GOD EXPANDS OPEN AIR TO CZECH REPUBLIC

(I received the following post in an e-mail from open-air preacher Bro. Jim Webber, author of Blood Power. I find this young street evangelist's testimony compelling, to say the least! I ask you to read it and respond as God leads. Pavel's e-mail is: pavel.zalio@email.cz. When you consider all that other Czech heroes of the faith went through to preach the gospel in what's now known as The Czech Republic, we Christians should seriously consider investing in someone willing to pay the price to get the gospel out. Such men are a rare breed in this day and age, and will become rarer in light of the recent "hate crimes" legislation passed by Congress - and only awaiting Barack Obama's signature to go into effect.)

Dear brothers in Christ Jesus,

My name is Pavel Zalio and I am from the Czech Republic. I was saved in June 2007 by miraculous power of the Lord Jesus Christ when calling on His name and asking Him to save my soul from hell and bring me to heavens with Him. Instantly a beam of light touched my heart. In the warmth of that light my heart melted down and disappeared; the same happened with my mind and on the top of it an unspeakable joy engulfed me. It happened in a hotel room in Beijing,China. I had no Christian background and knew no Christians.

After something like four days after this I stopped my wanderings, took my backpack and went back to my country, the Czech Republic. Before that the good Lord put a strong love on my heart for people of my country. After coming back I started to work with handicapped people, but after three months they dismissed me as I was too much for them. Then I translated a book God In My Corner - by two-time heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman - into Czech language, but failed with publishing it.

I started to preach on the streets in the spring of 2008 after seeing some pictures of bro. Ruben Israel and other brothers on the Internet. Then i got the book Blood Power by bro. James Webber (alias Bible Jim) which helped me to enforce my position theologically. I started with a simple proclamation that people were in a great trouble and the Lord Jesus is their one and only chance to be saved from the coming misery and wrath of God which is about to fall on this earth. God's judgement.

Just about recently I started to gain little bit of confidence and self respect, as before I was depressed and humiliated everywhere I went by family, church, material conditions etc. I got little bit of peace when preaching after I moved to a garden hut and had a stable spot where I could sleep and pray undisturbed. Before that I prayed at public restrooms before going to preach and lived in an old ambulance car. That time Satan went heavily on me telling me I was a
loser, I lost it and so on. But God was telling me: "Seek first the heavenly kingdom and the rest will be added to you."

About almost a month ago there was the Pope of Rome visiting the city where I currently stay: Brno. I went there with a sign saying the Pope = the Antichrist, which I made after much prayer, reading the Bible and also fasting - which not always is a successful endeavour for me. The other side of my banner said: Trust Jesus. I had the great opportunity to preach to about 120 thousand attendants of the open air mass and all of them had to pass the block I was standing at.
Some Catholics were coming to my block threatening they would beat me up. But God always stopped them so they could only yell at me, waving their hands around me. Sometimes waving their Vatican flags or shouting Viva Papa, Viva Mama (for Mary), while I was preaching the Bible against so called "tradition," which is just another name for a bunch of satanic lies.

In one moment a big tattooed muscular man came to me telling me I should move as I was ruining his business at that spot. I refused, he pressed on me, but when I asked him to show me papers that he had that spot rented he went away. When the situation got quite hot the police came, handcuffed me and arrested me. They drove me away and after some discussions with their boss with walkie-talkies they took the picture of my sign and then let me go. So I went back to the location but before reaching my spot I was arrested by another police patrol. I was handcuffed again and after some time spent in their police car I was asked for the second time that day if I am freely willing to go with them to the police station in the center of the city to give them an explanation. I said - no. Handcuffs again and we were on the way to that station anyway. There they hold me for about two hours. I refused to answer any of their questions and also sign any paper but used the time to witness to almost every police officer I met. After two hours they let me go but confiscated
my banner. That day was a great blessing. I never did such a big event before besides one homo parade which was also a great blessing.

The next day I went to see an ombudsman for human rights and was told to send an appeal against such police conduct, which I did. Now I am waiting for the answer from the police. Problem is that it is police itself who will investigate my complaint. But I am decided to run this case as long as God is willing.

Statistics say that his country, Czech Republic, is the most atheist country in Europe. The majority of people who think they are Christians are Catholics. Major society hates churches because of our past when catholic church together with a secular power burnt at the stake Jan Hus plus other people and persecuted true Christians. (Catholic church was always on the side of our oppressors with just one exception - the communist regime. Because the catholic priests
were persecuted some people think they were the martyrs for the faith and thus their faith must be the right faith. With this logic the contemporary widespreading sect (cult) called Falun Gong, whose leader claims he is the Messiah, would have to be also right as they are persecuted by Chinese communist regime as well. Satan uses the
natural tendency of man to sympathize with the victims to lead people into his snares.) I believe that Almighty God didn't give up on our nation and calls us to repentance that we changed from once Godly nation to a nation of cowards, drunkards, fornicators, money lovers, pot smokers, TV idolaters, showbusiness stars worshipers, thieves, new-agers, Me-god believers ("I just believe in myself."), "good persons," etc.

I would like to ask you, if you could financially support my ministry here in Czech republic. I have enough money for food and have enough clothes, but I need money to expand my ministry and start printing stickers, gospel tracts and the other things. I got in touch with bro. Petar in Norway and just talking with him on the phone was a great source of encouragement.

Recently I started with a public transportation ministry. I was very much delighted with its effect. Once a young men get off the bus with me and had many questions about Jesus Christ being the only way. Two weeks ago I went to a rosicrucian meeting (an occult sect), and I stood up and publicly rebuked their satanic new age lies. When leaving the hall a man joined me and I had a pleasure to answer his question about why I believe the Bible is the true word of God and why Jesus is THE ONLY way to be enlightened (that is what all these buddhists, taoist, new-agers are looking for but cannot find it without acknowledging that they are, deep down, rotted sinners totally dependent on the mercy of Almighty God). This just passed Sunday I got so angry with the Jehovah's Witnesses for promoting their false teaching with a systemacy (sic) of the sons of darkness that I went to their Kingdom Hall after the service was finished and rebuked them in their own lobby.

My next event is a concert of Harlem Gospel Choir. They have posters all around the city and in the middle of them is Barack Obama with a huge smile. I don't understand how the charity program called Feed the Children, which is promoted by this music group, goes together with Obama's pro-abortion position. That's why I want to go there
and expose this conflict of interests. I have a hope and faith that this time I will not go alone as one brother wants to go there with me. Please pray for us.

I have many ideas and see many occasions how to reach the lost of this world, but being a lonely soldier can get very heavily (sic) on ones mind and heart. If I could get just a little bit of support that would turn into a great blessing for everybody. I believe that we have an example in the Bible when saints help other saints in their needs.

Philippians 4:10-17

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as
you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am
looking for what may be credited to your account.

Once a brother who saw me turning an old ambulance car into a Christian vehicle gave me 20 dollars without me asking him a word. It is hard to describe for me how happy I was and how much easier it was for me to work on that car.

2 Corinthians 8:13-15

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.

If any of you would like to contribute to my ministry here in the Czech republic than you can do so by contacting me at pavel.zalio@email.cz or by sending your support to the account below.

Bank address:

CSOB a.s.
Dobrovskeho 4
682 01 Vyskov
Czech republic
account number: 201037352
IBAN: CZ910300 0000 000201037352
SWIFT #(BIC): CEKOCZPP

My adress: Pavel Zalio, Tyrsova 35, Vyskov, 682 01, Czech Republic

Thank you very much for reading this letter and may God bless all ofyou and sustains you in the fight for the heavenly prize!

Pavel
Brno, Czech Republic

THE "CHRISTIAN'S" WAKE-UP CALL!

I'm actually sitting here dumbfounded. Wow! Do yourself a tremendous favor and invest the next 12 minutes by watching a video that could very well change your life - forever - and that of your family and friends:

RIO DE JANEIRO WILL HOST THE 2016 OLYMPICS!

Frankly, I doubted that this would happen. I mean, you have the president of the United States going to Denmark to push his hometown, Chicago. You have Madrid already building two-thirds of its facilities and mobilizing 100,000 people to show their support of their city's Olympic bid.

Now, I live just across the bay from Rio and, apart from some signs here and there, I hadn't picked up much enthusiasm on the part of Rio's residents. But I was wrong, in a BIG way! I was in downtown Rio today (Oct. 2) meeting with my Cândido Mendes University disciple, Alexandre, when my wife calls and tells me both Chicago and Tokyo were out of the running! It was down to Rio and Madrid. She asked me if I was going to Copacabana to preach to the 100,000 residents gathered there to watch, on the beach, the announcement of the winner. Alexandre had to go to a job interview, so I took the Metro (subway) to famous Copacabana Beach!

As soon as I got off the subway, I heard some teens up ahead of me screaming. I knew then what had happened, but I waited until I could get near the beach to confirm, by a street vendor, Rio's selection as the host of the 2016 Olympics. Here's the video Rio used this morning in Copenhagen to try to "sell" the city to the International Olympic Committee (I recommend that you double click on the screen below to take you to full screen on YouTube, where you can watch it in High Quality and/or watch it Full Screen on your computer.)

When I got to the beach, WOW! There were people all over the place, dancing, singing, yelling, smiling. I was thinking, "Okay, how do I play off this and preach to these people?" So I started off telling people that it was God who gave this BIG present to Rio de Janeiro, and all of us would benefit by having the Olympics in Rio. But then I challenged them to think how they were going to thank God for His gift. Were they going to continue doing the same old things, or were they going to get right with Him? Were they going to abandon their sins, or were they going to continue in their rebellion?

I only had one heckler - an older woman - who chided me on "raining on their parade" while not being tolerant of those holding beliefs in other ways, other religions. I replied that Jesus is the ONLY way and that was why I needed to be there preaching this. She said I was forcing my beliefs on them, and I asked, "How?" "By using that bullhorn! You're forcing people to believe what you believe with that thing!" I replied that I was on a public sidewalk in a high-trafficked area, so how was I forcing anybody to believe anything? This drew a small crowd (Hecklers are actually a blessing in disguise, because people are kind of like sharks: When they "smell" blood, they flock to the source to see what's going on!), which I continued preaching to.

Later I noticed one man being particularly attentive. When he approached me to take an evangelistic tract, I stopped preaching long enough for him to ask me if I taught the things I was preaching about anywhere. I told him I didn't pastor a church, so I didn't have a set place where I taught. However, I gave him my phone number if he wanted to set up a time to talk more. We'll see.

Why am I grateful for Rio's selection as the host of the 2016 Olympics? Because Rio will receive the world, and that means there will be tens (or hundreds?) of thousands to reach with the gospel, not to mention millions of Brazilians! I envision this as a tremendous opportunity for the spread of the gospel and, unlike Beijing, the gospel will be able to go out unhindered. I expect there to be an effort on the part of the Church from around the world to organize and execute an evangelistic campaign to reach athletes and fans from both open and closed countries.

May we be ready to take full advantage of this unique opportunity - for the glory of God!

OUTSIDE THE FOUR WALLS!

Leonard Ravenhill. Have you heard of him? I nicknamed him "Leonard Raving-hill" due to his scathing books criticizing the state of the Church. I had never heard him preach, however. He is actually a very proper English gentleman. But oh, how his words hit home!

On Ravenhill's tombstone is written the following:

"CARRIED BY ANGELS"

LEONARD RAVENHILL

1907 - 1994

"ARE THE THINGS YOU ARE LIVING FOR WORTH CHRIST DYING FOR?"

Wow! How much more convicting can one get? To give you a taste of "Raving-hill" preaching on a subject dear to my heart - street evangelism - I ask you to watch the following video.

This gave you just a taste of Ravenhill (He doesn't speak the whole time in this video.), but I found this video powerful because it couples exhortation with application. I am so privileged to be at the point in my life that I can stand in the middle of a busy thoroughfare on a stool and plead with passers-by to repent and believe the gospel! And I am in ever-growing company, thanks to Ray Comfort's ministry and the exposure that YouTube offers open air preachers like Brother Jed Smock, "Bible Jim" Webber and Ruben Israel, who've been doing this kind of ministry for decades! May our tribe increase - for God's glory and the salvation of men!

THE GOATS AMONG US

Sometimes Christians can be so naïve! I'm a Christian, so I include myself in the previous statement. Check out this report on The Goats Among Us! 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS'" (Matt. 7:21-23).

Then start looking around you at the next church service you attend. Parents Beware! Children Beware! Young Women Beware! Young Men Beware!

NEW MISSION - OLD MISSION

As you may be aware, Aïda and I left the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ in early July after 26 and 29 years respectively. If you would like to read a detailed explanation as to why, take a look at my July 10 blog post.

NEW MISSION

Sensing that God wanted us to continue ministering in Brazil, we began looking into various mission agencies to see which would be the best fit for us. I even went to the U.S. the last week of July to try to nail something down. After dozens of e-mails and phone calls, we finally settled on a mission agency that we had never heard of before until the beginning of August: PEF(Presbyterian Evangelistic Fellowship).

Why PEF? We aren't Presbyterian, but we can certainly identify with reformed theology. What really "sealed the deal," however, was the strong evangelistic emphasis that PEF has (hence, it's name!), including open air preaching! You see, CCC made it clear that open air preaching was not to be a part of my ministry on Crusade time. No problem - I did it in my free time. But now I am free to preach to anyone, anytime, anywhere (which just happens to be PEF's motto!).

In addition to my open air preaching PEF accepted us along with the following ministry focus and goals (as mentioned in my July 10 post):

1) REACHING , EQUIPPING and MOBILIZING students, professors and young professionals - interdenominationally - for the worldwide spiritual harvest.  REACHING: through what we call "Intentional Evangelism," which is flexible in style and methodology while remaining faithful to biblical content; EQUIPPING: via one-on-one and small-group discipleship and training; MOBILIZING: through accountability to one's ministry goals, short and long-term missions, etc.

2) TRAINING Believers (those in our day-to-day ministry scope - see item 1 above - and local churches) in Bible study methods, theology, Christian worldview, apologetics and "Intentional Evangelism." Most Christians in Brazil have no idea what a Christian worldview is and do not have the basis to defend their faith; bible study and holding a consistently biblical theology are weak areas here as well (as they seem to be in the U.S. too!).

3) Teaching faithful men to do the same (i.e., spiritual leadership multiplication - 2 Tim. 2:2).

OLD MISSION

The past couple of weeks since I've been back in Brazil have been adventuresome, to say the least. Two weeks ago we went on a private, very Catholic campus (i.e., nuns in habits all over the place!) where some evangelical students who want our help study. We're not sure how much we'll be able to do there yet, but we're up for new challenges! We did get to share with a foreign student - Embelina from Cape Verde (off the coast of West Africa and where I directed CCC's first-ever international summer project back in 1998) - who, despite her Catholic upbringing, realized for the first time in her life why she needs Jesus (Rom. 3:23 & 6:23) and demonstrated repentance and faith!

Then on Friday of that same week I met with the student leader of an autonomous Christian campus group who wants our help at his private university! This student - Alexandre - started his group three years ago under the supervision of his home church (Church of the Nazarene). Since he is actively involved in evangelism via Jews for Jesus, I knew I was dealing with someone passionate about reaching the lost. Alexandre has a small group of 15-20 students who meet weekly on a campus that, although Catholic, is very open to the gospel! So we plan on starting to work with his group via theoretical and practical evangelism training as well as discipleship. We'd also like to establish a partnership between Alexandre's church and our ministry on his campus - Cândido Mendes University (UCAM). Needless-to-say, we are very excited over these developments!

This past week I went back to UCAM and tried out a new evangelistic tool - together with Alexandre - that I developed based on the evangelistic presentation on the www.TheGoodPersonTest.net link. One student, Alan (a sophomore Law School student (Yes, Law is an undergraduate major in Latin America!), willingly went through the presentation, agreeing that he had broken God's Law and that he is guilty and deserving of hell. However, what I didn't expect was his level of apathy regarding the possibility of going to hell one day. As a nominal Catholic, Alan said he was willing to risk dying in his sins and "enjoying life" now vs. getting right with God. It was a good learning experience for me on how to approach such apathy in the future, and I don't intend to waste it.

I also preached open air twice this past week, trying out my new foldable stool that I can easily carry in my backpack. I preached in a new location in Rio's business district yesterday: an outdoor amphitheater! I couldn't believe how the sound of my voice - with help from my trusty bullhorn, of course - traveled! As people passed by on their way to catch the ferry or the bus home for the long weekend, I could see their heads turn as they heard my preaching from 80-100 yards away! God's word won't return void (Is. 55:11)! Several people came to listen to my preaching in the amphitheater, and they each received gospel tracts at the end.

Some ask if the open air approach is effective. My response is,"If you're talking about seeing people fall to their knees in repentance and faith before my eyes, no. But if you're talking about God's word going out and being used by the Holy Spirit to convict the hearers of sin, righteousness and coming judgement (Jn. 16:8), my answer would be a resounding 'yes!'"

The following are two videos about campus preacher Tom Short that answer the question: "Does open air preaching work?"

You see, this aspect of evangelism has been neglected by the Evangelical Church for nearly an entire century. In the interest of being "politically correct," the Church's evangelistic philosophy backed away from the biblical approach to adopt a less aggressive approach. Some, like I used to, may think "political correctness" is a product of the 1990's, but in reality it was first popularized in Protestant circles by the liberal pastor/theologian Harry Emerson Fosdick back in the 1920's (I read this somewhere, but can't find the exact reference to support my statement . . . yet.). Eventually Fosdick's persistence, along with the inroads of theological liberalism in America's seminaries, would mean that being PC trumped being biblically honest with people. May we return to the biblical gospel and evangelism again, not worrying about preaching something that might offend. In fact, a biblical presentation of the gospel will always offend some. It goes with the territory!

"Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished" (Gal. 5:11 - NIV).

"Just as it is written, 'BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED'" (Rom. 9:33 - NASB).

"and '

A stone of stumbling,

and a rock of offense.'

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do" (1 Pet. 2:8 - ESV).

WISDOM'S WAKE-UP CALL!

“In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century (the 20th - my addition) will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.” - William Booth (founder of The Salvation Army)

My comment: Was Booth a prophet or what?!