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The jogger and the gospel postersMany evangelical churches have a gospel Scripture text up outside their buildings for passers-by to see. Perhaps you have seen people turn their eyes towards the poster as they walk by. But do those posters do anything? If the experience of David Whittall is anything to go by the answer is 'Yes!' David is a married man with teenaged girls. In his mid-40s, he lives in Wigston on the south side of Leicester. He was working as a civilian for the police control centre. His journey to Christ began a couple of years ago when he was the victim of a brutal attack by some men who emerged from a local pub. He was saved from further injury by passers-by. But obviously marks remained after this experience. Not least, David was left with the inevitable questions, 'Why did this happen? Why me?' As he got back to normal David resumed his morning jogging. It had been part of his life as an attempt to overcome the lack of exercise which went with his desk job. His daily route just after dawn took him past Little Hill Evangelical Church. 'Go into that church'As he jogged, with his question 'why?' in the back of his mind, he began to notice the posters. The church building has two large windows by the road, where they display gospel texts. The church has a collection of posters, so each week the text is changed. The cycle of texts repeats about every two months. As David ran by he began to take an interest. He would look out for the new ones and read them each morning. It was through this that his jogging turned into an encounter with God. He read the posters every day and began to think about what they said. His interest and attention began to grow. He read the words of Jesus, 'Come to me'. 'It was as if God was telling me that I had to go into that church', David told EN, 'Go through those doors, God was saying.' All unbeknown to the Christians of Little Hill a struggle had begun in David's heart. He should go into the church to find out more. But what would this mean for his life? What would his wife say? What would his family think? Eventually he plucked up courage. He took the opportunity to go to the church carol service at Christmas 2001. A sense of love'I became a Christian that night', said David. 'In the preacher's message, I felt that God was telling me to stop rebelling and come to him. There and then I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me and come into my life. "This is it", I thought.' The welcome at the church which David and his wife received that night played a big part too. 'When I first went in I felt a great sense of belonging - a great sense of love', said David. Reluctantly at first, David's wife, Elise, began to go regularly to church, but since then she too has come to Christ and is now part of the church. Life for the family has changed completely. 'The swearing just disappeared', said David. 'I used to be so cynical, but now I have great peace.' God's powerful WordDo you have a gospel poster or two outside your church building? Do you change them regularly? Do you pray that God will use them to speak to those who walk past? David's story is a remarkable testimony both to God's providence and the power of God's Word. The Bible is a living book. It is not just that we read it, very often it reads us, and speaks to the deepest human needs. It is a life-giving word which is never out of date. 'You have been born again', writes the apostle Peter, 'not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God' (1 Peter 1.23). Are you the church member or deacon who has the job of putting up and changing those gospel posters? Don't give up. Be encouraged. Remember David's story. Who knows what God is doing and will do through your patient ministry! JEBPosters for display outside churches are available from a number of sources, including: Victory Tracts and Posters Trinitarian Bible Society John Benton© Evangelicals Now - May 2003 |