Doesn’t It Bother You To Hurt Animals?

Ministry Update August 23, 2015

The fall semester started this last week at MSU and they have a record enrollment this year. There were more students than usual coming out of and going into Strong Hall when I was witnessing there on Wednesday. There were a few hecklers, but the best one was Britt. He is pictured above and he started spouting off garbledy gook while I was open-air preaching. Some students stopped to see what was going on. 

After he got tired of mocking God, he came over to my side and wanted to talk. I pointed out that he didn’t want to talk earlier when he was mocking God, besides, I was bringing a message. He wanted to know how much longer and I told him about five minutes. So he hung around and waited. He had many questions, mainly why we have to suffer because of Adam and Eve’s sin? I told him that we do live in a fallen world and there is sin and evil in the world. But instead of worrying about all of that, he should worry more about his own sinfulness and his own rebellion against God. He basically said that he wasn’t worried about it and that he didn’t want to go to Heaven after he dies because he says that God is a ____. (a vile name that I won’t repeat).

He worried and talked about many other things, but his main concern was that I eat meat (he’s a vegan). He wanted to know “why doesn’t it bother you to hurt animals?” He was worried about the animals before they are processed for food. He kept telling me that it was a sin for me to eat meat. I told him that it wasn’t a sin and directed him to 1 Corinthians 8:8  But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. I told him that he was worried about the wrong things. He should be more concerned about his eternal soul. I also pointed out to Britt that he is worshiping the created rather than the Creator.

Britt was raised Catholic and doesn’t believe in God at this time. He was very knowledgeable about the Bible. He was a typical professing atheist in that he was all over the place in finding things to argue about and shot off questions in rapid fire. But in all of his craziness he asked me why I come over to MSU and witness. I told him that I am thankful and grateful that God saved me and I want to see others receive God’s grace and mercy. Then he asked me how I became a Christian, so I was able to share my testimony with him.

Another student walked up after that and wanted to know if I was brother Jed. I laughed and said no and then I was able to explain the difference. Brother Jed calls people names at random when they walk by. He is not all knowing and all seeing, so he doesn’t know if that young man he calls a fornicator or a drunkard is in fact a fornicator or a drunkard. I told him that I do speak of sin, righteousness and judgment to come, but that I don’t promote sinless perfectionism like brother Jed. The young man thanked me for my time and he took a tract from me. I immediately offered one to Britt who was still standing there, but he refused because he didn’t want to litter because he cares about the earth so much (so once again, I pointed out that he’s more worried about the created rather than the Creator). I told Britt that I had to get back to work so we shook hands and I told him that I come to MSU once a week in case he wants to talk some more. May God convict Britt and convert him.

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Friday night downtown, our group was light and the crowd was also small. I brought a message and we sang a few hymns afterwards. Some people came up and listened to the message, but there was a group of mockers and scoffers that came near us too. Some of my friends went over and gave them tracts. One young girl tore it up and mimicked wiping her behind with the tract. I hate seeing people being so disrespectful to God, so I preached pretty hard in her direction as she and her group walked off.

We ended the night singing hymns and several people came over and listened. A homeless woman who had a broken foot even came up on the platform and sung with us. She was a mess and left before we finished singing. Two different people in our group gave her tracts. May she read a tract when she’s sober and may God save her.

(These witnessing encounters are being shared to encourage Christians to share their faith in Jesus Christ with this lost and dying world).