Christian testimonies: Taking the gospel to the streets Part 3

Greetings and salutations.

I begin with gratitude — to the Almighty God, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who brought us to repentance and adopted us as His own. Because of His mercy we live in hope and look forward to eternity with Him. I also want to thank the friends and partners who have supported this journey — in prayer, in counsel, and with practical, financial help — so that the Kingdom of God might advance. I believe God honors that faithfulness, and in due season we will see fruit.

Walking the streets, one conversation at a time

This week drew me away from the microphone and the speaker. Instead of preaching to a crowd, I felt led to pause and speak one-on-one with ordinary men and women on the streets. It was a return to simplicity: a short word, an open Bible, a listening ear.

The days had been capricious — unpredictable weather, early mornings that felt like invitations. Each morning as I woke I asked the same question: What has the Lord prepared for me today? On one morning I came straight from a small fellowship at a factory where my friend Russel Thomson works. That little Bible study has become a classroom for my heart — a quiet moment to learn, to pray, to steady myself before the day’s labor begins.

As the day unfolded I walked the streets, sharing the gospel with anyone willing to listen. Vendors who once looked past me now greeted me as I passed; the little pocket Gospels I carry opened conversations and opened hearts. Many locals began calling me umfundisi — “the teacher” in isiZulu — a humbling name that reminded me how a short, faithful word can plant roots.

A conversation by the mall

One afternoon, near a mall, I noticed a man sitting by the roadside. His face was fixed on the pavement, weighed down by the kind of silence you can see. I approached and greeted him.

“Good day, brother,” I said.

He returned the greeting. I asked if he would like to hear some good news. He agreed.

I offered him a pocket Bible — a compact companion containing the New Testament — and shared the heart of the gospel: that God loved the world so much He gave His only begotten Son; that through repentance and faith we are given access to eternity with Him. I told him that many wait for God to start, but God has already started; now it is our turn to respond.

He paused to take it in, and as we spoke his phone began to ring — an urgent call that pulled him away. Before he left he gave me his contact details. I left that moment knowing I had not finished the conversation but that I had sown a seed. In the hours that followed, I repeated this pattern — short, honest conversations, each one a tiny planting of hope.

The disciple’s aim

What is the goal of a disciple? To preach, yes — but more precisely, to live and share the story of Jesus at every opportunity. In the marketplace, through our testimonies, in the gentle persistence of presence, people see God at work. Our witness is not a single grand gesture but many small, ordinary acts that point to an extraordinary God.

One afternoon, sitting in a car with Russel, we reflected on how easy it is for people to be trapped by circumstance, location, or comfort. They forget that they are children of God and that wherever they are is a place where God has sent them to serve. God’s work was completed before we were born; we are the continuation of that work — a living fulfillment of what He declared in the foundations of the earth. If that is so, why would we live in fear instead of purpose?

A personal call

This is a call to the reader: pause and look inward. Ask the Lord to search your heart and to send you where He would have you go. Whatever it takes for the next soul to be reached, do it — as long as the Lord guides your steps. Share what you have, speak what you believe, and trust that the smallest conversations can bear eternal fruit.

Thank you to everyone who walks with us. May every seed planted find its season, and may grace meet every searching hear

Discipleship Notes (For Your Week Ahead)

1. Be Present:Your assignment may not look dramatic. Sometimes it's just showing up, listening, or offering a short scripture.

2. Carry the Word:A pocket Bible, a verse on your phone, or Scripture in your heart can open conversations when you least expect it.

3. Sow the Seed, Don’t Force It:Your job is to plant. God brings the growth. Even a brief interaction can bear fruit later.

4. Look for Divine Appointments:Interruptions, detours, or delayed plans may be the Lord positioning you for someone who needs hope.

5. Remember Your Identity:You are a child of God — placed, assigned, and equipped. Walk with confidence in the purpose He has given you.

6. Share Your Testimony:Your story might be the very key that unlocks someone else’s faith.

7. Stay Available:The Holy Spirit works through those who make themselves available, even in ordinary spaces like a mall, a factory, or a street corner.

Street preaching part 3