Reading Ephesians in the Open Air

Ben and I have been reading Project Ezra at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano for the last several months. These week we were blessed to be joined by Ben’s son, David and David’s friend Josh. After Ben read Acts 10 from the suggested reading, David got up and read from John 3.

I then encouraged Josh to get up an read. He was not sure what to read. So I suggested he read Ephesians Chapter 1. Before I knew it, he was up on the box.

After he finished, I read Chapter 2.

Then Ben read Chapter 3. You’ll notice at the 1 minute and 55 second mark of this video two women walk by. One of them mutters under her breathe, “you should not be here.” After she walked to her car, she drove up and sat in the parking area near where we were reading. I could see that she was on the phone. Around the 4 minute and 50 second mark in the video you’ll see her car drive off and then stop in the distance behind where Ben is reading.

When Ben finished reading Chapter 3 he said he had to get to church. I said, “that’s too bad, you are going to miss all the excitement.” I then explained what the woman said and how I saw her talking on the phone and expected that she was calling the police. I told him that if Josh and David wanted to stay with me, we’d finish reading Ephesians and then I could drop them off at church in time for Sunday School. He agreed and left. David read Chapter 4.

Then Josh read Chapter 5. About 29 seconds into the video you will see a police car drive by in the distance. At this point, I had the video camera to David and ask him to keep filming. I then go and talk to the police officer. He asked what we were handing out. I told him Gospel tracts. I showed him one and he said we were doing nothing wrong. I did have a chance to talk with him briefly and he confessed to being a Christian. He even made a comment about how people get upset over the Bible, but are concerned about defending the quran instead. I explained how I knew some friends who were arrested for reading the Bible in public in California. He was very surprised. You’ll see me talking with the officer at the 2 minute 52 second mark of the video.

Finally I read Chapter 6 to complete the reading. While reading the officer comes and explains that the only possible issue someone could have is that we are on the sidewalk. So he advised moving to the grass which we did.

It was a real blessing to be out in public reading God’s Word. Having Ben, David and Josh along was very encouraging.