Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I hope you had a blessed day walking with the Lord.  I had a good day and Isaiah came to Christ.  He’s a black guy and he was sitting in the PE building and agreed to talk with me.  He had a south-side accent and I had to listen closely as he pronounced words differently than I am accustomed to hearing them, not being from the South side of Chicago.  He was a nice looking kid, perfect skin, smaller features and just the wisp of a mustache and goatee.  He had on a Chiefs stocking cap and a Cubs jacket.  . He was a nice guy and was happy, but he sobered up when I asked him why God should let him into Heaven.  He simply said, after struggling for a bit, “I don’t know.”  He hadn’t been to church much of late but had gone when he was younger and wanted to take care of his mom. He tuned right into the Gospel, not making any eye contact but following the verses I read and listening to me as I spoke.  It seemed like he had begun to remember the story of Jesus dying for him as I spoke, but he hadn’t been trusting in it at all.  He liked the analogies and at the end he said he wanted to be forgiven for his sins.  I asked him, “Do you believe Jesus was God, has died for you and rose from the dead?”  He said, “Yes.”  So I told him he could simply pray to accept God’s forgiveness.  Slowly I went through the prayer with him and he prayed to receive Christ.  I gave him a Bible Study on the Deity of Christ and since he was really into the NBA I gave him Playing with Purpose which is testimonies of NBA stars.  I said, “Hey it is Valentine’s Day coming up.  Here is a book you can give your Mom.”  And I gave him a copy of More Than a Carpenter for her. I got His email to send him stuff.  He was really happy when I left.

I had a great conversation today with a young guy who was back at school taking some classes.  He came from “Very religious” Catholic grandparents and parents, and I think it did not ring true for him.  Nick is a fireman/paramedic and considered himself an “Atheistic Humanist”.  Short-cropped sandy hair and short beard, wore a plaid zippered hoodie.  He had a Christian girlfriend at NIU he said was looking for a “group” like ours.  But after I began explaining the Gospel and the Trinity to him, and the nature of the impossibility of doing a purely good act or his good deeds fixing or making up for his bad ones, he said, “I have never heard anyone explain it that way before.”  I could feel God’s Spirit in me in talking to him but his class was beginning and he had to go.  He asked for a business card with my contact information so I gave him one.  I quickly gave him a booklet and the student edition of The Case for Christ.  I explained that I had an interactive DVD that had apologetic Q & A on it he could have [“Jesus Fact or Fiction”].  It also has a copy of “The Jesus Film” and he said, “Do you mind?”  I said “Not at all,” and he took that as well.  So I will be praying for him.  He was the most open, self-proclaimed atheist I have talked to in memory.  I always have several conversations with Atheists and most of them are friendly, never hostile.  Usually something bad happened as a catalyst for their unbelief.

So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance.  And please pray for Nick.  I think he may be close to the Kingdom of God.  And pray that Isaiah would grow in his new faith and find fellowship.

Blessings and thanks,

In Him,

Bob Bollow

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