***Preaching with a Team of Young Christians in Downtown Chicago***

Greetings in the name of the Everlasting God and Our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

We are still enjoying some respite at the Life Action Ministries Retreat Center in the backwoods of southern Michigan. The atmosphere out is altogether serene and peaceful, and it is difficult to think about moving on down the road.

Over the last couple of days, I have been given the honor of preaching to the staff and to the young people that make up the revival teams. Both instances went well, and I believe that many were encouraged and convicted about the importance of being a bold witnesses for Jesus Christ. This was especially evident with some of the young people who sought to join me in an endeavor to preach on the streets of Chicago.

Yesterday, I took 8 young people down to the Windy City. We left around noon, and it took 4 hours to make the 90-mile drive. I thought Los Angeles held the "most annoying and frustrating traffic" award in this country. I guess I was wrong. Chicago takes the cake hands down. By the time we found parking for two vehicles and gathered all our stuff together, it was 5:00pm before we got onto the streets. Nevertheless, the work began and continued for hours. We were out there until approximately midnight. Lots of people were on the streets, and many, many Gospel tracts went out. We were also able to minister to numerous homeless folks by giving them fresh socks and Bibles. The homeless always appreciate socks.

I was amazed at the boldness of those who accompanied me. In some ways, I was encouraged and convicted to be more bold myself. A seventeen year-old young man from West Virginia was particularly interesting in his approach. He would offer salvation and Gospel tracts to passersby. When they would refuse, he would literally walk down the sidewalk with them and plead for them to reconsider—"Do you note understand what you are refusing?" This was not a "shove down the throat" approach but a genuine pleading for the souls of men. Several times, I noticed that people would reconsider (sometimes after saying no three or four times) and actually accept the tract. William's example was encouraging and edifying. Several of the young ladies that came along were also very bold. I was so proud of my sister.

Overall, the response in Chicago was not very great. Many were rude. However, I rest in the fact that the Word of God proceeded forth. And, it always accomplishes its purpose (Isaiah 55:11). I had several opportunities to preach, feeling honored to stand upon some of the same streets that D.L. Moody himself once worked as a public herald of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We actually ran into a couple of students from the Moody Bible Institute out on the streets, and they joined us for awhile.

Late that evening, after some good Chicago pizza and a very positive witnessing encounter with a waitress, we headed over to Grant Park where a Jazz Festival was letting out. Enroute, we crossed paths with Mr. Chambers, an elderly black man dressed in a suit who was preaching the Gospel on one of the sidewalks. He was alone with his small PA system, which, by the way, was used in a most eloquent way. His tone was the epitome of Ephesians 4:15. Mr. Chambers had been doing this on the streets of Chicago for 34 years. Such boldness and commitment to public evangelism is always an inspiration and an encouragement to me. May the Lord bless such faithful servants. Those such as Samuel will be first in the Kingdom of God, not religious big wigs with fat pay checks, fancy church buildings, large congregations, and all the lukewarm church programs.

After this encounter, we proceeded over into the park where people were migrating to the streets in droves. We found a street corner where people were having to stop and wait for the crosswalk lights. There, I preached while the Life Action young people were bold to hand out Gospel tracts and Bibles. Most of the people (half of them drunk) were extremely rude. I preached near a garbage can and was greatly disturbed and discouraged to see scores of Gospel tracts tossed right in, not ten feet from where they were received. I temporarily ceased from preaching and dug through the trash to pull out every precious tract, all of which contained the precious Word of God. The rejection was also expressed in numerous rude remarks issued my way while proclaiming the Truth. To see crowds of people scoff and sneer at the blessed Gospel in such a manner was downright depressing, especially this young woman who got so offended, then claimed that she knew Jesus because her dad was a pastor. That does not mean squat anymore. Pastor of what? Anyway, I tried to share the Gospel with her, but her hate erected a formidable barrier. This world is so deceived; this nation is so backward. Alas, our churches are dead.

Needless to say, all the rejection began to result in the spewing forth of anger in my preaching. Thus, I had to stop. I did not want to let emotions bring reproach on the message I was preaching, and the Lord was making it clear that the time had come to shake the dust off my sandals and go home (Matthew 10:14-15).

Around midnight, we departed and got back to the camp around 2:30am. Overall, despite much rejection, I was pleased with the effort. It was a source of great joy to see other young believers engaged as bold public witnesses for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It seems that every one of them had a positive experience—judging by the stories that had circulated all over the camp by the time we got up and going this morning. I just pray that the experience will spur them to go out and be bold for the Gospel in the communities of the churches they travel to for the purpose of undertaking revival ministry. After all, great revival in America has historically sprung from the efforts of bold witnesses (i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Great Awakenings). I also hope that the Lord used me in some way to spark a love for the public proclamation of the Gospel in other hearts.

As for my brief bout of spiritual depression over the widespread rejection in Chicago, it was quickly cured by the Words of Jesus Christ in Luke 6:22-23, 26. The Lord gave me this passage shortly after I awoke this morning. There is no room for depression. Rather, I should be leaping for joy, for great is the reward in heaven. Besides, it is an honor to follow, ever so slightly, the example set by the suffering Saviour (I Peter 2:21).

With regard to my precious wife, she elected to stay back at the motor home yesterday. Though I missed having my partner along, she did this as a sacrifice. We only had enough room for nine people (including me), and eight young people showed up earnestly wanting to go. She stepped aside so all eight could go along and taste the honey of obedience to the Great Commission.

Today, after sleeping until about noon, I was able to spend some quality time with two young men who wanted to attend yesterday but were unable because of other responsibilities. I really believe the Lord used this time to impress upon two more souls the importance of being a bold witness for the Lord Jesus. I agreed to take them onto the streets of South Bend, IN (maybe even the campus of Notre Dame University) sometime around the early part of next week. Please pray that this plan comes to fruition.

As for Jamie and me, we are still pondering and praying about the specific route that will follow from here. There are several big cities here in Michigan that we may hit before proceeding on the bike. My parents are up for the holiday weekend, so we will be able to enjoy a few days with them. Please pray for the Lord's wisdom as we seek to finalize the next steps on this long but joyful journey.

I must go. The hour is very late, and I better get some sleep before church in the morning. Many of you will be off work on Monday. Instead of lounging around, maybe you might consider redeeming the time as a bold and intentional witness for Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). AND, his greatest commandment was "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).

Until the next adventure in this epic, we are most respectfully yours in the blessings of the blood poured out for the sins of the world.

Jesse & Jamie Boyd

chicago