Telling tourists about Christ

This year, for the first time ever, the well-established Tell-a-Tourist outreach took place in London at Easter time. From 3 to 6 April, a team organised by London City Mission and OAC Ministries (Open Air Campaigners) took to the streets with the aim of effectively communicating the gospel in the public arena.

"The good thing about staging Tell-a-Tourist at Easter is the focus on the death and resurrection of our Lord," noted Stephen Frost of London City Mission.

"One of the team started conversations with ‘Did you know that Jesus is alive?’ We were able to speak to people from 27 different countries including Romania and Saudi Arabia."

Comments and questions from the public ranged from, ‘Is Jesus God?’ to ‘All roads lead to God.’

Many people were being prayed for as a result of their conversations. They varied from a man who left the Jesus Army and now lives in a squat, to a Hindu man who is open to all religions. Also, there was the encouragement of meeting a Pakistani Christian who suffered persecution for his faith.

"Easter time in London in 2012 catapults my mind back to Passover time in the Jerusalem of Jesus’ day," commented OAC Director Peter Kennelly.

"Throngs of different people, yet both cities full of people whom Jesus longs to gather to himself … Some weeks after that first Easter, Jesus’ disciples spilled out into the streets proclaiming the news of their risen, ascended Lord. Nearly two millennia after them we, on the Tell-a-Tourist mission team, did the same.’"

The team spent most of their time in Piccadilly Circus as there were thousands of visitors around. But there were also opportunities to witness in Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Tower Hill and Oxford Circus.

The team comprised people from 12 different churches and an age range from 16 to 82 years old.

Painting both words and pictures to illustrate the gospel message proved effective in holding the attention of people listening. The team also distributed literature in a variety of languages to reach the many different nationalities represented in the city.

Team members invite you to join in praying that the powerful message of Jesus will touch the lives of diverse people as it did in Jerusalem almost two millennia ago.