Missions in the Mall

​"Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud." Proverbs 1:20-21
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Cultural Battleground
Every year, since 1995, we have conducted outreaches in shopping malls. This was the 18th year of our outreaches in the shopping centres of Cape Town. Shopping malls are the modern-day marketplaces and gateways to the city. Indeed, thousands of people seem to spend a significant part of public holidays at a mall! With advertising that often promotes anti-family values, and many anti-family films at cinemas, malls are battle sites of the World War of Worldviews. Making a stand at a mall can therefore seem intimidating, but as our new banner proclaims, we boldly seek to be on the Frontlines of the Fight for Faith, Family and our Future. Our mall outreaches are also part of our strategy to inform and involve Christians in making a positive difference in society.

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​No Christian Charities
Over the last two years we have been receiving increasing resistance. Most mall managements gave a firm NO. Several stated that it was against their policy to have any religious charities, or displays, in their Malls. That certainly does not seem to be consistent, because these very same shopping malls have large and prominent posters and displays wishing all their Muslim customers well over the fast of Ramadan, and the Eid festival. These were normally accompanied with very prominent Islamic symbols of the crescent moon and star. Neither I, nor any of our Mission members, can recall any similar messages of support, or encouragement, addressed to Christians during, for example Christmas, Good Friday, Resurrection Sunday or Ascension Day.
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Persevering in Persistent Prayer
By God's grace, and after much prayer and approaching of many shopping malls, we did receive invitations to three smaller shopping centres in the Cape Peninsula and another one in Pietersburg.

God's Word Never Returns Void
55 volunteers helped us distribute over 3,400 tracts, leaflets and Gospel booklets, and 1,300 balloons with Scripture messages on them. The Scripture messages on the balloons included: "Whom the Son sets free is free indeed." John 8:36; "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free." John 8:33. The children were plainly delighted to be given these colourful balloons. Soon the shopping centres were filled with children carrying these colourful balloons with Scriptural messages. It must be hard, even for an irate atheist adult, to take a balloon away from a child!

Leading People to Christ
By God's grace, we were able to counsel 24 people, through our Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire, leading them through the Way of the Master and Evangelism Explosion questions to confront them with the Law of God and the reality of eternity. To each of these people, we gave a free copy of the The Biggest Question DVD. This one-hour DVD is one of the most effective Evangelistic DVDs available. It shows the ten ways not to get saved, exposes common mis-understandings and the false foundations of pseudo-saved, semi-saved, half-saved and un-saved churchgoers. Anyone who goes through The Biggest Question will never again be able to say that they did not know what the Gospel was and its life transforming implications!

​There Has Always Been Something Stopping Me
One young man that I shared the Gospel with, initially considered himself to be a good person. But after we had gone through the Ten Commandments, he admitted that he had not obeyed God's Law and if he was to be judged by the Ten Commandments, he would be found guilty. He said: "I used to go to church, but not now. I must give my life to God… there has always been something stopping me, until now. I must surrender to Jesus!" He did not have a Bible at home, so we gave him a New Testament and prayed for him.

The Law of the Lord is Perfect Converting the Soul
One woman that I explained the Gospel to, went from claiming to be a good person, to admitting that by the standards of God's Law, she was guilty. She said that if she was to die today, she knows that she would go to hell. It is always encouraging to see how people brought under conviction of sin by the Law of God, develop a spiritual hunger to be right with God, and an eagerness to repent from their sin and turn to follow Christ in Faith.

The Gospel is the Power of God for Salvation to All Who Believe
Please continue to pray that the Gospel seeds sown will produce an abundant harvest. We are well aware that some of the seed that we sow falls on hard ground, some on rocky ground, and some on thorny ground, but praise God for the good soil that produces 30, 60, 100 fold.

Next Mall Mission
Another shopping centre has invited us to set up a literature table and display on Saturday, 24 August.

"Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching." 2 Timothy 4:2

Mission to Mpumalanga
Please pray for us as we travel through to Mpumalanga to conduct a Great Commission Seminar, a Biblical Worldview Seminar, and Muslim Evangelism Workshop. We have also been invited to conduct services at churches, at Mission bases and assemblies at schools.
May the Lord continue to be your joy and strength.

Yours for the fulfilment of the Great Commission

Dr. Peter Hammond
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Tel: 021-689-4480
Email:  mission@frontline.org.za