A Canopy, Six Sandbags, and God’s Timing: Gospel Conversations at U of Memphis

Tired of NOBODY to really talk to one on one while doing door to door visitation or even on the street? TRY THIS!

After the great time we had at the Memphis Delta Fair using a canopy and hanging banners from it (look back a few posts) I decided to try it at the U of Memphis.

I requested permission to be scheduled at the free speech area and sent a picture of us using a tent from the fair. Though I don’t think I legally had to assure them of my intentions I did so anyway because of the tension in the air after Charlie Kirk. I told them I would not be there to fight over any of the hot button issues, but strictly to have gospel discussions with those who were willing to talk. They gave me a two hour time slot and date and off I went. I am hoping to give some of YOU an idea that you can use to get to talk to people.

CHAOS ENSUES- They needed Candid Camera!!

I am NOT saying it is easy! Because I was by myself this time it got hilarious!!

I had a 12’x 12′ canopy (a 10 x 10 would be better but it is what I have) a ratchet strap holding a tub about 3‘ x 2‘ to hold tracts, my Bible, hooks to hold the banners etc. And on top of that I had six sandbags that had several pounds of sand in each one. So it was pretty heavy. I had 6 banners that were all rolled up and tied together. On top of that I had the canopy and a small aluminum table. This was all on a rolling hand cart. ARE YOU GETTING THE PICTURE? I must have looked like one of those third world pictures with things piled sky high on a moped. I got to the elevator in the parking garage and took all of my stuff out and set it there while I drove to the next level to find a spot. I came back to the elevator and guess what? My stuff (horizontally packed banners & the canopy) was too wide to go through the elevator door. So I had to take the banners in AND then the table in AND then the canopy etc. . . whew and then I had to do it put it all together again once out of the elevator. I walked up an incline toward the free-speech area and thought I was home free. But NO – they had barricades to keep a car from driving through and they were closer together than the width of my things so as I was negotiating that my table fell off! Two young men saw me and undoubtedly thought that they better help this poor old man so they came up and asked if they could help and I said “FOR SURE” so we got through the barricade. I had been concerned during the night about being able to stretch the canopy out by myself, so the Lord sent these two guys at just the right time. They went with me to the area and started helping me set everything up and while doing so I began to preach my way through the banners. This is what is so great about using the banners. They give a visual presentation of the gospel that provoke thought and questions. So BEFORE I was even set up I began to have in depth conversations with these two young men. It turned out that Douglas was centering his salvation around an experience he had during a medical issue while at a Methodist youth camp so I probed the experience for evidence he understood Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing…”. They began to show signs of needing to get to class so I left Douglas with what he had received and Sangita professed to have an earlier Christian experience but had walked away from it. I showed him 2 Timothy 2:13 which says “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself.” The issue is to find out DID YOU TRUST JESUS?
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MY SISTER’S ACCOUNT:
My sister, Donna, lives close to the university and showed up and took a few pictures and also talked to a few people. Donna was saved in the 60’s under Bill Bright’s ministry (Campus Crusade) and we have wonderful fellowship. Here is the way she saw it. You can tell she is more polished than me:

“The morning sun bathed the plaza in a gentle warmth as students hurried between classes, laughter and conversation filtering through the air. Under the tent, our banners swayed lightly in the breeze, each one proclaiming an aspect of the gospel message. Before long, a few curious faces turned our way. One by one, students began to stop—some hesitant, others eager—and soon real conversations were unfolding.

What struck me most was the friendliness of the students. They spoke with such thoughtfulness—polite, curious, and genuinely interested in what we had to share. We talked about Jesus, about hope, about the truth of God’s Word. There is a quiet hunger for something more, for truth that lasts.”
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I had students to talk to the entire time that I was there. After preaching to this last young man with his girlfriend for about 20-25 minutes he had his eyes opened and acknowledged that he was not saved. He seemed so close to receiving Jesus, but at the last minute said he needed “some time to think about it.” I reminded him of the UPS plane that crashed this last week so encouraged him that “NOW is the day. . ”

A professor came by and acknowledged that he was a believer (in some sense) and didn’t have time to stop but he encouraged me and said he was glad I was there.

I have a 4 hour time slot coming up this week which will help me because it does take a little time to get set up.

If you are tired of holding signs at intersections, I’m encouraging you to try this. If you need banners contact Bro. Zeller or Bro. Toure Carter and they will make sure you get some.

There are students there who desperately need somebody to at least TRY to reach them with the gospel.