Tony was crosswalking on the corner of Harrison and Locust in Davenport, IA, when he was approached by Rob.
Rob described himself as a "backslider." He made a profession of faith as a teenager, but soon returned to a life of drugs and alcohol. Attending AA and an evangelical church led Rob to again profess faith in Christ. Things went well for a while until he committed adultery by fornicating with multiple women.
Tony used Scripture and a couple of analogies (including one about a pig in a tux, at a banquet) to try to help Rob see his true spiritual condition. Tony communicated the gospel to Rob while assuring him that, because of his testimony, he should presently have no confidence of having genuine faith in Jesus Christ.
While the conversation went well and, through tears, Rob seemed to express genuine conviction over his sin, in the end Rob would walk away saying, "I don't have it in me." Meaning: the cost of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ was just too high a price to pay.
Sadly, it seems Rob is yet another false convert created by the weak gospel of American evangelicalism--a man who can be involved in drugs, drunkenness, and serial adultery while holding onto the false notion that he is a Christian "backslider."
Due to high wind noise, there are times when the conversation is a bit difficult to hear. Please be patient. This is one of the most heartbreaking conversation Tony has ever had.
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Tony serves as an evangelist for Grace Fellowship Church (Davenport, IA). Author of several books, including "Overcoming Despair" (GFC, 2024), Tony has spent the last two decades on the streets proclaiming the gospel to the lost.
