How God the father anointed Jesus of Nazareth who WENT ABOUT doing good and healing them that were oppressed of the devil because God was with Him! (Acts 10:38).
Jesus while He was on earth always “reached out” to the people. In Luke 5:31-32 it says “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
His horizon was towards the lost, the oppressed, the poor, the guilty, the stray, the sick and the sinners. In the church of today, most Christians have forgotten that Christ came to save sinners. As far as they are concerned, the thugs, the area boys, the gangsters, the hoodlums, the ghetto boys, the club guys, prostitutes and the like do not need to be saved because they are lost already and hope has been given up on them. However, Christ came to save the lost. CHRIST WAS FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE TYPES OF PEOPLE MENTIONED ABOVE AND WAS ALWAYS ON THE STREETS DOING HIS FATHER’S BUSINESS! Matthew 18:11, “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost”.
The Grace Community Church has caught this vision and has been running with it of recent.
Here are some accounts:
On Sunday the 6th of February 2011, the outreach team of TGC led the church to the streets of Moyo Agoro in Ogba, Lagos state. There was a live performance anchored by Emeka Nwanze and Kehinde …… (Kenny Dude) with the music band. The gospel music was electrifying and caught the attention of the whole neighbourhood. Tracts and evangelism materials were shared and there was one-on-one ministration to passers by. There was a voters’ registration poll beside the location and the participants paid full attention. Eventually, there was a sermon by Sister Bimpe Williams. The street crusade was rounded off by Brothers Dike Obi and Kunle Popoola. The impact was really felt on that street but beyond that, only God can really tell the extent to which lives were affected.
Early one Sunday morning in January 2011, Brother Kunle Popoola and Pastor Sammy Nwanze were driving past the Idumagbo bridge at Lagos Island and they saw a crowd of youths playing football on a wide expanse of land beside the bridge. Suddenly, it occurred to them that they could be reached out to with the gospel. They prayerfully prepared for it and eventually chose a Sunday morning to go there.
If not for the boldness which the Holy Spirit had given them, their hearts would have been in their mouths as they walked into the midst of vicious street boys with hard faces. These boys had no source of livelihood and had in most cases resorted to crime and violence for their subsistence. Some of them played football believing that they could develop a career in it and eventually move to Europe. In some parts of the field, there was a smokescreen created by the Indian hemp and cigarettes of these hoodlums. As the brethren proceeded, there were expressions on their faces of the hoodlums ranging from curiousity to suspicion. Could these brethren confront them? Yes! They broke the ice and preached Christ to them. They were all captivated as a football match was eventually converted to a fellowship. There was a prayer session; but some of them began to express their feeling of disgust and wanted to cause pandemonium. There were now two parties – for and against. Those that showed interest told the other party, “Do you want us to die in these our ways? Are we going to smoke this thing (Indian hemp) for the rest of our lives?” I am glad to tell you that was not their last visit and today, that place is a missionary site with short Sunday services scheduled to commence soon. The quantum of work is expanding by the day and has even been extended to the fishermen and traders in that vicinity.
In view of this ripe harvest, labourers are needed for the work. Do you want to follow Christ to the streets? You can volunteer today! Contact the following people:
Ayo Adeoye 08058606664
Dike Obi 08027339188
Samuel Nwanze 08027339569
Kunle Popoola 08023543349
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