Battle Log

• Battle Log
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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday March 5th, 2025 from 0930-1030

Because of the imminent direct hit on Brisbane by the typhoon Alfred, I decided to do the street outreach earlier in the morning and let other team members who live farther away to take a rest. The wind was stronger but still not threatening yet. However the people flow was significantly less. I had to wait at the bus stop empty without persons for many long period. Nevertheless, I still managed to have several quality chat as recap below.

1) Perlman is a migrant from India. He received Christ here in Australia. So I switched to test his assurance of salvation which is 100% but the reason for it is not absolutely clear as such I need to clarify by giving him a recap of the gospel which he humbly accepted with appreciation.

2) Next was Wang from Guangzhou, China but his Cantonese is not fluent. He was taking a rest at the bus stop so it gave me plenty of time to share him the full Gospel. He appeared open and receptive to the gospel possibly also because there was no other Chinese around when we chatted.

3) Then I approached An UQ student Ma from Shandong doing study on Economics like myself. It quickly helped building rapport and receptiveness of gospel till his bus arrived.

 

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Mar 4, 2025 from 1230-1400

Because of the imminent approaching Typhoon Alfred, I set off earlier to do the regular outreach at Toowong as well as hospital visit to Ivano at PA.

Basically, there were many fresh Uni students amongst those was Lisa from Johor of the Western Malaysia. She dressed typically in Muslim woman code, but was still friendly and open enough to let me share her the full gospel.

Another long conversation was with Liam from Perth WA. He comes to study at UQ to accompany his girl friend a Canadian of Palestinian origin. He is non religious but have a free mind set open to discussion of Christianity. At the end, he shares the view that no human is perfect as such we all need to address this imperfection or sinful status in the human nature.

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Christchurch (NZ) Team

I like the quote: “preach the gospel; die; be forgotten”.  It’s not about me primarily, but it’s about God and his glory.

 

I write these reports to encourage.  But, do you need the encouragement of these reports?  Don’t we already have the book of Acts?  Is that not sufficient?  It is sufficient.

 

Yet, I also appreciate the prayers of the few of you who read these reports, and so I will continue.

 

When I was in Dunedin, I read Matthew 6:1-4.

 

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 

- Matthew 6:1 (esv)

 

And then, once back from Dunedin, during my last weekly bible study with my local church small group, we were studying the very same passage.  It’s amazing how subtle we can be in stealing glory from God and boasting in what we do!

 

And yet, the balance can be found earlier in Matthew:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 

 

- Matthew 5:16 (esv)

 

The bible study leader summed it up brilliantly: if you are tempted to hide it, you probably need to show it; but if you are tempted to show it, you probably need to hide it.

 

So, in writing these reports, there has been great temptation for me to boast in my efforts (which is crazy, because it’s only by the effort of Jesus that I’m even alive, saved and able to do anything at all).  I’m aware of this when I go back to the Facebook post and see how many ‘likes’ the post has had.

 

Rather than writing these reports, I could be telling more people about Jesus (one of the reasons I’ve dropped down to monthly reports).  And, rather than you reading these reports, you could be doing the same.  Something to consider, right?

 

And yet, all things in balance.

 

That all said, the team has had a very encouraging month.  The focus of this report will be on our week down in Dunedin, but we have also been busy on the streets of Christchurch and online.  There is *unlimited* opportunity for the proclamation of the gospel.  All glory to God alone.

 

So, we went to Dunedin during the University O (orientation) Week.  Dunedin has a big university, and is 1 of 2 medical universities in New Zealand.

 

We went in conjunction with Cornerstone Church, and also worked alongside members of OAC and other like minded ministries.  There was a lot of work in preparing for this trip.  I had to coordinate with the elders of the church, the local student ministries (who were working independent of us) and the other evangelists I would be working with.  That was hard work!  It led to much prayer on my part.  And did God answer that prayer!  As far as I know, the week went really smoothly from the coordination perspective.

 

But God also answered the other prayer: that He would be glorified in many hearing about Him and His gospel.

 

There were about 10 of us on the team.  Each day we would generally split into 2: half down at the Museum Reserve, where a big Uni O Week event was happening.  And the other half at the Octagon and everywhere in between (George Street, bus stops).

 

I’m going to relate a few experiences from my perspective.

 

Saturday morning we were in the Octagon, the foot traffic was a bit light, and so I ended up approaching everyone that came close.  This included 2 separate conversations with elderly people.  Generally, older people can be pretty resistant to new ideas.  This was no different with these 2 conversations, but I was encouraged that they at least stopped and continued talking with me in spite of the resistance!  We sometimes have no idea what’s going on in the heart.  I didn’t use my usual ‘script’ with them, instead I went at their pace and challenged them with where they were at.  They both took tracts for follow up.

 

In the afternoon, I started with a 45 minute gospel chat with a young man from Germany.  He was a carpenter on a working holiday.  His name was Mathias.  He resisted the building builder analogy, but I stuck to my guns, attempting to pry his hands off his suppression.  He opened up, and I was able to go through the law, the gospel, and all the checks.  Yet, he couldn’t help going back to his suppression.  I didn’t let him, reminding him of the certainty of the things we were discussing.  He said he needed time to think (which is fair to a degree – I can’t force him!), but I warned him he could die today and what I was sharing was simple.  I urged him to repent.

 

On Sunday we were at the church gathering in the morning, and then rested in the afternoon.  From Monday till Thursday it would be 6 hours a day of gospel labour.

 

It was wonderful to have a newbie with us Monday and Tuesday.  Xavier was paired with me on Monday morning.  We were in the Octagon.

 

We ended up getting into a very long chat with a high school student.  Early in the chat, I mentioned that I didn’t want him to be late for school, but he just said, “it’s okay, I’ve got an appointment”.  Near the end of the chat, he looked at his phone, so I checked again, “do you have to go?”.  “Oh, no”, he responded, “I’ve still got time to talk”.  So he was very engaged.  He was partly resistant, and yet partly open.  There were certain sticking points for him that we needed to labour on.  It was a wonderful chat.  As he finally left, Xavier turned around and rejoiced!  He was so encouraged.  And I was encouraged that he was encouraged!  From then on, you couldn’t hold Xavier back!  In the afternoon, he was paired with Roger, and Xavier ended up taking over his flipchart in his enthusiasm!

 

There are so many more stories I could write about like this.  I would encounter people in the Octagon on one day, and on another I would be able to follow up with them down at the Museum Reserve.  The bus stops were amazing.  In the late afternoon, they were teaming with fish - all in a barrel and I had a gospel shotgun to fish with.  So good!

 

This is where I have to be most careful about boasting.  A young man came up to me to say that the conversation I had had with him a year ago had impacted him - esp. The Fireman analogy.  He is now a Christian, being discipled by one of the student ministers and connected with Cornerstone church.  He wanted a selfie with me, I wanted to refuse - he should get a selfie with Jesus instead, but I conceded.  We already know this, but the gospel is truly the power of God for salvation, the Holy Spirit is truly active today!  All glory to God alone!!!

 

This report is long, and I have so much more to write.  I’m going to let those words drop.  Instead, I’ll finish up with this.

 

Andy and I have a good friend, Thomas, who has just moved to Timaru to take up a Pastoral role at a local church there (Covenant Grace Baptist Church).  On Friday, we did 2 hours of outreach in Dunedin before starting the long drive home.  We were going to do 3 hours, but instead we arranged to stop in Timaru for an hour of outreach with Thomas.  We parked on the top of the hill and prayed together before moving down the main drag to start gospel chats.  I was paired with Thomas.  There were 2 guys from a local high school walking towards us, and so I started a chat with them.  We talked for the whole hour.  And it was the best chat of the whole week.

 

One of the kids had already been learning about Jesus online, and had been reading the Bible.  Our conversation seemed to join the final dots for him.  We had to labour longer with the other guy.  We used all the analogies and check questions.  Before the chat was over, they had shaken our hands at least 4 times.  Thomas gave one a tract with his # and the name of his church.

 

Thomas let me know that they both came to church on the Sunday, and the sermon was just what they needed to hear.  The last I heard Thomas was going to be catching up with them again on the Wednesday following.

 

Oh, that they are good soil, oh that those seeds won’t be plucked away.  That God would not only be glorified through his justice, but by his greater mercy in their lives!  May they grow up and be able to continue the task of making disciples: proclaiming the gospel.  Either way, God will be glorified.

 

Please continue to pray for this feeble ministry.  We are weak, but He is strong!  In a couple of days we are flying to the Philippines for a week and a bit of ministry there.  We need God’s help!

 

All glory to God alone.  SDG.  To Him be all the glory, forever and ever!  Amen!!!

 

Edit: I have to mention the picture with the guy holding the pro life signs.  Lovely guy, been laboring for the cause of life for decades.  I think he mentioned since the '70s!  But, he is Catholic.  He said he was earning brownie points for heaven.  I spent 30 minutes with him, as I left, he was at least correctly articulating the gospel.  Pray that God would save his life, as he endevours to save lives.

 

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday February 26th, 2025 from 1300-1500

Today, Ann and Hung turned up with Edwin occupied by church's Ad hoc ministry. It was an usual day that God led us to approach people from different cultural background.

1) Attempted to approach an Aboriginal family but the father decline my approach despite they still have to wait a long time for their bus.

2) Then I caught up with a UQ student from Taiwan doing a Master of business. It was a pity his bus came too quick.

3) Then I tried to catch up with a Chinese lady who had just missed her bus. But she was busy on the phone informing her friend about the lateness.

4) Then I was led to approach Kyle whose Mum is Chinese and Dad is Aussie. He is a Christian who has 100% of assurance of salvation but need brushing up on the why? Anyway, it was a delightful long chat to strengthen his faith.

5) Next was an Indian woman who did not want to chat but took a tract.

6) Next was a mainlander who allowed me to share the gospel but at the end claimed that he is a non believer.

7) Next was a chat with a UQ student from Thailand. Despite he is a Buddhist but he still remain open and objective to the gospel.

8 ) Last was a Filipino Catholic Christian, who is lack of assurance of salvation but clarified and showed appreciation by a selfie photo.

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday February 19th, 2025 from 1300-1500

Today, Ann and Hung turned up with Edwin chipping in for a short while. It was an amazing day of outreach characterized by two outward expressions. First, several gospel targets without hesitation claimed that they have been watching me and the team to serve in Sunnybank at the bus stop, showing appreciation of our ministry there. Second, during the conversation, several target ended up asking and guessing my age that all of them thought I am around just 50 years of age but totally found dump to know I am already 72 getting to 73 in few months time. It certainly impressed them that the Christian faith and the Christian walk have compounded impact to my health both physically and spiritually speaking that I look just for ever young to live a life on mission with God. That fit with the teaching of Jesus as per Matt 24:14 that we do not just preach the Gospel to people of all nations towards the end of the world, we also bear witnesses for Christ when we proceed to do His work of global gospel outreach that people may recognize we are really the blessed ambassador for Christ. Recap below is the Battle Log for Hung:

1) The first Chinese woman I approached claimed to be a fan of our team, having been watching us serving there for years. So she said , she heard the message many times already and referred me to speak to another young guy from China.

2) The Young guy is a new student of QUT from China, he showed interest in my conversation with that lady. So I switched to chat with him for a while before the bus came.

3) Third was Terry a Catholic Christian lady who also claimed she just chatted with me two weeks ago. But she still patiently and humbly listened to my revision of the gospel. She out of the blue offered to guess my age as 50 and was surprised that I am 72 going to be 73. It was possibly because she felt the passion in side me to preach the gospel so earnestly.

4) Then I was led to approach a nurse from Sunnybank private. I jokingly said I am a loyal customer of the hospital because of my Bladder cancer treatment there in the past 4 years. She appeared a bit avoidance to cut the conversation short in view of the approaching bus that she did not want to miss.

5) Then I was led to chat with a matured man from Shangdong. China. After listening my gospel, he also suddenly offered to guess my age and said I am 50 like Terry. I supposed he was also impressed by my passion to share the gospel as if I am still young enough for this ministry.

6) Next was a girl from a city near Bangkok in Thailand. She comes to do TESOL study. She was also receptive to the Gospel.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Feb 25, 2025 from 1230-1400

I served my roster duty street outreach at Toowong by myself again today. It is the beginning of the academic year of UQ, so I was given chance to connect with students of all Year from all cultural background including Local Aussie, Italian born Chinese but does not speak Chinese, Indian migrant and a longest conversation with a Catholic Christian of UK descendant.

1) First greeted mysteriously by a friendly local Aussie for a short chat before the bus arrived.

2) Next with an Italian born Chinese from Rome but of non-religious background.

3) Nic an UK and European mixed of Catholic background but gave me a perfect answer on the two diagnostic question about Assurance of Salvation. Building on his perfect understanding of Jesus' redemptive work, we chatted over half an hour about all doctrinal issues.

4) Last but not the least a full gospel sharing with an Indian migrant of Hinduism background. She was skeptical initially but become more convinced and receptive to to the logic and effectiveness of Jesus redemptive grace.

   

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Feb 11, 2025 from 1230-1400

I serve my roster duty street outreach at Toowong by myself again today. It is the Orientation week of UQ, so I was given chance to connect with several fresh first year students from Indonesia, China and India etc. There were mixed responses with both friendly and open chat to reluctant connection or even blunt rejections. That is really part of the training by God to deal with all sort of situation knowing God has played His part in all these divine encounter, if not appointments. Recap below is my Battle Log: -

1) First approached a fresh first year student David from Indonesia. He was the only one did not bury his head in the smart phone texting. He is a Muslim but holds very open mind about other religion especially Christianity which is the 2nd largest in Indonesia. His view about Jesus is comparatively assertive than Muslim of older generation. He showed appreciation for our chat by taking a photo with me.

2) Next was Joelle From UK, who is a 2nd year student. We built rapport quickly because of my UK business involvement and later the post graduate study experience. She also show openness to religious issue and receptiveness towards Gospel as such she also took a selfie with me.

3) Third came a first year fresh student girl from Beijing. She showed uneasiness toward the chat on life issue and reluctance all the more into Gospel. After a brief sharing of the nutshell of the Gospel, she found excuse to join with her friend to end prematurely the conversation.

4) Then my approach to another Indonesian young man was failed he simply walk off from my approach.

5) Yet the next outreach to a fresh first year student from Calcutta of India was quite all right. She appreciate the sharing and took a tract when her bus came.

6) Then there was only one guy left at the bus stop, but he was occupied by his phone conversation. I thus call for the day to go to visit Joe Tam.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Feb 11, 2025 from 1230-1400

It was an extremely hot day. Johnny advised me to start first and he joined me just a little bit later. It was yet another fruitful day that we were led to outreach to many least reached people groups we rarely encounter like Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia. Johnny also got some interesting conversations. Recap below is the Battle Log of Hung.

1) A lady UQ student from USA of Egyptian origin and Muslim faith initially tried to avoid me by standing at a distance from the bus stop. But the scorching sun forced her to come under the shade of the bus stop as such I finally could approach her. It ended up a success to share her the full gospel which seemingly was receptive to her.

2) Next was an Indonesia man but of no religious background. He also appeared open and receptive to the gospel.

3) Then Johnny referred a family of three from Hong Kong to me. They seemed to be receptive to religious issue and admitted they are Christian but eventually found out they are of Mormon faith. They were trained to mislead people to think they accept Jesus as God and our savior but they actually does not accept trinity and regarded Jesus as a saint or at best a lesser god.

4) Next I connect with another Indian but our conversation was aborted as I helped him to find out that he was actually on the wrong direction of the bus route as such he needed to go the bus stop on the other side of the street heading to CBD.

5) Then I approached yet another Indonesian who use excuse of being on a phone call to decline my approach.

6) Next were a pair of Local Aussie girl. I use the Aussie slang fair dinkum to start the conversation but interrupted by the bus arrival.

7) Next I was led to approach a matured man Sophia from Southern Jordan. We connected well despite his English level is too basic that took him lone time to get a message through. But the Christian love was expressed and conveyed to him.

8 ) The last Local Aussie I approached was a very young man but appeared arrogant as such very reluctant to have a chat on religious issues. In stead I use fair dinkum slang to get the conversation going.

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Battle Log of Operation 513 at Sunnybank on Wednesday February 5th, 2025 from 1300-1500

Today, Johnny, Ann and Hung were available to team up at Sunnybank for Street Gospel Outreach. There was intermittent rain, but as usual, it never could deter the fire of the Gospel warrior squad to retreat from the fore front battle line preaching gospel to people of all nations. Recap below is the Battle Log of Hung: -

1) Lin林 from Singapore gave hung a big hand wave while we were doing our opening prayer. I was thus attracted to approach him to check if we had met before but found out it was an innocent mistake, Mr. Lin was only waving to stop the bus from leaving but he failed as such it became the first divine appointment for me to chat for a long while with Lin. He is non-religious, but embrace freedom of religion. He has open mind and rational thinking to grasp my gospel presentation logic that as long as we are not perfect, we all need help from a perfect third party human to be our atoning savior taking our place to received punishment of our sin. Who ever in our life time accepted Jesus as our Savior then his/her life will be saved with heavenly citizenship granted to us with immediate effect 100% be3casue of Jesus' redemptive acts, none because of our good deeds. Lin admitted it made a lot of sense and promise to ponder to make his final step of faith to grab the gift of grace of eternal life offered for free by Jesus.

2) Then I was led to approach Henry from a small Islander country near Fiji called Kiribati. He was of Catholic Christian family background as such his answer to the 2 questions for testing assurance of salvation all failed. It indicated he seriously is not yet a genuine Christian without the step of repentant from sin and overtly accepted Jesus as Savior. He however is a very lay back and humble person, who like to share a lot about his Chinese blood background. His Chinese name is sort of Chi feng and his father name is Choi Kwong. Both a native born in Kiribati. He came to Australia for a short course and has not decided yet if he want to stay for ever. I urge him to consider migration to Heaven even more seriously than to migrate to Australia. And he laughingly agreed.

3) Ben is an Australian born Vietnamese. Because of his upbringing in Australia with less influence from Buddhism, he appeared all open and receptive to the Gospel.

4) A Landscaper of heavy duty labor job who has to start working from 5am to mid day, as such he leads a very healthy sleeping habit turning to bed at 7pm and waking up 1 or 2 am for the early start of landscape work. He absolutely did not want me to share gospel or anything religious to him , but I used his work and his discipline healthy life as an analogy that we also need a very healthy and pure spiritual life which have been contaminated by sin. He ended up giving me a fist pump on setting apart for the bus to acknowledge his acceptance of me as a friend.

Don’t want to chat religion but life is ok sleep by 7 pm

5) Lastly I caught up with Genti from India now staying in Australia on a TR permit for a short course. Her English is not good but we still manage to communicate to let me share the full gospel to her.

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Toowong (QLD) Team

Battle Log of Operation 513 at Toowong on Tuesday Feb 4, 2025 from 1230-15400

You may wonder how come only two pictures were taken? and posted! Yes it is. Because I forgot to bring my only iPhone as such I asked Johnny my forever gospel outreach team mates to take the opening photo after the opening prayer. And the other was a picture he took for me.

in Hind sight, the all knowing God knew that I only needed to two people today, one Indian born man who came to Australia at the age of 4 years old, so his ethnic identity is more local Aussie that Indian. we shared briefly before his bus arrived in 2 minutes. Then next, there were very few people and most of them were Chinese so I let Johnny to chat to them in Mandarin. My chance came at last with Ahmed, a man from Djibouti (east of Ethopia). He claimed himself a Catholic Christian, but with very heavy pro-Muslim and Anti Christ background. So his faith system is very mixed and uncleared. It also explained why he really has spent many times to read the Bible and other religious writing with a view to find an unified sete of faith believe. God actually let us met over 1 years ago here, and he still remember me despite I could not be sure who he was. His understanding of the Bible is very biased often time reading it out of context and without a big pictures. He even accused Jesus also have sin and his example was Jesus explicitly reject to help a Canaan woman in Phoenicia. I explained patiently with him that it was actually a tactic of Jesus to use initial rejection to test and train His disciple if their attitude toward outreaching and relating to gentile for gospel has been firmly changed. In effect, all the disciples failed the test and thought Jesus now was doing the right thing as per the ritual law of Jewish people to keep gentile out of their reach in their life. So Jesus at the end still entertain the request of the Canaan woman to heal her daughter as he had done these many times before to all sort of gentile people.

It ended up like a religious education class for me to answer all the query of Ahmed, which hopefully many have changed the mindset of Ahmed to look at the Bible in a oneness unison manner. If it was not Johnny calling me to leave when time was up, Ahmed and I may go on much longer. His seriousness to seek the truth is adorable though obviously he lacks the real salvation of Jesus so that there is still no indwelling of the Holy Spirit in his heart to guide and enlighten him to understand the Bible correctly.

God is praise worthy to reconnect me with Ahmed for such meaningful apologetic conversation.

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