Big Break 2010

You Never Know What God Will Do On the Beach

Photo by Guy Gerrard

Campus Crusade student Rob (in grey shirt) talking to Shawn (green swimsuit).

By Jonathan Moynihan

08 . March . 2010

Does initiative evangelism really work? Are people actually willing to talk about Jesus?

I know these are questions many people have asked at some point, including myself, but it is days like today where God resoundingly silences my doubts and fears.

La Vela Nightclub is the largest nightclub in the United States, and is non-coincidentally the most populated and hostile area on the beach. That’s where Guy, our photographer, and I went to spend our afternoon shadowing some students who were having spiritual conversations with spring breakers.

Thundering speakers from the nightclub punched me in the gut as I walked out onto the beach and prayed for God’s guidance.

Shaun, a sophomore from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, approached Guy and asked him to take a picture with his friends. Guy obliged and then mentioned why we were there, directing Shaun to a student with Campus Crusade named Rob.

I watched Rob and Shaun talk, smelling the subtle aroma of cheap beer on Shaun’s breath as he loosely gripped his can of Natural Light. Hailing from Newcastle, England, Shaun’s smooth English accent chimed in with questions and comments.

As the two began going through a spiritual-interest survey and then the Knowing God Personally, booklet, an amazing thing happened.

Something seemed to lift from Shaun’s eyes.

He began to look around with a different sense of his surroundings. He paused, placed his beer down in the sand and then turned to Rob, offering a new level of attention to the booklet.

Rob finished going through the four spiritual principles in the booklet, and read the prayer of salvation to Shaun. After asking him if it reflected the desires of his heart, Shaun said “yes.”

Right there on the beach, in the middle of this loud, frenzied environment, Shaun prayed and received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

It’s only been one day, and already God is showing off. Tomorrow (Tuesday) we begin a project with GAiN, the humanitarian aid ministry of Campus Crusade, to pack over 1 million meals for the Haiti relief effort.

Stay tuned, and check in tomorrow to see how God uses this partnership with GAiN to see even more students hear the incredible news of Jesus.

Read about Jonathan’s experiences the day before.

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