The GOSPEL OUTREACH to the crowds lining the streets of downtown Portland for the 2008 Portland Rose Parade was a huge success! We had 27 Gospel witnesses go into the heart of Portland with feet shod "with the preparation of the gospel of peace" (Eph 6:15). That's 54 feet carrying the Law and the Gospel to well over 200,000 spectators. About 4,000 Gospel tracts were handed out (all the tracts apply the Law and give the hope of the Gospel). We often found ourselves surrounded by people asking for more tracts for themselves, their friends, and their extended families. Many of our teams ran out of tracts before the end of the day.
In addition to the tracts, there were many personal Gospel conversations throughout the day. We didn't begin to reach the entire crowd, but we loved those that we could with action and the saving truth of the glorious Gospel of Christ. May the Lord grant them repentance and faith.
Last year we had seven evangelists, we handed out several hundred tracts, and we were able to do some Gospel street preaching to large crowds before the parade started. Next year we hope to have 50 or more evangelists and we will go a good hour earlier to get a jump on the start of the parade to allow for preaching. Once the parade starts you can't very well stand in the middle of the street preaching. The horse mounted policemen frown on such activity.
God is absolutely sovereign in salvation, but don't forget that He sovereignly works out the salvation of sinners through the proclamation of His Holy Word, publicly and house to house. Pray, prepare, and proclaim the Gospel for the glory of God and the salvation of men!
John 6:37 GOD'S SOVEREIGN SALVATION
All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
John 6:44 GOD'S SOVEREIGN SALVATION
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Rom 9:16 GOD'S SOVEREIGN SALVATION
So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Rom 9:22-24 GOD'S SOVEREIGN SALVATION
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 10:14-17 HOW WILL THEY HEAR AND BELIEVE?
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?" 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Acts 20:20-27 THE PUBLIC AND HOUSE TO HOUSE GOSPEL MINISTRY!
I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, 21 testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 "And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
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