North Lonsdale Show - July 2022

The show was held on 27th July and the weather continued to be very hot with cloudless skies all day. This brought out increased visitors to the show and it was a privilege to speak with many and hand out Christian Literature.

Barry had brought along his ‘’True or False’’ display board. This listed a series of 9 statements that required a true or false answer, and it invited interest from many who were passing by. From those who were happy to express their views, their answers identified their religious beliefs and generated opportunities to explain the truth as set out in the scriptures. Barry was able to have a long conversation with a man from the adjacent stall. This individual had earlier on in the day declared himself as an atheist and had declined to accept any literature, however having viewed the display board for most of the day he came to express his view in mid-afternoon on the statement ‘’Evolution is a Theory.’’ From the discussion subsequently taking place it became clear he was a strong believer in evolution and attempted to argue that it was not a theory. During the lengthy debate Barry was able to patiently point out from the evidence and scripture that the statement was true. The end result was that the man finally agreed with this, and he then accepted the booklet ‘’God’s Story’’ together with ‘’Why God allows Suffering’’.

Three ladies (all friends) visited the ‘’Van’’ together. It soon became evident that two of them were believers and spent some time chatting to Barry. The third lady however soon separated herself from the conversation with Barry and David spoke to her on her own. Her background was that she used to be a Catholic but had left the church and had subsequently ‘’tried’’ a number of other churches but had not been happy or satisfied with any. She declared that she was now happier looking after herself and ‘’didn’t wish to look behind’’ and was now ‘’looking ahead in hope’’. She was advised that she would be better looking up for the answer to her life and after a conversation in which she was reminded that there was one who has the answer to life’s problems she accepted the booklet ‘’’God’s Story’’ and the leaflet ‘’Pathway to Peace’’.

The guessing box was frequently visited by children and teenagers, and it was good to recognize that quite a number had a knowledge of the Bible. The source of the knowledge was mainly gained however from the school they attended. Others  not attending a school that taught the Bible had virtually no knowledge of the Bible. All who visited the Guessing Box were given literature that reminded them of the Bible Story.

Our prayer is that all the seed sown, whether by literature or conversation might bear fruit.

Barry Cummings and David Johnston