Category Archives: Evangelism

River City Ministry – Lives Touched in 2010

I thoroughly enjoy receiving regular updates from my friend and brother Anthony Wood. Here’s his update from the 16th:

12/16/10 The big room here at RCM is full, Lord. It’s cold outside, people are edgy, and I’m not sure there’s enough space for another person. We squeeze them in as best we can. Safe and warm, but not always peaceful like we want. Sometimes people leave because they can’t get in. Sometimes the presence of the evil one sneaks in and those seeking You have to go elsewhere.

I’m glad Toshua stayed, today. Toshua, Lord, You know her.

Twenty-three years old. Raped at 11 years old, watched her mother murdered before her very eyes at fourteen because Mom didn’t pay the drug man. She didn’t pay, one too many times. But not before her mother tried to pay off the drug man with sexual favors from Toshua starting at age thirteen.

“One night, after they raped me, repeatedly, they killed my mother in front of my face.” I asked about her father. “Prison.” “I’m depressed, I haven’t been taking my meds, not for that, and not for my diabetes either. I can’t keep living like this. It’s hard for me to trust people, bro. Anthony, ‘cause of what they did to me. I want help.” She cried.

So now, after coming to RCM, Lord, finding You in the big room, Toshua’s got a doctor’s appointment, a meeting set to help with her mental state, a place to stay, and job leads. But the best part Lord? Toshua gave her life to You. Today.

I found her this morning in the big room. She was waiting for me. After her immersion, she smiled, “A huge burden has been lifted, and with Jesus walking with me, I know He’ll lift all my burdens. I feel clean.” Toshua loves You. She’s now Your child. Lord, as You promised, give her all of the blessings that come with the abundant life in Jesus. Put Your arms around her. Warm her soul with the light of Your love. Let Toshua know You can be trusted, that Your promises are true, and You are good for them.

Thank for one more soul ending the old life for one brand new. Thanks, Lord, for allowing one just more into the Big Room. I thank You, Lord, for Your Big Room in heaven that ever expands, like the universe, to allow in one more. And, once inside, each finds that there’s plenty of space for another.

I am thankful that Your Spirit in the RCM big room is more powerful than the evil one, so that our people can find You.

Blessings,
Anthony Wood, Evangelist
River City Ministry
North Little Rock, AR

And here’s what was waiting on me in my inbox today:

12/23/10 Thanks, Lord, for another great year being a part our Your plan. Thanks for the …

  • 241 people who studied the Bible with me,
  • 1410 persons who I was blessed to pray with,
  • 958 who wanted to have a conversation about You,
  • 167 who gave their lives back to You in restoration, and
  • 86 who made Jesus their Lord re-enacting the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus in immersion, and the
  • 383 who learned more about their walk with You in Disciple’s Class.

Thanks, Lord for the marvelous way You make Yourself available to us, so that we may help make You available to the poor and homeless. We at RCM, look forward to a new year being Your presence among those whom Jesus dearly loved.

Thanks for Your love Father, for Your guidance Holy Spirit, for Your willing sacrifice Jesus.

Blessings,
Anthony Wood, Evangelist
River City Ministry
North Little Rock, AR

Praise God for River City Ministry!

If you’d like to receive updates like these from Dr. Wood, send an email to awoodxulon@yahoo.com requesting to be added to his list.

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Everyday Life Evangelism

We’re working our way through our One Purpose sermons series at Lake Merced Church.

Yesterday the sermon was about declaring the Good News of Jesus in everyday life.

All disciples of Jesus are called to preach the Good News to all creation, but often people don’t because they’re intimidated by the idea of “preaching.”

What does it really mean to be a “preacher?” That and more is discussed in this lesson.

Here’s a link if you’d like to listen:

For more like this visit the westcoastwitness.com Sermon Archive.

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Sermon: Building Bridges by Burning Korans? A Biblical Approach to Sharing Jesus in a Pluralistic World

This week a pastor for a small, fringe church in Gainesville got of lot of attention by organizing an “International Burn a Koran Day” set on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The motivation behind this pastor’s actions: to demonstrate to the world the dangers of Islam and to highlight the truth that the Koran is leading people to hell.

The outcome of this action? World-wide protests from the Muslim community including the burning of Bibles, the destruction of crosses, chants such as “death to Christians” or “death to America,” attacks against Christians as well as attacks against American troops overseas. What’s more, is that people have actually died as the result of these protests.

The good that has come from this pastor’s actions? Well, your guess is as good as mine … please let me know if you see any good that has come of it, because my search is coming up empty.

Here’s my question: does the Bible teach us anything about how we should approach adherents of religions other than Christianity? What examples do we have to look at?

In truth the Bible teaches us much about this subject giving us plenty of examples to study.

In this morning’s sermon with The Lake Merced Church of Christ in San Francisco, I highlighted one of them. That of Paul’s experience with the idolatrous Athenians in Acts 17:15-34.

You’ll see that Paul’s approach in the Bible differed greatly from that of this Gainesville pastor’s.

It is very important that we show compassion to all people regardless of race, lifestyle, or belief system. Intrinsic in showing compassion is showing respect. Paul’s example, the example of the rest of the apostles, and the example of Jesus Himself proves that to be a fact.

Here’s the introductory video used with this lesson:

And here’s the audio and PowerPoint from this morning:

To listen to more sermons like this, visit westcoastwitness.com’s Sermon Archive.

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I’m looking forward to being with a bunch of college students this week at the annual Cocoa Beach Retreat in Cocoa Beach Florida. This is a regional campus ministry event, and many ministries will be represented there. They are flying me in from the west coast to do the bulk of the teaching. I’ll post the audio from the lessons when I get back home – should be a great time!

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