Praise the Lord for all 73 labors for the SBO’22!

Dear Bill,

Michael approached me as I was holding a gospel sign on the 3rd street Promenade in Santa Monica. He wanted to know what the evidence was for God.

I pointed to the building in front of us. “How did that building get there?” I asked. He responded, that someone built it. I pointed to the phone in my hand - I had been taking pictures of the brothers preaching. “How did that phone get here?” Again, Michael responded that someone made it. “Just as every building has a builder and every phone has a maker, creation has a creator.

He said that he understood that but that was not the real question on his heart. He wanted to know how I could be so sure of the message I was proclaiming. So I shared how I came to Christ at the age of 24 and how he changed my heart.

He then revealed that he was once a believer, but now he is an agnostic. Michael told me that he once had a strong commitment to God but that he felt like he relied upon God too much. I’m not sure how that is possible - to rely upon God too much. Because of that, he really did not have any self-identity of his own.

I shared with him how I had had the opposite experience. My self-esteem and identity came through my relationship with Jesus.

As we conversed, I came to understand that Michael is like a lot of people: they say that they believe in Jesus but don't have any assurance of salvation. That is because they are not resting in the finished work of Christ. Instead, they are relying on their own efforts to '“be right with God.” They can’t seem to satisfy God because they don’t pray enough, or they are struggling with persistent sin, or they…insert objection here

I talked with Michael about the need to trust Jesus alone for salvation. That seemed to connect with him. 20 minutes later, he shook my hand, thanked me, and continued down the Promenade.

Many conversations like this took place throughout the weekend as the gospel was preached and tracts were distributed. The preaching of the gospel frequently leads to gospel conversations.

We had teams to spread out all over the greater LA metro area: Venice Beach, Huntington Beach, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and of course the Super Bowl venues. Multitudes of people heard the preaching of the gospel.

Above: Michael and I Talking. Photo by Joe Toy.

Our teams encountered many different competing groups including Black Hebrew Israelites and the Church of Scientology. One Scientologist approached me at the stadium and said that he was a Christian. He handed me a “personality test.”

After looking and seeing that it was Scientology, I handed the pamphlet back to him and pointed to the sign I was holding. It had this verse on it: “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”” John 3:3

I told him that unless he was born from above, he was not, in fact, a Christian. At this point, he moved on down the sidewalk.

And let’s not forget the mockers. One man on our team was punched in the gut. Others were verbally assaulted. As I was preaching at the stadium, one man yelled at me that I just liked to hear myself talk. I rebuked him for mocking God and blaspheming. After I finished preaching, another brother took my place. Immediately, the man yelled to “Shut the ____ up!” By the way, he later claimed to be an ordained minister. Go figure!

Above: Preaching in front of the Crypto.Com Center - formerly the Staples Center. The Lakers play here. (Photo by Jordan Allen with Faith Flow Photography.)

I was very encouraged to see a great number of believers from local churches who were out sharing the gospel. I thought about how back home, in the Bible Belt, it seems like an impossible task to get folks out of their comfortable pews and into the streets.

Along with the preaching and witnessing, we had great teaching on the role of the evangelist both inside and outside the church. Plus, The prayer and worship times were amazing.

Bill, Thank you again for praying for our teams. Without prayer, we would accomplish nothing on the streets.

Now, it is on to Mardi Gras after my wife and I take a little vacation. We are celebrating 26 years of marriage. Our anniversary is March 9th but we are celebrating a little early.

May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Until the Net is Full,

Darrel

P.S. Join me in praying as I consider the possibility of going to the Kentucky Derby with a group from Sports Fan Outreach, May 5-8.

Source: https://mailchi.mp/d68afcb1deaf/super-bowl-initial-report?e=fe5b973708