Texas Crusading (part 3)

 

Reaching the Lost in Austin, TX

You’ve seen the pictures.  You’ve the heard the videos.  You’ve felt the stories.  Know that God is doing the incredible here at the West Coast UTC.  The crusade throughout Texas (Austin, San Antonio, Houston) was such a powerful time for the UTC that I know they will never be the same.  We were able to witness to thousands of men and women, both young and old, with the message of Jesus Christ.

UTC G.A.N.G. Girls

We went into high schools, fairgrounds, carnivals, houses, apartments, house parties, clubs…..you name it.  We were there preaching.  And the great thing that I loved about it was that these students came with boldness and passion for souls. The power of God would fall whenever these students would come together and preach.  Take for instance when we had a street rally in Austin and this guy and girl just stopped in the middle of the street and started crying by the alter call.  The UTC started praying for them and the power of God hit that park. We ran into what we would call CAR SHOWS.  They just called them HANGIN OUT……literally.  They were all chillin with a bunch of cars in a parking lot in the city of Houston shooting a music video.  They were straight ghetto with this video.  They were shooting it with a little digital camera.  Our UTC camera was better than that…lol.  No, seriously.  It is better.  Anyways, their cars were real nice, though. 

 

 

SLAB (slow loud and bangin')

They were out there “swangin'” their cars as the cops were tellin’ them to leave. They do what’s called a SLAB (Slow Loud And Bangin’) with their cars.  It looked exactly like what we were there for with the drama STREET DREAMS.  We were letting them know they were all living the life that they didn’t have to live.  As they were shooting their video, we got right up in there and shared the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This was just a little something from the SLABBIN they were doing:

 

 

SERVICE FOR GOD award

We even had a great alumni dinner.  The Houston church has sent over 20 students to the Urban Training Center’s all over the world.  At this dinner Pastor Ernie and Irma Lopez presented me with a SERVICE FOR GOD award.It was such an awesome time that we all had.  From the music to the testimonies.  We ended the whole crusade with the drama STREET DREAMS on May 8 & 9.  We were scheduled to do the drama for only 2 nights but the church of Houston alone was going to pack it out.  So it’s the law of “supply-and-demand”:   you demand it and we’ll supply it.   The sanctuary was jam-packed for both scheduled nights.  The last night was over-packed with souls watching the drama.  Many souls got saved and touched throughout all 3 nights.  This whole crusade had so much to it.  From extreme evangelism to dynamic church services.  On our last crusade we had called it the “underground”crusade because everything had to be done on the “under”.  This crusade was definitely not on the under because everybody saw everything.  So this crusade was called the “character” crusade.The reasoning for this was because everybody’s character was being dealt with due to the hot weather, temptation of tiredness, and students really getting to the core of each other’s character.  We surpassed the personality and went right to the character of the student.  And let me tell you that it really changed alot of students way of dealing with each other.  I don’t know what it is about hot weather but it really makes people get all hot-and-bothered with other people.  

UTC Remembering the Alamo

Weird…..but true.  Anyways, we also had a blessed time in going to San Antonio, where the Spurs play, and go to the Alamo.  It was definitely a site of history to see.  Just being there and seeing apart of history was great.  There were so many endeavors that took place that we put it in a nutshell with this powerpoint presentation.  Download it for yourself and be blessed.  Just click on the link below to download the Texas Crusade Power Point presentation:

 

Texas Crusade Power Point

 

 

 

 

UTC Takeover in Austin, TX

 

Lone Star State Flag

Now that we as a Training Center are back from all this crusading (Mother Church, Austin, San Antonio, Houston), it is time to focus on Campus Life.  This is where the students will be able to get a focused discipleship on their spiritual needs.  We’ve been able to see them in action on the streets.  Now we get to assess that action with good ol’ fashioned discipleship.  I love this UTC Life.  Until next blog………..see you here, there, or in the air.

– ESTEBAN PINEDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s.  Just thought I’d throw in this picture of my son.  Too cute not to post this.  

 

 

My son preaching at age 2