5 short stories that share just some of the exciting fruit growing right here in our neighbourhood over the last few months of 2024!

1. Can I have a chat with you over here?👋

On a chilly night in November, the team met a man who was very depressed. He wanted to talk to someone, and Street Pastors were able to spend time with him. The man explained about his severe health issues, and that he does not have much time left to live.

The team led him to the Bible, and read some verses with him from Acts 9. This speaks of Paul’s encounter with Jesus, when he was on the road to Damascus. He was amazed at how God could turn Paul’s life around, from being a destroyer of the church, to one of the foremost apostles who spent his time building it up.

The man was desperate to make a change, and knew he needed to bring himself to the Lord. As the team were about to lead him in a prayer of commitment to Jesus, he called his Mum over. She is agnostic, and the man really wanted her to come to faith in Jesus too, along with his girlfriend who wasn’t there at the time! He then invited people he knew nearby to come and join in with the prayer! The team prayed for the man, and he arranged to come to church the following weekend. He was given a Bible and a Gospel Tract.

2. Finding love in the loss 💌

In late October, a man finished his sentence in prison, and was released to sleep outside on the streets. Sadly, he said that he wasn’t receiving much help from probation. While he had a decent backpack, and seemed to be very organised, he looked very tired and his eyes were troubled.

He was given food and a hot drink, and shared some of his life with the team. It was noticed that he had deep scars from self-harm, apparently this was something he learned to do from his mother. He said he has got past that now… The team led him toward a conversation about finding hope in God, and gave him a Gospel Tract. While he said he struggles to believe, he gladly received some prayer from the team. As the team left, one member offered him a hug which the man gladly accepted and gripped very tightly. In this moment, there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Just a few days later, he attempted to take his life. Mercifully, he did not succeed. This man is still out on the streets, and our teams are continuing to build a meaningful relationship with him, in the hopes he will one day at last walk with Jesus. Please pray for him with us.

3. Power beyond your own💥

Street Pastors were approached by a young man, who wanted to talk about his faith. He said he believed in God, but doesn’t really believe in miracles today… The team leader phoned the Prayer Pastors to to pray about the conversation, and ask God for the right words to say.

He said he had Christian grandparents, but tonight he was out in town with 3 friends to have some fun. He’s read the New Testament, and is now working his way through the Old Testament. On the busy pathway, the team ended up having a conversation helping the young man understand Old Testament sacrifices. A long conversation about Christianity followed…!

The team asked what difference his faith had made. The young man said he prayed and read his Bible, but found it difficult to stop doing wrong things. The team suggested that he join a church, or go on an Alpha Course, so he had others to talk to about his faith questions.

It was explained that perhaps he was trying to be “a Christian” in his own strength, and suggested that he asks to be filled with the Holy Spirit, who has the power to help him overcome sin. On the streets that winter’s night, the young man was prayed for the Holy Spirit to come and baptise him.

4. Life lessons at break time✏️

Two young lads were walking out of college, on the way to the shop during a break in between their classes. They happened to come across the Street Pastors, who told them the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and gave them some tracts. One asked some big questions – “How has your faith changed your life?” The team explained about the reality of the presence of God, how you can have a personal relationship with Him as Creator and Father, and how He can change everything…

Next question – “How do we know the Bible is true?” The team encouraged the young man about the importance of having an open mind, and asking big questions like these. He was told how important it is to build our lives on something solid, rather than our own ideas or those of our friends. They were told about some of the evidence for the Bible, along with the prophecies which have come to pass regarding Jesus Christ. They were encouraged to search for truth themselves, but were affirmed that nothing has stood well in comparison to the Bible’s account. Both said they would read the tracts and give God more thought.

5. Finding Jesus in a bin📖

On a bright, autumnal patrol, one of our newest Street Pastors came across a gentleman and began to have a chat. What could have been another regular interaction quickly became irregular, as the two of them began to discuss the supernatural—God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Street Pastor shared his testimony of how he found salvation, and how this man could find a new life too…

Surprisingly, the man said he had found a Bible in a dustbin earlier that morning, as he dug in his bag to pull out a small, red New Testament and Psalms, which he showed the team. The man was told the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), of how the son found God in the mess… almost like how this man had found his Bible while rummaging in a bin. The man said he was really needed something to change in his life, so the team prayed for him during their time together. What a great moment of connection and clarity! Please pray for him, that he would continue his journey home to the Father, and that we would have many more moments with others just like this one.

Want to get more involved?

There is an an open opportunity for people to join in, whatever their age, ability or availability:

• Church leaders – a growing number of Pastors, Ministers and Elders have decided to take a look into our world of Street Pastors to see God at work in the most unlikely places. Do you want to come on a one-off observation to see if this might be something you and your church could support and encourage? Street Pastors is a safe, proven way of doing local outreach, with thorough training for all volunteers who are led by experienced team leaders. Commitment is no more than once a month, and less if preferred.

• Church goers – every member of the body has a role to play, and this is not just for those who feel called toward evangelism. Street Pastors play a pivotal role in carrying the presence of God wherever our feet tread. We witness through the truth of the Gospel, but also through heartfelt acts of love and service, including protecting the vulnerable, providing places of safety, offering conversation to people who want to talk, distributing food, hot drinks, warm clothing and bedding, linking people with support services like food banks, homeless healthcare, mental health charities and so on…