FIGHTING WINDMILLS

January 9, 2012, University of Florida

     "I had many good conversations," said Sister Pat as we left campus about 4 PM.  So did Sister Doris and Brother Dave, who have joined the team through February.  I tried preaching three times but did not succeed in drawing a crowd.  I had a few conversations; one with a boy who said, "Your sign, YOU DESERVE HELL, is very intense." 

Bro. Dave praying with a UF student.

     I agreed, "Hell is an intense place!  No warning concerning Hell should be considered too severe."  As I further explained the sign he responded with nervous shrugs.  I also had a lengthy conversation with a Hare Krishna devotee, whom I have encountered off and on over the years.  He was interested in gleaning information from me about different campuses.  We more or less talked trade, one minister to another.  Of course, we are serving different masters.   It can be profitable to take time to make peace with one's enemies.  We did talk some about his commitment to vegetarianism.  I mentioned there is a trend towards vegetarian diets. 

      Usually the first few days of a new semester are slower.  Today I felt like I was fighting windmills.  Sister Pat is more aggressive at striking up conversations than I am.  She shifted back and forth from the Young Democrats to a Christian table.  There were three Christian tables set up on Turlington Plaza.  Pat preached holiness to the middle aged man heading up one of the ministry tables.  He was "troubled" for Pat.  He cited the passage from Galatians concerning the preaching of "another gospel."  Pat's gospel condemns sin; as did Paul's gospel.  Sister Pat did have six students listening to her at one time.

     Yesterday, I spoke in the friendship class at my home church, Centenary United Methodist, in Terre Haute, IN.  The lesson dealt with Joseph's dreams and his interpretation of the butler's dream and Pharaoh's dream.  I sang, "The Impossible Dream" from The Man from La Mancha. 

      When I was preaching at the University of Florida back in the 70's a coed approached me and asked, "Have you seen "The Man from La Mancha?"  At the time I had not.  She said, "Your mission reminds me of Don Quixote's quest."  I knew enough about the story to immediately see the parallels, and even more after watching the movie.  Since then the film has become one of my favorites.   I have, as has my whole family, listened to the sound track countless times. 

     It was at the University of Florida that I found my lovely Dulcinia, who has been "no phantom to fade in the air." Indeed, the world has come to know Cindy's glory! 

Sis. Doris declaring the Truth at the University of Florida

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FIGHTING APATHY

January 10, 2012, University of Florida

      "The Lord gave me one word for this campus last night, apathy," said Sister Doris before she left campus with her husband at 2 PM.   At the end of the day on our way to our hospitality house Sister Pat said a girl at a Christian table used three words to describe UF, apathy, perversion and liberalism.  Once again we failed to form a crowd.  The closest I came was to gather 15 students for about 10 minutes at the end of a break, but they soon all scattered to the winds of indifference.

       I thought that by using Tim Tebow's name I would capture student's attention, especially since he matriculated at UF.  I preached, "Timothy Tebow is a sign to your generation with his 'miraculous wins' and for throwing for 316 yards and setting a record for 31.6 yards per completion against the Steelers.  Look up John 3:16!  God is trying to get your attention!  Tebow is a virgin; it is amazing that he could graduate with his virginity, considering all the seductive coeds at UF.  That requires the power of God."  Alas, UF even seems to be inoculated against Tebow mania.  My strategy did not work.

      I had separate conversations with two Christians who objected to my approach.  I gave them scripture after scripture and reason after reason in defense but they clung to their traditions.  At the end of the day an atheist joined in one of the conversations.  Finally, my Christian opponents asked the atheist, "Which approach would you be more opened to, Brother Jed's or the loving approach."  The atheist answered, "Brother Jed give's me reasons that I ought to believe most Christians at these tables make an emotional appeal."

The "You Deserve Hell" sign shocked a few out of their apathy.

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DISCHARING OUR DUTY

January 11, 2012, University of South Florida,

    We drove 90 minutes to Tampa with it raining most of the time.  I told Sister Pat the weather reports were 80 % chance of rain.  She replied, "That means there is a 20 % chance that it won't rain."  It was raining so hard at the noon break that we did not bother to preach.  I started preaching at the 1 PM break under my rainbow umbrella.  One male student stopped to inform me that I needed to demonstrate more love.  A female stopped to curse me and inform me how tired she was of preachers telling her what she ought to do.  They did not stay for more than 10 minutes.  The love bug engaged Brother Dave in a lengthy conversation.  By 1:40 it stopped raining so I preached again and some students began to gather and listened attentively.  I had about 20 gathered at the table in front of the Cooper building.  At 2 PM I turned it over to Sister Pat since I had to go to the car to put more money in the meter.  While I was doing so a student approached me and he said, "I want you to know someone is listening.  I appreciate what you are doing."

Eighty percent chance of rain!

     When I returned a student read a piece from the Internet presenting "the problem of evil," challenging her to explain why an all powerful loving God does not stop evil.  I took this opportunity to get back into the fray.  The student who asked the question would not accept my answer but several others who were listening did commend me for my response.  I had mostly a philosophical discussion for the next 40 minutes.  At the end several of the students commended me for my thoughtful answers and expressed their appreciation for my reasoning.  I turned the meeting over to Sister Doris.  Meanwhile, the Armstrongs had arrived on campus.  Sister Pat and I left at 3:30 because I had a speaking engagement in the evening in a church in Homosassa.  I was confident that Micah would finish the day well.  I did an expository message on Col. 3, which was very well received this evening in the church. 

     "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalm and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord".-Col. 16.  I pointed out that what we call Praise and Worship might better be called Teaching and Admonishing.  Admonish means to take to task.

     We discharged our duty or task once again today.  I pray that my readers have done likewise.

"Twenty percent chance it won't rain," Sis. Pat

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WHAT IS THE HEART OF MAN?

January 12, 2012, University of South Florida,

     Rudy asked me if he could have three minutes to address my crowd.  I granted him the time.  He exhorted the students on the love of God.  He concluded, "I know that this does not make sense to the mind.  I am appealing to your heart."  Afterwards I asked, "How come Isaiah said, 'Come let us reason together' and Peter exhorted believers 'to give a reason for the hope within you,' if we are not to speak to men's minds? 

Bigger crowds and more interaction today at the University of South Florida.

     Later Rudy was fellowshipping with some Bible college students who had come to USF witness for the day.  I asked him to explain what he meant about the heart.  He answered, "The inner man."  I asked, "Is there any particular human faculty to which the heart corresponds?"  He had no answer.  He seemed to relate the heart to the emotions.  I responded, "Usually the heart refers to the will in the Bible.  We need to be appealing to the mind and will of man; impressing upon men their need to make a decision to forsake sin and follow Jesus."  Rudy was not receptive to my teaching. 

Sis. Pat ministering at the University of South Florida.

      One of the Bible college girls asked, "Do you want us to show you how it is supposed to be done?"  Later one of the Bible girls stood on a table and gave a short speech on the death and resurrection of Jesus and then led the students in a sinner's prayer.  I did not observe anyone praying the prayer with her except her fellow Bible students.  Oh well, at least she and Rudy were bold enough to give it the old college try. 

     We had are largest and most attentive crowd of the week.  Sister Doris took a turn and Sister Pat preached three times.  As usual Dave was active on the sidelines wearing his sandwich board sign.  Daughter number two, the nurse, Charlotte, arrived about 5:30 and I took her out to dinner.  She wanted to take me shopping for my birthday.  She ended up insisting on buying two Donald Trump dress shirts with matching ties.  One of the shirts is lavender.  I was concerned it might look gay.  Charlotte said, "If Donald Trump can wear it you can; it is the latest fashion."

Charlotte, who is a nurse in Tampa, treats Dad for his birthday.

NO GREATER SACRIFICE

January 13, 2012, University of Central Florida,

     This has not been an easy week.  We commuted to campus daily from Lecanto Florida, thus spending three hours each day on the road.  Monday and Tuesday we had to battle apathy at UF, which can be more tiring than when the battle is raging against a large crowd.  It takes a lot of energy to attempt to gain the attention of indifferent students.  Wednesday we had to deal with the rain at USF.  However, we finished strong Thursday and Friday.

     When Sister Pat and I arrived at UCF today, a Christian group had a tent set up and they were singing praise songs to the Lord.  They did not have amplification which made good background music for my preaching.  I did not want to completely override them so I significantly lowered my volume.  My message was softer in content than usual.  Soon I gathered up to a half dozen students, who were polite and had good questions. 

Students had lots of questions for Sis. Pat at UCF.

     As a result of a Jewish boy asking how men get rid of sin, I was able to address some of the deeper subjects like the atonement.  The animal sacrifices that the Jews offered were to be an object lesson demonstrating that sin results in suffering and death.  Men were supposed to learn the lesson not to sin.  The sacrifices were to show the costliness of sin.  But the blood of bulls and goat could not take away sin. Men soon forgot the loss of their prize bull or goat.  They could always get a better bull or goat which would win them greater prizes.  Also, the animal immolations were no true sacrifices on the part of the livestock since they were merely brutes going to the slaughter unaware of their approaching demise.  On the other hand, Jesus voluntarily sacrificed himself.  He was the spotless Lamb of God, God incarnate, whose value far surpasses the countless beasts which were sacrificed in temple history.  Really, there is no comparison to the spilt blood of a man compared to that of an animal, especially considering that Jesus' blood is that of the sinless Son of God.  What greater sacrifice could God make than to give us his beloved Son?  If this sacrifice cannot move the souls of men, what can? 

       I covered Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac.  God stopped the sacrifice to provide a substitute, a ram caught in a bush.   The Jews did not learn from the Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac, nor did they learn the lesson of holiness from the animal sacrifices under Moses' economy.  Alas, most men have not learned to shun sin from the sacrifice of Jesus.  What more can God possibly do to demonstrate his love than to give his Son.  What greater exhibition could God provide to show the awfulness of sin than the Cross?  There is no one to substitute for Jesus!  There is none greater than he.  Alas, despite God making the ultimate sacrifice so few are impressed to the point of forsaking all sin and living righteously for the rest of their days.

     At the 2:20 break twenty students stopped.  Sister Pat had had a few students talking to her.  I called on Pat, who built the crowd up to 30.  The students remained generally civil throughout the rest of the day.  After Pat turned the meeting back to me one woman who had been listening for a few hours began screaming that we were against science.  But we are only against false science like evolution.  About 4:30 a Christian who had been hanging around all afternoon whom I remember from the week I spent on campus before Christmas began to point out the fallacies of evolution.  He was doing such a good job that I let him deal with the remaining 6-8 students and we packed up our stuff.  UCF has become one of the better campuses to preach in recent years.  It is my favorite Florida campus.  

The boy on the right looks like he is really thinking about the message.

Thank you to all who sacrifice with us.  It is worth it!

 

For His Kingdom,

Bro. Jed 

            

   

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Brother Jed's Team's Tentative Schedule for Spring Semester 2012

     Sister Pat and I will be preaching along with a retired couple from Michigan, Dave and Doris Metz, who will be with us through February. Sister Cindy, Martha and Priscilla will likely meet us in Arizona. Should anyone else like to join us along the gospel road, please contact me before coming to campus since this schedule is still subject to change. If anyone would like to offer hospitality, contact me. The Metzs travel in a camper so no room is needed for them except perhaps a place to park their vehicle. Dinners are also appreciated if you are close to campus.

     Pastors, please contact me if you would want me to speak in your church while in your area. Also, if anyone would like to arrange a home meeting, I am available. Local Christians coming out to stand with us is very helpful. It is usually a life changing experience for anyone who has never witnessed on campus.

     This is a rugged schedule; we will be preaching five to six hours daily; also, I anticipate that Sundays and Wednesdays will be filling out soon with church meetings. We covet your prayers and your financial support. A long trip like this is expensive. Meanwhile, bills must be paid on the home front.  Bro Jed

January 8, Centenary UMC, Friendship Class, Terre Haute, IN

January 9 & 10, University of Florida, Gainesville

January 11 & 12 University of South Florida, Tampa

January 13, University of Florida

January 17 & 18 Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers

January 19, USF

January 20, UF

January 23-27, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

January 30 & 31, Sam Houston State, Huntsville

February 1-3 Texas A&M, College Station

February 6-8 Texas State University, San Marcos

February 9-10, University of Texas, Austin

February 13-15, New Mexico State, Las Cruces

February 16 & 17, 20-24, University of Arizona, Tucson

February 27-March 2, Arizona State University, Tempe

March 5, San Diego State

March 6 & 7, San Marcos State, San Marcos

March 8, San Diego State

March 9, UCSD

March 12 &13, Fresno State University

March 14, UC Davis

March 15 Sacrament State

March 16, UC Davis

March 19, Cal State Fullerton

March 20 &21, Long Beach State

March 22 & 23 Cal State Fullerton

March 26-30, Texas Tech, Lubbock

April 2 & 3, University of Oklahoma, Norman

April 4, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond

April 5 & 6, University of Oklahoma

April 9-27 Campuses in Missouri

April 30 & May 1, Ohio State, Columbus

May 2, Oberlin College

May 3, OSU

May 4, Ohio University, Athens

May 7, Oberlin

May 8, OSU

May 9, Wright State

May 10, Priscilla Smock's Senior Recital, Columbia, MO

May 12, Priscilla Smock's graduation

May 14 & 15, University of Washington, Seattle

May 16 & 17, Western Washington University, Bellingham

May 18, University of Washington

May 21-25, Eastern Washington University

May 29-June 1, University of Washington

June 4-7, University of Oregon, Eugene

June 8, Portland State