Prayer Walks and a Block Party: Going Out to Bring Together

Prayer Walks and a Block Party

Going Out to Bring Together

Some Scenes from the Block Party at Iglesia Nueva Salem

The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings people together while also sending them out. 

Before his ascension, Jesus told his disciples they would receive power from the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. As the disciples did this, they were repairing the deep rifts that had appeared in the Kingdom of Israel over the previous ten centuries. Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria were being reunited under the reign of Jesus. The Gospel was bringing people together.

However, the Gospel did not simply stay in Israel. Very quickly it spread across the whole world. It went north into Asia. It went west through Rome on its way to Spain. It went east into India. The disciples of Jesus were his witnesses to the ends of the earth. The Gospel had sent them out.

This has been the pattern of ministry for Jesus' disciples ever since. Both globally and locally, there has been a constant rhythm of coming together and sending out. This is what we have experienced in our first few days at BUMP. More specifically, this is what we have experienced through frequent prayer walks and one hopping block party.

Each day we have broken up into smaller groups and gone on hour long walks through the neighborhood around Iglesia Nueva Salem. These walks have had a few different purposes. We have handed out fliers advertising Monday evening's Block Party at the church as well as the Summer Kids Club that will fill the rest of the week. Beyond advertisement, we also pray for different business, homes, people, and problems in the neighborhood. There have even been opportunities for us to meet the our neighbors and pray for specific requests. Much of our time at BUMP has been spent going out through neighborhood to find people.

On Monday night the neighborhood came together at Iglesia Nueva Salem. It did not take long for us to run out of sloppy joes and watermelon. The ice cream scoopers, cotton candy vendors, and sno-cone dispensers were working at full speed the entire evening. The line for the giant inflatable slide never dwindled. Beside all this, countless conversations were had while people from church and the BUMP groups met many people who were formerly strangers. By the end of the evening, over fifty kids were signed up for this week's summer kids club.

Going out to bring together. That has been the rhythm of BUMP so far. It is the rhythm of the Gospel. This week we will continue to go out into the neighborhood to pray. Our hope is that the neighborhood can be reconciled to God and each other through the Holy Spirit empowered ministry of Iglesia Nueva Salem.

Mural at Iglesia Nueva Salem