"but also sharing God's concern for them by joining some of Nashville's homeless population on the streets for the night."
Homeless to hear God's message
2 Murfreesboro churches to share food, ministry
Two men (ed note: Ray Ray & Ed) eat breakfast in Tent City, a homeless encampment in Nashville. Murfreesboro church members plan an outreach to the homeless on Oct. 3.
"There is nothing we can't take on without God," said Lindsay Manus, a member of Beulah Land Baptist Church, whose pastor, Ronnie Jenkins, is organizing the event.
"I think we can make a vast impact," Manus said.
The Oct. 3 event is called "Homeless for Jesus."
On that day, the participating members from Beulah Land and Powell's Chapel Baptist Church will minister to the homeless by not only providing food, but also sharing God's concern for them by joining some of Nashville's homeless population on the streets for the night.
"We will eat, sleep and minister on the streets," Jenkins said. The purpose is to show the homeless they are not forgotten.
Concentrating on the areas around Lafayette and Woodland streets, the pastor said participants will share devotions, the Bible and their testimonies with those they encounter. They will also listen.
"We want to hear what they have to say. Hear what their needs are and see what we can do to help," said Jenkins, who was named as Beulah Land's pastor in April.
"We hope to take what we learn and apply it to our own lives, to realize how fortunate we are," he said.
Manus is excited about the opportunity the mission will provide, and has no concerns about spending the night on Nashville's streets.
"We, as Christians, are not afraid to get our hands dirty or be in an unpleasant situation," she said. "You can serve meals, but you don't get the full effect until you are out there in the middle.''
The church members will travel in groups.
"We are not going to create a problem, we are going to share God's testimony," Jenkins said.
Jenkins said he hopes three things can be accomplished through their night on the streets: God's message will be spread; seeds will be planted; and lives will be changed.
"This is not about what we do as a congregation, it is about spreading God's love to the unchurched and showing that as Christians we care about others," the pastor said.
"Homeless for Jesus," Jenkins hopes, will not be a one- time event, but the start of an important ministry.
"There is a huge need there," he said.
