I Got Off at George Street

I got off at George Street
The person who gave this message is Rev. Dave Smethurst.

This all started a number of years ago in a Baptist church in Crystal Palace in South
London. The Sunday morning service was closing and a man stood up at the back and
raised his hand and said: Excuse me pastor can I share a short testimony? The pastor
looked at his watch and said You have three minutes. The man proceeded with his
story:
I've just moved into this area. I used to live in Sydney Australia. Just a few months
back I was visiting some relatives and I was walking down George Street. You
know where George Street is in Sydney going from the Business Area out to the
Rock - the colonial area. A strange little white haired man stepped out from a shop
doorway, put a pamphlet in my hand and said: Excuse me sir, are you saved, if
you die tonight are you going to heaven? - I was astounded by these words. No
one had ever asked me that. I thanked him courteously and all the way home to
London this puzzled me. I called a friend and thank God he was a Christian and he
led me to Christ.
The Baptists love testimonies like that. Everyone applauded and welcomed him into
their fellowship.
The Baptist pastor flew to Adelaide, Australia the next week and 10 days later in the
middle of a three day series in a Baptist church in Adelaide, a woman came up to him
for some counselling. He wanted to establish where she stood with Christ. He said
I used to live in Sydney and just a couple of months back I was visiting some
friends in Sydney doing some last minute shopping down George Street. A strange
little white haired man stepped out of a shop doorway and offered me a pamphlet
and said Excuse me madam, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to
heaven? - I was disturbed by those words. When I got home to Adelaide, I knew
this Baptist church was on the next block form me. I sought out the pastor and he
led me to Christ. So I am telling you that I am a Christian.
The London pastor was now very puzzled. Twice in two weeks he had heard the same
testimony. He then flew to preach in the Mount Pleasant Church in Perth. When his
teaching series was over the senior elder of that Church took him out for a meal and he
asked the elder how he got saved.
I grew up in this church from the age of 15. I never made a commitment to Jesus,
just hopped on the bandwagon like everyone else. Because of my business ability
grew up to a place of influence. I was on a business trip to Sydney just three years
ago. An obnoxious spiteful little man stepped out of a shop doorway, offered me a
religious pamphlet - cheap junk - and accosted me with a question: Excuse me
sir, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven? I tried to tell him I
was a Baptist elder. He wouldnt listen to me. I was seething with anger all the way
home from Sydney to Perth. I told my pastor, thinking that he would sympathize,
but he agreed. He had been disturbed for years knowing that I didn't have a relationship with Jesus, and he was right. My pastor led me to Jesus just three years
ago.
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The London preacher flew home and was soon speaking at the Keswick conventions in
the Lake District and he threw in these three testimonies. At the close of this teaching
series, fours elderly pastors came up and explained that they too had been saved between 25 and 30 years earlier through that same little man on George Street, offering
them a pamphlet and asking that same question.
The following week he flew to a similar Keswick convention in the Caribbean to missionaries. He shared the same testimonies. At the close of his teaching three missionaries came forward and said that they had also had been saved between 15 and 25
years earlier by that same little mans testimony and asked us the same question on
George Street in Sydney.
Next he stopped in Atlanta, Georgia to speak at a Naval Chaplain convention. Here for
three days he spoke to over 1000 Naval Chaplains. Afterwards the Chaplain General
took him out for a meal and he asked the Chaplain how he became a Christian.
It was miraculous. I was fa rating on a Naval battleship and I lived a reprobate life.
We were doing exercises in the South Pacific and we docked at Sydney harbour
for replenishments. We hit Kings Cross with a vengeance. I was blind drunk, got
on the wrong bus and got off in George Street. As I got off the bus, I though I saw
a ghost as this man jumped out in front of me, pushed a pamphlet in my hand and
said Sailor, are you saved, if you die tonight are you going to heaven? The fear of
God hit me immediately. I was shocked sober, ran back to the ship and sought out
the Chaplain. He led me to Christ. I soon began to prepare for the ministry under
his guidance. I am now in charge of 1000 chaplains who are bent on soul winning
today.
Six months later that London pastor flew to a conference for 5,000 Indian missionaries
in a remote part of North East India. At the end the head missionary took him to his
humble little home for a simple meal. He asked how he as a Hindu came to Christ.
I grew up in a very privileged position, I worked the Indian Diplomatic Mission and
I travelled the world. I am so glad for the forgiveness of Christ and blood covering
my sin. I would be very embarrassed if people found out what I got into. One period of diplomatic service took me to Sydney. I was doing some last minute shopping, laden with toys and clothes for my children. I was walking down George
Street when a courteous white haired little man stepped out in front of me and offered me a pamphlet and said Excuse me sir, are you saved, if you die tonight are
you going to heaven? I thanked him very much but this disturbed me. I got back to
my town, sought out our Hindu priest. He couldnt help me, but he advised me that
to satisfy my curious mind, I should go and talk to the missionary in the mission
home at the end of road. That was good advice because that day the missionary
led me to Christ. I quit Hinduism immediately and began to prepare for ministry. I
left the Diplomatic Service and here I am today, by Gods grace in charge of all
these missionaries who have together led 100.000 people to Christ.
Eight months later that London Pastor was preaching in Sydney. He asked the local
Baptist Minister if he knew of a little elderly white haired man who handed out tracts on
George Street. He replied Yes is do, his name is Mr. Genor, although I dont think he
does it any more because he is so frail and elderly. Two nights later they went to meet
him in his little apartment. They knocked on the door and this tiny frail old man greeted
them. He sat them down and made them tea. He was so frail that he was slopping the
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tea into the saucer as his hands shook. The London preacher sat there and told him of
all these accounts from the previous three years. This little man sat with tears running
down his cheeks. He told them his story.
I was a rating on an Australian warship. I was living a reprobate life. In a crisis I
really hit the wall. One of my colleagues, to whom I gave literal hell, was there to
help me. He led me to Jesus and the change in my life was night to day in 24
hours. I was so grateful to God; I promised God that I would share Jesus in a simple witness with at least 10 people a day. As God me strength I did that. Sometimes I was ill and couldnt do it, but I made up for the days I missed it at other
times. I wasnt paranoid about it. I have done this for over 40 years. In my retirement years, the best place was on St. George Street where I saw hundreds of
people a day. I got lots of rejections, but a lot of people courteously took the tract.
In 40 years of doing this, I have never heard of one single person coming to Jesus
until today.
You know, I would say that he has to be commitment. To show gratitude and love for
Jesus to do that for 40 years and not hear of any results. That simple little non-charismatic Baptist man witnessed to perhaps 147,000 people. I think that God was showing
that Baptist pastor from London was the tip of the tip of the tip of the iceberg. Goodness
knows how many more had been arrested for Christ. Doing huge jobs out in the mission
fields. Mr. Genor died two weeks later. Can you imagine the reward he went home to in
Heaven?
I doubt his face would ever have appeared on Charisma Magazine. I doubt there would
ever have been a photograph and a write up in Billy Grahams Decision magazine. No
one except a little group of Baptists in Sydney knew about Mr. Genor, but I tell you his
name was famous in Heaven. Heaven knew Mr. Genor and you can imagine the welcome and Red Carpet and the fanfare that he received when he went home to Glory.
Source: http://www.worldmissions.com/evangelism/george_street.html

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I got off at George Street

The person who gave this message is Rev. Dave Smethurst.

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