NYC’04 prayer update

“A man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg. Peter looked straight at him. The man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them” (Acts 3:1–5). I tremble with anticipation thinking about NYC’04’s Urban Plunge tracks. We’re talking about downtown Toronto, a hub for broken humanity – and we will be right there in the middle of it all, incarnating the presence and life of Jesus. It awes me to think that, say, a freckle-faced kid from a Saskatchewan youth group has been handpicked by God to touch a soul who has lived on the street all his life. And as that broken soul reaches out, expecting a cold coin from us, they will get a warm heart instead, perhaps food or water, and the words of eternal life. It thrills me to consider that street persons on the doorstep of hell will find themselves on the threshold of the Beautiful gate – the way to life – whenever one of your youth comes to them in Jesus’ name. Be sure to talk to your youth about sinking their roots into this life-changing opportunity to serve, and pray that NYC’04’s Urban Plunges will be packed with youth who will never be the same.

—Brad Huebert, prayer coordinator for NYC’04