On FP Impact, Two Car Accidents in One Day
FP Impact has now started and all the North FPrs have had a great first two weeks of training in the Newcastle base. Lots of practical and foundational teaching from an array of Newfrontiers leaders along side some fantastic social events including go-karting and enjoying sunny days in the north, which is is very rare indeed. We have been recording the seminars and teaching from the last two weeks and I have permission to publish them here for our friends in New Zealand doing FP, the aim is to get them up by the end of the week and you will be able to subscribe via iTunes.
During the week Mike Springer taught on Life Style Evangelism with us then got us doing some surveys with people in Newcastle. Mike highlighted the need for us to have God Stories as it builds faith the Church, so I want to share our group’s (me, Dan & Ben’s) experience doing the surveys in the heart of Northumbria University during freshers week.
One receiving our location we took some leaflets for Alpha, a Grill a Christian event (a panel of Christians in a pub where people can ask questions via text) and some Why Jesus booklets. We headed off, praying for a big fish, and began asking if people would like to do the survey “What do you believe?” The survey contained questions about supernatural experiences, life and death, Jesus, what a Christian is etc.
The first girl we asked had just been given a Bible by another group and self consciously (as she was with friend) said that she was interested in finding out more. We were able to give her an invite where she could do this. Taking turns asking we then approached a Chinese lad who had been to church with friends in China but who was still searching. Again we were able to give him some leaflets and explained that our church was near by and if he wished could come for a visit also.
We then had a few people who were just going through the survey motions and not really interested. We were about to head off as we needed to get back and had run out of leaflets when a female student in her final year (a freshers guide) approached us wondering what we were up to. We explained that we were doing surveys about “What do you believe?” and that we were from the City Church just down the road where all the student accommodation is. She then asked if they could do the survey too. We were like yeah of course!
It turned out that some of the girl’s close family had just converted and that she had been asking questions of their vicar about Christianity. Her male friend who was also helping out as a Freshers Guide came over too and became interested, so we again explained what we were doing. The girl was mostly answering the questions to start and when we got to question 3 “Have you ever had a supernatural experience?” She answered yes, she and her mum had been in a car crash which she should have burnt up and died in but was miraculously saved somehow. Her friend then said something similar had happened to him and we were like “No Way!?” We were able to share with them that our mate doing FP had also been in a car accident but got healed. This opened up more conversation on what happens after you die and who they thought Jesus was. They were not to sure but were very interested in finding out! At this point we had run out of leaflets for the Grill a Christian event which would have been ideal to invite them to. I personally couldn’t remember the date and time but Dan quickly jumped in reminding us and the two students wrote it down wanting to go, (so important to do evangelism in groups). We also gave them invites to Alpha and Ben gave the girl a “Why Jesus?” booklet. We went on our way praying that they would both come to the event and wishing we could be there when they did.
Isn’t God amazing! We prayed for a big fish and he bought us one! Sometimes we just need to make our selves available to his purposes, there are so many people out there who need an introduction to the fact that God wants them to know Him.
