Man accepts ‘free gift’ of salvation

Master of Divinity student Kim Whitten started off another day of Crossover evangelism efforts excited and eager for the many opportunities she and her team would have to share the Good News of the Gospel with unbelievers. However, the day quickly became frustrating when their efforts seemed to produce few results. In fact, while visiting their last home of the day, the homeowner slammed the door in their faces, yelling that he did not want anything to do with them.

As the team walked back to meet the other Crossover evangelists, a man from a work truck called out from his window, “What are you selling?” He and his friend had spotted the evangelism teams in their blue shirts advertising the upcoming Harvest America concert, and they were curious to find out what they were up to.

Whitten replied, “Actually, we are not selling anything. We’re giving it away for free.”

“Yeah, that’s what we tell people too,” Shawn jokingly replied. They all laughed, and Whitten said, “But mine is actually true!”

The group approached the truck and made introductions, explaining that they were in the neighborhood to tell people about the upcoming Harvest America event, but more importantly how they can get the “free gift of eternal life.” As they struck up a conversation, Whitten learned that the driver had already professed faith in Jesus. But in the passenger’s seat, Shawn sat still, somewhat skeptical of this “free gift.”

Whitten looked at Shawn and said, “I don’t know very much about your life, and I know you don’t know very much about mine. What I can tell you about this life is that I know it is really hard and there are a lot of people walking around with no hope.” Shawn looked back at Whitten and responded, “Wow, that is so true.” 

Whitten began to share how he can find hope through Christ. Reading through key passages in Scripture, together they established that Shawn was a sinner. When asked directly if he believed that of himself, he replied, “Oh, I know I am a sinner.”

“What are you going to do about that?” Whitten asked. Shawn concluded, “I actually don’t know.”

Leaning into the truck, Whitten again explained the Gospel to Shawn, pointing out key verses that explained how sin separates him from God and that he cannot have a relationship with God on his own; such a relationship can come only through Christ. Whitten concluded with the question, “Shawn, are you ready to make the decision to follow Christ today?”

Shawn hesitated. He and his friend needed to be somewhere soon, but with the assurance from his friend that they could spare a few more minutes, Whitten again invited Shawn to respond. When she asked Shawn if he wanted a relationship with God, he answered affirmatively. 

“So right there, with my face hanging into this kid’s car, he met Jesus that day,” Whitten says, rejoicing in the result of a seemingly random encounter at the end of what had been a disappointing day.

“My favorite part about the day was that the first thing he yelled at us was, ‘What are you selling?’” Whiten says. “But that day, he met Jesus for free.”