Street Corner Prayer in Downtown Phoenix

I have not gotten bored down here in Phoenix for cancer treatments. Not while staying at Gospel Center.  In fact, I'm having a blast. This week was a busy week. Monday and Tuesday were my clinic days. Wednesday and Thursday I edited my next book and sent out flyers about Lemons in January. Thursday was a not-so-good day for me. It was the second day after herceptin, and I usually feel worst two or three days after that dose. Thursday and Friday was regional IHC held here at the church, so since I'm staying in the little house on the grounds, I attended.

Friday afternoon street evangelist Rodney Keister took a group with him straight into the heart of downtown Phoenix to set up a Prayer spot on a street corner. Since I was feeling better that day, one of that group was I, if you can find me smack dab in the middle of the photo (taken by a tall passerby that a Rev. Rodney somebody--I forget his last name-- asked to take the picture for us).

Each of us wore a bright red vest. On the back and front both, they read, "Prayer changes things."

No sooner had we set up a couple things like this Bible verse stand and a little microphone and speaker than a tall, dark dude came up to me. 

"I saw your sign," he said, "and I need prayer."

I quickly led him to the minister who was along, who asked him what his need was, and prayed about the homelessness the man and his family were experiencing. I joined in the prayer. The minister got plenty of gospel in the prayer as well as asking God to provide for the man's needs!

Rev. Keister had us split up into teams. One of the pastor's daughters and I went across the street while Rev. Castle and the other minister walked up and down the streets around, something they felt was more effective and less intimidating.The first man Rev. Castle talked to tried to convert him to Islam!

On our corner, we had an interesting conversation with a Catholic man who was sure that no matter what you believed, as long as you believed in God and prayed, you would get to heaven. 

"I pray to the rosary," he said. 

"We believe that we can pray straight to Jesus," I replied.

 

 

Here above was a precious scene. Someone came along and needed prayer across the way. Our team got a picture of two team members praying with the person who is behind Rodney Keister in the picture. The pastor's little boy is wearing a prayer vest, too, even though it is a little too big! LOL! :) :)

Meanwhile on our corner, we were giving out gospel tracts to as many people as would accept them.  I had some interesting encounters, but the highlight of my day was just before Rev. Keister waved to us to come on back over so we could head home.

Up behind me and the two pastor's daughters came a bicyclist. 

"I saw your signs," he said. "I need prayer. My mother passed one hour ago!"

I talked to him just for a moment, asked his name, which was Joseph, and then the girls and I prayed with him. I asked God to send the comfort that he and his family needed, the help they needed with making arrangements, and so on. I asked that during this time, God would draw his heart to Him, and that he would seek the Lord. When I finished, his eyes were wet with tears. I promised we would pray again for him later, and he was grateful.

There was a very deep sense that God had directed us to the middle of Phoenix for someone. Perhaps it was the homeless man, or the others the teams prayed for. Perhaps Joseph was that someone. 

I know nothing about his mother, or even Joseph's last name. But God does. God had us there in that moment on a street corner to pray for a man who was grieving and felt lost and knew he needed prayer. 

We discussed things in the minivan on the way home. Maybe we made some mistakes, but we can learn from mistakes. We don't learn anything about witnessing and sharing Christ if we are so afraid of making mistakes that we hide inside our four walls and never go out anywhere. Friday afternoon we tried something new--street prayer/evangelism. We talked to some people, gave tracts to many, and prayed with several. 

And all that we did there we put in God's hands.

And my heart was thrilled.