After a few moments our "Street Preachers" begin to preach! This really stirs up the crowd! Someone asked me, "Pastor Mel, what's the difference between Mardi Gras and what you do in Atlanta, and Miami?" My reply is "The people in Atlanta and Miami know that they have a need. They welcome us because we are there trusting the Lord to meet their needs!"
I went on to say, "The people at Mardi Gras don't think they have a need, they think they are OK with Jesus, and they DO NOT WANT US THERE!" After all, on Ash Wednesday, they are going to REPENT FOR LENT! The Mardi Gras Outreach is very CONFRONTATIONAL EVANGELISM!
As we are Street Preaching, lots of obscenities are being hurled at us, beads are thrown at us, beer is poured on us, and ungodly behavior takes place as they mock the cross, the Message and the Jesus we preach! One of their favorite sayings is "Go back IN THE CHURCH, where you belong, and LEAVE US ALONE!" What they do not realize is "This is where the church belongs!"
So you may ask "Why do you do this? What good is this? Why not just leave them alone?" Well I am glad that you asked … it is because many people stop and stare at the cross with tears in their eyes; many people stop and have their friends take pictures of them and the cross (this cracks me up because you know when they develop the pictures and show them to friends, the CROSS still screams the message of Jesus!)
While we are preaching, our Soul Winners that are passing out tracts get into hundreds of conversations with people and end up praying for many of them, and leading many of them to the Lord! It is incredible!
But what I like to do more than anything else, is to listen to what people in the crowd are saying, and FEED off of that!
A young man in his early 30's walked by and yelled "GET REAL!" I had to jump on that! I got his attention and said "Ok man, but what is real? I want to GET REAL!" He looked at me with a blank stare on his face, but said nothing! I then pressed the issue, "What is real? I really want to GET REAL!" He looked at me and said, "I guess I don't know what REAL is", and he began to walk away. I grabbed him by the arm and said, "I don't believe that! You know what REAL is! You're just afraid to admit it because you know what we are doing and what we are saying is REAL!"
I went on to say "You couldn't just walk by the cross tonight and ignore it, because you know that it's time for you to GET REAL!" I wish you could have seen the look on his face; I'll never forget it! He hung his head and said "You're right … I shouldn't even be here!" That is when tears welled up in his eyes!
He said "I'm going back home to Canada tomorrow." I then told him "Not until you GET REAL! You see Lewis; you can make things right with God right here on Bourbon Street. You can meet a REAL JESUS that will forgive your sins and make you brand new so you can GET A REAL LIFE, and that's Eternal Life!"
Lewis looked at me with eyes that were saying "Help me GET REAL!" It was then that I asked him if I could pray for him right now, and he said "YES!" So right there on Bourbon Street a REAL JESUS, GOT REAL with Lewis, and gave him a REAL LIFE!" GLORY TO GOD!
Lewis poured out his beer, and with tears in his eyes hugged me. I said; "Let me get your address so I can write you." He then pulled out his business card and said "It is critical that you write me!" Turns out that he is an Engineering Manager specializing in Marine and Offshore HVAC Systems!
I told Lewis, "You can count on me to write you; I won't forget!" He kept saying "It's important to me that you write me!" And as he walked off I replied "You can count on it!"
I was afraid I might lose his card, or "sweat it away" in my pocket, so right there on Bourbon Street I called my office back in Atlanta and left myself a message on my voice mail. When I got back to Atlanta, I checked my voicemail and message #2 was "Hey Pastor Mel, this is Pastor Mel calling from New Orleans! I need you to be sure to contact Lewis in Canada because he GOT REAL on Bourbon Street tonight!" I contacted him today!
So as you pray, pray for the hundreds of Lewis' that GOT REAL this year during our Mardi Gras Outreach! To God Be The Glory!
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