BEGAN TO WEEP!! Connie was able to hug on her and love on her as a mother would and we prayed with her to see healing from her pain and brokenness. We told her that Jesus alone could solve the whole in her heart. IT WAS A DIVINE APPOINTMENT.

I cannot remember this lady's name but I will call her the "OLDER EXPOSER WITH A PERVERTED HUSBAND." This was a lady who the night before was exposing herself while her husband took pictures of her with strangers. ENOUGH SAID!! Connie went up to her and told her how valuable she was and that she did not need to do this. Last night Connie bought her a beautiful necklace on our supper break in hopes that we would see her again and WE DID!! Connie went right up to her and gave her the gift she was shocked beyond belief. It opened a door for Connie to really love on her and share God's goodness with her. I could tell the conversation was waning because the husband was getting very antsy, so I went to engage the husband in conversation. To my utter shock and amazement he literally shouted TEXAS TECH when he saw my jacket with the logo on it. He said that he was a former Indiana University student and Bob Knight fan so he followed TEXAS TECH when Coach Knight came to Lubbock. We started a whole conversation about basketball while Connie ministered to his wife. GOD IS REALLY GOOD AT SETTING UP THESE DIVINE APPOINTMENTS. No we did not lead them to faith in Christ but they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus loves them and two Texans are praying for them as they go through their life in Florida.

During the evening one of our team members found her heart just breaking because of all that she had seen and heard so we took off a little early and took a coffee break to pray and refresh her. God is faithful to help us in these times. Our hearts should be breaking for the condition of our world. TO ME THIS IS OUR TAKE AWAY FROM A MINISTRY TRIP LIKE THIS . . . . PEOPLE ARE LOST AND HOPELESS WITHOUT JESUS. We can do this right where we live. EVANGELISM IS NOT OPTIONAL AND IT IS NOT A MISSIONS TRIP IT IS A LIFESTYLE.

More to come . . . .
Ed

Greetings from Ireland . . . at MARDI GRAS 2012 OUTREACH

The final conversation of the night was with two young college guys from Ireland. They stopped in front of the sign that Connie and I were holding which read "ARE YOU GOING TO HEAVEN?" subtitled "two questions will reveal the answer." In a very short time (30 minutes) of holding this sign we had many positive conversations with people who would stop and look up at the sign.

One girl who stopped and let her group go on by but she just kept looking at the sign then looking at me then looking back at the sign. Finally she said do you have anything with the answers printed on it? I said sure and gave her a "LET'S PARTY TRACK" and told her that the answers were on the back. She thanked me then went to find her friends.

Nathan and his buddy who was way to drunk to talk just thanked us over and over and told us that we were leaving a good impression of Jesus. Which is good because there were some real haters who are not spreading a the GOOD NEWS with much grace. I got to pray with Nathan about a school situation.

Back to the two Irish guys. At first the one I was talking to said he did not believe in Heaven. Once he figured out that I was not going to condemn him we had a very productive conversation which had to be cut short because it was time for our team to leave. "BE THERE OR CAB FARE" AS THE SAYING GOES.

This is where we must believe: "I PLANTED, APOLLOS WATERED,  BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE, SO THEN NEITHER HE WHO PLANTS IS ANYTHING, NOR HE WHO WATERS, BUT GOD WHO GIVES THE INCREASE." 1 CORINTHIANS 3:6,7

I WILL PRAY WITH YOU OVER ALL YOUR SEEDS OF THE GOSPEL THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED AND YOU PLEASE PRAY WITH ME WHILE WE ARE HERE IN NEW ORLEANS AT MARD GRAS OUTREACH 2012. THEN GOD WILL GIVE THE INCREASE.

Ed

MARDI GRAS OUTREACH 2012

It is very interesting for me to be sitting in the Louis Armstrong Airport of New Orleans waiting to be picked up to begin another MARDI GRAS STREET OUTREACH 2012 with my friend Scott Hinkle and the team of about 200 who will come from all over America to do what this scripture says.

Deliver those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to slaughter,
Oh hold them back.
Proverbs 24:11

I am an avid people watcher. This is what makes sitting in this airport full of people who are coming to party so interesting. Most of them are just looking for a good time when really what they need is the GOOD NEWS  to rescue them from their self destruction. I am praying for more than just witnessing opportunities I am believing for DIVINE APPOINTMENTS that will forever change me and them. The above scripture is one that my wife (Connie) has stood on for many years when we have gone on outreaches either in Hollywood, CA or here at MARDI GRAS.

My heart is stirred with compassion as I sit here and contemplate the assignment of reaching out with the love of God to the lost this weekend.

Matt 9:36
36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd NKJV

The real truth of the matter is these people will be looking for someone or something to lead them. They want that empty spot in their soul to be filled and they will be trying to put many things in there to make it work or they will just medicate the pain of lostness. THEY ARE ALL TEMPORARY FIXES. JESUS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL LAST.

You do not have to be at MARDI GRAS OUTREACH 2012 to experience this kind of compassion for lost and hurting people. LOOK AROUND YOU and see that the HARVEST IS RIPE and ready for you to reach them with the truth of LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, & FORGIVENESS.

GO FOR IT!!!

Ed