Signs & Wonders Blog

During my thirty-plus years of street ministry, I’ve had to be discerning when handling panhandlers . Because some are persistent, I tell them upfront, “I don’t have any money for you.” However, I always carry extra snacks to give to hungry beggars. That opens their heart more for me to share the gospel with them. Last weekend, I took a train to New Orleans. Because hotel rates were too high downtown, I opted to get a room at a motel in the northern part of the city. Instead of using Uber or Lyft, I took a bus from the train station to save money. I had to walk a few blocks from the bus stop with three pieces of luggage plus a backpack.  As I was getting close to the motel, a woman offered to help move one of my bags. I accepted her offer and perceived she was homeless. It was past midnight, and the lobby was closed. Therefore, I had to talk to the desk clerk through a glass window. Meanwhile, “Becky” (not her real name) stood nearby while I used my debit card to pay for m...

I go out of my way to minister to beggars . With rare exceptions, I have a policy not to give them money. Instead, I offer snacks to the hungry. While many have legitimate needs, professional panhandlers will use deceptive tactics to extract cash from  undiscerning donors . One night while evangelizing in south Minneapolis with Living Word Christian Center, a man with a gas can came up to us asking for money. He claimed his car got stalled on the freeway a short distance away. Evangelism Pastor Nick Kinn was with me and offered to fill up this man’s can if he followed us to a nearby gas station. He hesitated and then claimed the gas wouldn’t be enough to get him home. This beggar wasn’t honest with us. A few friends of mine freely give to panhandlers because Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. ” In Genesis 18, Abraham offered hospitality to three men passing by. Two of them were angels. These same b...

Back in 2008, my then-roommate and I took a road trip to attend revival meetings in Lakeland, Florida. When a friend found out about it, he sent me an irate email because I didn’t ask him to go with us. His anger was unwarranted. I had no idea he wanted to go to Lakeland. He also didn’t consider the possibility of there not being enough room in the car for him and his luggage. On top of that, this man was unemployed and probably lacked the money to cover his food and lodging. I pointed these things out to my friend and he apologized. But then he sent another email asking me to pray that someone would take him to Lakeland and pay all his expenses.  Some Christians who know it’s God’s will for them to prosper still come across as beggars. I’ve had friends send me emails saying they are “believing God” for finances but then ask for money. One of them even accused me of being a moocher. Yet this same person has often solicited donations from me and other people. Certainly, C...

Often I receive Facebook friend requests from ministers (mostly from Africa and Asia) who eventually ask for money. This is despite a notice on my wall stating I do not send donations in response to unsolicited emails . 1 Thessalonians 5:12 (KJV) tells us “…to know them which labour among you.” While some of the appeals I receive may be for legitimate purposes, many others are fraudulent. I prefer giving to preachers whose teachings have impacted my life. As Galatians 6:6 says, “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.” However, we must watch out for scammers setting up Facebook pages pretending to be well-known ministers. A fellow evangelist told me about a time he exchanged messages with someone claiming to be Joyce Meyer . He knew it wasn’t real when “Joyce” started asking for money. One article I found online listed these excellent suggestions for giving: 1) Let the world take care of worldly charities. 2) Support your local c...

In recent years, I’ve gone out of my way to offer food plus gospel tracts to beggars. Last Tuesday night during an evangelism outreach in St. Paul, I got to minister to at least three such people. As the church van I was riding in got off Interstate 94 at the Snelling Avenue exit, I noticed a woman holding a sign asking for help because she was supposedly raising her grandchildren. After the van was parked a few blocks away, I walked back to the offramp this woman had been standing by. I brought with me a bottle of water I planned on giving her. Instead, a man was standing there (but without a sign) and so I offered him a tract. Seconds later, that woman drove by in a nice-looking vehicle with two adult passengers. It appeared she was part of a team of professional panhandlers. The car stopped at the corner long enough for me to hand the woman a tract.  Then I walked back across the bridge to minister to two other panhandlers in the area. The first one already knew the Lord...