The Evangelist's Path

The Evangelist's Path

Chapter 1: The Hustle

John T. Gideon was no ordinary man of faith. Living in a quiet, decaying corner of the United States, his days were a patchwork of small hustles: mowing lawns for neighbors who barely scraped by, scavenging scrap metal from alleys and junkyards, and selling books about Free Grace Christianity—a doctrine he championed as the purest truth of salvation.

But his most significant venture was his YouTube channel. For John, the platform was a pulpit, and the First Amendment was his shield. Freedom of speech, he often reminded himself, is freer here than anywhere else in the world.

At first, his videos were modest: deep dives into scripture, warnings against false doctrines, and impassioned defenses of Free Grace theology. But as inflation gnawed at his wallet and his nation seemed to teeter on the edge of collapse, he discovered a peculiar truth. The more controversial his content, the more viewers flocked to his channel. Controversy bred clicks, and clicks were currency.

Chapter 2: The Struggle

Despite the growing traffic, monetization was slow. John found himself staring at bills he couldn’t pay, wondering how much longer he could hold on. The rise of illegal immigration, rampant shootings, and what he saw as the moral decay of the nation only added to his woes. Even the churches around him, particularly the New Independent Fundamental Baptist (NIFB) movement, seemed to stray from the true gospel, prioritizing wealth over doctrine.

To survive, John leaned further into his YouTube ministry. He joined a donation platform, promising his supporters exclusive content and direct interaction. Slowly, a network of donors emerged, including one significant benefactor whose contributions dwarfed the rest.

This benefactor, an NIFB insider, came with conditions. Call out those who don’t evangelize properly, the benefactor insisted. Expose and ostracize anyone who doesn’t adhere to the gospel we preach. John hesitated but relented. After all, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.

Chapter 3: The Price

John’s videos took a darker turn. With every upload, he called out false brethren, named individuals he deemed unsaved, and warned of eternal damnation for those who deviated from the true gospel. Trolls flocked to his channel, spewing vitriol in the comments. Other content creators fired back, creating response videos that painted him as a zealot.

One of John’s most controversial uploads was titled Why Non-Evangelizers Are Hellbound Hypocrites. Motivated by his intense disdain for those who didn’t evangelize, he labeled anyone failing to actively spread the gospel as unsaved. These unsaved devils want to hide the truth, he declared. They’re not only deceived themselves but are actively damning others to hell through their inaction.''

The video sparked a firestorm. Some applauded John for speaking boldly where others wouldn’t, while critics accused him of arrogance and recklessness. The intense backlash led to heated debates across social media platforms. Yet John’s subscriber count surged, and donations flowed in as supporters rallied to his cause. He rationalized the chaos, telling himself, The gospel is offensive to those who hate the truth.

Chapter 4: The Turning Point

As time passed, John’s conscience grew heavy. The world around him seemed to echo the prophecies of Matthew 24: wars, rumors of wars, and the beginning of sorrows. The mark of the beast system, once a distant theological debate, now loomed with chilling plausibility.

His benefactor’s demands became increasingly rigid, pushing John to question his motives. Was he serving God, or was he serving mammon? The line blurred as the pressures of survival clashed with his faith. The controversy surrounding his videos, though lucrative, became a symbol of everything John feared he was losing: his humility, his purpose, and his unwavering trust in grace alone.

Chapter 5: The Great Tribulation

When the great tribulation began, John found himself at a crossroads. His once small hustles—mowing lawns, selling books, and collecting scrap—had given way to a life dominated by controversy and compromise. The nation he loved was unrecognizable, and the digital pulpit that once brought him purpose now felt like a trap.

Would he continue down this path, fueled by the need to survive, or would he return to trusting fully in God’s grace alone, knowing that his salvation was secure, not by his works, but by Christ’s finished work on the cross?