Bayfield Apple Festival

Friday and Saturday were amazing days for us!

My Mom, my brother Michael and a brother in the Lord Josh and I, went to the Bayfield Apple Festival in Bayfield Wisconsin to hold gospel signs and give the gospel.

This event is huge, with around 60,000 people attending. There are many many booths and tents set up with people selling their wares, mostly hand crafted items and tons of food. All crammed into a couple of city blocks, so the crowds are incredible.

On Friday we were not sure how we would be welcomed by the many police which patrolled the area, so we began on a sidewalk with one sign and handed out gospel tracts.

Even though many officers walked past us, they never said a word, so we went to a more prominent sidewalk. Then we moved into the middle of the street among all the people and again, not a word. So...we brought out another of the signs and began walking around on the streets through the crowds, handing out gospel tracts and giving the gospel to anyone who asked.

A couple from a Church with heretical teachings talked to my Mom for close to an hour. They objected to the sign that includes the words "stop sinning." They believe that once you are saved, you can continue living a lifestyle of sin. They teach that you do not have to repent, you can even become an atheist after you are "saved" and still go to heaven! Oh yes, it is good to stop sinning, but you don't have to and some people just can't stop sinning. We finally came to the conclusion that they deny the power of God. There are so many scriptures that point to the power of God to change a life completely around.

Here are a few:

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17-24)

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:9-10) and all of Col. 3

A couple of young ladies said that they had never read anything like what was on our signs, they were very excited to be given pocket New Testaments.

Michael confronted a man at an Obama booth and was able to give him the gospel.

Saturday, Michael was not able to come but my Mom and I went with Josh again and this time we brought three signs. The streets were packed shoulder to shoulder and we walked among the crowds with the gospel signs just above their heads. People would crane their necks to read the signs and many young people shouted out what they read with a question in their voice, "Fear God(?)" and "Everything you ever Did, Said, Thought will be judged(?)" "what I think will be judged?"

Of course there were many sneers and jeers and many laughed, but the name of Jesus Christ was proclaimed on the streets and we pray that God will use the seeds planted in people's hearts to turn them to Himself.

One lady asked us for a tract because for the last five days she had been trying to find out who Jesus is! She listened as my Mom gave her the gospel and said she would continue to read the Bible.

At one point a small crowd gathered around us to listen in as we gave the gospel to a few. One lady asked me "How do you get saved?" Wow, what a sobering question! I told her to cry out to God for mercy and explained what Jesus did on the cross. She listened and had questions asking, (as she held a can of beer and a cigarette), "Is drinking and smoking sin?" She had never read the Bible and was very sincere in her questions, Praise God! By His grace I was able to answer her from the Bible. God knows what He will do with that seed planted, I pray that it will bring forth fruit.

Several professing to be Christians, told us that they felt our signs were turning people away from the Bible. We explained that Jesus, Paul, Peter and others preached out on the streets.

An example is found here:

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. (Acts 17:16-17)

These truly were full days and we praise God for the opportunities and for all the people that read the signs, may He use it for His glory.

Sunday night we went to a pro-life event were Michael played the piano and a friend of his played the violin. They did very well. Then we listened to the guest speaker Star Parker who had a very good message.

It has been a busy, but good weekend.