Rest in the Day of Evil

It was a pleasantly cool Fall evening in 1976, just after dusk, the faint smell of burning leaves in the air. The young man and Pastor Rollie Leeman had just finished a wonderful meal and were sitting in the living room of the parsonage talking. Pastor Leeman began sharing the Gospel with the fellow, who was not a believer. This young man had been dating a sister new in the Lord who had been attending the small independent Baptist church Pastor Leeman pastored, and Pastor was duly concerned with his salvation.

"Before you decide to become a Christian," Pastor warned, "you need to know about this story from Scripture." He proceeded to read from Acts 6, the testimony of Stephen, and how certain leaders "suborned men" as "false witnesses" against him. and how they "stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon [him], and caught him, and brought him to the council." Pastor concluded with Acts 7:59, "And they stoned Stephen...."[1]

Pastor paused a moment and looked earnestly into the eyes of the young man. "Before you become a believer you must count the cost," he said soberly. He repeated it with emphasis, "It is a serious matter to become a Christian and you must know what you are getting into. Count the cost."

A year later the young man would become a Christian, never forgetting Pastor Leeman's strong admonition. But in all of the years he has been a believer he has never heard a Gospel presentation quite like it, and has often wondered, why not?

Read the rest of the article: Part 6: Preparations for Sufferings