Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Well, if you live in or around Chicago today we had a beautiful day and I hope you were blessed in it.  I was truly blessed today on campus and had several good conversations where Matt, Caleb and Robert committed to Christ, saying they would pray later and Dustin, Kiara and Levante prayed with me to receive Christ.

4 Black guys, Matt, Caleb, Robert and Dustin were all sitting together in the PE building.  They all wanted to answer some questions for the Bible Study group.  Matt had almond shaped eyes, short hair and an oval face.  Caleb was a very big dude (sumo wrestler big), afro, round face with a goatee.  Robert was a bit shorter with a perfect 2″ afro, kind, clean shaven face.  And Dustin looked young, Robert’s size, a bit of facial hair.  They all tuned right in and I went through the Gospel with them and they were really respectful and receptive.  As I finished and showed them a prayer they could pray, handing them booklets, Caleb realized he had to run to class.  So they all got up, saying they would pray later (this seemed pretty sincere but I never know how sincere a student is when they delay praying) but Dustin prayed right then.  They took off, but I came across 3 of them later (absent Caleb) to give them Bible Studies to read through, so that was good.

Sitting amidst the $400,000 stone work between the Art building and the Gym (my tax dollars at work,) I came across Kiara, a cute black girl enjoying some shade under a tree.  She had jeans on and a v neck t-shirt, her ears pierced 4 times.  She was about 5’5″ and had the ends of her hair tinted and pulled into a couple braids wrapped around her head.  Nice kid, her paternal twin sister’s name was Tiara she told me, when I pointed out it rhymed.  Her parents had gotten back together (they were not married when she was born) and she lived in West Chicago but commuted all the way to Chicago to go to Church where her mom is part of the tech crew that does the video screens and she said she makes the tapes.  But interestingly enough, though she goes to church two times on Sunday, she hadn’t really had a knowledge of the Gospel of God’s Grace and Christ’s imputed righteousness.  I listened to a bit of her pastors sermon online and I hope I just heard a bad one, but he seemed to be all about exercising principles saying God did not respond to our emotions.  The Bible teaches God does respond to us this way [John 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled]  I asked her, “How does God take away your sin? What is the big thing Jesus does that takes away the sins of the world and you [too].”  But she had no idea. So I told her about the Cross, and after I had finished going through the Gospel I asked her if she would like to be forgiven based on what Jesus had done for her.  She said she would.  “But you didn’t have any of this down before?” I asked. “Yeah” she admitted.  So I showed her a prayer and she prayed to receive Christ.  I gave her a Bible study and explained the work of the Holy Spirit to her and I also gave her a copy of the student edition of The Case for Christ to read.  I got her email to send her more stuff too.

Jevante was sitting at the end of a set of benches I’d sat on waiting for my advisor to show up.  He was a real down to earth guy, friendly.  He said his mom and grandma went to a Jehovah’s Witness Church and I asked if he was into that.  He said, “50/50, I mostly go to be supportive of my mom.”  I went through the Gospel with him and just assumed he would not know it.  When I was finished I asked him if he would like to be forgiven of his sins, trusting that Jesus was God and had died for him and would then live inside him.  “I want him to live inside me,” he replied.  I showed him a prayer he could pray and he did.  I explained the Trinity and the Holy Spirit to him.  I gave him Playing with Purpose and a copy of More than a Carpenter, suggesting he could give it to his mom, and also a Bible Study.  “Thanks for everything.  I appreciate it man,” he said.  “Sure,” and I shook his hand.  “I appreciate you,” he said. “Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.”
So thanks for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance God was with me and blessed. Tomorrow we’ll set up book table for the clubs and activities day on campus.

In Him,
Bob Bollow

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