2013 Stampede Outreach Summary - Part 2

Monday through Wednesday was a blur as the team once again took to the streets, fishing for men in the ponds and streams that Calgary had to offer. This now included our good friend and one of the best Street Evangelists we know, Tony Miano.

John Heslop heralding the beautiful Gospel


Many received tracts during the proclamation of the word. On the right: CPM Lady helpers. On the Left: A man reading a tract while the word is preached.



Tuesday ushered in an unexpected blessing from the Lord. It was thought that we would first go to one of the many pancake breakfasts in the city, which would give us the opportunity to "fuel up" before starting out our day. The thought was, that  there may be a few hundred people to hand tracts to, then we could eat and run. We were wrong. Dead wrong.

We decided to first hit up the breakfast at Market Mall along Shaganappi Trail. As we rounded the corner after parking it came as a huge surprise to see literally thousands of people lined up to have their sausage & eggs, which caused us to immediately switch gears and get busy.


Brian Godley and John Heslop encouraging one-another after handing out hundreds of tracts to the crowd.



After backing up onto public property (on strip of grass between Shaganappi Trail and Mall property) Tony gave an open air message of hope to the crowds.



Alex Osborne went next!


It must have hit home for some as we received this email from one of the attendees:

Hi,

I am writing to you as a VERY upset customer of Market Mall. I decided to go to the pancake breakfast this year. At the breakfast, some people were handing out $1000000 bills. I get that it makes people look at it, and I get that religious groups are free to speak, however, the back of it includes extreme religious statements that are far beyond what should be handed children. My 6 year old was handed one and read it and it scared the living daylights out of him. Luckily my 4 year old can't read the one handed out to her.

I have attached a copy of the bill, including the back which basically tells my kids that they die because of sin, which includes lying, and even mentions lust and sexual desire. I am not anti-religion, but I am anti-child abuse, and as far as I am concerned, this crosses the line of mental abuse.

Please respond or I will be forced to take this matter further.

Andrea

No intolerance there huh? We did respond with kindness and another presentation of the Gospel which didn't seem to be to her liking. Our response read:

 Andrea:

Might I point out that the message does not leave the reader in dire straits with God, but offers God`s loving solution for the problem we all have. Please take note of the last paragraph on the tract, that lets us know that Jesus Christ took upon himself the punishment we rightly deserve. I suggest you comfort your kids with the reality that our sin separates us from God, but that God the Son (who is fully God & Fully man) stepped down out of Heaven 2000 years ago, lived the perfect sinless life that none of us could or have and then paid the penalty our sins have incurred. He then rose again from the dead proving that God the Father accepted His (Jesus`) perfect sacrifice and that Jesus has power over death, hell and the grave and can forgive. That by repenting from our sins and placing our faith & trust in Jesus we can be forgiven of our sins and placed in a right relationship with God so that we can be with Him in Heaven. Having no fear of Hell.

If you would like, we can mail you a DVD that explains this in much more detail, and would love to also send you bibles so you might study the scriptures to know for sure that what we are saying is true.

Thank you so much for your feedback. We do care about where you will spend eternity and simply love everyone to much to not bother telling the truth.

We pray that the Lord would settle you and that you might think on these things, giving you grace.

Blessings,

Kevin

Her Response:

Apparently you are missing the point and I will be taking the matter further. Market mall has already taken steps to make sure your group is not allowed near their breakfast next year.
Don't presume I am ignorant. I grew up in the church and read the last paragraph, but it does not excuse the fact that these things can be explained kindly to children and not using scare tactics.

This was a most inappropriate response. There was not even a hint of apology, you just used it as another time to spread your own beliefs. That reflects poorly on your church. 

There was more thread, but the point is that she used her children to drive home her hatred and disapproval for the message we were giving. Just another angry false convert spouting her hatred for God and His people. If she really was a believer she would have realized that everything on the tract was from the bible including the passage from Matthew 5:27-28 where Jesus considers lust the same as adultery. Jesus didn't hold back simply because there were children in the crowds, but rather preached the truth, so shouldn't we?

Tuesday afternoon was spent in the sleepy hollow of Kensington near the Plaza Theatre, after being fed lunch by our Pastor who had joined us for the day!

Tony preaching in "Sleepy Hollow" on the "Cushy Life" inspired by the name of the store behind us where the women inside had come out to inform us of their disgust!



Mike talking to a passer by in the "stream" of people strolling through.



Andy Osborne heralding the Law & Gospel 



Chris Sippley "Thunders out the Word of God"!




Wednesday Pancake breakfast brought some new vision and boldness to our witness. After tracting the crowd (and being told to leave) we set up on the public sidewalk to herald the Gospel. This time armed with the 1/2 mile Hailer!

See video here

Wednesday afternoon was spent on Stephen Ave with the team.


Kevin being heckled by the man on the left. (notice the snakes in his left hand)



Robert preaching, Jerry with his cross. Sitting in the middle was a man who at first was apposed to the message. After talking with him for quite some time he then stuck around for the whole afternoon listening. He went home with a bible!


The Gospel continued to go out with great power and authority from on high throughout the rest of the week.




Special thanks to Melissa Heslop for the pictures used here.