Are Sidewalk Counselors Actually Missionaries?

WEBVTT100:00:00.600 --> 00:00:06.440I am yours. I Am Yours, I am yours. Send Me Lord,200:00:06.919 --> 00:00:11.310I am yours. Welcome to theGospel Center pro life podcast. Have300:00:11.390 --> 00:00:16.030you ever thought about Sidewalk Counseling Ministryas a Missionary Endeavor? We really believe400:00:16.070 --> 00:00:18.469that it is, and this podcastwe're going to talk about that, so500:00:18.589 --> 00:00:29.059stick with us. Send Me Lord. I felt show passis touch your heart.600:00:31.500 --> 00:00:39.170Use Welcome guys to the Gospel CenteredProlife podcast. Appreciate you guys joining700:00:39.250 --> 00:00:43.649us and just want to encourage youguys to share this podcast and take some800:00:43.810 --> 00:00:47.210time, if this is the firstof our podcast you've listened, to take900:00:47.250 --> 00:00:49.609some time to listen to some ofthe other ones, because we believe they'll1000:00:49.649 --> 00:00:53.719be a blessing to you and sharethose with people. Share this podcast,1100:00:54.119 --> 00:00:59.240give us a review on this podcastand reach out to us. We'll share1200:00:59.240 --> 00:01:00.719our email addresses at the end ofthis podcast, so you guys can do1300:01:00.799 --> 00:01:04.430that and suggest topics to us thatwill try to cover. That will be1400:01:04.469 --> 00:01:10.549a blessing to you, and thisepisode we're going to cover a topic similar1500:01:10.549 --> 00:01:12.909to what we've covered in the pastwhen we talked about how sidewalk counseling is1600:01:12.989 --> 00:01:19.340not protesting and we shared contrasted whatsidewall counseling is with protesting and try to1700:01:19.459 --> 00:01:23.780dispel some myths there there. Thisis similar to that, but it kind1800:01:23.780 --> 00:01:26.500of brings up a new understanding,I guess, and something that, you1900:01:26.579 --> 00:01:30.379know, I've believed for a longtime but hadn't really articulated in this way2000:01:32.219 --> 00:01:38.290until recently, which is the realitythat sidewalk counseling is missionary work. When2100:01:38.370 --> 00:01:42.329we're in front of an abortion center, we're at a mission field. That's2200:01:42.370 --> 00:01:46.049right, and I think we needto understand this, and especially pastors,2300:01:46.090 --> 00:01:49.200especially ministry leaders in Churches, andyou know, as we're trying to reach2400:01:49.200 --> 00:01:53.439out and get them involved more,get the church more involved, there is2500:01:53.560 --> 00:01:57.519sort of this stigma that's attached tosidewalk counseling that, you know, kind2600:01:57.560 --> 00:02:01.150of makes it look like it's aprotest. And these pastors, people that2700:02:01.469 --> 00:02:06.750that should be leading their congregations intomissions, and some of them are,2800:02:06.790 --> 00:02:10.870are not really viewing the abortion clinicministry as a mission field right. You2900:02:10.949 --> 00:02:15.979know, they're happy to send peoplewith their blessing across the seas to China3000:02:15.979 --> 00:02:21.659and Africa and Indian wherever else peoplemight go as missionaries across the seas,3100:02:21.860 --> 00:02:24.060which is great, not trying todiminish that. That's necessary. Go in3200:02:24.099 --> 00:02:28.939to all the world and preach theGospel. But you know, Jesus does3300:02:29.060 --> 00:02:34.330say in Jerusalem, Judea and Samariaand then the other uttermost parts of the3400:02:34.729 --> 00:02:37.650of the earth. So send somelocal first. This way exactly. Yeah,3500:02:37.770 --> 00:02:42.810so our missionary work should start locally. And guys, and many of3600:02:42.889 --> 00:02:45.719you listen and you know this,but a lot of pastors don't know this.3700:02:45.960 --> 00:02:47.919A lot do praise God, buta lot don't realize that just down3800:02:47.919 --> 00:02:53.080the road from your church is amission field and it's called your abortion clinic.3900:02:53.960 --> 00:02:59.069That is it is missionary work.The people are standing there doing God's4000:02:59.110 --> 00:03:02.590work are missionaries. They're not protesters. That's right. And when we started4100:03:02.629 --> 00:03:07.669talking about this I, as Ioften do, felt okay, it's important4200:03:07.710 --> 00:03:10.830to define our terms. Yes,I looked up what. What is missionary4300:03:10.830 --> 00:03:14.020work? Am I mean to read? Yeah, what I've found it?4400:03:14.300 --> 00:03:22.460It's from Campbellsville Edu. It's anonline article that I found, but that4500:03:22.860 --> 00:03:27.289is a school that does train missionaries, and so they defined the duty of4600:03:27.370 --> 00:03:30.650missionaries. They did the it wasa whole article about missionaries, but I4700:03:30.770 --> 00:03:35.770focused on one paragraph. The mostimportant duty of missionaries is to teach people4800:03:35.810 --> 00:03:40.759about Jesus Christ and his great commandmentto love God and to love others.4900:03:42.479 --> 00:03:47.560This means ensuring that their actions notonly fulfill a need but also are sustained5000:03:47.599 --> 00:03:53.879after they have left the community.Many missionaries focus on the needs of the5100:03:53.919 --> 00:04:00.030community they are serving and integrate thoseneeds with evangelism. So our pro life5200:04:00.069 --> 00:04:05.789activists on the sidewalk of abortion centersdoing mission work. And according to that5300:04:05.949 --> 00:04:11.740definition, I would say without adoubt, so they were. They were5400:04:11.780 --> 00:04:15.139kind of two main purposes brought upin in this and maybe then we can5500:04:15.379 --> 00:04:19.379discuss those. The the two mainpurposes of mission work, the two main5600:04:19.420 --> 00:04:25.290duties. The first purpose to sharethe truth of the Gospel and to bring5700:04:25.329 --> 00:04:29.170others to a save being knowledge andsubmission of their lives. Yeah, Jesus5800:04:29.209 --> 00:04:33.970Christ, and the second purpose isto love those people in the mission field5900:04:34.009 --> 00:04:38.720as we are loved and to bringabout change in their community and areas of6000:04:38.800 --> 00:04:43.040struggle, to help to write downexactly, yeah, to meet practical needs.6100:04:43.240 --> 00:04:46.000Right, right. So, so, regarding that that first purpose,6200:04:47.360 --> 00:04:51.000do do we do? That?Is that? Is that the role of6300:04:51.800 --> 00:04:57.029will call them now, sidewalk missionaries? Yeah, is that their role?6400:04:57.709 --> 00:05:00.430To Bring The Gospel? Do wedo that? Do we attempt to bring6500:05:00.430 --> 00:05:03.230the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Yeah, well, it's what this podcast is6600:05:03.389 --> 00:05:08.860all about. It's what I feellike when we began this podcast, what6700:05:09.060 --> 00:05:13.220we were trying to influence people whoare doing pro life work with was the6800:05:13.259 --> 00:05:18.139reality that this is not just activism. HMM, I'm almost hate that word6900:05:18.180 --> 00:05:26.970activism. This is not politically motivatedactivism, this is not humanistically motivated activism,7000:05:27.009 --> 00:05:31.009because there's a lot of humanism involvedin prolife ministry. But to do7100:05:31.089 --> 00:05:34.720it effectively and to do it ina way that honors God, it must7200:05:34.759 --> 00:05:41.199be motivated by the Gospel. Right, and that is the main reason why7300:05:41.240 --> 00:05:45.920I would say again, this isnot activism, but this is missionary work.7400:05:46.480 --> 00:05:50.790Is because our goal is to bringthe Gospel of Jesus Christ to dark7500:05:50.910 --> 00:05:56.750places, and it gets no darkerif we if we take the reality of7600:05:56.790 --> 00:05:59.949what's going on in right, butthey're actually, you know, just where7700:05:59.990 --> 00:06:02.189we came from today, right,I don't know how many abortion patient showed7800:06:02.230 --> 00:06:06.660up when there were twenty five,twenty five twenty so twenty five little babies.7900:06:06.819 --> 00:06:11.740Right, we're murdered. Yeah,I don't twenty three actually, because8000:06:11.779 --> 00:06:14.939they were two that chose life.Praise God he's got yeah, right,8100:06:15.339 --> 00:06:18.569but you look at that. Twentythree little babies were murdered inside of that8200:06:18.730 --> 00:06:21.769building. I don't think you canget any darker than that. I mean8300:06:21.810 --> 00:06:26.769you can't get any worse than takingan innocent person, dismembering them and throwing8400:06:26.850 --> 00:06:30.889them into a medical waste bag,sent it all to an incinerator and be8500:06:30.410 --> 00:06:33.600you burned. Yeah, with medicalwaste. Yeah, that's a dark place.8600:06:33.720 --> 00:06:36.879That's the the darkest place. Butof course you look at where.8700:06:36.959 --> 00:06:41.279I mean you read, not ifyou have, but I have biographies and8800:06:41.319 --> 00:06:45.839autobiographies of men and women of Godin the past who've gone, no a8900:06:45.879 --> 00:06:49.029cross seas to to India. Soyou know, I think of Hudson Taylor,9000:06:49.069 --> 00:06:55.670who went to China. And thesemen and women went to dark places.9100:06:55.870 --> 00:06:58.910That was kind of the goal,if you read their riotings, it9200:06:59.069 --> 00:07:01.220was to shine the light of theGospel in dark places. Yeah, and9300:07:01.339 --> 00:07:06.579they gave their lives to that missionwork. It's the same thing in front9400:07:06.620 --> 00:07:10.459of an abortion center. That's now, of course, we look at the9500:07:10.540 --> 00:07:14.139awesome fruit and of course many ofthem labored for years and didn't see very9600:07:14.180 --> 00:07:16.930much fruit, and we know thatfeeling right, laboring here day after day9700:07:16.930 --> 00:07:20.050and sometimes not seeing fruit, andthen praise God, like you just shared,9800:07:20.089 --> 00:07:24.329two babies were saved. So you'relooking at, you know, something9900:07:24.329 --> 00:07:28.449terrible. Twenty three babies died,but something awesome. Two babies lives are10000:07:28.730 --> 00:07:32.720saved from certain destruction. MOM's heartwas shifted in such a way that she10100:07:32.839 --> 00:07:38.360turned away from death and turned tolife. Now have they fully turned to10200:07:38.480 --> 00:07:43.120the Lord? No, but Imean maybe, maybe, but definitely in10300:07:43.319 --> 00:07:46.949our missionary endeavor there, we're goingto follow up with them, we're going10400:07:46.990 --> 00:07:49.149to disciple them, and any missionwork does that right as we're going and10500:07:49.230 --> 00:07:53.029we're meeting practical needs, and that'swhat we're doing here. We're talking about10600:07:53.029 --> 00:07:56.870practical needs. If you guys haven't, you know, really cued into our10700:07:56.949 --> 00:08:00.139three points that we share in frontof the abortion center, it's what God10800:08:00.220 --> 00:08:01.300says about you, what God saysabout the baby, you know. So10900:08:01.379 --> 00:08:05.420what God says the humanity of thebaby in the practical resources. And so11000:08:05.579 --> 00:08:09.579those are our three talking points thatwe teach people. We teach side all11100:08:09.660 --> 00:08:13.569counseling and of course, the practicalresources of one of those things, and11200:08:13.769 --> 00:08:16.889it is a big thing, right, but it's always coupled with the Gospel.11300:08:16.930 --> 00:08:20.129MMM. Doesn't mean people have toget saved for us to practically help11400:08:20.170 --> 00:08:22.889them. You know that. Thatlies been told and that's not true.11500:08:24.290 --> 00:08:26.689We help them whether or not theyturn their lives to the Lord or not,11600:08:26.199 --> 00:08:31.080but it's all motivated by the Gospel. That's missionary work. If you11700:08:31.240 --> 00:08:37.639read again biographies and autobiographies of missionariesthat have done the mission work since the11800:08:37.759 --> 00:08:41.750beginning, you look at the bookof acts, right, they're Paul.11900:08:41.190 --> 00:08:46.230What's Paul and Barnabas doing? Whatwe look at it? We look at12000:08:46.269 --> 00:08:48.950the maps in the back of ourBible and you see Paul's Missionary Journey Number12100:08:50.029 --> 00:08:52.830One, two, three, andso anyway, I say all that to12200:08:52.909 --> 00:08:58.899say if you read about missionaries doingmission work, you're you're reading exactly what's12300:08:58.940 --> 00:09:03.299happening on the sidewalks in front ofan abortion clinic and beyond. By the12400:09:03.340 --> 00:09:05.179way, it doesn't just happen onthe sidewalks. It happens with the follow12500:09:05.220 --> 00:09:09.009up, it happens with a connectionwith churches, mentors, baby showers,12600:09:09.009 --> 00:09:13.769all that stuff well, and goingback to that that initial definition. Yet12700:09:13.929 --> 00:09:16.850you it becomes we become immersed inthe community in a sense. We may12800:09:16.889 --> 00:09:24.169not move be moving into their communityas as sidewalk missionaries ourself, but we12900:09:24.200 --> 00:09:30.639are in meshed in their community andhelp them with the resources in their community,13000:09:30.759 --> 00:09:33.679and help is a big part ofwhat a missionary does. Now,13100:09:33.720 --> 00:09:37.830why do we help? For?There's many reasons. For one thing,13200:09:37.870 --> 00:09:43.309we are commanded to to love ourneighbor as ourself and to help those who13300:09:43.309 --> 00:09:46.590are on a path of destruction.But if our primary focus is the Gospel13400:09:46.870 --> 00:09:54.139and spreading the Gospel, helping,missionaries discovered right away that the easiest way13500:09:54.220 --> 00:10:00.379to gain the trust of the communities, that that was their mission field,13600:10:00.419 --> 00:10:03.700that where their mission fields, wasto help them to find out what their13700:10:03.779 --> 00:10:07.330struggles were. To right, ifwe're like to bring fresh water togemnities,13800:10:07.370 --> 00:10:13.129and Africa has a huge mission fieldand that opens people's hearts to then hearing13900:10:13.450 --> 00:10:16.289what you have to say, yeah, that the Gospel. Yeah, it's14000:10:16.370 --> 00:10:20.840not that. For example, likeyou're talking about bringing fresh water. Are14100:10:20.840 --> 00:10:26.080So digging these whales. It's anawesome testimony of the love of God.14200:10:26.159 --> 00:10:30.240The practical love of God, thatperson that's digging whales, that ministry,14300:10:30.240 --> 00:10:33.360that organization that's digging Wales. They'renot just digging whales to dig whales.14400:10:33.399 --> 00:10:37.909I mean it's a humanitarian effort andpraise God for that. But the ones14500:10:37.110 --> 00:10:41.309are certainly that our Gospel Center,are digging those whales to show that there14600:10:41.429 --> 00:10:45.350is a source of living water andthat's Jesus Christ right now. Of course,14700:10:45.710 --> 00:10:48.230like we we're not meeting every need. We don't. We don't,14800:10:48.629 --> 00:10:54.019you know, just give cash moneyto women who are suffering financially. We14900:10:54.220 --> 00:10:56.500have, but it's not we don'tcover every need, but we do the15000:10:56.580 --> 00:11:01.100best we can with the resources thatwe have. We pour ourselves out as15100:11:01.179 --> 00:11:05.129best we can and if you canread these missionaries around the world now and15200:11:05.250 --> 00:11:09.529in the past, they're pouring themselvesout. They're not meeting every need practically,15300:11:11.250 --> 00:11:13.330but they are meeting the practical needsthat they're able to and that the15400:11:13.409 --> 00:11:18.799resources allow for them to. Butthe most important thing they're doing is bringing15500:11:18.360 --> 00:11:24.360the Gospel, bringing to bear thetruth of who God is, of Man's15600:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.960guilt before God and what God didin order to bridge that gap, to15700:11:28.080 --> 00:11:33.710bridge that divide by sending Jesus Christto die on a cross and arise from15800:11:33.710 --> 00:11:37.110the grave, defeating death on behalfof those that will put their trust in15900:11:37.149 --> 00:11:39.629him. Yeah, and so thoughtthat just came to me, which isn't16000:11:39.830 --> 00:11:43.389in my outline at all. Buttoday the heat index was over a hundred.16100:11:43.669 --> 00:11:46.779Yeah, and our councilors were outthere all day. Our missionaries.16200:11:46.820 --> 00:11:50.419Will call the missionaries. Now you'reout there all day. It was.16300:11:50.659 --> 00:11:54.580It was brutal. Who is justso hot? And so many missionaries do16400:11:54.700 --> 00:12:01.220Labor under difficult conditions. They're oftengoing into difficult situations. I think that's16500:12:01.220 --> 00:12:07.529another commonality, because we are certainlyout there and terrible weather and for long16600:12:07.649 --> 00:12:11.370hours sometimes, and with a greatdeal of adversity. Yeah, and that16700:12:11.610 --> 00:12:20.080is what missionaries often face, becausesomething much more important than their own safety16800:12:20.120 --> 00:12:26.080or comfort is is being dealt with, and that's yeah, that's people who16900:12:26.080 --> 00:12:28.720don't know the Lord, who arein a place of great darkness and babies17000:12:28.759 --> 00:12:31.629that are going to die. Yeah, absolutely, See. Yeah, yeah,17100:12:31.629 --> 00:12:35.230you have missionaries dealing with issues verysimilar to what we're dealing with.17200:12:35.509 --> 00:12:39.750You know, you have missionaries thatdo things overseas. You know, I17300:12:39.830 --> 00:12:43.669think of some folks that I knewof they did mission work in the Philippines.17400:12:43.710 --> 00:12:46.100Yeah, and some of that missionwork was involved in getting children out17500:12:46.100 --> 00:12:50.820of sex trafficking situations. That wouldbe hard. Yeah, and you're literally17600:12:50.860 --> 00:12:54.659saving lives and that you're literally goingin Handsone, saving lives, rescuing these17700:12:54.820 --> 00:13:01.769children out of the bondage of thesethese wicked men and women. Yeah,17800:13:01.970 --> 00:13:05.289and but of course it's seasoned withthe Gospel, right, and you're bringing17900:13:05.330 --> 00:13:09.769the Gospel to these kids because this, this Gospel, this Jesus that came18000:13:09.889 --> 00:13:13.639and died for them, can takeaway any of the shame that they're feeling,18100:13:13.679 --> 00:13:18.039any of the trauma that they felt. And you know, there's numerous18200:13:18.120 --> 00:13:22.559testimonies of child and rescued out ofsex trafficking, right, who turn their18300:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.159lives over to the Lord. Godwas able to take that whole situation,18400:13:26.600 --> 00:13:30.070things that were done to them.And yet still in that there's shame that's18500:13:30.110 --> 00:13:31.870put off on them, right,and they bear the shame even though it's18600:13:31.870 --> 00:13:35.629not there's to bear. And yetJesus turns their lives around and use their18700:13:35.669 --> 00:13:39.070lives as a testimony. So they'vebeen rescued, they've been physically rescued.18800:13:39.389 --> 00:13:43.379Well, that's what's happening at anabortion clinic to these children are about to18900:13:43.460 --> 00:13:46.700die and we are physically now we'renot going in and grabbing them out,19000:13:46.700 --> 00:13:48.980because we can't do that, obviously, but we are physically. They are19100:13:50.059 --> 00:13:54.460physically rescuing. Of course, we'rerescuing the MOMS from that decision they're going19200:13:54.460 --> 00:13:58.250to make that's going to bring moreguilt on them, guilt that they,19300:13:58.330 --> 00:14:01.490of course, do incur themselves.Yeah, but we're trying to save and19400:14:01.570 --> 00:14:03.970rescue them from that and then saveand rescue these babies from certain death,19500:14:05.009 --> 00:14:09.000right. And but it's always motivatedby the Gospel and we ultimately we want19600:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.399these MOMS to come to know theLord, and that's why we sees and19700:14:11.480 --> 00:14:16.679everything we do with the Gospel,so that they would lead that child,19800:14:16.679 --> 00:14:20.000when that child's born and that childgrows, into a knowledge of the Lord.19900:14:20.120 --> 00:14:24.269And we've seen that happen and wehave and hopefully the end resalt is20000:14:24.470 --> 00:14:31.669that a community gradually grows more prolife and less inclined to choose the disastrous20100:14:31.710 --> 00:14:35.350path, yeah, of abortion.So I was as I was thinking over20200:14:35.389 --> 00:14:41.940these these key areas, that thatthere's a commonality between what we do on20300:14:41.980 --> 00:14:45.860the sidewalk and what a missionary does. I came up with just for there's20400:14:45.899 --> 00:14:48.299probably many, many more. Yeah, but Um, but maybe we could20500:14:48.299 --> 00:14:52.610run run through those and kind ofthink about how they are very similar,20600:14:52.769 --> 00:15:00.450the similarities between, you know,sidewalk counseling or side missionaries to foreign missions.20700:15:00.730 --> 00:15:05.289Correct. Yeah. So, sothe most effective missionaries are those who20800:15:05.450 --> 00:15:11.600enter into relationship with people in thesphere of their ministry. They'll spend a20900:15:11.639 --> 00:15:13.799lot of time with the people.oftentimes they move, almost always, and21000:15:15.200 --> 00:15:18.600they move to the area where thatmission field is, the target people group.21100:15:20.039 --> 00:15:22.149And so think about that, maybetalk about that. How how about21200:15:22.309 --> 00:15:30.830how are we similar in in buildingrelationships with our target people group? Yeah,21300:15:31.389 --> 00:15:35.590well, I mean first I willsay that it's not like we have21400:15:35.740 --> 00:15:37.820to move to that area because we'rein that area. I told my wife21500:15:37.820 --> 00:15:41.899a couple of months ago, justin thinking about this and how we're missionaries21600:15:41.980 --> 00:15:45.340and I just encouraging her because she'smissionaries. He's kind of like a medical21700:15:45.379 --> 00:15:48.460missionary. Wants it sure is herskills as a nurse, and she does.21800:15:48.659 --> 00:15:52.730Mean if you guys haven't listened tothe podcast about the abortion pill reversal,21900:15:52.769 --> 00:15:56.649exactly these listen to that, becauseshe's involved in that and that's missionary22000:15:56.690 --> 00:15:58.929work. That's saving lives. Yeah, she's also involved on the sidewalk here22100:16:00.090 --> 00:16:03.730and using her skills as a nurseto give free pregnancy tests, as ultrasound,22200:16:03.169 --> 00:16:07.080that sort of thing. So she'sa missionary in that way and I22300:16:07.159 --> 00:16:10.240encouraged her the other day a couplemonths ago and I said, you know,22400:16:10.279 --> 00:16:14.039what reality is, we're missionaries.We just get the amenities of the22500:16:14.120 --> 00:16:17.759United States. You know, wedon't live in Africa where, you know.22600:16:18.279 --> 00:16:19.389I mean, listen, I canget down the street from my house,22700:16:19.429 --> 00:16:22.230even though we're missionaries and we're inthe community, we're involved in people's22800:16:22.269 --> 00:16:26.110lives. I can get down theroad to Walmart and get things that,22900:16:26.309 --> 00:16:30.830you know, you can't find insome places miles and miles away in Africa,23000:16:30.870 --> 00:16:33.419are India, you know. Sowe get some of the amenities.23100:16:33.220 --> 00:16:37.500But also, you know, ifyou think about it, with foreign missions,23200:16:37.820 --> 00:16:41.179there's a time that people who arefar missionaries can fly back to the23300:16:41.179 --> 00:16:42.899United States and get a little breakfrom that mission work and they'll maybe come23400:16:42.940 --> 00:16:45.980to a mission conference here in theUnited States, maybe take a little bit23500:16:47.019 --> 00:16:52.090of a sabbatical from that we can'tdo that because we're in the community.23600:16:52.450 --> 00:16:55.090Yeah, and so you know,some of the ways that we're in the23700:16:55.169 --> 00:17:00.049community is in building those relationships.You know, me and my wife,23800:17:00.649 --> 00:17:03.159some months ago there was a momthat chose life. This is kind of23900:17:03.159 --> 00:17:07.319an example of us pain in thecommunity and I won't share all the details24000:17:07.359 --> 00:17:11.200because it's kind of a difficult storyand I don't want to give anybody's personal24100:17:11.240 --> 00:17:15.599information away. But this was amom that chose life here at La Trabe24200:17:15.599 --> 00:17:18.750abortion center and she had some struggles, some mental struggles. Now she was24300:17:19.269 --> 00:17:22.950certainly for life. She'd chosen life. She wanted to keep the baby.24400:17:22.990 --> 00:17:26.269She didn't even want to have anabortion to begin with, just the circumstance24500:17:26.390 --> 00:17:29.390dictated to her that. She feltlike she needed to ultimately praise God.24600:17:29.470 --> 00:17:33.019She chose life, but she hadsome mental struggles and she had ultimately ended24700:17:33.019 --> 00:17:36.740up trying to take her own life. Yeah, and so me and my24800:17:36.900 --> 00:17:41.500wife went to the institution where shewas at and she, you praise God,24900:17:41.539 --> 00:17:42.619didn't take her own life. Shewas not successful. I think it25000:17:42.619 --> 00:17:45.490was more of a cry for helpthan anything, and so we went and25100:17:45.529 --> 00:17:52.009visited her in that mental institution encouragedher and made ourselves available to help her25200:17:52.130 --> 00:17:55.930in whatever she needed. A coupleof months after that and she got out25300:17:56.009 --> 00:17:57.009and she was, you know,on her feet and doing well, we25400:17:57.720 --> 00:18:02.799went to her house and we tookour baby shower ministry team and actually threw25500:18:02.799 --> 00:18:04.319a baby shower for yeah, sothat's one of the ways. And I25600:18:04.359 --> 00:18:10.279actually built a relationship with a guywho was living with her in her house25700:18:10.400 --> 00:18:14.190and try to influence him with theGospel and all that. So just practically25800:18:14.230 --> 00:18:18.589building relationships now, you know,and kind of a, I guess,25900:18:18.670 --> 00:18:22.349frontline way. So that's sort ofbehind the scenes things, but in a26000:18:22.430 --> 00:18:26.539front line way and a very,you know, pointed way. We're trying.26100:18:26.660 --> 00:18:30.299We're in the community, were thereon the sidewalks and we're trying to26200:18:30.339 --> 00:18:34.059meet people where they're at right we'retrying dark as place. Are there we26300:18:34.180 --> 00:18:37.500worst moment really, which is rightthere in front of that abortion center.26400:18:37.619 --> 00:18:41.569So we're trying to be relatable.You know, if you think about our26500:18:41.609 --> 00:18:44.730the missionary, one of the thingsthat missionaries do, foreign missionaries do,26600:18:45.210 --> 00:18:48.849is they try to learn the language, you know, and they try to26700:18:48.890 --> 00:18:52.089speak the language that the people arespeaking so that they mean they don't go26800:18:52.250 --> 00:18:56.039into a village and make everybody learnEnglish right. They meet people where they're26900:18:56.039 --> 00:19:00.079at right and we in the sameway. Now, of course I'm not27000:19:00.119 --> 00:19:02.839going to stand on the sidewalk anduse the language of the people going in27100:19:02.920 --> 00:19:06.119because a lot of times it's foullanguage, not the language that God would27200:19:06.119 --> 00:19:10.269have us use. But I willsometimes because, if you think about it,27300:19:10.349 --> 00:19:14.829we use our Christianese a lot oftimes and we use terms that a27400:19:14.910 --> 00:19:18.670lot of just normal everyday people don'tuse, like the word repent. Yeah,27500:19:18.750 --> 00:19:22.509it's a biblical word and I've talkedabout this in the past. I27600:19:22.589 --> 00:19:25.380think it's a word we should use, but if we're going to use it,27700:19:25.980 --> 00:19:29.539then we need to use it ina in a real way that connects27800:19:29.579 --> 00:19:30.980with them. So if I usethe word repent, I'm going to describe27900:19:32.019 --> 00:19:34.259what it means, but more oftenthan not I'm going to speak the language.28000:19:34.460 --> 00:19:37.180So I'm going to talk in everydayterms. I'm not going to use28100:19:37.299 --> 00:19:41.490like all these big biblical terms andall this other stuff. Right, I'm28200:19:41.490 --> 00:19:44.210going to talk in the terms thatpeople know because, you know, let's28300:19:44.250 --> 00:19:47.690face it, we're dealing with peoplewho are just everyday people coming to the28400:19:47.730 --> 00:19:51.049abortion. We're not dealing with,you know, the super educated people.28500:19:51.170 --> 00:19:53.519Some people are coming to the abortionclinic are, but mostly it's just common28600:19:53.559 --> 00:19:56.480people that speak, you know,everyday language whatever, not using these big28700:19:56.559 --> 00:20:00.839terms and, you know, gettinginto the Latin and the gree on these28800:20:00.880 --> 00:20:04.680other things. Yeah, and sofact is, though, a lot of28900:20:04.759 --> 00:20:10.150the people that we encounter at theabortion clinic do at least claim to believe29000:20:10.190 --> 00:20:12.269in Jesus. Most of them dohere in the south. So when we're29100:20:12.349 --> 00:20:15.630talking the Lord, we're talking aboutthe Lord, we're talking about Jesus.29200:20:17.069 --> 00:20:21.230I mean, I'll quote John Sixteen, and probably ninety percent of the people29300:20:21.269 --> 00:20:23.819going into the abortion center to haveabortions can finish the quote for me right.29400:20:25.059 --> 00:20:26.819So I'll connect with them on thatlevel too. Yeah, I'll remind29500:20:26.980 --> 00:20:30.900them use some of their language,which, you know, here in the29600:20:30.940 --> 00:20:33.619south is Biblical language, by theway, and I'll remind them of some29700:20:33.700 --> 00:20:37.650of the truths that they had knownwhen they are raised in church and they29800:20:37.650 --> 00:20:38.890were brought up in Sunday school andthat sort of thing. That's kind of29900:20:38.890 --> 00:20:41.410speaking the language. Yeah, itis. It's relating to them on a30000:20:41.529 --> 00:20:45.930spiritual level that they certainly had atleast at some point in their life,30100:20:47.049 --> 00:20:51.119most of them. Yeah, andand understanding the culture, because we do30200:20:51.319 --> 00:20:55.200have some minority groups, that certainlya lot of minority groups actually, that30300:20:55.559 --> 00:21:03.240come to have an abortion and understanding, for example, that adoption is seen30400:21:03.279 --> 00:21:07.029as foster care in in, forexample, in the black community. Quite30500:21:07.069 --> 00:21:10.630often they equate. Well, ifyou understand that, you're going to speak30600:21:10.630 --> 00:21:12.950to them more carefully. Yeah,about that issue. And so I think30700:21:14.349 --> 00:21:17.670we you do need to be trainedin the culture of the people that you30800:21:17.789 --> 00:21:21.660are going to encounter. Yeah,absolutely, add in our mission field and30900:21:21.740 --> 00:21:23.619and we make an effort to dothat. But I love your example of31000:21:25.220 --> 00:21:30.900going and visiting the Young Woman thatthat you had counseled. And that actually31100:21:30.980 --> 00:21:37.329does happen quite often in different waysfrom our sidewalk missionaries. For example,31200:21:37.609 --> 00:21:41.970many of them visit the mom whenshe has the baby in the hospital.31300:21:41.009 --> 00:21:45.250Yeah, many of them go tothe baby shower. And then we also31400:21:45.450 --> 00:21:52.759connect them with people to through lovelife, Charlotte, to to have a31500:21:52.880 --> 00:21:57.640mentor, and that mentor often doesliterally live in their literal community, right.31600:21:57.680 --> 00:22:02.309Yeah, we know their favoritors thatare close to their neighborhood. They31700:22:02.349 --> 00:22:06.349can be involved in their lives orwe try to find people we don't but31800:22:06.509 --> 00:22:11.430love life. The mentorship director triesto link them with people who who have31900:22:11.509 --> 00:22:18.779similar life story, similar background,similar struggles. So that is all because32000:22:18.859 --> 00:22:23.940of this number one specific area inwhich are are to be either a foreign32100:22:23.980 --> 00:22:30.609missionary and a sidewalk missionary collide.That are the same as that. The32200:22:30.690 --> 00:22:34.250attempt is to build the relationship.Yeah, absolutely, and that's for the32300:22:34.369 --> 00:22:38.130purpose, as always, the overarchingpurpose of all of these is that so32400:22:38.250 --> 00:22:41.769that ultimately we can share the gospel. Yeah, you can bring them to32500:22:41.849 --> 00:22:45.640the Lord. So that's that's thefirst way in which I think there's a32600:22:45.759 --> 00:22:52.880lot of similarities. Missionaries understand thatit is critical to build trust with the32700:22:53.000 --> 00:22:57.750people that they serve, and we'veeven done a whole podcast on how we32800:22:59.509 --> 00:23:03.349needs. Two episodes that we doesabout building trust or helping us a mom32900:23:03.470 --> 00:23:08.829convey her trust from the abortion clinicto ultimately the Lord. Right, right.33000:23:10.349 --> 00:23:14.059So the way to you can goback and listen to that podcast,33100:23:14.180 --> 00:23:18.019which I think would be very valuable. But but the way that a missionary33200:23:18.099 --> 00:23:23.500on a foreign mission field builds trustis through meeting practical needs. Yeah,33300:23:23.619 --> 00:23:29.329first identifying them and then seeing howcan they meet those needs, and not33400:23:29.529 --> 00:23:36.009the needs that they think that thosepeople might have, but they actually speak33500:23:36.049 --> 00:23:38.329to the people, they live inthe community, they find out what those33600:23:38.490 --> 00:23:44.839people express as their needs. Well, I think that is very analogous.33700:23:44.880 --> 00:23:48.000Yeah, with what we do outon the sidewalk. Absolutely. Yeah,33800:23:48.039 --> 00:23:53.160what we have as far as resources, and we we've got a resource guide33900:23:53.480 --> 00:23:59.470that's several several pages then. Yeah, and that's not something we just came34000:23:59.549 --> 00:24:03.430up with overnight. Right, wecan pile that over years of speaking with34100:24:03.589 --> 00:24:07.950people finding out what their needs are. I mean, you think about the34200:24:07.789 --> 00:24:12.819childcare resource. Right where we're we'vebasically got a volunteer that is called churches,34300:24:12.859 --> 00:24:15.980because you know a lot of churcheshere in the United States, especially34400:24:15.980 --> 00:24:18.940here in the south, and Idon't know how it is across the nation,34500:24:19.019 --> 00:24:22.259but I imagine it's probably the same. Churches have daycares. Yes,34600:24:22.740 --> 00:24:26.369and especially these pro life churches thatclaim to be, you know, against34700:24:26.410 --> 00:24:30.569abortion and want to help woman.We'll call him up and say, Hey,34800:24:30.609 --> 00:24:33.930you've got a daycare, they're inyour church and we've got a mom34900:24:33.490 --> 00:24:37.890who needs daycare. She didn't havethe finance. It's use a single mom35000:24:37.250 --> 00:24:40.759to pay for daycare. Will yougive her a scholarship? And we've had35100:24:40.839 --> 00:24:44.400churches say yes, we'll give youa scholarship right. And so that's one35200:24:44.559 --> 00:24:48.720need that we had through conversations withwomen. It's a common thing that a35300:24:48.759 --> 00:24:51.200lot of us might not think of. We might think of well, she35400:24:51.240 --> 00:24:53.990could use a baby shower and wecertainly need housing ministries and those are important35500:24:55.069 --> 00:24:57.630things, but we might not thinkof the practical like child care. Like35600:24:57.750 --> 00:25:00.869she's worried if she has another kidthat she's not going to be able to35700:25:00.910 --> 00:25:04.630work to provide for the other kidsbecause she doesn't have childcare. She can't35800:25:04.670 --> 00:25:10.099afford Chianti for each so even ifwe can she can find child care here,35900:25:10.619 --> 00:25:12.859she can't afford it. It's anand yet add one more kid.36000:25:12.900 --> 00:25:18.500It's just child care is so unbelievablyexpensive. So that was finding out what36100:25:18.579 --> 00:25:22.809an actual need was meeting that needand that built the trust. That helped.36200:25:22.890 --> 00:25:27.450It's helped so many women to chooselife. I had this sadly didn't36300:25:27.450 --> 00:25:32.450end in the woman choosing life.But but just this past weekend there was36400:25:32.529 --> 00:25:38.799a mom who had multiple needs,severe and significant needs, and instantly I36500:25:38.920 --> 00:25:42.200thought what this mom really neat.She needs the Lord, of course,36600:25:42.279 --> 00:25:47.279but she really needs a social worker. Yeah, and praise God, we36700:25:47.400 --> 00:25:52.910had just had a volunteer who calledme and said she just graduated from Social36800:25:52.950 --> 00:25:55.950Work School. She had started workas a social work or one of the36900:25:56.029 --> 00:25:57.509very few. Well, I don'tknow if I can say that, but37000:25:59.349 --> 00:26:03.069she was certain. She herself isvery strongly pro life. Yeah, but37100:26:03.230 --> 00:26:07.259with training and social work. Andit struck me this that's what this mom37200:26:07.420 --> 00:26:10.059really needs, and I was ableto offer that. And this was a37300:26:10.180 --> 00:26:14.980mom who said I she didn't evenwant to really discuss she said I have37400:26:15.059 --> 00:26:17.140to abort, I have to abort. But she ended up talking to me37500:26:17.259 --> 00:26:21.009for over two hours. Yeah,and I think it was because I was37600:26:21.049 --> 00:26:25.450able to to discern, because ofeverything she told me, this was a37700:26:25.809 --> 00:26:30.970desperate need and this social worker couldhelp her in one of the most sorrowful37800:26:30.329 --> 00:26:34.559parts of her story. So shewas then willing to open up to me37900:26:34.640 --> 00:26:38.920and talk with me. Yeah,so that it. You have to build38000:26:38.920 --> 00:26:47.670trust and we have found that webuild trusts most easily by showing we're willing38100:26:47.710 --> 00:26:51.950to help. Yeah, absolutely.Yeah, okay, so missionaries also,38200:26:52.190 --> 00:26:56.950we talked about this a little bit. Learn the culture they're entering and they38300:26:56.109 --> 00:27:02.500try to meet the people with anunderstanding of their culture, but as well38400:27:02.539 --> 00:27:08.099as emphasizing the commonality of their humanness, of their human experience. So cultural38500:27:08.299 --> 00:27:19.650differences are important to know, butadditionally human commonalities. Yeah, and all38600:27:19.690 --> 00:27:26.210of us, the Bible tells uswhat the most basic commonality is is that38700:27:26.369 --> 00:27:29.890every one of us has made inthe image of God. Yeah, and38800:27:30.160 --> 00:27:33.039so that is so important, notonly for our missionary to express to the38900:27:33.079 --> 00:27:37.920people that they go to, butit's certainly is one of the the basic39000:27:38.039 --> 00:27:42.279issues that we bring up as sidewalkmissionaries. YEA, and one of the39100:27:42.319 --> 00:27:48.029ways that we do that, thatwe share our common experiences and common struggles,39200:27:48.549 --> 00:27:52.910is by sharing our testimonies. Excellentpoint. I mean, if you39300:27:52.990 --> 00:27:56.710think about it, you know weall have struggles. Doesn't matter what culture39400:27:56.710 --> 00:27:59.420you come from, doesn't matter whatbackground you come from, it doesn't matter39500:27:59.539 --> 00:28:02.980what color your skin is. Right, we all have struggles. We all39600:28:03.019 --> 00:28:07.059struggle in various ways. Yeah,and we can share out of those struggles.39700:28:07.220 --> 00:28:11.740But say we've got a mom who, and we encountered this, who's39800:28:11.019 --> 00:28:15.490this is our first baby and she'sanxious about having a child. She just39900:28:15.650 --> 00:28:18.769doesn't know what to expect. Shedoesn't have a lot of people around her40000:28:18.809 --> 00:28:22.769that's going to support her. Rightshare support system is gone, or maybe40100:28:22.769 --> 00:28:26.890they're the people that are encouraging herto have the abortion. There's a lot40200:28:26.930 --> 00:28:30.400of anxiety there. Any woman who'shad a child can identify with that.40300:28:30.680 --> 00:28:34.319That's right it. You know,that cross is really cultural boundary. So,40400:28:34.440 --> 00:28:37.920yeah, you got to learn theculture, you got to learn the40500:28:37.960 --> 00:28:40.880culture that you're speaking into. You'vegot to learn. I mean there's some40600:28:41.000 --> 00:28:44.349things that you can say that arejust not helpful when you're speaking of particular40700:28:44.390 --> 00:28:47.349cultures. Right. So you learnthat. You learn to just avoid those40800:28:47.390 --> 00:28:52.390things and and really speak again ofthe common experiences. So again, I'm40900:28:52.549 --> 00:28:55.670mom who has had a baby inthe past. Can speak to a mom41000:28:55.940 --> 00:28:59.900who's now pregnant, who has anxietyabout having a baby, right. Yeah,41100:28:59.980 --> 00:29:03.259you know, I'll share all thetime my testimony. Yeah, when41200:29:03.299 --> 00:29:06.779I speak to young men who haveanxiety about being a father at a young41300:29:06.819 --> 00:29:10.690age, I share my testimony.I share and again, it doesn't matter41400:29:10.730 --> 00:29:14.490whether they're black or wide or Hispanicor whatever. I can share my testimony41500:29:15.009 --> 00:29:18.970and the same God who brought methrough that situation can bring them through and41600:29:19.049 --> 00:29:22.329I'll share that. And that's whatmissionaries do as well. You know,41700:29:22.490 --> 00:29:26.559we go. If you think aboutit, people are called to the mission41800:29:26.599 --> 00:29:30.839field and it's part of their testimony. They're calling is part of their testimony.41900:29:30.960 --> 00:29:34.279As they share their testimony, whatGod has done they're calling is part42000:29:34.279 --> 00:29:37.710of their testimony, but also asthey're going in the mission feard filled,42100:29:37.829 --> 00:29:41.069part of their message is their testimony. God brought me. I mean,42200:29:41.069 --> 00:29:45.109you think about it. You're anAmerican who a lot of countries, and42300:29:45.150 --> 00:29:48.670I'm speaking about foreign missions, viewAmerica is just a rich country like in42400:29:49.349 --> 00:29:53.180really in comparison, if you lookat Third World countries and you compare the42500:29:53.220 --> 00:29:57.059poor people in America to some ofthe middle class and Third World countries,42600:29:57.099 --> 00:30:00.299the poor people in America are filthyrich right in comparison. Yeah, they42700:30:00.299 --> 00:30:04.980are. So you think about thatand when a missionary comes to a country42800:30:06.579 --> 00:30:08.809like Nepal or something like that,just kind of random, you know,42900:30:08.930 --> 00:30:15.289thinking about you know, the countrywhere missionaries go and they wonder why did43000:30:15.410 --> 00:30:22.200this rich American come here to liveamong us? Well, let me tell43100:30:22.200 --> 00:30:25.240you why. And they share thetestament. Here's what God did in my43200:30:25.359 --> 00:30:27.720life and here's the message that Godwanted me to bring to you. And43300:30:27.920 --> 00:30:30.920so, yeah, it's knowing theculture, it's being in the culture,43400:30:32.200 --> 00:30:36.750it's speaking from your own personal experience. That commonality there. Missionaries, do43500:30:36.869 --> 00:30:41.069that, subbalt missionaries. Yeah,again I have I want to brag on43600:30:41.109 --> 00:30:44.869your wife, Courtney, who wasso wonderful when I was having this extended43700:30:45.029 --> 00:30:49.579counseling session with with a mom thisthis weekend and the mom felt that her43800:30:49.619 --> 00:30:53.700baby was better off dead because thebaby was going to be born into a43900:30:53.819 --> 00:30:59.579life of struggle, very severe struggle, and she felt even abuse because she44000:30:59.660 --> 00:31:03.420was very concerned what was going tohappen to this baby at once the baby44100:31:03.500 --> 00:31:07.849was born. And that's that's common. We hear that a lot and Cordney44200:31:07.930 --> 00:31:11.529was able to share her own dad'sstruggles, that he had grown up in44300:31:11.569 --> 00:31:17.210a pretty, pretty rough, roughbeginning and very deprived and ended up in44400:31:17.250 --> 00:31:22.519an orphanage and and he had significantstruggles and suffering. Courtney said it would44500:31:22.519 --> 00:31:26.839make her cry when he would tellher the stories of what what he went44600:31:26.960 --> 00:31:30.799through. But Courtney shared with thismom what if he had been aborted?44700:31:32.119 --> 00:31:36.430Yeah, I wouldn't be here.Yeah, my eight beautiful children wouldn't be44800:31:36.710 --> 00:31:41.950here. He was not better offdead, and so that sharing that story,44900:31:41.269 --> 00:31:48.779it her testimony, part of hertestimony. So expose the common fear45000:31:48.500 --> 00:31:53.380that suffering means that you shouldn't bringa child into the world because they're going45100:31:53.420 --> 00:31:57.339to suffer. And she said,well, that is false. That's not45200:31:57.539 --> 00:32:02.369what the people who have been broughtinto this world who did suffer report.45300:32:02.569 --> 00:32:07.049Yeah, they still would have wantedto live. Yeah, almost overwhelmingly.45400:32:07.089 --> 00:32:12.529Yeah. So, so you doneed to be aware of the culture that45500:32:12.690 --> 00:32:17.160you're dealing with, but you don'thave to take a course in cultural studies,45600:32:17.200 --> 00:32:20.359I don't think, to be infront of an abortion center, because45700:32:20.400 --> 00:32:24.200you can always share your own testimonyand you can always share the commonalities that45800:32:24.440 --> 00:32:30.670that all human beings can can share. Yeah, absolutely. So a fourth45900:32:30.829 --> 00:32:38.589thing that missionaries do, for missionariesto a foreign field, is they share46000:32:38.630 --> 00:32:42.950the Gospel. We've already mentioned thata little bit, but it's probably the46100:32:43.549 --> 00:32:50.099single most important thing. Yeah,absolutely, talk about is that they feel46200:32:50.140 --> 00:32:54.099called to the mission field to bringthe love and the truth of Jesus Christ,46300:32:54.420 --> 00:33:00.210and they do that bit by becominga trusted member of the community and46400:33:00.529 --> 00:33:06.529sharing needs and then they have accessto share the gospel. But but talk46500:33:06.569 --> 00:33:12.809about that a little. We certainlydo share the Gospel. Yeah, well,46600:33:12.960 --> 00:33:15.880you know, one of the traps, I think, with some modern46700:33:15.599 --> 00:33:22.160missionary endeavors is to become, likeI said earlier, humanitarian effort towards meeting46800:33:22.200 --> 00:33:25.400then we're all you're doing is meetingthe needs. You know, your feeding46900:33:25.440 --> 00:33:30.269the hungry and your digging whales,and none of that is bad. Please47000:33:30.390 --> 00:33:36.509don't misunderstand me. We should bedoing those things. But even in prolife47100:33:36.589 --> 00:33:39.029ministry, you know, we canfall into that trap to where it becomes47200:33:39.109 --> 00:33:45.740just humanitarian effort. And this reallygoes back to something I think we've covered47300:33:45.140 --> 00:33:51.700in several previous podcasts and we'll coveragain and again and again, which is47400:33:51.940 --> 00:33:55.529what is the motivation of our ministry, right is it? Because I don't47500:33:55.569 --> 00:34:00.730say just to minimize it, butI say just to help maximize the real47600:34:00.849 --> 00:34:05.890point that. So it's it's notjust that babies are dying again. I'll47700:34:05.890 --> 00:34:07.849minimize that. It's a terrible thingand that should really that should be a47800:34:07.969 --> 00:34:12.840motivator for us, but it shouldn'tbe our only motivator. And up and47900:34:12.920 --> 00:34:15.440I'd argue it shouldn't be our primarymotivator. Our primary motivator is God.48000:34:16.039 --> 00:34:21.039Is Glory for him, because ifthe like I've said in the past,48100:34:21.159 --> 00:34:24.989if your love for your neighbor isthe chief motivation, then you've got the48200:34:25.110 --> 00:34:29.750cart before the horse. We're supposedto love God and then love our neighbor.48300:34:29.829 --> 00:34:30.909So our love for our neighbor flowsout of our love for God.48400:34:30.989 --> 00:34:36.349And so many missionary endeavors. Youknow foreign missions and even he know local48500:34:36.389 --> 00:34:42.539missions. The motivation is like this, this humanitarian love, this love for48600:34:42.739 --> 00:34:45.780people, and again we should havethat right that sounded all about. It's48700:34:45.900 --> 00:34:50.420got to be motivated by look forGod. There's there's a sermon out there48800:34:50.579 --> 00:34:53.570and I've encourage you to listen toI encourage everybody I encounter listen to that.48900:34:53.730 --> 00:34:57.969Talks about this very things from abrother back, some some years back,49000:34:58.010 --> 00:35:00.010back in the S, I believe, when that was recorded Paris reet49100:35:00.090 --> 00:35:04.690head, and it's called Tin Shekelsin a shirt. HMM. Now,49200:35:04.730 --> 00:35:07.760if you have not listened to thatmessage, those who are listening here,49300:35:07.360 --> 00:35:10.079you need to listen to that messagebecause he talks about this very thing.49400:35:10.119 --> 00:35:15.800He talks about how God called himto Africa and then when he got to49500:35:15.920 --> 00:35:17.960Africa, he found out that peoplethere didn't want to hear what he had49600:35:19.000 --> 00:35:22.590to say, didn't have any interestin God, and he got really frustrated.49700:35:22.230 --> 00:35:24.789He got deflated and he's crying outto God and he shares this.49800:35:24.909 --> 00:35:27.750I'm crying out to God and saying, God, why did you send me49900:35:27.829 --> 00:35:30.230here? And he says this islike the Lord responded to his heart.50000:35:30.949 --> 00:35:34.510You know, God just speaks tostuff, to your heart. It's like50100:35:34.630 --> 00:35:37.179wow, it's almost like an audiblevoice. Yeah, and he said,50200:35:37.179 --> 00:35:40.460I didn't send you to Africa forthe sake of the heathen. He said,50300:35:40.500 --> 00:35:44.699I sent you to Africa for mysake. Do not do I not50400:35:45.340 --> 00:35:50.090deserve the reward of my suffering.And he goes on. The Lord,50500:35:50.170 --> 00:35:52.329speaking to his heart, gives onto share. Yes, these people are50600:35:52.369 --> 00:35:54.570wicked and yes, they're going toend up in hell if they don't repent,50700:35:55.570 --> 00:36:00.329but I suffered for them so thatthey might be saved. And it's50800:36:00.449 --> 00:36:04.960not the motivation that you have inyour heart for them is not the motivation50900:36:05.039 --> 00:36:07.400that you ought to have. Youare there for my glory, whether they51000:36:07.519 --> 00:36:13.280repent or not. You are sentthere for me, not for you,51100:36:13.639 --> 00:36:16.639and not for them. And sothat is the focus that we've got to51200:36:16.719 --> 00:36:21.630have as sidewalk missionaries, is thatwe're out there for the Lord, we're51300:36:21.670 --> 00:36:23.829out there for his glory, we'reout there for his namesake. We're out51400:36:23.829 --> 00:36:29.110here, out there motivated to bringhis Gospel. It's not our Gospel,51500:36:29.150 --> 00:36:32.019it's not their Gospel, it's hisGospel, and we're motivated to bring that51600:36:32.380 --> 00:36:37.940Gospel to those that are lost.Amen. Well, and and you made51700:36:37.940 --> 00:36:42.380me think of a fith area.That's a major commonality between missionaries in a51800:36:42.420 --> 00:36:45.420foreign field and sidewalk missionaries, andthat's that we're called. Yeah, I51900:36:45.539 --> 00:36:50.969think we receive a call from God. Now, I believe that there are52000:36:51.010 --> 00:36:53.489many who have been called who havenot responded. Yeah, absolutely. They52100:36:53.530 --> 00:36:58.769would rather have a life of easeand comfort and maybe throw a little money52200:36:58.769 --> 00:37:01.159at a pro life movement, butto actually go and suffer on the on52300:37:01.280 --> 00:37:05.239the field, the mission field ofan abortion center, no, not so52400:37:05.360 --> 00:37:10.000much. Yeah, but I knowthat that the people who really persevere in52500:37:10.559 --> 00:37:17.909sidewalk missionary activity are people who feelGod told them go. Yeah, that52600:37:19.150 --> 00:37:22.150is where I am sending you formy glory. Yeah, now, this52700:37:22.230 --> 00:37:28.829issue of calling is a little bitof a complicated one, and I'll say52800:37:28.909 --> 00:37:30.940this to some people and they thinkthey say, you know, you're incorrect,52900:37:30.980 --> 00:37:34.219and I say this other people they'relike, you're correct, but they53000:37:34.260 --> 00:37:40.099taken in another direction, because Iwill say that not everyone is called to53100:37:40.219 --> 00:37:45.369be out in front of an abortionclinic. Now again there be people that53200:37:45.449 --> 00:37:47.769say, yes, they are inthe killing babies right. Well, yes,53300:37:49.289 --> 00:37:52.090I get that, understand that,and certainly there should be no mistaking53400:37:52.130 --> 00:37:55.929that. I believe this is animportant call and that there are far more53500:37:57.130 --> 00:38:00.400people that are called that are notdoing it right then, you know,53600:38:00.679 --> 00:38:04.360than those who are doing it thatare called and so forth. But I53700:38:04.440 --> 00:38:07.679mean somebody has got to do theforeign mission stuff right. I mean God53800:38:07.840 --> 00:38:14.389is sending people around the world andstrangely enough, he's even sending people from53900:38:14.389 --> 00:38:16.309around the world here to be missionaries. But that's a whole other subject,54000:38:19.070 --> 00:38:22.469and so somebody's got to do thatstuff right. There there are other missions,54100:38:22.670 --> 00:38:28.699there are other ministries that God hasthat are other than abortion clinic ministry,54200:38:28.860 --> 00:38:30.579and I do believe that. However, again, there are far more54300:38:30.659 --> 00:38:35.420that are actually called that are notstepping into that calling right. So I54400:38:35.539 --> 00:38:37.099think again it's a tricky thing becauseI don't want to let people off the54500:38:37.139 --> 00:38:42.050hook and be able to say,because that is a common it's a fig54600:38:42.170 --> 00:38:45.090leaf, you know, like Adamand eve and they try to cover their54700:38:45.170 --> 00:38:47.730sin and their disobedience with a figleaf. It's a fig leaf for people54800:38:47.769 --> 00:38:51.289to say, I'm just not calledto that. Really, what they're saying54900:38:51.289 --> 00:38:52.769is I'm not comfortable doing that.I want to do it. Yeah,55000:38:52.769 --> 00:38:54.920I don't want to do it.I want to maintain, you know,55100:38:55.039 --> 00:38:59.760my comfort level in my comfort zone. And Listen, I can guarantee you55200:38:59.920 --> 00:39:04.119this. You are not called tocomfort. I promise you that. If55300:39:04.199 --> 00:39:07.639you were, if the Lord trulyis in you and you are called to55400:39:07.719 --> 00:39:10.110walk with him, if you're aChristian, you were, then you are55500:39:10.309 --> 00:39:15.429called to discomfort. You are calledto take up your cross and follow him,55600:39:16.110 --> 00:39:20.590and a cross is not a comfortableplace to be. You know,55700:39:20.670 --> 00:39:23.699we're used to in America, we'reused to wearing our crosses, showing our55800:39:23.699 --> 00:39:29.340Christianity. If you want to showyour Christianity, forget about wearing your cross.55900:39:29.860 --> 00:39:32.940Your Christianity is born out in whetheror not the cross wears you right.56000:39:34.059 --> 00:39:37.019Jesus was warned by a cross.He was nailed to that cross.56100:39:37.179 --> 00:39:39.530Yeah, and so we want towear our crosses around our neck, feel56200:39:39.530 --> 00:39:45.730good about ourselves and not make ourselvesuncomfortable. Jesus says, take up your56300:39:45.849 --> 00:39:49.250cross and follow me, and maybeyou think about it, the modern pixture56400:39:49.289 --> 00:39:52.880of that. Take up your crossand follow me, is what it's an56500:39:52.920 --> 00:39:58.320implement of death, it's implement oftorture, it's an implement of execute Shan56600:39:58.320 --> 00:40:01.000it was a heavy, heavy burdensthat crushed him, he he, you56700:40:01.079 --> 00:40:05.000know, remember he creees, crushedunder the weight of the crosses. He's56800:40:05.119 --> 00:40:08.949carrying that cross. Think about whathe's saying maybe kind of similar modern terms.56900:40:09.349 --> 00:40:14.110Take you, take up your electricchair, follow me. Yeah,57000:40:14.550 --> 00:40:17.469this is an implement of execution.Yeah, be willing to lose your life.57100:40:17.670 --> 00:40:21.659Right, and you know, Iwant to give you folks this charge57200:40:21.699 --> 00:40:23.820before we wrap this thing up,because we're about to. Is that we57300:40:23.940 --> 00:40:29.219are called to take up our crossand follow Jesus, if that mean,57400:40:29.420 --> 00:40:34.059and that means losing your life right, losing your life the way that you57500:40:34.179 --> 00:40:37.929like it, the way that youthe comforts that you enjoy, the amenities57600:40:37.969 --> 00:40:42.369that you enjoy, whether that meanstaking up your cross and going to India,57700:40:43.170 --> 00:40:46.090taking up your cross and going toAfrica, or taking up your cross57800:40:46.570 --> 00:40:51.360and go on to your local abortioncenter. You are called to lay your57900:40:51.440 --> 00:40:54.440life down for the sake of theGospel. Amen. And out there on58000:40:54.519 --> 00:40:59.360that sidewalk, that's what we're doing. That's right. We are motivated by58100:40:59.360 --> 00:41:02.280a love for God, a lovefor our neighbor, and we're getting into58200:41:02.280 --> 00:41:07.110the nitty greedy, we're getting intothe ditches and we're getting into people's lives58300:41:07.510 --> 00:41:12.190and we're discipling and we're mentoring andwe're leading them to the Lord and all58400:41:12.230 --> 00:41:15.309of that. It's missionary work.It didn't be anything other than a missionary58500:41:15.389 --> 00:41:19.059indefinite. Right. Well, Ithink we answered the question. Yeah,58600:41:19.139 --> 00:41:22.860right, there's no doubt. Sidewalkcounselor's no more. We are now sidewalk58700:41:23.260 --> 00:41:27.780missionary, US missionaries, Amen.And so we're called to it. And58800:41:27.860 --> 00:41:30.699Guys, if you're listening to thispodcasts and maybe you are already a sidewalk58900:41:30.739 --> 00:41:34.289missionary, maybe you're already out therein a lot of folks that listen to59000:41:34.329 --> 00:41:37.130this podcast are. Hopefully this isan encouragement, do you guys, if59100:41:37.289 --> 00:41:42.050nothing else this stuff. We've alreadytold you what you already know we're preaching59200:41:42.090 --> 00:41:44.769to the choir for some of youguys, but understand that a lot of59300:41:44.809 --> 00:41:47.719pastors and just Christians who may evereven thought about things in these terms don't59400:41:47.719 --> 00:41:51.639think about it in these terms.Maybe this will help you to articulate to59500:41:51.719 --> 00:41:54.679them so that they understand what you'redoing is missionary work. Right do you're59600:41:54.679 --> 00:41:59.639a missionary in your city at thesidewalks at your abortion clinic, and that59700:41:59.719 --> 00:42:02.869will help your pastor maybe you're frustratedby your pastor's response to what you're doing59800:42:02.949 --> 00:42:07.949because he just, for whatever reason, believes it's a protest and protesting is59900:42:07.989 --> 00:42:13.070not bad. We talked about thatagain another podcast. But he doesn't really60000:42:13.150 --> 00:42:16.539connect in his heart with the factthat you're missionary. Because I really believe60100:42:16.699 --> 00:42:24.260this. I believe that in everycity which abortion clinics exist and those abortion60200:42:24.340 --> 00:42:29.980clinics are surrounded by churches, thereshould not go a single day. Now60300:42:30.050 --> 00:42:32.329abortion clinic should not exist in thiscountry, but as long as they do,60400:42:32.570 --> 00:42:37.489there should not go a single daythat there is not a Christian witness60500:42:37.570 --> 00:42:39.409there in front of that abortion clinicsevery day, at least every day they're60600:42:39.409 --> 00:42:43.570killing babies, but even every daythey're open if they're not doing abortions other60700:42:43.610 --> 00:42:46.119days. Yeah, yeah, andwe need to, as those who are60800:42:46.119 --> 00:42:51.480out there, for lack of abetter term, pitch this to the church60900:42:51.599 --> 00:42:53.800and to our friends as a missionaryendeavor so that they understand, they connect61000:42:54.000 --> 00:43:00.309what we're doing, because we're notactivists or not protesters, we're missionaries.61100:43:00.510 --> 00:43:04.710Right. So hope this was ablessing to you, guys. I'm really61200:43:04.789 --> 00:43:08.309just excited about this and just whatthe Lord is doing. Will share in61300:43:08.389 --> 00:43:12.349the future some of what God isdoing here with the Ministry of Cities for61400:43:12.429 --> 00:43:15.300life and our partner ministry love life, and just hopefully encourage you guys and61500:43:15.699 --> 00:43:20.539and all that the Lord's doing.We really are motivated to raise up missionaries61600:43:20.579 --> 00:43:23.820and help folks like you who arelistening to be effective missionaries at your local61700:43:23.860 --> 00:43:28.610abortion mission field. And so therebe more coming out in the future about61800:43:28.650 --> 00:43:31.690this and we'll cover this topic andsome things similar to this topic in the61900:43:31.730 --> 00:43:35.530future. But you just hope againthis was a blessing you guys. Hope62000:43:35.570 --> 00:43:42.519that you will share this podcast anduntil next time, God bless give me62100:43:43.360 --> 00:43:54.710our love for love, give meour love for gratitude. I know it62200:43:54.869 --> 00:44:04.710will cost me my life. Nothing'stoo precious. And some met you