Not Your Typical Bar Encounter – Healing and Salvation in the Streets

Down the street from Casa De Jesus, where the team is also lodging, there is a grouping of local bars, which typically blare loud music late into the night. Troy and Pastor Dirceu went down to talk to the owner of the bar on Wednesday night after the church service to ask if we could use their bar to show the film “Magdalena” and do an outreach with dramas, dances, and a salvation message. The bar owner said we could and even said we could use their chairs for the crowd!

Our team canvassed the Heliopolis neighborhood in the afternoon with fliers announcing the movie and party that night. Pastor Mary Pat, Pastor Bill, and the team gathered to pray for the harvest to come in that night.

We then set up a big movie screen that we have used around the world to show the “Jesus” film, as well as other films depicting the Gospel. A crowd gathered in the open space between the bars and the team started the evening with a few worship songs before performing “Dance”, “The Heart Skit”, and “Released”. Several of the team members introduced the dramas and the dance and then explained them to the crowd. Joe and Bethany shared their personal testimonies of salvation as the audience listened closely.

After the Released drama, we showed the “Magdalena” film and could see how captivated the crowd was and how they could identify with the film. During the film, we also blessed the crowd with popcorn, which they enjoyed greatly. The popcorn was made by our young friends from the City of God- it was so encouraging to see their servant hearts in helping us!

Pastor Bill than gave a fiery Gospel message. When he asked who wanted to receive Jesus, many in the crowd raised their hands emphatically, praying out loud to receive salvation. Hallelujah! Then, Pastor Bill followed up with invitation to receive healing prayer. Many also raised their hands to receive healing prayer and then affirmed that God had touched their bodies. God moved powerfully right in the middle of the favela!! We finished out the night by passing out ice cream. It doesn’t get much better than that!