-Small Beginnings with Youth Ministry-

Pictured above Pastor Paul is pointing to the 'Salvation Message' scripture painted on the side of the original 'Bread Van', the first van used to pick up bread donations by volunteers. It was a renovated mail truck! Below is the Disciples Ministry Church Youth Group enthusiastically posing inside and on top of the van. It symbolized the essence of the 'Street Ministry' on wheels doing the Lord's work spreading the Gospel message while gathering bread to feed the flock. The picture was taken in the early 1980's. At that time there was no way of knowing what destiny that small beginning would take. The Bible says, 'Do not despise small beginnings.' The small beginning became very big very fast as word spread about the availability of fresh foods.

Youth Ministry has always played an important role in Pastor Paul's Ministry early on in the 1970's when he had hundreds of youth gather at his home in Brooklyn Center, MN. Street witnessing was an important part of the early ministry too. Many times parking lots were targets of Gospel flyer blitzing! In the 1980's hunger became an important issue when the church relocated to North Minneapolis where the need was great. Again, youth stepped up and worked hard gathering food from food drives, packaging food and distributing bread at the 'Bread Runs', scheduled street distributions. At the street distributions both bread and the Gospel message would be available to all in need. Many times people would be lead to Christ by youth through prayer at the 'Bread Runs'.

Later in the 1990's youth groups would come from throughout the United States and Canada to volunteer at Pastor Paul's Mission. Youth Works would schedule many groups during the summer. Their mission trips were a way to connect with people and places serving the needs of the poor. We were able to share many experiences through many years with Youth Works a fantastic Christian program for youth.

Here are pictures of summer Youth Works volunteers on flickr.