You know and this is so freeing , right , so catch this . If you're not catching it yet , here it is that God is not calling you to be Ray Comfort . We already have one . He's not calling you to be the next Ray Comfort . He's calling you to be the first you . This brings liberty and freedom to you , with your interests and your desires . What makes you shine ? What is the best version of you ?
Speaker 1So , if you're saying man , I don't know , I think I would actually like to open air , preach , Explore that . Or look , I have no problem going door-to-door . I was a door-to-door salesman . Right now , well , perhaps that has prepped you and prepared you to go door-to-door . These little things in life can mold us and shape us , but make no mistake about it , you are called to share .
Speaker 2There's no way out of that .
Speaker 1Right .
Speaker 3Hey , ray went out of his way to go to a play the other day and now he has something he'd like to say and convey . So , yay , but Ray's not here today . Yay , yay .
Speaker 1Yay .
Speaker 3Ray went to a play the other day . Am I starting over ?
Speaker 1Did he really ?
Speaker 3Yeah , he did . He went to Robbie's play .
Speaker 1Oh .
Speaker 3Mark , you know Robbie's like the consummate thespian . Yeah , I know that word sounds wrong .
Speaker 2Fiddler on the roof . Who's Robbie ?
Speaker 3Thespian , Robert Comfort , Daniel's son , Ray's grandson , my nephew Dude , he loves it . He doesn't just love it , he thrives at it . Man , I mean seriously like he gets on , he's been doing it since he was a little kid oh yeah , he's done plays with our kids . There was a theater owned by a Christian couple husband's a pastor , so they do stuff together in there , but he is he started young . Remember Hosanna would have those talent shows .
Speaker 1He's got the look for anything .
Speaker 3He'd do stand-up comedy at like eight , really .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's no joke . He's really good . He likes to sing , he likes to dance , he likes to just be the center of attention , which is a little surprising for a comfort Now . Little surprising for a comfort Now . People listening have no idea with that , because Ray goes out and he shares the gospel regularly . But Ray really is a bit of an introvert , he'd much rather not be around people . And then his kids are very similar than that .
Speaker 3We got some introverts in the comfort family , but Robbie here at the office is pretty reserved . Yeah , that's what we're saying . He would be more of an introvert typically , but he comes a lot Once the light hits him . I mean , yeah , and he's got an amazing voice . He plays like every instrument .
Speaker 1One of me , one of me , one of you , you know , I find that very common where you come across different celebrities or different singers who , on stage , they are entirely different than what you see in person . Yeah , no , are entirely different than what you see in person .
Speaker 2Yeah , no , it's true . You know who's like that as a preacher is John Piper . He is fiery and full of energy , and then you meet him and he's like , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 3No , no . There was a pastor that I knew who was like that . You talk to him and you think like poor guy . He'd be like hey how you doing , like poor guy .
Speaker 1Like hey , how you doing I think I know who you're talking about , right dude , he'd get in the pulpit and he's a lion yeah , and then he gets done like paul washer has a good sense of humor . You know in person . But yeah , it seemed from the pulpit you're like , I'm afraid to sit in the front row .
Speaker 3You know what ? Someone sent me a video up of Paul Washer the other day and he was giving a Christmas message and he goes . You know I'm going to talk about something you don't normally hear most people talk about , but Christmas , what is Christmas all about ? Christmas is really all about God being angry .
Speaker 2On brand for Paul Washer .
Speaker 3I'm like bro Paul Washer wishes someone a happy birthday and talks about the wrath of God .
Speaker 1I've never seen a meme of Paul Washer , and it was a little poem . It said roses are red , violets are blue . I don't know why you're clapping , because I'm talking about you .
Speaker 3That comes from that youth message right , it's so funny yeah . Yeah , but you're right , though Out of the pulpit he's just a fun-loving and passionate guy , but he gets behind that pulpit man One of us . But anyway , ray's not here today , I feel lonely , it's weird , it does feel different . Is this the first ?
Speaker 1No , well , we've done traveling podcasts from G3 and plays like that , oh that's right .
Speaker 3But I don't know if we've all sat at the table without Ray here .
Speaker 2The three of us . Yeah , why is he playing hooky ? I feel like someone needs to .
Speaker 3Drop their iPad . It would not have been the same without that .
Speaker 1You need to drop it with an Indian accent .
Speaker 3Yeah , you know , I'll tell you guys , though , speaking of plays , I cannot stand movies . Okay , do we have to talk about this ? Movies that incorporate , like movies that are musicals , what ? Okay , I love musicals . So , like I like to go to a play , a musical belongs on a stage . I could make a few exceptions maybe like sound of music . Aladdin sound of music works um not aladdin yeah , what you mean with will smith no , no , no .
Speaker 2The cartoon aladdin no , no cartoon . That's a musical listen .
Speaker 3Cartoons , Plays are fine . The thing that finally did it for me where I got very angry , violent and irate Les Miserables . Yes , Mark .
Speaker 1Did I tell you we talked about this ? No , but I can read your mind . I was so excited when the version came out with .
Speaker 3Liam Neeson , and then I started seeing I heard it was bad .
Speaker 1No , not , liam Neeson . Did I vent to you ? I didn't vent to you about this . I don't remember , it was the one with Anne Hathaway .
Speaker 3Because , liam Neeson , was it Wolverine in it ?
Speaker 2Yes , what's his name ?
Speaker 3Okay , but have you seen Les Miserables with Liam Neeson , the movie .
Speaker 2The original one . Yes , so good .
Speaker 3Dude , like phenomenal life-changing . You stole some forks Just from my own house . But just because of the character of the man I'm like man just that integrity Anyway . But then I watched the musical . So , sad Dude , russell Crowe singing . Yes , it was just like you saw Gladiator and the guy was like a beast in there and then you see him singing . The reason why I hate it is because the movie is so powerful and you have this serious scene and it's building .
Speaker 1I'm one accord with you .
Speaker 3I'm so one accord with you , oh , mark , praise the Lord .
Speaker 1So you hate Wienerschnitzel now ? No , but I did see Les Miserables in London three different times . Was it good ? Oh , it's great .
Speaker 3It's fantastic .
Speaker 2What about the original West Side Story . What , that's a great musical .
Speaker 3Are you serious ?
Speaker 2Yeah , West Side Story .
Speaker 3Isn't that like a gang movie or something ? It is yeah and just are going to have their way . That's not a musical yes it is it 100% is musical and it's phenomenal . Dude you're off your rocker .
Speaker 1I read the book back in high school . I think it was the Clipnote version . Actually , clipnote version is like ChatGPT West Side Story .
Speaker 3that's not where they write no , no , that's something else , Never mind whatever Freedom Writers . No , that's what I'm thinking Freedom .
Speaker 1Writers .
Speaker 2That was a movie .
Speaker 3Yeah , anyway , all right , this is from James . He talks to himself .
Speaker 2I know I did tell him earlier that he needs to play the role of Easy and Ray . So if we ask Ray a question , you just need to respond .
Speaker 3Yeah , I got the accent down . I can do it . This is from James Juti . Hey guys , my name is James and I'm from Alberta , canada . I'll boot that A . I just wanted to thank you all for sticking to the truth in a time when it seems everyone is compromising . How's Best Kept Secret helped me realize that , although apologetics is important , it pales in comparison to the simplicity and effectiveness of the true gospel message . Amen , mark , amen , amen . We love apologetics here , but praise God that someone gets that right .
Speaker 3That's exactly right it comes down to the gospel .
You all have convicted me on many things I struggled with regarding my Bible , but after listening to Ray talk about the importance of it , I have not gone one day without reading the Word . Also , the Evidence Study Bible is awesome . Thank you all for your ministry and I hope to walk through the way of the Master with the church I attend as soon as I can . To walk through the way of the Master with the church I attend as soon as I can , or maybe today , never know when we will die . Amen , that's right . Thank you , james . Praise God . Brother Ray , how do you feel about people not reading their Bible today , you know I don't know , if you have no Bible , no breakfast , don't read your Bible , call and win .
Speaker 3But guys , seriously , how cool is that from James ? I mean , this is why we do this podcast For someone to say I have not skipped a day reading the Word . I want to lead people in evangelism . Yeah , how many times have you listened to Hell's Best Skeptic ? Easy , not as many as you , because I mean , weren't you doing it like every day ?
Speaker 1for I did it every day on the way to work , on the way home , hundreds , hundreds of times .
Speaker 3I remember the first time man I listened to it . It seriously was like it was . I remember the first time man I listened to it , it seriously was like whoa .
Speaker 3And you get it right . When enough people say the same thing enough times , this becomes objective . Right , you have this objective of like you know , but when enough , it's like okay , this is you know . It's like Rachel and I were watching something the other day and I said this guy looks like this person In fact it was Christian Robb I go this guy looks like Christian Robb . No , no , he doesn't . No , no , no . Julia walks in and she goes that guy looks like Christian Robb . You feel that ?
Speaker 1I took a picture of a girl that looked like your daughter at a restaurant not too long ago in North Italia . Ever eaten in North Italia ? Great restaurant , where's ?
Speaker 2that Irvine .
Speaker 1Yeah , irvine , they're actually building one in Cerritos , but it looked like your daughter who was inside the restaurant from a distant restaurant .
Speaker 2Freudian slip Mark .
Speaker 3But we kept taking photos and me and my family just liked her . You didn't even send it to me dude . I have it .
Speaker 2Speaking of Hell's Best Kept Secret , I remember being halfway through that sermon the first time I listened to it , and when I woke up no , I'm just kidding . I remember thinking to myself this is modern day Hell's , this is modern day sinners in the hands of a God . Like the impact and the power of that sermon is , in my mind , what it would have been like to listen to Jonathan Edwards preach sinners in the hands of an angry God , with some humor interweave . True , yeah , yeah , raised version .
Speaker 3Seriously , though , but that's what blew me away with that . It's so cool to talk about it without Ray here . I know he'd be uncomfortable if we were doing that with him here , but the way he was able to hit that balance of heavy truth but interweaving appropriate humor , that made it palatable , because it's a heavy message . Hey , ble , yeah , ab Earle , but it is yeah . But I do remember Mark being like man . This is revolutionary . I mean the parachute , the airplane . Well , the first time I listened to it .
Speaker 1we were on our way to Hollywood Boulevard to share the gospel and I went oh okay , I guess I have to use the law when I'm sharing . But it wasn't until several times later , when I had listened to it . I'm thinking wait a minute , no , I have it entirely wrong , because I was doing a life enhancement and the use of the law .
Speaker 1Because it's so ingrained in us things that we say that we're not traditionalists , we're anti-Catholicism and different liturgical rule and reign in the midst of the churches . We kind of shun from church . But actually there's some beautiful things that are found within liturgy , right , amen . I'm not going to get into that rabbit trail , but I remember going out there and I shared the gospel and I shared a life enhancement message , listened to it several times later and then I went , whoops , no , no , no , no , no , no , no . They must feel the weight of their sin and then they can cry out to God for mercy , like Ray says in Hell's Best Gifts for Grace . Martin Luther said preach 10% grace , 90% law . So first 90% law , then 10% grace . Why ? Well , because once they are fully convinced that they're dying of this horrific disease , then they cry out well , what's the cure ? What must I do to be ?
Speaker 3saved Right , yeah , and I've been amazed by how many people over the years I mean back in the day it was tapes remember People would go and they'd duplicate tapes . But man , it seemed like every poor pastor on the planet , got at least 10 or 20 .
Speaker 1Yeah and Ray had this weird thing where he would say I say weird , but it's just a really cool offer , where he would have this weird , fake-looking $10 bill attached to the cassette tape . It says if this message doesn't change your life , I will send you $10 .
Speaker 3Really . Yeah , that's awesome and he would hand those out everywhere .
Speaker 1We handed out thousands and thousands of those .
Speaker 3Yeah , that's amazing . And you guys remember when Ray preached that message the first time he said God , I can preach this message a thousand times . And then he kept logging his Bible of every time and he got to like 880 something and then he stopped . He was like I'm gonna get to a thousand and drop dead In the middle of the- .
Speaker 1So what is the title of the message ? How do they listen to it ?
Speaker 3How's Best Kept Secret ?
Speaker 1You can go on livingwaterscom and it's like on our homepage True and false . Conversion is part two .
Speaker 3Really , if you want to keep going , yeah , they go hand in hand and I strongly encourage you to listen to them . It tickles you , it convicts you , it opens your eyes , but it tickles you in a way you can't describe . You feel like man . This is right , because it's biblical .
Speaker 1Yeah , Phil Johnson said it's one of the top three messages he's ever heard in his life .
Speaker 3Yeah , for sure , along with the message , the one of the top three messages he's ever heard in his life . Yeah , yeah , for sure , along with the message . The message . And now a radically revolutionary resource this podcast is brought to you by . God has a Wonderful Plan for your Life . The Myth of the Modern Message that ties in it does , yeah , because that's kind of Hell's Best Kept Secret , condensed , if you would , in book form , and that would With Ray , not here .
Speaker 2We suddenly know what we're doing .
Speaker 3I know .
Speaker 2This is going very smoothly today .
Speaker 3Yeah , check it out , friends . And in honor of Ray , we need to tell you about something new called Living Waters Shorts . Are you talking about his wardrobe ?
Speaker 3No , just his height Modest shorts yeah , we've got Living Waters Shorts . Living Waters Modest Shorts yeah , we've got Living Waters Shorts . And this is kind of a new campaign where we're encouraging people to , in accordance with our guidelines , begin to create shorts from our videos . Now there are certain specific stipulations of how to do that Not only to do it in the right way , in the legit way , but also in the effective way . That's right . So if you go to livingwaterscom forward , slash shorts , right . I think that's what it is .
Speaker 1It's a Creative Commons licensing right , so we're not surrendering our copyright to these shorts , but we are encouraging you to share the shorts far and wide . I mean , have access to all the videos that we have .
Speaker 3Yeah and why ? Because we want to get the gospel out there . That's right . And someone shared one of our shorts and that sounds so weird I cannot help but think about it .
Speaker 2Someone shared my shorts and they ended up .
Speaker 3It ended up getting like over 3 million views in a short amount of time , so that excites us . We want to get the gospel out , so do it . Yale , you have something to say about shorts .
Speaker 1No , the short reached 3 million views in a short .
Speaker 2Did I say that A short about a short man reached 3 million views in a short period of time .
Speaker 3A short about a short man wearing shorts yeah wow , I didn't even realize I did that brilliance on display . And don't forget the Living Waters bug , from which you can chug that would study Bible disciple to cause revival and Living Waters TV friends
. Oscar , are we still building in subscriptions ?
Speaker 2Yeah , we're over 2,000 subscriptions now . Thank you guys for all of you who have subscribed . If you are not subscribed and if you don't know , one of the cool things for our podcast listeners is that you can actually get you can watch a podcast episode a week before it goes live on the podcast platform that you listen on . So , in other words , this episode has already been viewed by our subscribers last week . So if you want to stay on top of that , you can watch us and watch us a week ahead of time at gamingwaterstv .
Speaker 3Yeah , and part of it . I mean just to clarify exactly what Oscar's saying . You can actually watch us . So it's not just hearing us , you get to see us in action , unfortunately , sorry about that . The eye candy ? I don't know about that .
Speaker 1Eye candy , the eye candy . I don't know about that Eye candy .
Speaker 3Far from it . All right For our yaowiyayons , is that it ? Oh yeah , make sure to check all that out at livingwalletscom . All right . Today this feels weird , Different ways to share the gospel without Ray Comfort being here .
Speaker 2That's not right .
Speaker 3Let's just go home , guys , let's call him on the phone and just put him on speaker . How many ?
Speaker 1crazy hairbrain ideas has Ray had over the years , from you miming down in Santa Monica at the promenade , trapped in a box , to the spinning of the wheel , to doing slide-a-hand magic . You in a straight jacket , levitating straight jackets .
Speaker 3Here's the thing , right . Our friends listening right now they hear us talk about Ray . We throw things out here and there , but it's coming on 29 years that he's been my father-in-law , right ? Mark , you've been working here even longer than me . You started here before me . You're coming on 23 years or so working at Living Waters . I said the other day his employee number is one , pretty much . And Oscar , you've been here 10 years with us now . So , friends , when we tell you this guy does not stop the ideas , do not stop Mock funerals , right ? I mean , we have a name for him .
Speaker 3We call him Thoughts in the Night , because Ray gets up at around midnight every day and he's up for a few hours and he's just firing off emails , thought after thought after thought , and most of them are crazy , most of them are like there's absolutely no way . But because he doesn't stop , here and there , one or two hit . But when they hit like , I mean they hit right , they hit Like I mean they hit Right . I mean just think of , like our million dollar bill gospel track . I mean that it's our number one track . That has been , it's been copied , duplicated .
Speaker 1There's nothing like it , but it was just hundreds of millions of them . How about open-ear preaching ?
Speaker 3and having a kill switch underneath his foot .
Speaker 1So if somebody begins to use foul language , he hits the kill switch , nobody knows , and all of a sudden their microphone goes off .
Speaker 3I used to get a buzz out of that , mark , especially at Santa Monica , because people feel powerful , they come up to the mic and they don't know how it happened , because it's at your foot , you just click , it's just gone .
Speaker 2How about a giant floating arrow ? Oh bro , A giant floating arrow .
Speaker 1At the Honda store .
Speaker 3But we've talked about it before . It reminds me again of the Friends of the Paralytic right . They got creative because their desperation exceeded every other element . Embarrassment , fear , doubt , whatever . Like . We love our friend we heard this guy in there has healed people . He's going through the roof .
Speaker 2We can't get in through the door . Let's tear this stranger's roof apart to get our friend in there .
Speaker 1And lower the dude , the first time Laura had met Ray it was in Huntington Beach . It was on the pier and Ray had a speaker that was hidden inside of a gift bag . And I don't remember why it was hidden inside the gift bag . I don't remember if it was a noise ordinance or whatever it may be . I think it probably was and Ray had a little hidden microphone that was on him and he would open her preach . And then Ray said to Laura if the police come by , just go on , walk on by , pick up the gift as if that's your gift and just keep on walking and going on through , always having these crazy ideas to try to reach people .
Speaker 3Oh , man the wheel . Remember they had a wheel . We talked about spinning the wheel to reach people . I know man the wheel . Remember they had a wheel . We talked about spinning the wheel , his wheel of fortune Mark . Was it you that dressed up in Link the big monkey suit ?
Speaker 1Oh the big . Yeah , he spent like $5,000 on a gorilla suit that he ended up throwing in the trash .
Speaker 3Oh crazy , but there was like this frozen ice pack that would go around your torso I immediately sweat inside this thing . You were in it , I was in it . It's like burned into my memory . Dude Mark taking the top off and just sweat .
Speaker 1I grabbed a hold of a little kid's sippy cup filled with floaties from them drinking it , oh dude .
Speaker 2And . I drank that thing , because you were so thirsty .
Speaker 1Because I was so thirsty .
Speaker 3Seriously , bro , mark looks like a victim . He looks like he was a hostage or something .
Speaker 1You know , you get down , you begin to travel with Ray and if he doesn't have the ability to share the gospel in different areas ? I've heard these things time and time again . We're sitting at a table , there's lots of people around us , and then it's time to pray and Ray just shares the gospel loud enough in his prayer thanking for his food , thanking God for the food , but sharing the gospel enough for everybody can hear around .
Speaker 1Or you're sitting on a subway and you're sitting across from him and he goes hey , mark , so you're a Christian . Why are you a Christian and we're just having a conversation ?
Speaker 3across everybody while you share the gospel with each other . I love it , man . Yeah , and you think about all those things . I mean yeah , mark , you're in the monkey suit . We put you in a straight jacket . I was a mime .
Speaker 2Oscar , you're up , it's so true .
Speaker 3We dress Mark up like Waldo for the Halloween video .
Speaker 2He keeps escalating . He's just going to light me on fire .
Speaker 1If you have an idea around Ray in public , he's not going to say no , no matter how much he doesn't want to do it . Let's open air preach inside the subway in New York . He's like shaking .
Speaker 3You want to do it .
Speaker 1He's not going to stifle you .
Speaker 3No , no , you know , I seriously have had to like I've had to adapt and curtail what I say around , ray and I'm talking about humor , because sometimes , hey , imagine we did this and he gets that look . He looks back and forth and his eyes go wide . So there's times I'm like I'm not going to joke about that because he's going to do it .
Speaker 1We were in Chicago and the restaurant was completely packed out . Ray just finished speaking and I said , ray , we can go table to table , I can do my light show and you can hand them tracks . And I could just see this look of I don't want to do that . He just finished preaching and he goes , let's do it . And so we started going from table to table . I'm doing my little sleight of hand light show and Ray starts handing out tracks and the manager comes up and he goes you need to leave right now . And Ray goes our entire party of like 15 people . He's like oh , you haven't eaten yet or paid yet .
Speaker 1Yeah , please just kind of keep it down .
Speaker 3Yeah , and you know , the reason why I love it is because of what it's related to . He just has a passion for souls and a part of that , mark . The reason why he just is because he's trained himself over the years , because he does deal with fear , which we've repeated again and again , but it still shocks people . He's trained himself to say I'm not going to think about it , because if I do , I'll talk myself out of it . So he just has this like evangelism , gospel , boom , do it .
Speaker 1We went to Japan , we had a rich businessman who wanted to go there just to hand out some tracks several years ago , and we I mean tell you how nice this hotel is . We pull up the door , opens up and says hello , mr Comfort , hello , mr Spence , like they knew our names as they're opening up the door and then it's like two days in to stay in there . There's a phone call that , uh , dan , the guy who invited us out there said dan , are you enjoying your stay ? Yes , absolutely enjoying our stay . He's all . Is there anything that we can do for you ? No , no , we're having a great time . These two guys , especially this shorter guy with a mustache mustache is causing havoc by leaving pieces of paper all over our hotel . Oh , my goodness .
Speaker 3Because he just couldn't get over it . Yeah , oh , and again , he's like clockwork . You know , every time there's an escalator , he's going to be dropping tracks off of it , right , I mean it's just yeah .
Speaker 1Did he drop tracks off of Overpass Million dollar bills , overpass Right into someone's sunroof ? Picture it happening .
Speaker 3He did it . It was at Grand Central Station in New York , oh yeah .
Speaker 2Yeah , we have that on .
Speaker 3It's one of our episodes .
Speaker 2One of the things I love about him , too , is the quiet ways he's always sharing the gospel . I have this very specific memory . You're one or two of me working here where we're getting something painted . It's 10 o'clock in the morning , we're all working . Ray walks into the office , sees the painter and within seconds is in a conversation with the gospel with him . Like everywhere he goes , he's got a radar for the potential of somebody in his mind . That person could be on his way to hell and I'm going to share the gospel with them . The three of us were at a conference one time with thousands of pastors and we were walking around and I couldn't help but look around and see all of the workers . There were just their secular , non-christian workers and in my mind I was like thousands of pastors and not a single one of them is sharing the gospel with this door person . Ray would be there .
Speaker 2I know exactly where Ray would be if he was at this conference right now .
Speaker 3Yeah , and that's one of the things I've told people throughout the years is like , what you see on our television program , what you hear about and how he talks on the podcast , what you see on our YouTube videos this is Ray 24-7 , cameras on or off , mics on or off this is him and he's been my father-in-law almost 29 years . I'm telling you guys , with all integrity , I've never seen the guy have an off day when it comes to sharing the gospel .
Speaker 1Right , mark . Yeah , we joke that when you travel with Ray , you don't need to bring any gospel tracks .
Speaker 3I know I'm like when I travel with Ray . I'm like , cool man , I'm off duty .
Speaker 2I'm off duty , bro .
Speaker 3He's got it from here , I'm chilling , no nerve wracking , no like ah Ray's doing it and he loves it yeah .
Speaker 1I can't tell you the amount of times where he's been by the window on a plane .
Speaker 3I to engage in a conversation because I'm not quick enough to engage into that conversation . So it sounds like he's dead , or ?
Speaker 2eulogizing . So , speaking of ways to share the gospel if somebody's like man , okay , I am introverted if you believe in that dynamic . If I am introverted , I would never I can never , imagine myself standing on a box . Or maybe I would do it faithfully one time , but you know , myself or my wife , we would just never stand on the box . It's just so painstaking , hard and difficult . What is that ? The only way to share the gospel easy ? What are ways that someone with a different disposition can still faithfully share the gospel ?
Speaker 3Yeah , I'm glad you brought that up , oscar , and what we're going to do is we're going to deal with different forms of evangelism . We're going to break those down . But yeah , to answer that question , you're not called to be Ray Comfort , right ? We just went on and on about Ray and look , this is something we do by default . It's a subconscious thing when we admire someone , we want to emulate them , and we don't even do it on purpose . It's just like we , and we press that right . Ray is a unique person . He has a unique personality , he has a unique accent , he has a unique size .
Speaker 3He is one of a kind . So don't try to be Ray , right ? I used to say it at our academies , right ? We're not going to give a Rosetta Stone New Zealand accent course for you to master the accent . So what's key in evangelism , oscar , is to be who God has made you . First of all , god delights in that . You'll be the freest when you do that and it'll resonate with people , because if there's anything people can sniff from a mile away , it's a fake , it's someone who's trying to be someone that they're not . And so , look , if you don't feel an inclination to open-air preach , don't do it . I don't believe everyone really is called to open-air preach . Would I love it if everybody did , of course , but I understand we're not all built that way , so that's okay . But we all are called to communicate the gospel , and so there are so many ways and I think we can get into that as we discuss the different types of evangelism .
Let me just pick up on something you just said , because I think it's so important . I don't want people to miss it . Psalm 139 says that you were intricately woven from your mother's womb . It also goes on to say that God knows every hair on your head . He has ordained every moment of your life . So I've heard a pastor summarize Psalm 139 in this way you were made for the day and the day was made for you . All of your interests , all of your insecurities , all of your highs , all of your lows , all of your personality dispositions , all of your quirks , every single bit of it . It is not an accident . You know I've told this story before One Valentine's Day .
Speaker 2I wanted to make chocolate chip heart-shaped cookies for my family , so I shape them in the shape of hearts . I throw to make chocolate chip heart-shaped cookies for my family . So I shape them in the shape of hearts . I throw them in the oven and they come back out 20 minutes later , whatever it is , and they look like anything but a heart . Honestly , they look like liver cookies , not heart-shaped cookies . And I tell people all the time when I preach at youth conferences you are not a liver cookie . You are no accident . Every aspect of your life has been designed by God . God does not want reformers in 2024 , 2025 . He does not want Puritans in 2025 . What he wants is you . You were made for the day and the day was made for you . You were designed by God to be an instrument in his hands , and so what you're saying is accept that , believe in who God created you uniquely to be , and then make yourself available for his work .
Speaker 3Yeah , amen , and tie that with every facet of who God has called you to be , because this is where a lot of times , a misunderstanding comes in . Well , I'm quieter , I'm more shy , I'm more reserved , and so God has not called me to share the gospel , but a part of your identity is 2 Corinthians 5 . You are an ambassador for Christ . You're as much an ambassador for Christ as you are a human being if you have a human father and mother . As much as humanity is in your DNA in the physical sense , so is evangelism and being an ambassador in your spiritual DNA if you've been born again , so understand that . So you don't have to have that dynamic personality , because you can communicate the gospel in various ways . It doesn't have to be open air , it doesn't have to be in front of a big crowd , it doesn't have to be from a pulpit , but you're called to do it .
Speaker 1You know and this is so freeing , right , so catch this . If you're not catching it yet , here it is that God is not calling you to be Ray Comfort , we already have one . He's not calling you to be the next Ray Comfort . He's calling you to be the first you . This brings liberty and freedom to you with your interests and your desires , what makes you shine , what your interests and your desires , what makes you shine , what is the best version of you ?
Speaker 1So if you're saying , man , I don't , know , I think I would actually like to open air , preach , explore that , or look , I have no problem going door to door . I was a door to door salesman . Right now , well , perhaps that has prepped you and prepared you to go door to door . These little things in life can mold us and shape us , but make no mistake about it , you are called to share . There's no way out of that Right .
Speaker 3And here's , I think , the real key and important thing . Oftentimes we will sensationalize people , right , Whether it's people who live in our day and age or saints that have gone before us , or even like the foundations of the faith , like the apostles , and we get deceived into thinking like they had something special . Listen , you have the same Holy Spirit . It's like you know , you look up into the sky and see the sun . That's the same sun that Nebuchadnezzar looked at . It's the same son that Alexander the Great looked at , the same son Jesus looked at . So the same thing is true . The Holy Spirit you have in you is the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead , that indwelt Paul the apostle . The gospel you preach is the exact same gospel . The God that you worship is the exact same God . The giftings God gives are exactly the same . Now he uses us in different measure , but you have all the same things that you need .
Speaker 3And , like Spurgeon said , you remember he gave that sermon with the illustration of all these candles and he said look , there are different size candles . You have the one hour , the five , 10 , 15 hour candles . The point is not what size candle are you ? You have the big candles , right , you have the Spurgeon 15-hour candle , the Ray Comfort 15-hour candle I was gonna say Ray would be like a 30-second candle Size-wise .
Speaker 3But then you have your 510 , whatever . The point is not what size candle you are , the point is that you burn until the last drop of wax is spent and that flame was never snuffed out . That's the point , and so be who God has called you to be . We haven't belabored this because this is important to what we're building up to you know . So , all right . So first of all , declarational evangelism . This is sort of the type of evangelism that deals with going out and intentionally sharing the gospel . So you're going gonna declare the gospel this would have under it and we'll break them down and kind of talk about them One-on-one or one-to-one different people say it differently open air , door-to-door gospel tracts . So this is . And outreaches of various forms , right , but this is where you are going on the offensive and you're going to declare the gospel with intentionality .
Speaker 1I'm so glad you're bringing this up , because how many Christians do we know have never intentionally gone out , for example , friday night at 6 pm ? I am going out strategically and specifically to share the gospel . No , what we do listen . If somebody brings up the message to me , I will bring it back to them . Or I'm borrowing my mother's car . She's not a Christian .
Speaker 1I'm going to change all the radio preset buttons to a radio station , as if it's going to be caught instead of taught . No , this intentionality of I'm going to out for the next 30 minutes and that's it , and I'm gonna hand out gospel tracts . Having that in mind and I learned from you Easy in the past you can go out and you can have a goal for the night , and that goal for the night can differ . You can say you know what . I'm going to hand out 10 gospel tracts , or I'm gonna attempt to get into two conversations , not even if I do engage in these two conversations , but I'm just going to attempt to engage in these two conversations . That's my goal . And then , to kind of solidify this , bring somebody with you , hand them your car keys and say here's my goal . My goal is to try to talk to somebody with a red shirt and don't give me my car keys back until I've done it .
Speaker 1What is your goal ? Here's my goal . What's your goal ? We have each other's car keys . You don't get them back until you do that goal . That intentionality is so invigorating and people are missing out on it .
Speaker 3And the Lord delights in that . The Lord delights in that , you know , the Lord delights in that what we would perceive are the small steps . But right , I mean , we've said it , there's nothing small in God's economy . Right , and we need to do the small things as though they are the big things , as we're doing them in his name , right ?
Speaker 1Say it again I love it .
Speaker 3We need to do the small things as though they were the big things , because we do them in his power . It's not mine , it's not original , but man , it's one of my absolute favorite quotes . So yeah , oscar Wright , god delights in that when his children are like , even with our own kids , we can relate to that . If they're just trying to do something , it may not be a big step but it's like hey , dad , I tried to fix this for mom today when you were gone , or whatever , and it delights our souls . Same thing with the Lord , you're absolutely
right .
Speaker 2I've said over and over again some of the best breakfast that I've ever had in my entire life this goes to your point , ez is the breakfasts in bed that my kids made me .
Speaker 1No matter how it tastes .
Speaker 2Doesn't matter . I've had really good breakfasts made by renowned chefs . Lance has made me breakfast before . I was blessed to stay the night at their house and I gotilt milk all over the counter brought me breakfast why ? Because I knew that they delighted to bring me delight . And when we go to work for God's kingdom man , we're going to work with our father in heaven and it's not going to be perfect . We're going to spill the milk and the eggs are going to be runny , but he delights . He delights to see us delight in him . And let me just add to your point , mark .
Speaker 2You don't even need to say think about how easy it is to plan this out . You don't need to say we're going to spend our Friday night , that's all we're going to do . Start with let's get a group of friends to go see a movie Friday night and let's show up 30 minutes early and as a group of friends we're gonna hand out some tracks and then go see the movie . Let's get there and as we're walking from the car to the theater this is what we used to do and it was so easy to draw other people in that had never handed out tracks before , maybe the first time I remember one young lady , cheryl . The first time she came to hang out with us , we were handing out tracks and she was like amazed by it . And the next time she came to the movies with this , she was hanging out tracks . So there's ways in which you can incorporate this into your social gatherings , into your rather regular rhythms and routines that it becomes a common practice .
Speaker 3Yeah , and the reason why it's good to start with goals and not big , massive , audacious ones , is because you'll probably give up if they're too big , you'll probably get disheartened and discouraged . But if you say and I love that too , oscar it's like , okay , we're going to go do something fun , but hey , in between let's do this . Or you know , man , even as simple as let's go out for 15 minutes , I'm going to go out for 15 minutes a day . I'm going to go find one person . It does something to where you know it gives you that sense of I attained it . And then you start to grow from there .
Speaker 3You know and you know for those of you listening that lead evangelism teams or want to , one of the key things we did . You know , mark and I we led evangelism at Kindred and have done it for years and years with churches . But when you take a team out , you always have to have some . You know you have to have enough people there who will train the people that are coming out , and sometimes you don't have enough , but you can take three or four with one person and they can rotate through , right , and we tell them you don't have to do anything , just come with us and watch , and I can't tell you how many people started that way , and then they're like man , I want to do it now .
Speaker 1That was going to be my next point when you guys stopped talking . But we are so in accord with this . So if you find yourself , if you're one of those guys that says look , I have no problem going up to someone , I have no problem , I'm bold , I'm an extrovert , I can do this . But I'm having a hard time finding somebody that'll go along with me and I and I'm kind of done and tired of just going out by myself . I don't know where you're at , but you're hitting it exactly right there on the head , and that is encourage somebody to come along with you . To just be a fly on the wall is what we call it . You don't need to say a word , you don't need to interject . Just be next to me and I will walk you through this . You can watch me do it and we'll walk away without you ever saying anything . No pressure , but you're exactly right . What ?
Speaker 3happens , yeah , over time . And that's what happened with my own kids . Right , I've talked about it , right , I would take them with me . And then one day , I remember my dad goes . You know , dad , can I , I want to do that . And then it was like can I do it on my own ? Then can I ? I want to take people with me .
Speaker 2I was just about to say the best evangelism team is your family . Yeah , when my when I man my kids , honestly I was a little worried that my kids would be like , oh , I don't want to hand out tracks because my kids are there . They seem extroverted if they're comfortable with you , but with strangers they tend to be a little bit more introverted . But , man , they fell in love with handing out tracks . They absolutely enjoy it , and so one of the best family outings you can possibly have is taking your kids out and letting them witness you handing out tracks and then allowing them to participate .
Speaker 3Yeah , it becomes contagious , you know , and they're seeing the power of example . But , yeah , you know , and that initiative is huge , Taking that initiative just honors the Lord , it delights the Lord's soul . I mean , you know , I had a good talk with my kids growing up all the time take initiative , take initiative . And then one day I look out of my window in my backyard and one of my favorite trees was like demolished . My son Luke .
Speaker 2Papa , I trimmed the tree . It was my kumquat tree .
Speaker 3I trimmed the tree , I looked out and internally I was like , but at the same time , man , my heart started doing backflips , because he took initiative . I said son , that is awesome . He's like yeah , you know , it's like when they wash your car .
Speaker 2Yeah , now I'm gonna have to go wash my car , but you love it .
Speaker 1It's like sandpaper .
Speaker 3Sandpaper . Yeah , oh boy , so yeah , friends . There you have it on that . So yeah , declarational evangelism open-air preaching . Mark , what would you encourage someone to do who wants to open-air preach ? How do they get their feet wet ? How can they get equipped ?
Speaker 1for that . Well , you always have to have an out first of all , and that out is people begin to think while I'm open-air preaching , what if they ask me a question I don't have an answer for ? Or what if my brain freezes ? Well , ray has taught us if , when you're in the midst of that position and you don't know what to do , always fall back on John 3.16 , which means just quote John 3.16 , and then look at the crowd and say you know what ? I just want to thank you for listening to me , and this is just all I wanted to share and then step down . The way Ray got me to open air preach was he would go . He was going back and forth and he was waiting for somebody to ask a question that he knew I had an answer for . It's a bit of a softball question how can you trust the Bible and not the Bhagavad Gita , right ? Just something that he knew that you were studying ? Then he'd say you know , that's a good question , my friend Mark would like to answer that question .
Speaker 1Well , I would just get up there and just answer the question , and then he would look over and he would do the form of the cross , saying now get to the gospel , share the gospel . And then I'd share the gospel . And then he would come around the side and when he'd come next to me I'd know ohon-one is great , but if you can reach two people , isn't that better ? What about three people ? So , begin to learn , and this is what I would encourage you to do Learn to do some exercises , to preach from your diaphragm .
Speaker 2Oh man , I mess this up all the time . You saw it happen to me .
Speaker 1Well , I'll tell you , when Scotty would go out with us preaching in Third Street Promenade , he did not have this voice that he has today . That just commands attention . Yeah , he's developed it , but now he goes out Fridays and Saturdays and he open-air preaches and it's so commanding . So do some exercises like that . But listen , just start off with a small group of people and then , before you know it , that small group of people and then , before you know it , that small group of people maybe that can grow a little bit , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 3And then , look , we have resources to help you , right ? We have Ray's new book Everything I Learned About Open-Ear Preaching in 50 Years like 50 years of open-ear preaching so that helps you . We got our videos that you could look at on YouTube . That will equip you . You can go to livingwonderscom and find the videos there too . And then also we have resources we have that you could use while you open air preach and things you can print off springboards and yeah , there's that one too , and we have charts that you can copy and use , and so you have the resources you can do that .
Speaker 3You remind me of a moment .
Speaker 2I don't remember where we are , but we were at a Pacific Rim tour and I was open air preaching and I got off and I looked at I think it was Brian and I'm like I think I just threw out my voice and Brian goes . As you were speaking , mark looked at me and he goes . He just threw out his voice .
Speaker 3You like you knew .
Speaker 2That's why I said oh , you know I can do that .
But let me say also , I think oftentimes we think open air preaching is . It's like it's one specific thing . There are ways again to make it your own .
Speaker 1I'm glad you're bringing this up .
Speaker 2You can . You know some people love entering in with trivia , going through the good person test . I love to try to tell a story that pertains to the gospel , and so there are so many different ways in which you can open air , preach , draw in a crowd and do it faithfully .
Speaker 3Yeah , I mean , look , there are people that are musically capable . I mean you see buskers out there performing and doing it for money , play music , get a crowd and then start sharing the gospel in between a song or something whatever . I mean so many creative ways . We talked about Ray doing mock funerals in public , having someone dress up a certain way , doing the spinning the wheel . Again , as Spurgeon says , wherever hearts are set on winning souls , every method and means , as long as it's not unbiblical , is good . So do that One to one , of course . You know it's just a matter of starting a conversation with someone . How do you do that ? Well , like Ray often talks about , you start in the natural and then you swing to the spiritual . You just are polite and nice to people and you can transition with just a small question hey , what do you think happens when someone dies ? You know this is a pretty common philosophical question . What do you think about that ? Or do you ever think about life and death and what life is all about ?
Speaker 3You could use a news story , something going on . We would do questionnaires , oftentimes with people when we've got as a team , and people love that . So you can use tracks , our curved illusion . Tracks are good icebreakers and door openers . Hey , check this out , which one looks longer ? And then from there you can talk about the eye , and then how eyes can be tricky . Would you sell one of your eyes for a million dollars ? Oh , what do you mean ?
Speaker 1And then you transition with the analogy about the soul . I asked Ray , what would you do differently if you lived in Paris ? Do you approach these people differently ? He said if I lived in Paris I would get a special gospel track with the Eiffel Tower on it . Maybe do a die cut and it looks kind of cool with the gospel and I would hand it out . So in other words , where do you live ?
Speaker 1Yeah , right Take advantage of where you live . God doesn't want to use Ray Comfort to reach those people in that city , wherever you live . How do we know that ? Because he doesn't live there ? No , you do . So maybe you can have a special track created and go and hand it out to people there , or leave them in different places .
Speaker 3Yeah , We've had people tell us that , and nothing delights our soul more than someone saying I printed my own track to get out and I live in this area and here's why , or whatever $100 .
Speaker 3Yeah , I mean seriously . It's so good to do so . Yeah , just again , get creative , be fueled by love for people . Door-to-door . I did door-to-door for years Selling vacuums . In fact , at my church at the men's breakfast this past Saturday , someone showed up because someone from our church went to their door . The guy had just prayed . He was asking God to direct him into a church .
Speaker 3They knock on his door and he came to men's breakfast . They have men introduce themselves . He stood up and shared the story and he's been coming to the church now . So door-to-door again . I used to do it . We had our church , have a group of men that were willing to serve the community and we'd say , hey , we're here to serve you . If you ever need anything , here's our card . And then we did a questionnaire so you could do that with people in your neighborhood . Take someone with you , you can invite them to your church and you'll be surprised how many people are lonely man . They're just sitting in their homes . Their only contact with the outside world , for the most part , is social media , and that's very empty . You think it makes you feel satisfied . It doesn't .
Speaker 2I don't know man . I got about 1,500 people who love me on there .
Speaker 1Graffiti on storefront windows . Just the gospel , the easy way , the Emile Zwayne way .
Speaker 3I've seen that . I've seen people tag up Jesus in places . Don't do that , folks , please don't do that . Yeah . And then you know tracts . Giving out tracts is such a great way and you build up confidence . To where you do it with authority it's not like , hey , jesus , but hey , did you get one of these to where you do it with authority . It's not like , hey , did you get one of these ? Hey , check this out . It's amazing how people respond to authority or confidence .
Speaker 1Rather , I love dropping tracks in cases of beer .
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 1Go into stores or enclosed pockets or newspaper racks . Or you just go and you sit inside of a hospital instead of a waiting room . You sit down , just put a track down and then just leave it there . Or you go to a restaurant put them inside of menus . They're so easy to hand out .
Speaker 2Can you just for the millennials and Gen Z , can you explain what a newspaper is ?
Speaker 3Yeah , okay . So next , confrontational evangelism so declarational is within the general realm of you're going to go out in a deliberate , intentional way and you're going to communicate the gospel . And we talked about the different forms Confrontational evangelism , so this can obviously you know it's like a Venn diagram . It can flow into those other areas , but it has at its core confrontation and usually apologetics . This is often when you're going to be interacting with people of like different faiths and you're gonna equip yourself to do it . Sometimes maybe you're gonna go to the local mosque and hang out on a Friday and interact with people there . We have friends that do that . They'll go and set up a time they'll talk with the imam . You're gonna go to Utah on a mission trip to witness to the Mormons outside of Salt Lake City in front of the temple or whatever . You're going to take a missions trip to India and engage with Hindus , or whatever Abortion clinics .
Speaker 3Yeah , abortion clinics , all that . So , mark , apologetics is your forte . How do people begin to prepare for confrontational evangelism ?
Speaker 1Well , somebody asks you a question you don't have an answer for it . That's your next question to study out and it really is simple . There are basically 10 questions that are being asked and the top question that is asked is the problem of evil . You know , if God is so loving and all-powerful , why is there suffering in the world ? Why do the innocent suffer ?
Speaker 1But I think if you begin to start off with not knowing just what you believe , but why you believe what you believe , but why you believe what you believe Paul Little wrote a couple books on know what you believe and why you believe what you believe , right . So why do you use the Word of God ? Because the Word of God is living and powerful . So start there . That is our ultimate source of authority and I think that presuppositional apologetics is very powerful because it always puts you on the offense in the midst of it . Just answer , I guess . Go to ChatGPT and you can say what are the top questions , objections that I'm going to get out on the street and then answer them in a very bite-sized way .
Speaker 2Mark , I wish there was some sort of bunch of videos that were two to three minutes long of experts answering those kind of questions .
Speaker 1Wouldn't that be brilliant .
Speaker 3We could call it like Living Waters Equip .
Speaker 1We could put it on livingwaterstv and there they would become equipped and inspired from the top . Theologians and pastors .
Speaker 2We should do that .
Speaker 1Wait a minute .
Speaker 2Nah , you know what , never mind .
Speaker 3Too much work . Too much work . Yeah , that's actually a good natural commercial for Living Waters TV . Check it out . Yeah , and that's actually a good natural commercial for Living Waters TV . Check it out . Friends , that's what we do on there . Living Waters Equipped does that .
And you can get equipped to do that , oscar , again , not just the confrontational in terms of learning it so that you can go on these missions trips and stuff like that . But while you're doing declarational evangelism , you're going to run into people of these missions trips and stuff like that . But while you're doing declarational evangelism , you're gonna run into people of these different religions and faiths and people that have questions . How valuable is it when someone discovers you've actually looked into their faith , like you've done the research ?
Speaker 2Yeah , one . It helps them trust you when you're able to not just sort of nutshell or blanket their faith , but rather interact with what they actually believe . It makes them feel like you've spent time , and anytime you invest time into something somebody cares about , they feel cared for . So ultimately , that's what you're doing . You're caring for people by understanding them .
Speaker 2But let me just reemphasize what Mark said you don't need to be an Uber expert , because even with people with different and I mean nowadays , especially here in California we'll talk to people and their , their belief systems do not fit a category . I mean there's . You know , I talked to somebody the other day where he was like , oh yeah , like everything in this world has this vibration , and you got to feel the vibrations and move towards the vibrations . He's like your phone , right there , is not vibrating because it's made by man , and I'm just like what is this guy talking about ? But the point is is that you you're right , mark 10 to 12 questions is , on average , what people are asking , and for you to just do a little bit of preparation it does . You don't need to be an expert . The more time you spend doing it , the more knowledge you'll gain , but you don't need to be an expert .
Speaker 2If you have a general understanding and a general preparation for how to answer those questions , you have done more work than 99% of the people in this world and you can have that kind of confidence , because most people they don't have an epistemology . What that means is they haven't done the research as to understand what they believe and why they believe it . That's what the word epistemology means . Most people just take whatever pop culture idea that they come flying through their head , whatever they read on Reddit , whatever their friend posted on Instagram , and they just run with that one liner . It's not very well thought out . And so for you to do just a little bit of work , to be a little bit prepared for those 10 to 12 questions , you will have the confidence that you need to get into those kinds of conversations . And , side note , there is nothing wrong with being in the middle of a conversation and someone asking something and you go . You know what ? I'm not really sure .
Speaker 1I don't know .
Speaker 3That's totally okay and that lends itself to the authenticity factor . You're not some fake like wow . That touches people , man . Again , they can sniff a fraud from a mile away . And let me say this , mark , we've touched on this a lot , but one of my favorite terms that I heard it was in a book redeem your commute . And how does this tie in ? Look , we have no excuse today for not garnering knowledge , because not only do we have technology , but when we have technology combined with time , we get results . I mean , driving is a technology and podcasts are technology and the internet is a technology . If you listen to a podcast , think of how many hours you spend on the road by yourself in a year . Hundreds . Most people will spend hundreds of hours . Add them up Just this morning I spent 100 hours on the road here in .
Speaker 3California . But , you know what I'm saying . Like going to work , going to the store , driving to a friend's house , you add all that time up , play stuff that's going to inform you . You know what ? This week I'm going to get into Mormonism . By the end of the week you will be probably like a semi-amateur , professional or expert on Mormonism , because that stuff will log in your mind . You just podcast after podcast YouTube video . After YouTube video Let me show you .
Speaker 1This is how I would do it as well , right ? So find some Q&A panels or find some sort of a debate video right , james White , he's got a lot of them out there and when somebody asks a question to the specialist up on the platform , pause it and then you answer the question . And then I mean , bring in the fluctuation , the enunciation , the pausing , thank them for the question that is being asked . Hey , of all the questions that you could ask , you focused in on that one . Why did you focus in on that one ? Or ? I like the fact that you're thinking through these things . This is great stuff . Answer the question to the best of your ability , then hit , play , listen to what the specialist has to say and then go back and whatever parts you like , grab a hold of
that .
Speaker 1Another thing you can possibly do is just role play Role play with somebody . I love chess , but it's not a fun game when you play by yourself and I've played chess by myself , but I always know what my next move is from the other person . But role play will kind of take that away . So when you're trying to work through these top 10 questions and you have somebody who's kind of challenging you like a friend . Now they're able to go . Hey well , I want to think through this , and then you respond back with good . I'm glad that you're going to think through this . I've done countless hours of role play through redeeming my commute , like you're talking about .
Speaker 3Well , you know , and man , I'll tell you , I've grown more and more impressed with the brilliance of our predecessors because of how little they had and how sharp they were . So we may not be as sharp as they are , because maybe we've degenerated over time , we're not evolving in a positive way , but we have tools they did not have . So when you take what you're talking about , you're driving , you're listening to a podcast , you're pausing , we have something called memos in our phones . So now take what you said , or take maybe a new thought you heard or a new fact , hit memo and record it . Hey , this is that . And then you have something called notes on your phone . Go later and then you can transcribe that , you can have it from audio turned into text and create notes . Islam , boom , boom , boom , boom , boom . Go back to that , reference it , review it . Man , I'm getting too excited .
Speaker 2One thing just on that note , mark . I don't know if you still do this , but I love this idea . You used to take your home screen on your phone and you either put a verse or some sort of answer to an objection that you wanted to memorize . So every time you picked up your phone you were reading that . I loved that .
Speaker 3Yeah , so many creative ways , so that's confrontational . Online evangelism right Is huge too , within the realm of declarational , I would say , and it's good to hit on , but through social media , that's right Going on and yeah .
Speaker 1You go to my Facebook page , the first thing you're going to see is a gospel presentation that is pinned to the top . So I talk to people who go well , I'm not on social media , why not ? What if somebody by chance wants to Google your name somebody you went to school with they come across . You never have to go back . But now you're presenting the gospel in perpetuity , long after you're gone , because nobody can take it down . Take advantage of that .
Speaker 2This is the reason I finally after I always joked that I hosted a TV show and a podcast for like five years and never was public in social media but Mark kept bullying me to do- it , and so now I'm finally public .
Speaker 3He's the one that got me way back in the day on Facebook . I'm like , dude , you gotta get on . Yeah , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2But let me say this the only caveat to online evangelism is you have to remember that you are not talking to a digital presence . There is an image bearer on the other side of that keyboard and I would say you almost have to go out of your way to make sure you're not misunderstood , misread to show kindness and generosity . In addition to that , one of the things that I practice is if somebody I know personally they live nearby starts to disagree with me or starts to interact with me , I'm actually looking for the first opportunity to take the conversation off the internet and to meet them for coffee . That is my ultimate goal . My goal in social media evangelism to my friends and family is to get coffee with them , and so if somebody interacts with something I post and they argue with me about that or they second guess it , I might respond , but then I'm sending them a DM afterwards . I'm like , hey man , can we get coffee ?
Speaker 3I miss you .
Speaker 2I'd love to hang out with you . I love that .
Speaker 3Yeah , I love sharing the gospel when I'm in Ubers or Lyfts , and a few weeks ago I was going somewhere and I shared the gospel with my driver . First of all , it's supposed to be a different driver and then at last minute it said Jesus is picking you up . I'm like what Jesus is picking ?
Speaker 3me up , I'm going to be on time , jesus , take the wheel Right . And anyway , I shared the gospel with him and the guy was like what ? I may have talked about it , I don't remember , but he was like , are you serious ? He's like I had a soldier who was a pastor a couple of days ago . He shared the same thing with me . My sister is a Christian . She's been praying for me and telling me I need to go to church , I need to become a Christian . Anyway , I give him my card . He reaches out to me . I take him to dinner and talk to him more . I give him a bunch of resources , reaches out again . And then I just took him to a church service this Sunday and introduced him to the Spanish ministry pastor there too as well , and he brought his whole family . It was just so cool .
Speaker 3So , yeah , our aim is to be able then to turn it into real life and interaction . And that ties into our last thing and that's relational evangelism . And I think it's important here to give clarification , because people have often heard us caution them about relational evangelism , because that's often sort us . Caution them about relational evangelism because that's often sort of a scapegoat , for you know , oh well , you know I do relational evangelism so I don't need to like I try to build relationships with people and stuff and Ray's talked about . You can build a relationship in 30 seconds . Hey , how you doing . What's your name and then your friends , right ? But there is that place for relational evangelism , right , mark Neighbors friends , family members .
Speaker 1That is the day-to-day rubbing of elbows with your co-workers , like with your friends , with your neighbors , right ? So if you go to the grocery store and you pick up some stuff to make some brownies , why not make a few extra brownies and bring them to the neighbor across the street ? Right , You're Christmas shopping and you know that your neighbor doesn't have a lot of money , for whatever reason . You know what ? Why not pick up a couple toys for their kids and , anonymously maybe , put them on the doorstep or put a gospel track , attach it to that ? Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and bring glory to your Father in heaven . Well , this is how I met my wife , because we worked together at a restaurant in Fountain Valley . I would go to work early to help out anybody that was in need , and then I would stay late to help people make the transition as a server . Well , I engaged in conversation with her and she got saved by me just letting my light shine .
Speaker 3Yeah , and I love that aspect of things . You know , relational is usually people that are going to be in your life for a long time . That's right , and so you have to be tactful about that , you have to be wise about that , oscar . With family members , right , I mean practical acts of service toward them . That would seem unusual because , sadly , it's with family that we do the least , often because we're so close , you know . But acts of service like that humility , often because we're so close , you know . But acts of service like that humility , kindness , looking for doors where you could get in there and talk to them on certain issues , absolutely , I think the gospel lived out is so important .
Speaker 2I often quote this book that I read . It's really it's actually really boring , but it had a really good point . The book is called why the Church Was , how the Church Was a Family , how the Early Church Was a Family . Anyway , the point that he makes in that book is that people would evangelize , they would proclaim the gospel to their neighbors , but then they wouldn't leave them out into the neighborhood and on the square and corner and just okay , there's the gospel . See ya , they would not hold back discipleship , they would engage in discipleship with them .
Speaker 2And this idea applied to our lives today . Is your friend , your neighbor , your family member who you've proclaimed the gospel to ? Now let them see the way that has interacted with every aspect of your life . Invite them over and see . Let them see you pray before your meal . Let them see you do devotionals with your kids and pray over them and put them away .
Speaker 2Especially today , with how much is on the internet about the hypocrisy of certain so-called celebrity pastors that are cheating on their wives and flying Learjet airplanes you have an opportunity to show people how you speak tenderly to your wife , how you love and lead your children and how the gospel has penetrated every aspect of your life . You have that opportunity to let God's glory , let his love , show through to you and God uses that testimony , he uses that witness to draw people in because in their minds they're like man , this guy , this girl , they believe what they say and it's impacted every aspect of their lives . And let me just give a shout out , because we're talking about this sort of relational I would call it even testimonial evangelism . I don't know if that was another one on your list , it may be fallen here , but my wife is a great example of this . She is pretty introverted , soft-spoken You'd never see her on a box preaching .
Speaker 2But the second , a single mom , moves into our neighborhood . My wife is over there giving her treats and inviting her to coffee and sharing the gospel with her . And then she comes home and she's like babe , let's make sure she got . We help her put the Christmas lights up this Christmas . Let's make sure that's the way you allow the beauty of the gospel to shine through every aspect of your life .
Speaker 1I know we are running out of time here but this is such a valuable lesson that you can do .
Speaker 1How do I share the gospel with my family ? I found this to be very , very successful . Have a gathering , you have a holiday , there's a get-together at your house and you need to host . So what do you do ? Invite a friend who's going to share the gospel over to your house as well . Right , because our family gathering isn't just blood relatives . My friends are blood relatives because of the blood of Christ .
Speaker 1So invite , for example , oscar over to the house . Oscar's there hanging out , he's got no skin in the game . Goes up to grandma and just says , hey , grandma , how you been . And then he makes that natural transition into the gospel and you are free to host . What happens next time ? Next time there's a get-together , oscar comes up and says , hey , have you given any thought to the things that I shared last time ? And then , when Oscar has a gathering at his house , who's Oscar inviting you to go over to the house ? Because he's hosting at his house and you're free to just walk around and to talk to people . Love on people , answer any questions that you may be . Have that be reciprocal , but it is a great way to share the gospel with your family .
Speaker 2For the record , I'm there if you're making me .
Speaker 3Carnivore . Yeah , and I've talked about using holidays as a segue to share the gospel with your neighbors . We've done that in neighborhoods we've lived in , where at Christmas we've gone around , especially when we were newer . In the neighborhood we wrote a letter introducing ourselves tactfully , brought in the gospel , tying it in with Christmas , christ , right , it's natural , gospel of John , candy cane wrapped up , and you just know , hey , we're here , we just want to introduce ourselves to you . Here you go , and there's so many other things that you can do creatively , I think , to do that .
Speaker 2To close this out , Ray , how do you share the gospel with your chickens ?
Speaker 3With a bark , bark , bark , bark , bark , bark With a New Zealand barking accent . Yes , friends , there you have it . Declarational , confrontational , relational evangelism . So many things under that . Do something , do something , do something . I think Winston Churchill said that , spurgeon , oh , whatever , they're , both from England , I don't care . All right , friends , don't forget God has a wonderful plan for your life the myth of the modern message . Don't forget Living Waters Shorts , livingwaterscom , forward slash shorts . Living Waters , my own study Bible , living Waters TV , all LivingWaterscom . Don't forget , podcast at LivingWaterscom with your thoughts , comments and insults to Art . Art , what who's Art ?
Speaker 3Oscar Mark and Ray Comfort , and , yeah , friends , all that good stuff . There's something else I was going to say I can't remember . Thank you for joining us , friends . Oh , that's what I was going to say . We didn't have Ray here today . It was kind of like pum-pa-da-pum-pum yeah , exactly , no , actually . But we'll see him soon . I'm sure he's fine , he's alive . Thank you for joining us , friends . We'll see you here next time on the living waters podcast , where we have no idea , especially without ray , what we're doing .