Coming back from the WAVES Gathering we at MA Salem got back in the game right away. The conference was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do and we couldn’t wait to get back to work.
Just this last week we ran four Street Surges. Sunday afternoon we had a group of 15 youth from Salt Creek Baptist Church joined us downtown to participate in Hot Chocolate Handout. Tuesday morning we took the Engage DTS downtown for a teaching on Christ, after which they participated in Cross Walk; carrying a cross all over the streets of Salem to help them identify with Jesus.
Tuesday night we were back downtown once more with a group of about 30 students from Grace Community Church. We ran Spoken Word, interactive intercession for the Seven Spheres of Society, and Letters to Salem, written, prayer based, encouragement for Salem. The students came back spewing about how they needed to make a difference in every aspect of their lives. After a little brainstorming they came up with these ‘Next Step’s: supporting Christian clothing, welcoming new people at church, bringing friends to youth group, blessing people by paying for their coffee and listening to their story, committing to pray for Salem, and the list went on. It was amazing to see how God had reached the hearts of these youth and awakened them to the reality that the world needs them to step up and proclaim Christ in everything they do.
Wendesday night we coupled Spoken Word and Letters to Salem once more with a group from Salem First Nazarene Church. Things were a bit hectic, with late arrivals, but we still packed up that night knowing that we had made a difference here in Salem.
Sunday we head back out with Salt Creek Baptist Church for a more challenging outreach; we desire to see students streatched every time they participate in a Street Surge, taking a step up from previous outreach. We can’t help but wonder, what revelation will these students eyes be opened to this time?