The Everyday Club Report: For May

Can you believe it? Another month has passed by. How did you do on your evangelistic commitment? Post your totals for the month below in the comments. If you’d like to join the Club, click here for the details.

Now, read this important article about being too zealous for the Gospel called “Third Rail Evangelism.”

THIRD RAIL EVANGELISM

What do you do when you are with someone who absolutely hates/is squeamish/embarrassed/or dies a million deaths when you try to give the Gospel to a lost person? Like when you are with your wife, sister, or shy Christian friend… Do you not give the Gospel? Do you push through and risk alienating your acquaintance? Or maybe, you ask their permission to do it?

In politics, the third rail of anything is a very dangerous and risky endeavor. The third rail is the “live” rail of the subway; if you touch it you will die because of the electrical current that runs through it. The Social Security system is known as the “Third Rail” of politics because if anyone touches it—and tries to change it—it is political suicide.

There is also a “Third Rail” when sharing your faith: an unwitting wife, relative or timid Christian friend. It’s hard to “touch” someone with the Gospel when the person you are with just doesn’t understand the urgency of your message. So what do you do when you see a witnessing opportunity arise and you are with one of them? What I try to do is ask their permission to share the Gospel–most of the time.

Hey! God is sovereign. He’ll use someone else to share the Gospel if you are not able too. And be patient with timid Christians—there are more of them than any other type.

Comments (28)

  1. Anthony Varon

    Reply

    May was a great month!! I dont think I missed my goal any days, at least I cant remember missing a day, my goal is one person one2one a day or 10 tracts. I met this goal by 75 or 80 one2ones, passed out around 120 gospel tracts and went on an evangelism adventure at lake arrowhead! Praise God for his faithfulness, continue to be bold for the Lord and pray for me that I continue to be led by the spirit!

  2. Thomas Moore

    Reply

    May for me had its ups and downs. The down side in May was that I had at least three days were I didn’t get any tracts out (different days throughout the month). But the upside of May was the tracts that I did get out a lot of them were handed to people instead of the usual just laying them out for people to find which is still important. For me handing a tract to a person is a big deal! Thank you Jesus!!!

    Also Pastor Steve great article above, God bless!

  3. Reply

    I did not track my daily witnessing this month like I did last month. However, I did get at least one tract out each day or have one conversation with someone each day. We had lots of wonderful outreaches in the Dallas West End, at three NBA playoff games and at the malls. Even got in some door to door evangelism! Thanks for this BLOG and the encouragement to be accountable to sharing the Gospel every day!

  4. Sheri

    Reply

    My goal is to hand out a minimum of 3 tracts per day. I missed about a week due to a family visit.

    I shared the Gospel with some family…that was not easy. I have to redefine a lot while sharing the Good News with them (i.e. “when I say ‘prayer’, I don’t mean the rosary…”).

    I’m very thankful to God and to you all for the Everyday Club that helps me to keep “doing something” (Spurgeon paraphrased 🙂

  5. Mika

    Reply

    Hey there,

    I have passed tracts, preached the law and Gospel at Christian schools and at secular events. I have also been passing out tracts everywhere. It feels much more natural these days 🙂 This month was well completed 🙂

    Blessings
    Mika

  6. Toni alvarez

    Reply

    goal: to do an average of 1 one2one per week and an average of 30 tracts per month.
    I had 6 one2one’s and handed out 68 tracts. Half of those one2ones were done online. I homeschool my kids and didn’t have a lot of opportunities to do one2ones in person (and when I did had the opportunity I didn’t take it).

  7. Nicole Alvarez. 7 years old

    Reply

    My goal is to pass out tracts every time my mom and I go out.
    I passed out 77 tracts this month:-)

  8. Reply

    My goal is to hand out at least 10 tracts a day or have one conversation and open air preach when I can. Here’s how I did last month:

    I missed one day.

    I handed out over 1,000 Gospel tracts.

    I preached the Gospel at two funerals. (The text of which will be posted soon. I was the minister at these funerals. I always give the Gospel at these occasions.)

    I did one gentle open air. (I preached to a line of people standing at an In N’ Out Burger, gently.)

    I did three inner airs (Inside a waiting room at a free clinic, inside McDonald’s, etc.)

    I had 49 one-to-one conversations.

    I preached 19 open air sermons (American Idol, a street festival, etc.)

  9. Reply

    Goal: to hand out an average 30 tracts per month and have 4 one2ones.
    This month i did:
    –> 107 Tracts
    –> 17 one2one’s
    Most of these one2one’s were with atheists. 🙂

  10. Adam Collins

    Reply

    I missed my goal 6 days this month. Had some great one2ones and one open air that quickly turned into two ing one2ones, first a homeless man and then the ex-pastor turned Mormon. The Mormon was one of the toughest conversations I have ever had. Also had our first fishing trip for my church’s inaugural TWOM course. It was incredible!

  11. Richard Chavarria

    Reply

    My everyday club goal for 2011 is to do something evangelistic to spread the good news EVERYDAY. It could be to pass out one or a hundred tracts; it could be to witness to one or more persons using the Law and Gospel; or it could be to preach in the open air; or in doors as the Lord directs. I missed four days this month. A dios la gloria

  12. Anonymous

    Reply

    Steve,

    Did you know that In-N-Out Burger prints bible references on their wrappers, containers etc.?

    From Wikipedia:

    Bible References

    In-N-Out prints discreet references to Bible verses on their paper containers. These consist of the book, chapter and number of the verse, not the actual text of the passage, in small print on an inconspicuous area of the item. The practice began in the 1980s during Rich Snyder’s presidency,[37] a reflection of the Christian beliefs held by the Snyder family:

    Burger and cheeseburger wrappers

    Revelation 3:20—”Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

    Beverage cups and replicas

    John 3:16—”For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

    Milkshake cups

    Proverbs 3:5—”Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

    Double-Double wrapper

    Nahum 1:7—”The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”

    Paper water cups (no longer in use) for customers. They are now used by employees only.

    John 14:6—”Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”

    License plate keychain

    1 Corinthians 13:13—”And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”

  13. Paul Y.

    Reply

    Missed 8 days in May. Been in a slump lately, I guess. Grateful that nice weather is finally here – will help a lot!

  14. Eric Stefan

    Reply

    Wow another month come and gone forever! I did not do as well as I planned for this month, I met my goal of one tract a day. I handed out at least 205 tracts and had 5, 1-2-1 conversations.

    Steve, what office in the government do we contact concerning getting a permit to open air. How do I find out what is necessary? I went to our counties website for licensing but there is no mention of such a thing. A little help please, thanks Steve for all you do to help us, instruct us, and encourage us to push on and above our base goals. Thanks for the accountability, it helps much!

    • Reply

      Eric,

      You don’t need a permit to open air except at the DMV. (We still live in a country that allows freedom of speech.) For the DMV. you get an application from the Highway Patrol in Calif. For further info, contact me at my email and I’ll put yu in touch with “Righteous” Richard, our DMV preacher for four years.

  15. Ashley Collins

    Reply

    I missed my goal by 2 days in May. I was able to hand out over 150 tracts and shared the Gospel one to one with about 20 people. I was shut down several times, but God was glorified. Two Sunday’s ago, my brother and I and a few friends led a team of roughly 25 people from our church here in Jax FL to the beach on a fishing trip. It was amazing to witness many of them, for the first time ever, share the Law and the Gospel as Jesus did! We were so encouraged by what God did that evening. Many of those who heard the Gospel appeared humbled and receptive. Praise God! We must of handed out over 150 tracts and shared with 50 people that day with our church.

  16. Dale Adams

    Reply

    Thanks again for your encouraging web page. I enjoying watching the videos and hearing reports about evangelism efforts.
    I had the opportunity to pass out 75 tracts this month and place many within the stores I shop at. ie inside magazines, inside lids of sealed containers, pockets of clothes and plastic bags at the check out.
    I had several opportunities to share the gospel as well. Thank you again for the encouragement you provide through your web page.

  17. Beth

    Reply

    Praise God! For the first time since blogging, the Lord allowed me to keep my goal every day in May – and that is at least 5 tracts a day.

    Tracts: over 1,000

    OA: 5 times

    One2one: ~20

  18. Anonymous

    Reply

    Steve,

    Thank you for posting the video link.

    There is a great In-N-Out Burger located in Westchester next to LAX. It might be a good location for witnessing. Public space is very close to the outdoor dining area and entrance. There is even a small park in very close proximity to the restaurant.

    Here is the address:

    In-N-Out Burger
    9149 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
    Los Angeles, CA 90045

    For more information just Google “In-N-Out Westchester LAX”

  19. Reply

    Since moving my real estate office to the church building, my activities have really changed! It’s great being surrounded by like-minded believers, but I always feel like…GET ME OUTTA HERE! I’ve handed out tracts almost everyday and had many one-one conversations. Just today at the food bank counseling table, I was able to lead two people in their personal prayer of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. I believe they were born again! We hope to see more of them. One lady had been delivered from drug abuse and is praying for her alcoholic husband and drug addicted son. Everything in me wanted to get in a vehicle with flashing lights, rush to her house and preach the gospel to those two! Looking forward to what God will do.

  20. Reply

    Tracts distributed: 1000 plus.
    number of kids at church whom I gave a handful of tracts to put in the public library books: 2
    Open Air preached: 10 times

    Unique tract distribution:

    I have several packages of the Million Dollar Bill with Ronald Reagan.(available at http://shop.onemilliontracts.com/Million-Dollar-Bill-Gospel-Tract-President-Reagan-001.htm?categoryId=-1 )
    So anyway in my mail, I received solicitation from the Tennessee Republican Party. So I used their return envelope and gave them the Reagan Million dollar bill gospel tract.

    Mobbed by some kids that were picking on another kid we had to protect in the area: once

    Unique one on one encounter: Three young college age lesbians were shocked by our kindness in sharing our faith. We did not push the “gay” issue. They brought it up on their own. Only told them what the Bible says. They asked what church we were from and we said from several(Methodist, Church of God, Calvary, Reformed, Romanian Pentecostal, etc.) Since I was the one talking to them I handed them my churches business card. Told them they were welcome to come or call if they needed someone to talk.

    Pray for me as I go home next week June 8-23 to help in the Joplin, Missouri tornado relief. I will be working with my home church of Calvary Chapel Joplin.

  21. Reply

    The Lord blessed me with 5 open air opportunities, a multitude of tracts given out, many one-to-one conversations, and a few times out with the AYR cross. What a privilege it is to serve the Lord.

  22. Reply

    Sorry for the late post, but our Canadian team was in LA this past weekend at the Ambassadors Academy and I had no Internet access.

    Here are my seed sowing stats for May:

    > 500+ tracts passed
    > 50+ one-to-ones
    > 6 open air sessions
    > 4 inside air sessions

    Let’s keep fighting on the frontline together for the glory of Christ!

    PS: We missed you at AA-19 Steve!

    For His Glory,
    Cory

  23. Bob Johnson

    Reply

    I kept my goal of at least 1 tract / per day for 21 of 31 days in May. I did get to the Armed Forces Parade and the Hermosa Fiesta a couple of days passed out many more than my goal. At the Armed Forces Parade (on May 21) some people scoffed at us that it was stated by someone to be the day for the end of the world. We who handed out tracts stated that it was Judgment Day for about 150,000 people everyday and that TODAY is the of salvation. Each day we have is only God’s gift to every one else alive. At the Hermosa Fiesta I agree with Steve’s article today (6-6-11) that a couple of the most difficult conversations were with Christians who thought we do evangelism all wrong, that it was not Biblically based, and only turned people off. However, how will people hear if no one tells them, that there are only two seasons to preach — in and out of season (when convenient and inconvenient), how long do we need to befriend someone before we talk about Jesus when he/she may die momentarily, that people already are already turned off from God and actually hate Him, and that Jesus is THE ONLY WAY to God.

  24. Melissa Burdett

    Reply

    I wholeheartedly agree with Cory…you were missed at the 19th Ambassadors’ Academy, Steve!

    I was privileged to join your team, Steve, at the Fiesta Hermosa, and even though I didn’t open air then, I did at the academy twice. I have no idea how many tracts I gave away that day, but it was hundreds. The booth made it incredibly easy to have a gospel-centered conversation, and I lost track of how many people I talked to, because several times I talked to more than one person at once.

    On my own, I gave away 162 tracts and had two 1-2-1 conversations.

  25. Kevin Long

    Reply

    May was good but once again, I lost focus and turned my attention to the demands of my businesses and missed opportunities. there was 7 or 8 days where I missed my goal. June will be better.

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