Apple Days Festival

MINISTRY PROFESSIONS OF FAITH

SEPT 25 COURT SQUARE 27
SEPT 26 JAMES MADISON 35
SEPT 27 CROSS LIGHT 02
SEPT 28 HARRY POTTER FEST 25
OCT 02 COURT SQUARE 20
OCT 03 JAMES MADISON 22
OCT 04 CROSS LIGHT 02
OCT 5-6 APPLE DAYS FEST 139

Yes, the last two weeks have been richly blessed as we continue to share the gospel and see many souls place their trust in Jesus.

For sake of time, I will just share one story from downtown, J.M.U, the cross, and the Harry Potter Festival. The focus of this newsletter will be the Apple Days Festival.

DOWNTOWN COURT SQUARE

Michael and his wife are from Georgia. I had met Michael back in July and had shared the gospel with him on court square. Michael had come to court at that time because of a legal battle with a business, and was back this time to tie up loose ends.

Michael and his wife came by this time just to tell me thanks. Michael's wife had been saved a while back, and when I asked Michael when he got saved he told me...

"RIGHT HERE, BACK IN JULY."

J.M.U.

My encounter with Ian a two weeks ago at J.M.U. was pretty special. Like most people, he was trying to justify himself. Initially he thought he would go to Heaven because he 'tried to do good things'. Even when we were going through the law, he was still trying to justify himself.

Ian humbled himself this day and wanted to place his faith in Christ alone. Right before Ian prayed to receive Jesus, he squatted low in front of me and prayed and then told me...

"HE GAVE ME ETERNAL LIFE. (MY HEART FEELS) LIGHTER! I TRUST IN JESUS. HE DID THAT FOR ME AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIM! I HAD THOUGHT HE CAME INTO MY HEART AS A LITTLE BOY, BUT BASED ON WHAT I AM FEELING TODAY, I BELIEVE IT WAS TODAY!"

Here is a 90 second video clip of Ian after he received Christ. It will bless you...

CROSS LIGHT

This is little Anthony who was walking across the street with his mom and sister as I was holding the cross. I had previously shared with his mom downtown, so she was more than happy to let me share with her son. Daughter was not interested.

Anthony used the term 'underworld' several times. I believe he had little or no church training. He spoke with boldness and authority, even as an adult would.

He understood the gospel as I shared. He understood that Jesus was 'THE SON OF GOD!' and he wanted to place his trust in Him.
After prayer, I asked him how sure he was of going to Heaven now...

"ONE THOUSAND PERCENT!"

HARRY POTTER FESTIVAL

Thanks to Karen and Johan for their help at this event. Thanks also to Grace Covenant Church in Staunton, Va. We set up in their parking lot and shared the gospel with those passing by. This was my best story of the day...

Donquon walked by not too long before we closed for the day. He had recently moved here from Va Beach. He just needed someone to explain the gospel to him.

Donquan thought he could cover all of his sins with 'praying and asking forgiveness'. When he finally heard the truth of Jesus' blood, he told me...

"I have been to church for 14 years and it never really made sense. Today it makes sense. He helped me to understand that 'not sinning anymore' doesn't save me. I understand today that if I have broken one rule, then I have broken them all. He helped me believe and to trust in Him more, not trust myself. THIS MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I JUST TOOK A SHOWER."

APPLE DAYS FESTIVAL

This past weekend Pam and Alan Foster, Johan Weiss, Karen Brooks, Andy Dillenbeck, and myself shared the gospel at the Willow Oaks Shopping Center in Waynesboro, Va during the annual Apple Days Festival. We were one of the vendors set up right outside the Peebles Department Store.

Alan Foster is a great encourager. This day, he became a great evangelist. Alan saw 26 people place saving faith in Jesus! I asked him why this day was so different..."I spent time praying before I came out."

Here is Alan 'keying the booth'...

Here is Alan sharing with two ladies...

While Alan has the responsibility of evangelism, his wife Pam has the gift. Fifteen years ago, Pam came with me to her first event at a local Wal-Mart. She watched for two hours and then jumped right in. By the end of the day, she was walking up to people's cars, knocking on their windows, and sharing the gospel with them!

Pam led 24 to Christ at this years Apple Days Festival. That's 50 souls for this husband/wife team, all in one day. HIP HIP HOORAY!

Here is Pam (left) counseling a woman who has experienced a significant tragedy in her life. Pam was able to lead her to Christ. As she shared the story with me at our debriefing, tears filled her eyes...

Here is Pam (left) with a large group. The lady in the yellow is a friend from her church who came out to watch us share...

Here is my faithful evangelist friend Johan Weiss sharing with a couple. At one point during the festival, a very strong anointing came over my friend. I remember thinking, "Wow, that is powerful!"

My good friend evangelist Karen Brooks came both days to share the gospel. Sunday was her birthday. On her physical birthday, Karen was able to lead 12 souls to their spiritual birthday! Here is one of them...

Here are a few of my favorite stories...

McKayla (daughter) sat down with Karen (mother). As we went through the law together (liar, thief, adulterer, murderer, blasphemer), McKayla was humbly confessing to each one. Mom was a different story.

She denied having told any lies, in her whole life! There is a way I usually deal with this, but it is pretty 'in your face confrontational'. God helped me here in an amazing way...

McKayla looked at her mom, jaw opened wide, aghast, "You are a liar! You've told many lies, just like me!" Mom actually humbled herself and received the truth from her daughter.

Yes, the next one too (thief), McKayla confessed but mom denied again...

Again, daughter says to mom, "Come on mom, you just told another life. Get honest with the man!" Again, mom humbled herself.

Daughter was able to carry mother across the finish line, and both bowed their heads to place their faith in Jesus. After the prayer, McKayla said to her mom...

"Are you crying?" (Yes, there were tears in her eyes.)

Joe was a combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD. I was able to help him understand the sufficiency of the atonement, and in doing so, he became 100% sure of his salvation.

I then took him to Romans 13 and explained that he was not just submitting to the government when he pulled the trigger, but that he was submitting to God himself. Joe was a holy instrument in the hands of God and his obedience to God was something to be proud of.

Mom and dad initially told me, "She knows!" Because of much experience, I asked Alivia the diagnostic questions anyways.

Alivia was 95% sure of going to Heaven because, "I read the bible, I go to church, and I obey the commandments." Alivia really didn't know. Mom and dad recognized this, and graciously allowed me to share.

Through the law, Alivia realized that she hadn't obeyed the commandments. Through grace, Alivia understood that God in Christ had done that for her and had even taken her just penalty. Alivia prayed to the Lord at the end...

"THANKS FOR SAVING ME. I LOVE YOU."

Dad was very gracious in allowing me to share with his son Dominick. Dominick, like most people, thought that he would go to Heaven because he was 'good'. Through the law and the gospel, little Dominick understood that he wasn't, so he wanted to trust in Christ instead...

"HE CLEANSED MY HEART OUT." (This was a pretty amazing answer, since I had said nothing about 'cleansing'.)

Before leaving, I gave the invitation to dad, who had listened the whole time. He told me, "One day." I then thanked him for allowing me to share with his son.

Liz and Paula were very religious/spiritual. Unfortunately, they were mingling the law with grace. They both said they were saved, but still needed to try hard to get to Heaven. Thus, they were unsure of their eternal destination.

This one was powerful. As I was sharing the gospel, the Lord connected our spirits! As I was preaching, both were repeating what I was saying, almost simultaneously with me. Both humbled themselves, and trusted in Christ alone. You could really see a change in their countenances. Peace and gravity.

One of them said, "HE OPENED MY HEART."

The other said, "HE HELPED ME PLACE ALL MY TRUST IN HIM."

It can be very frustrating when parents, who have already given me permission to share, get upset with their children and yank them off as I am sharing. They do this because they are disappointed to learn that their children do not understand the gospel, as they had previously thought. This happened a few times on Saturday, and was very draining.

This one was different. Grandma (Myrtle) sat down with her grandchildren Lety, Letee, and Nia. She was very patient, and allowed me ample time to be very thorough with the girls. They really seemed to understand the truth of the gospel and placed all of their trust in Jesus...

Glenda said she was a 'good person'. My good friend Andy, in the picture at the back, told me afterwards he really thought she was going to leave during our gospel presentation.

Hearing that you are a liar, thief, adulterer, murderer, and blasphemer is a tough pill to swallow. Several on Saturday got offended and left as I shared. This was hard on me, and I sought the Lord on Saturday night.

On Sunday, I felt like I had a fresh dose of love and humility. I shared the same truth, but it was much gentler, not preachy. Thankfully, Glenda received the truth and wanted to trust in Christ alone.

Interestingly, because Glenda had sinned quite a bit in her life, it actually helped her to see that she was not good, and that she needed to trust in Christ alone...

Heather was a precious soul. She had been rejected by the world, and had some issues. She initially told me she was not even sure if Heaven existed. I believe this was just her confusion and frustration.

Initially, she was trying to justify herself..."White lies, only a few." When I let her know this was not the way the Lord could justify her, she really humbled herself under the hand of God.

Heather received the truth of the gospel and wanted to trust in Christ alone.

"HE BLESSED ME AND FORGAVE ME."

My good friend Andy Dillenbeck, who has four daughters, ministered the love of God to Heather at the end with tears filling his eyes.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!