Why So Tired?

2013 Jul 2 (39)

Exhortation

Today is Testify Tuesday once again at Markville mall! We learned about David and Goliath at Harvest Bible Chapel York Region this Sunday. What is the size of the "giant" in your life in comparison to the size of our God? We're talking about the God who created the world, defeated sin and death and has forgiven us time and time again. This is what we preach every Tuesday to those who are lost and without hope. Please pray for us as we share the good news...perhaps maybe you'll even join us! The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few.

Testimony

This is the testimony for our witnessing tonight:

I was really tired today, I think Ben was too. I had no desire to go to the mall to evangelize. Even when I was there, I had no desire to talk to anyone. Even after talking to JP, I had no compassion for his soul. I'm ashamed to admit that I was just doing what I always did on Tuesdays. I'm very thankful to Mike for bringing the conversation to the gospel because I couldn't.

I feel like I've taken on too many roles and have too many responsibilities. I want to shrug off some but I can't, all of them are so important! Right now, I am just so tired... I don't feel like I can do much more... But I must! So yes, I was out tonight and the gospel got shared. Kudos to Ryan and Stephen tanking it once again; you should talk to them about their sweet conversations. Their zeal for the gospel is an encouragement to me. So are your prayers, oh how I covet your prayers!

Christians, please pray for perseverance for all members of the team. More than that, pray for the Spirit of God to give us strength daily. Most importantly, pray for people to come to know Christ as Lord and savior. It is for their eternity and the Father's glory that we toil night and day.

Yes, that is worthy of all my energy.

Souls (10) {Total: 304}

R;
4 students;
JP (Catholic motorcycle guy);
R;
G, H;
J

Team (5)

Tony, Mike; Ben; Ryan, Stephen

Testing the Power of Prayer

2013 May 7 (31)

Exhortation

This Testify Tuesday, where we go out to Markville Mall to evangelize at 6:30PM, we are asking foremost for prayer.

For the next month, no more exhortation to go. No more pushing people out of their comfort zone through posts. Just simple prayer to an almighty God. In the next month, I am asking God for 2 things:

1. At least one more team member
2. At least one person come to saving faith and discipled

I know, small goals... But we are a small team. And I'm just a small guy whose heart cries for the lost. But my God is big, and He is faithful. And I know He will answer those prayers. Watch, watch and pray with me. Then in a month, rejoice with me.

Just a random guy from Harvest Bible Chapel York Region doing evangelism,
-Tony
— with Mike Fenty.

Testimony

Update: Ben and I were the only two people there tonight. And we were both tired. I'm still tired. We did have 4 good gospel conversations, though they walked away, we know we gave them something to think about. It's times like this that we can only pray and trust that God knows what He's doing. Because sometimes from our perspective, it can get discouraging...

Souls (7) {Total: 232}

C, N;
V & girlfriend;
B;
E, I

Team (2)

Tony, Ben

A Barrage of Testimonies!

2013 April 16 (28)

Exhortation

Testify Tuesday. Markville Mall. 6:30PM. Preach Jesus. Come/Pray.

This weekend at Harvest Bible Chapel York Region I heard from Rom 8:9-11... I heard a sermon, like many before it. And now I'm going to the mall with a team of Christians to preach this same good news of Jesus Christ to others who need to hear it.

I want to be honest though. I'm tired. Right now I'm on my lunch break at work, and tonight I have a paper to write for seminary. I'm tired. A part of me just wants to go home, eat dinner, and not even do my paper...

I'm no superman. I don't always get excited about sharing the gospel. I'm no elite evangelist. I don't pray enough. I can't even share eloquently half the time. I'm just a guy honestly trying to do the things Christ tells me to do as best I can. I know many people coming tonight are like that too (ie. Mike, Ben). So no, I won't just go home and eat dinner, I WILL proclaim the gospel at the mall tonight. I have to, for people have to hear this gospel! This is life! And without it, all they'll have is death... eternal death (Matt 25:46). How CAN I keep quiet...?

So please, pray for us. We need it, I need it... Pray too for the people we'll soon encounter, they'll need it even more. And pray for yourself, for your own walk with Christ. Know that I'll be praying with you too.

Testimony

Mike’s
Today (at Testify Tuesday with Tony Chuang, Ben Sampson and others from Harvest Bible Chapel York Region), we proclaimed the gospel at Markville Mall again. Today I came in feeling very very very tired and a bit apprehensive. Staying at home would have been the easiest thing to do. Today Jackson and I were partners and the first two conversations appeared as though they were flops and we may never know what the outcome of them will be, but the gospel was proclaimed. We planted, others may water, but it is God that gives the increase. There's a huge group of older Macedonian guys and their wives that meet every single day at the mall to hang out. We had always wanted to approach them, but were scared. Well, today was that day! It went really well and opened the door for future conversations. There are there every week...no, actually they're there every day! Anyways, Psalm 28 says "the joy of the Lord is my strength and my shield" and that was so true of us when we concluded tonight. Praise God for more opportunities!

Linda’s
Amazed and humbled truely, by what God did at Markville Mall today at Testify/ evangelism Tuesday.
Dorothy and I had the opportunity to engage in two conversations.
The first, we talked to a group of three who vaguely knew about heaven and hell, but categorized it as just another "experience". We did walk away encouraged that after sharing the gospel and asking about prayer requests we were able to pray with them.
Our second conversation,was with an individual who says he is a Christian. We wanted to "toil the soil" to reach a deeper understanding of where he stood and weren't quite sure, yet again walked away encouraged that we could pray for him. We invited him to come check out Harvest. Let's pray that he does! God is good and truely the joy of the LORD is our strength!!! — with Mike Fenty and 4 others.

Dorothy’s
Was reading a book by Mark Cahill on the subway on the way to work this morning and felt convicted by this question: Would you deal with your laziness problem for the love of money when you won't deal with it for the love of God? Too often I pass up opportunities for God to be glorified simply because I didn't feel like it. Yet for things like work or school I will manage to get myself going despite how I'm feeling.

Another great Testify Tuesday evening with Harvest Bible Chapel York Region peeps, Tony, Mike, Ben, Jackson, and Linda. Teaming up with Linda, I met a group of friends Keanna, Brendan, and Sabrina, who were really courteous and patient, and were open to hearing us out. Though they didn't express interest in considering the gospel in the end, Keanna nevertheless asked for prayer for her grandmother, who was recently in a serious accident.

We next met Mark, with whom we also had a generally pleasant conversation. His responses were rather vague, though he was genuinely interested in the dialogue, and was interested in visiting Harvest sometime. He told us that he has been a Christian for a little over a year. Though we don't know where exactly he's at in his relationship with Jesus, we trust that God will use this encounter to spur Mark further towards Himself.

Glory be to God. Even when we present ourselves to him with unworthy hearts, He still uses it towards the up-bringing of His Kingdom. What undeserved grace! Praying that He will continue to break us out of our complacency and turn our concrete hearts to softened ones, that we would hurt for those who have yet to know the peace of God that transcends understanding.

Ben’s
Yesterday evening, with friends from Testify Tuesday at Markville Mall; I verbally communicated the good news of Jesus Christ to complete strangers. Up until now, I have been somewhat reluctant to talk about what God has been doing with and through us on Tuesday nights, especially on Facebook, though it has been going on for some 6 months. (Perhaps I am afraid of what you, the cyber friend, think of God or me and my motives concerning God.) Friends, the good news is that Jesus Christ took the punishment we deserve for sin and now we, everyday people, must repent and believe in him in order to be saved. Jesus died for our sins, He rose from the dead, and He will return to judge us. This is something I believe, and I daresay that when I surrendered my life to Christ; He has changed every aspect of who I am, and who I am becoming. I praise God for the friends he has put in my life to help me obey this command - make disciples of all nations, including Canada! (Matt 28:19-20) My Christian readers.. will you join me on Tuesday? Will you pray for me today? Will you submit to God's word? I have only just begun to realize who I am in Christ when I obey him... will you begin to do this in your life and join me???!!! I need your help...! - with Tony Chuang, Mike Fenty, Jackson Tsuji, Hope Linda, Dorothy Leung.

Jackson’s
Last night was another evening of sharing the Gospel at the Mall! Mike Fenty and I paired up last night, and we talked with a few groups of people about the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ. We did not see much “fruit” from most of our conversations, unfortunately. (But who knows what God will do?) Even so… we’ve got to keep proclaiming this Good News and not stop! The Bible says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16 ESV). It’s only by the Gospel that we can be saved – that Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died to pay for our sins (thoughts/actions that are displeasing to God) so that we could be forgiven and not face the eternal punishment that we deserve. That’s some amazing news (how will you respond to it?), and it ought to change those who have received it. I’m not saying you have to share this message at a mall with us, but if you’re saved, is the Good News of what God has done in you flowing out of your life? It’s a great check for me as well.

I was so convicted last night that I need more boldness in sharing this message. I struggle, and even struggled last night, with speaking the whole truth about the Gospel and speaking it plainly, because I’m afraid of what people will think of me. BUT praise God that He is the one who gives us boldness and the words to speak (Ephesians 6:19-20)… I can trust in Him that He will keep growing me in this area.

Thanks to everyone who came out (Mike, Dorothy, Ben, Hope, Tony). Because of what Christ has done, let’s keep praying that God will transform us to be people who live out each and every day for His Glory. — with Mike Fenty and 4 others.

Tony’s
You’ve heard testimonies about Testify Tuesday from Mike, Linda, Dorothy, Ben, and Jackson. I asked all of them to write individual testimonies because last night was different. We had many interesting conversations. This one guy Sam wanted to leave about 4 times during the conversation but somehow we kept talking to him for a while. He said he was Christian because he went to church, naturally I had to quote Matt 7:22 to him. At the end, Ben somehow convinced him that he needed to be born again (John 3:3). But sadly, like Nicodemus, he just walked away... :(

The thing is, we should be discouraged. We should be disappointed and tired because honestly, the conversations weren't “fruitful”. But we weren't depressed. Instead we experienced more joy this time than we ever have! We joked with each other. We walked away from conversations knowing that though they didn't respond well, the full gospel has been unashamedly proclaimed, without adulterating an ounce of truth. Oh just imagining how these seeds will take root excites me. And we were filled with such joy, such overflowing joy!

It was the joy of knowing we did exactly what God told us to do. The joy of the Lord supernaturally filled every one of us as we shared the Word with each other and prayed fervently in the Spirit at the end. Team, we were wrong, there was fruit! The fruit was the work done in our own souls! I praise the Father for all five of you and for countless others who were praying. You truly make my joy complete and I wouldn't be able to keep evangelizing without you. The fruit is you too, the one reading. Brother, be encouraged. Sister, be edified. Family, be exhorted to work for Christ and so experience His extraordinary joy! :D

Souls (19) {Total: 211}

M (gay guy);
H (good life personal trainer);
P, T, T, J, S (5 teenagers);
S (Adventist);
M and Macedonian crew (7 people);
S, K, B (prayed for them);
M (self-proclaimed Christian)

Team (6)

Tony, Ben; Mike, Jackson; Linda, Dorothy

First Picture

2013 March 19 (24)

Exhortation

Testify Tuesday is now at 6:30PM instead of 6:00PM. I know, this changes everything! Whether by prayer or by being there, I look forward to partnering with many of you in sharing the gospel at Markville Mall tonight.

Each week I take the passage preached on at church (which for me is Harvest Bible Chapel York Region) and uses that to encourage people to actually practice what they're learning. For me, the practice often comes in the form of evangelism, which is sharing the gospel with myself so much that I can't help but let it overflow to sharing with others. I do wish everyone would come out with me! But alas, that's not how Christ established the church. Nevertheless, I pray that at least some are encouraged by what we do weekly and by this message.

This week's sermon contains Eph 2:8 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith..." This grace that revived us from death to life. This grace that loved us when we were enemies. This grace that is completely undeserved. This grace that saved us from everlasting torment. This grace that caused the Lord Jesus Christ to face the full wrath of God as He died alone on that cross... for me, for you... This wonderful, beautiful, amazing grace.... I don't just believe it, I know it's active in my life even now! Can you feel it too? So preach this grace to yourself today. And let it overflow into change and action, whatever it may be. How can it not!?

Perhaps you've never felt this grace in your life before. You can... today. :D

Testimony

At Markville tonight, we talked to so many people. Some conversations were more than an hour and some less than 3 minutes. God keeps growing the team and blessing our conversations. It's sometimes hard going out because you don't always "feel it". But I've been blessed each time. More than that, we are bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to all these people! Any amount of labor is worthwhile as long as the gospel is preached. But the laborers are still few, so please pray for more laborers for the harvest field.

Ask any of us if we want to hear testimonies because we have many, too many to share here. ;) Praise God for the marvelous team full of people with beautiful feet. Mike, Ben, Andrea, Dorothy, Jackson, Jacqueline, I look forward to partnering with you more in the days to come. We have a picture this week!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151335146643202&set=a.10151100742103202.433888.503748201&type=1&theater

Souls (16) {Total: 153}

F, T, T, J;
S, A;
M, M;
B; S, C;
K;
4 different girls

Team (7)

Tony, Jackson; Ben; Mike, Andrea; Dorothy; Jacqueline

A Girl who Cried

2013 January 29 (17)

Exhortation

Evangelism on Testify Tuesday! 6PM at Markville Mall. Come, or pray. Please?

Those of you at Harvest Bible Chapel York Region heard this Sunday from Romans. Rom 5:8, a verse I often use in evangelism says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God's love has been poured into our hearts (v5), it has been lavished on us. If you're a Christian, you know what this feels like. You know the depths of your sin and thus the magnitude of His love. When we were still sinners, enemies of God (v10), Christ died for us, for you, for me!

You know that you're saved, good. But are you content to let other sinners sink into Hell without ever feeling this love? Are you happy to just let your neighbors die and face the wrath of God? Are you okay with being polite with your friends all the way to the gates of Hell? To never warn them? To never tell of God's love, just waiting for them if they will trust Christ!? Christian, this cannot be right! Preach the gospel! Speak of Christ! I'm not doing it because I have to. I'm doing it because His love compels me to (2 Cor 5:14)! Let it control you too!

Testimony

Testimony time! God encountered a girl tonight in Spirit and in power!

Tonight, there was this one girl who had gone through so much bad stuff at her old church that she didn't consider herself a "Christian" anymore, though she read the Bible and prayed every day. She shared how she had wanted to walk away from God back in October but someone, through God, told her to hold on for something in the future. Today, she had an especially bad day (details withheld) and wasn't sure what to hold onto anymore. Her boss let her off work early (for no reason) and that's when she met us.

We usually don't approach girls but I had just seen her in my prayers. She asked us why we are talking to her; I told her plainly that God had sent us. God worked powerfully in her as we kept sharing about what fellowship is and about Christ's church. She had prayed for God to show up that day and we were the answer to that prayer! As we kept talking and Ben shared his heart about true church and true Christianity, she began to cry. After a while she just burst into tears, unable to hold in all the emotions anymore.

She met God that night in a very real and powerful way. She was lost and honestly seeking direction, God found her and is bringing her back to Himself! Pray that God won't let her go. Pray that He won't let any of us go...

Tonight, we were blessed with so much prayer from so many people. That by itself is reason enough to praise God. When Ben Sampson and I were praying, we begged God to show His power and to give us fruit. God did. Our God is faithful. Praise His awesome name!

Souls (5) {Total: 82}

Asian young couple;
Mentor & mentee (big brother program);
G (cried)

Team (2)

Tony, Ben

Tiredness

2012 December 11 (10)

Exhortation

It's time to witness again... on Tuesday! Join us as we go to Markville mall at 7PM to share the good news of Christ.

Those of you at Harvest Bible Chapel York Region heard this Sunday how God has promised Christ since Adam and Eve's catastrophic failure. We now have the second Adam. We are free from the curse of sin. We have eternal life! Sadly, many in this world do not. :( And that is what we're here to do: to tell the world about the hope that is in Christ. Do it and you'll see the power of God first hand. Oh what a sight to behold!

Testimony

I'm thankful for my brothers in arms, Mike Fenty and Ben Sampson for tonight's battle. The gospel was shared very clearly with many people. Too tired now... Will update at a later time... Mike, I need that list of names.

Souls (7) {Total: 39}

C;
P;
M;
B;
K, G, S

Team (3)

Tony, Mike, Ben

Getting on Our Knees in the Mall

2012 December 4 (9)

Exhortation

Witness Wednesday is now happening on Tuesdays! I know, we need a new name now. But no matter, come join us at 6PM at Markville Mall for some gospel sharing.

Those of you at Harvest Bible Chapel York Region heard this Sunday from Rom 3:23-24 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith."

Faith family, the Christmas season is upon us, where Christ is preached all over the radio. Don't waste this opportunity! Share this gift of grace. Share about the blood that was shed. Share what Christmas is all about! I have some surveys that'll make sharing "easy" too. Get in touch with me and I can send you PDF's. Join me in prayer as we bring Christ back to Christmas, starting tonight at Markville Mall.

Testimony

Awesome testimonies tonight! For starters, we have a new person joining the team of evangelists. Ben Sampson joined Mike Fenty and myself at Markville. It's great to see how God is growing the team, and from different churches too. This is unity in the body! In the past three weeks, we've tripled our numbers! Hah! Praise God!

We talked to quite a number of people tonight, one group being four teenagers going to a catholic school. We opened up by asking them about Christmas and it naturally led to who Christ was. All of them heard the gospel. One of them in particular (Anton) was so scared of dying and of Hell too that he'd sometimes lie in bed just thinking about it. He said things like "If I died now I'd probably go to Hell. Of course I'm scared." and "How do you know it is real?" You could see God pulling at him. We shared about our absolute confidence in Christ and how we don't have to be afraid anymore. He knows, but he's just not quite there. Pray that God will grow the seeds planted.

And after two hours, we thought we were done so we prayed in the mall as we usually do. After we were done, we noticed how this lady was sitting beside us. In fact, there were quite a number of people there near us. We felt prompted to share the gospel with her, and as we started she said how she was a Christian and how she's so encouraged by what we're doing. After some more talking and brief sharing of her story, she said how she wants to come to the church I go to (Harvest Bible Chapel York Region). In fact, I've never met someone so eager to come to church! We got her number and some of you might even meet her on Sunday!

Brothers and sisters in Christ, share the gospel with someone this week! Don't waste this Christmas season. God has brought you into their life for this very reason! So that they can have what you have: a relationship with God.

Souls (12) {Total: 32}

L;
C, A, S, A (Catholic kids);
White family;
R, A, N, J (family that later came to church)

Team (3)

Tony, Mike, Ben

A New Method

2012 October 24 (4)

Exhortation

It's Witness Wednesday at Markville! Once again, I'm sharing the gospel at the mall at around 6PM.

Romans 2:9 "There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil"

Church family at Harvest Bible Chapel York Region, we must let our neighbors know that there is hope! Yes, tribulation will come but Jesus Christ has already come! Please participate by praying, our battles are fought and won on bended knees!

Testimony

Great testimony from tonight:

This time when I went, I prayed for God to give me love for these people. Instead of going because of obedience, I wanted to see them how Jesus sees them. The Holy Spirit told me to just sit down with many people and say "Tell me your story." People just talked to me. This one guy asked me, "So what's your story?" I shared my testimony, about the truth of the gospel and the standard for Heaven. I shared the reality of sin and how God is ready to forgive.

Check this: This guy Alex was waiting for his friend Toni and for some reason she ditched him last minute. He sat there not knowing what to do until I showed up. I told him this was no coincidence and that God was calling out to him. As we kept talking (for 45 mins), I asked him what was stopping him from trusting in Christ. He said "Nothing!" Now he knew the commitment this would be, so he was still hesitant. But hopefully as we talk God will break him.

See, he asked for my number! He wanted to talk more! Usually it's me who does the number asking. Hah! God is tugging at him even right now. He is so close to being a new brother I can feel it! Pray for him! Thanks to all who prayed for me. God did an amazing work tonight and all you who prayed were part of it.

Harvest Bible Chapel York Region and church family everywhere, I can't do this without you. Glory to Jesus!

Souls (2) {Total: 10}

A;
Guy

Team (1)

Tony