CPM last day of the beginning

I don't know what to say.

Today we met a Christian who initially told us he was a Muslim, but once inside said he was a follower of Jesus who feared for his life. We met with the young Mum I mentioned a couple of days ago, who told us she had prayed the prayer, and "really meant it." She has started reading the New Testament we left her, beginning at the contents page! We followed up with the guy with MS, who became a Christian just over a week ago, and talked about baptism - he's thinking it over. We hope some of his friends will come along. In any other phase of my ministry this would have been an exceptional day, but in CPM fortnight, it has been fairly typical.

Words are inadequate to sum up the past two weeks. My understanding of evangelism in New Zealand has been transformed. My practice of evangelism will never be the same. I know there are lost people who will be denied the opportunity of receiving Jesus tomorrow or next week or ever because we hide in our church buildings and programmes and irrelevancies, and leave the nation's doors to the Mormons and JWs. We build arguments and theologies which absolve us from the responsibility of telling people about Jesus, and sharing our stories, and offering them the chance to also know him. We employ professionals to do these things for us, though the tragic truth is that many of these too have lost confidence in the Gospel. I know these things because to my shame I have shared in them.

But with God it is never too late. The adventure has begun, and the birth process complete.