I
am not ashamed of the gospel,
because
it is the power of God for
the
salvation of everyone who
believes…
Romans 1:16 NIV
Last week my husband and I joined our son
and his family, a pastor friend, and five college students on a journey to
South Padre Island, TX, for a spring break that I will never forget. Upon arrival
on the island we joined eight hundred fifteen additional college students along
with a myriad of adult staff and the Tarrant County Disaster Relief feeding
unit as we officially became part of the 2014 “Beach Reach” ministry.
The Scripture for the week was Romans
1:16, and I was fascinated as I watched that verse jump off the pages of my
Bible and walk the streets of an island filled with thousands of students who
were there with one purpose in mind: party hard!
“Beach Reach” students mingled among those
who came to the midnight and eight a.m. pancake breakfasts; sharing the gospel
when allowed but never pushing their presentation. An army of white vans, which
carried the names of churches and colleges from across Texas, were used to taxi
partying students from place to place—keeping students safe from potential harm
as a result of their poor choices. Once on the van, the gospel message was
shared with those who were willing to hear.
The “Island Church” turned their sanctuary
into a twenty-four hour prayer room with a huge screen displaying the incoming
prayer requests from those engaged in sharing the gospel with van riders and
beach goers. This enabled immediate prayer for every need.
As I enjoyed the beach, while wearing my “Beach
Reach” shirt, young people freely approached me with thank you for the
breakfast, and thank you for the ride.
Often my heart was heavy because of the
things my eyes witnessed and my ears heard. At other times, my hope for the
future was renewed as I witnessed Christian college students on their knees in prayer
in hotel lobbies and on condo lawns. In their limited free time, many sat with
Bible in hand, head bowed and hearts preparing for continuing service
throughout the week.
As I watched them in the evening worship
service at the convention center, I understood that “they got it!” They were
not ashamed of the gospel. They were bold and passionate about reaching their
peers for Christ. Some dropped to their knees lifting their hands toward
heaven. Others sat quietly with heads bowed. Some stood with folded hands and
bowed hearts. Some jumped up and down in the midst of their excitement—faces
glowing with joy.
As the week ended, we headed home knowing
that God had brought new believers into the family, and our tired bodies were
invigorated by renewed spiritual strength. One hundred four students said yes
to salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord because eight hundred twenty
students and a myriad of support people said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because
it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”
Join me as we go out into our world today
and proclaim “I am not ashamed of the gospel?”
©
Joyce Powell
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