03/07/2026
A testimony from yesterday (translated from Korean)
On Thursday, I joined the Arise team in Croydon to offer them some encouragement. After spending three straight days doing door-to-door evangelism, they were scheduled to do street evangelism that day, so we headed out together to a busy Tesco where many people pass by. We set up a table displaying various types of gospel tracts and began our ministry with praise. Afterward, we split into pairs and scattered around the area to start sharing the gospel.
Since I have been doing street evangelism every Saturday in downtown London, it felt familiar and I was able to start with a comfortable heart. However, surprisingly, the locals here were much more open to conversation than the tourist-heavy crowds in central London. What left a particularly deep impression on me was how favorably teenagers responded when we shared the gospel. When we stood holding signs with questions written on them, many youth actually approached us first to start a conversation. As a result, they naturally and seriously brought up topics they were curious about, such as LGBT issues and evolution, right there on the street, which naturally opened up opportunities to share the gospel.
I also met many Muslims and Hindus, and it was wonderful to share how the gospel of Jesus Christ is different and to testify to His grace. Two teenagers accepted Jesus on the street. One of them, a young girl, even exchanged phone numbers with a local British pastor and agreed to attend their youth group meeting this Saturday. After wrapping up the evangelism, I had a chance to share life journeys with that pastor over a meal at a nearby restaurant. Following that, I visited the accommodation where the Arise team was staying to listen to their feedback on the day's ministry.
On my way home past 9 PM, my heart was overflowing with joy. It was an experience that revived the exact same joy I felt during my mission trip to India two weeks ago. Evangelism can easily feel like a burden or a chore, but it is fascinating how doing this work somehow fills the heart with an indescribable joy. Even with our Saturday evangelism, I always feel tense before setting out and during the ministry itself, but once it’s over, I always experience a refreshing sense of pride, peace, and boldness, knowing that God is pleased with it.
Attending the Arise evangelism reminded me once again that the joy in our lives cannot be found by simply securing more personal time, or by trying to escape a exhausting daily routine by watching Netflix, reading current events, or consuming trivial gossip about celebrities. While the body might feel comfortable doing that, the heart actually grows drier and more stifled. Even when we meet close friends to chat over a meal—though it feels good in the moment—we often return home to an empty heart. After all, humans are spiritual beings. Being in a place of worship close to God, and in a place of ministry that pleases Him alongside brothers and sisters in faith, might tire the body a bit, but it strengthens us spiritually, bringing an overflowing joy.
Just as the Lord said, "Apart from me you can do nothing," if life feels dry and a persistent sense of frustration remains no matter how much personal rest you take, it is because you have grown spiritually weak. We must seek out the place of worship where the Lord’s presence dwells and the place of sharing the gospel, just as we used to. The weaker our lives feel, the closer we must draw to the church, which is the body of Christ.
Written by: Pastor Youngju Lee (God's Vision Church London)
