Showing compassion and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ

Ryan who serves in our Ashton-Under-Lyne Drop-In tells us of a man who gave his life to the Lord this week.

Ryan said, “As we were setting up, there was a gentleman that had heard of our Drop-In by word of mouth who was sat in the café area waiting to see us. We invited the man in and he began to tell us his story of how he had been in hospital and when he had come home his house had been robbed. He went on to say that the estate agents had boarded up his front door and he had nowhere to go."

Ryan was quick to get on to the estate agents to sort this problem out.

While this process was happening Ryan turned the conversation to God and what it means to have a relationship with God. The man said that he believed that there was something but was not sure what it is.

Ryan then got his Bible out and showed him Psalm 139:13-14, explaining to him that God had formed him and how he has been fearfully and wonderfully made. Ryan said, “It’s so important to show someone that they are significant and they are not a mistake.” Then Ryan took him to John 14:6 showing how Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one can come to the Father except through Christ.

The gentleman asked, “Why do I feel upset when you speak about this stuff?”

Ryan reports that you could see the Holy Spirit was working on his heart. Ryan went on to speak to the man about repentance and how there are two types of sorrow, there is worldly sorrow and Godly sorrow. Ryan was talking about the sorrow that leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) The man understood and confessed that he had not been a good man and had made some bad choices. Ryan explained to him that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Ryan asked if he was ready to receive Jesus as his Lord and saviour, he then prayed a prayer of salvation with the man and the man received Christ. Continuing to pray for him to be filled with the Holy Spirit, Ryan recalls that it was an epic scene as the Spirit of God began to work on him and floods of tears were rolling down his face.

Ryan and the team then gave the man a Bible and directed him to the local church. He has also been invited back to the Drop-In next week as they now opened up the café shop to people that would like to hear the Gospel and to learn what it means to have a relationship with Jesus

Ryan values your support and prayer highly.