Luke 10:2 Ministries

Lots of evangelism here at Panama City Beach

As I write this I am currently in Panama City Beach at the reckless heathen party called Spring Break ‘09.  Students from all over the country come here for a couple of weeks in the spring to celebrate their sins.  Lisa, Eliza, and William are not with me, they are south of here waiting to join me when this debauchery comes to a close in a bit over a week.  I miss them dearly.  Please pray that we will be reunited safely and soon, that the Lord would grant us to keep our eye on the Cross, and that He would be glorified through all this.  Fortunately I am with some brothers including Michael Marcavage, Jake Gardner, and Vincent Piater. Other brothers will be joining us in a couple of days…

I was in Key West with Scott and Patte Smith prior to coming here to Panama City Beach.  While there I had a sharp awareness of man’s depravity and lawlessness. My eyes were opened larger to how far man has strayed from God.  I can’t stop thinking about how wicked and evil we have become. I am grieved to the core.  I am broken over this generation and for them to be saved.  Please join me in prayer for revival for this country and please pray for the greatest awakening.  Don’t stop praying, saints.  I urge you to get on your knees and beg for the Lord to have mercy on these poor lost souls.  God has demonstrated His love through His Son and man rejects that love.  Man would rather have displayed fruits of darkness than fruits of righteousness.  The fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.”  James 4:7-9

There is a permit process in Key West down at the pier. There are many street performers and spaces are given out by seniority and then, after that it is first come first serve.  Scott and I never got to open air preach but we were able to do plenty of witnessing.  Patte was in the trenches also sowing seeds.

Patte witnessing 1 to 1

The cruise ships pull into dock there and roughly 2,000 people exit the ship just about all at the same time.  If all a person did was hand out tracts as a full time ministry, it would be a great way to get the Gospel out to the world.

these two professing Christians believe there are many ways to God

Scott and I ran out of tracts while we were in Key West, really not having been prepared for such a great place to go tracting.  We met a pastor that has been doing open air preaching for 22 years down on the pier.  He goes by the name of Bible Bill and uses a paint board while preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He has to compete with all the street performers while preaching though, so gathering a crowd is sometimes difficult with such an entertainment driven culture.

Bible Bill in Key West Florida

ok, now back to Panama City Beach (PCB).  In the first two days we had our equipment attempted to be stolen and destroyed while preaching.  Both occasions the police were close by and arrested the men that maliciously demonstrated their wickedness and hatred for God by doing these horrible deeds.

Arrests abound. Pray for the Lord's protection on us and also for these young sinners

How far from God this nation has become as seen here in PCB.  Sad.  Stages run all along the beach with organizations like MTV hosting devilish celebrations of sin, drunkenness, orgies, flashing, abusers of mankind, violent, vomitous angry crowds, men are treating women like pieces of flesh, etc…

Too drunk to get up

Police split the crowd we are preaching to with a beach patrol truck

As usual, students that are self-proclaimed “Christians” say that we are doing it all wrong and that our method is not effective.  According to them we need to build a friendship and tell people about the love of God.  The same group of Christians that oppose us on campuses is here opposing us at PCB.

Jake and Vincent witnessing

I explained to the students that they may not have a tomorrow.  That evening a student fell from a second floor balcony while partying.  Now what if I had built a friendship with the student who fell off the balcony, and had never shared the truth about God.  What good would that have done them?

Shawn Holes preaching

I don’t know if this particular student that fell heard us preach, but at least we are sharing the Gospel. I pray that many will repent of their sins and put their faith in Christ.  God is willing to forgive, and demonstrated His Kindness by offering His Son as a payment for sin.  If only they would open their eyes.  If only they would wake up.  If only they would surrender. If only they knew the great mercy of our God.

Students that had recognized me from having preached on their campus this year in Texas stopped by to say hello.

A screen shot of a video which I hope to upload at a later date. This student recognized me from one of the campuses that I had preached at.

Jake preaching at night

One group of students that was not opposed to us was from Tennessee Tech.  About thirty of them were here witnessing for their spring break.  We loved these young people and their zeal for the Lord.  They agreed with giving the law to the proud and grace to the humble.  They have repented of their sin and are putting their total trust in Jesus Christ.  They don’t want to be “sinning saints” that are dead in their sins, they desire to be dead to their sins.  After a couple of days with them on the beach, they came to our campground and we had pizza and fellowship.  We are so encouraged by these young people!

The two girls on the right are from Tennessee Tech and are witnessing to the girl on the left.

Students from Tenn Tech witnessing

Tenn Tech Christians

Vincent preaching Romans chap. 3

Singing hymns at our campground with Tennessee Tech students

Thank you for the prayers and support. All I want to do is bring glory to His name.  Have faith. Please continue to lift us up to the Lord in prayer.  Don’t grow weary.  Keep fighting.

Shawn