Lifestyle Evangelism

Recently, Zimbabwe Evangelism Team Member Marleen Robinson had two opportunities to witness as she was going about her daily routine:

Having completed the business I was doing I exited a building and a man approached me who was selling paintings. He had four nice paintings but I told him I didn’t have room in my house for any of them. I asked him his name and if he went to church. He said his name was Mr. Motsi and that he attends a Catholic church. So I asked him if he knew for sure when he died that he would have eternal life with God? He said he didn’t know, but I assured him that he could know, and quoted 1 John 5:13. Then I asked him why God would give him eternal life and he gave an answer about trying to do good things or go to church.

He listened while I shared the gospel with him. I often asked questions to see if he understood what I was saying. When I finished talking with him I stressed the importance of making a decision soon because no one knew for sure when they would die. I told him he could think about it or that I could lead him in a prayer to ask Jesus into his life. He replied, “Madam, I am prepared.” To which I asked, “You mean you are prepared to die?” He looked a bit shaken, but said, “No, I’m prepared to pray!” So Mr. Motsi became a believer that day.

Please pray for him that he will find a Bible and begin reading the book of John. I may never see him again, so pray that he will get involved in a church where he can grow as a believer. Pray also, that he will share his salvation with his family.

Another day in the flea market I met a man named Thomas. He was selling just the item I was looking for and assured me he could get the number I needed. He was smoking and I told him that smoking could kill him because it could give him cancer and he could die from that. Of course he countered with how hard it is to quit. I told him that it may not be easy, but I knew a way he could have the strength to stop smoking. I told him that Jesus could give him the power in his life to stop. There were several other curio vendors there who listened and began participating in the conversation.

When I asked Thomas if he knew for certain he would have eternal life he couldn’t really answer and another man answered when I asked why God should give someone eternal life. He thought going to church and doing good things was enough. I explained that there was nothing that we could do that was good enough. We talked about sin and how Jesus died on the cross and took the punishment we should have had.

When we reached the point of making a decision for Christ I asked him if he wanted to think about it or did he want me to pray with him then. He said he wanted me to pray with him. I asked him if he was really serious or was he just saying that because he was trying to please me? He said, “Yes, I’m really serious. I want to have eternal life with God and I want my children to know about God.” I led Thomas in a prayer for salvation and told him to start reading the gospel of John in his Bible. I told him I would be back in a few days to let him know about the items and that I would check to see if he was reading. I invited him to church and he asked me for the address which I gladly wrote down for him.

Please pray for Thomas that he will share what happened to him today with his family. Pray that he will become involved in a church so he can grow. Pray also that the other vendors who were listening will soon commit their lives to Christ, too.