Ireland Update #2
After more than a week here in Belfast, our time of ministry here in Northern Ireland is quickly coming to a close. Our work here in European countries can be hard. People are so closed off to the gospel that it is rare to find someone actually interested in what we have to say. Despite this, our students have been jumping into ministry excitedly.
For our first five nights here, we ran a program for secondary school students (11-17), playing games and hearing testimonies from our students about how God has changed their lives. Each night our team was also able to talk about different “I am” statements that Jesus made during His ministry.
We also had a few opportunities to go into the Belfast city center and do some street ministry there. During their free time exploring the downtown area of Belfast, a group of our students came to a café where a street performer had set up outside. As they walked in, they heard him mess up a chord in the song he was singing and shout some unsavory words in his anger over his mistake. At this, one of our summer staff felt led to speak with him.
They learned his name, but we’ll call him Jeff. He told them that he recently lost his flat, due to losing his job, which was due to his drug addiction. They spoke to him about Jesus and he mentioned how he was trying to turn his life around but didn’t get it, like he couldn’t figure out how to be enough for Jesus. Our team explained that trying to be enough isn’t the gospel. It’s knowing that Jesus is already enough, and there’s nothing you can or need to do to “make it” as a Christian.
They were able to pray over him and offer him some material to go through. He felt very encouraged as this was his first day out playing music and felt God had led them to him to encourage him. Our students felt that encouragement as well as they excitedly told us about the interaction. God is moving this team even outside of what we would call “ministry time.” And our team is clearly willing to be moved.
--
Tim Warren
