Twin Cities Outreach | YWAM Minneapolis

Twin Cities Ministry

to be His light to the nations

reaching our cities for christ

As YWAM Minneapolis, we are passionate about seeing our Twin Cities transformed by the kingdom of Jesus. He has called us to be actively sharing the Gospel of His love in many different ways in partnership with many different ministries. Both staff and students are engaged weekly in some form of evangelism, outreach or service project. With over a hundred distinct people groups from all over the world living in the Twin Cities, the mission field is truly at our doorstep. Click here to Read More.

street evangelism story

It was the end of another Friday night of sharing the Gospel in Peavey Park with Street Level (another ministry we partner with) when Mark noticed someone sitting at a picnic table in the dark staring at the neon cross on a church building across the street. Mark intended to hand him a tract then get back to his team before they packed up. But the young Somali jumped up and exclaimed, “Why did you come to me?” He excitedly told Mark that he’d been pacing the park praying, “Are you Allah? Are you Buddha? Are you Jesus? Please give me a sign!” Mark explained the Gospel with Nag*b, who readily responded and received salvation in Jesus. Another guy from Street Level came over and gave him a New Testament. Nag*b was so excited, but he had another question. “I keep hearing these numbers, 333, and I don’t know if they mean anything!” Both Mark and the guy with the Bible separately thought of Jeremiah 33:3, but Mark had to look it up on his phone. When he found it he showed Nag*b and told him, “This is what just happened to you!” Here’s the verse: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Nag*b kept exclaiming “I can’t believe that just happened!” Three weeks later he was baptized. Despite strong opposition from his Somali community he’s been very passionate about sharing his new faith in Jesus. He’s made friends other young Christians from another inner city church that we often serve with, going out on their Friday night street outreaches. Please pray for this excited new believer from an unreached people group with their largest diaspora right here in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

It’s a Beautiful City, but . . .

There are a lot of hurting people in Minneapolis. I, along with other YWAMers, were in a very diverse part of the city a few weeks ago passing out flyers for a big gathering at the state capitol building. As I greeted one lady walking by, asking her how she was doing, she stopped, looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I am so afraid.” A few minutes later, my YWAM friends joined me as Teresa explained her fear. The rise in violent crime had her trembling. It soon became apparent, as Teresa described her life, that she supported herself through prostitution. Teresa then told us she was 65 years old and wanting a different life. We stood there and talked for at least 30 minutes. In the end she prayed with us, crying out to God for forgiveness and help. We then asked her about who she had in her life that could provide her a safe place. She told us that her daughter had been begging her for some time to come live with her. But Teresa had been too ashamed to take her up on her offer. She decided right then and there to go seek reconciliation with her family. And we prayed God’s strength and peace over her. Teresa then gave us her number. As we said goodbye, she called out that it truly was God that connected us that afternoon. And we agreed. Teresa is just one among so many today that are struggling with hopelessness. Praise God, because of the Good News of Jesus, we have something to offer.

Jesus Burgers

What’s a great way to make a Gospel connection with university students? They’re busy with classes, sports and campus social life; and probably not too interested in talking to someone on the street about Jesus.
But, they are also hungry, strapped for cash and up for a free meal. Maybe even hungry for someone to listen to them and care about their lives. They might not know it, but they are also hungry for Jesus, who called Himself, “The Bread of Life.”
Now if you add a hamburger patty, melt some cheese over it, add some fresh lettuce and tomatoes, mayo, ketchup… add offer it for free you get a ‘Jesus Burger’!
Over the last 23 years, YWAM Minneapolis has served alongside lots of other ministries with all kinds of ways to bring the Gospel to our Twin Cities. And Jesus Burgers is definitely one of our favorites! Organized by a fellow mission organization called the Firebase Movement, Jesus Burgers launched in 2020 at the George Floyd Memorial, but in 2021 they set up on the University of Minnesota campus. Every Tuesday night after an hour of worship and prayer we set up a grill and picnic tables on a wide street corner in the Dinkytown neighborhood. It doesn’t take long for hungry students to show up for a “Free Burgers and Interesting Conversations!” We serve them, then sit down to eat together. What we love about this format is how the environment fosters such great conversations. There is no pretense on what we are about – if someone sticks around to talk they know it’ll be with some crazy Jesus people! Every Tuesday 200-300 people are doing just that.
In our time partnering with Jesus Burgers over this last summer and fall we’ve got to listen to and share the Gospel with lots students from all over the world. One guy from Sri Lanka had been coming for free burgers for a while when we met him. He told us he’s a Hindu but was kinda interested in what this Jesus person was all about. Now, only 5 weeks later, he is regularly attending a campus Bible study and prayer meeting and going to the church for the first time this week! We are getting to see how God is moving in the Golden Gophers men’s hockey team through the players that show up. There are young believers we get to encourage and pray with week after week.
Yep, Jesus Burgers is one of our favorites. ‘Cause Jesus is still feeding hungry people with good food and real hope while we get to be his disciples along for the ride!

LOVE TWIN CITIES 24/7 OUTREACH

Love Twin Cities 24/7 is a biannual outreach bringing together multiple churches, ministries, and organizations to minister for a week at a time to the spiritual and practical needs of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. YWAM Minneapolis enjoys participating in the many opportunities offered for engaging with the diverse cultures represented in the Twin Cities, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ through acts of service, evangelism, worship, and prayer. It is one of many ways to make God known here in our own urban center.

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Merge twin cities outreaches

Merge is a mission to “celebrate the nations”! Through honoring and celebrating our unique cultures and heritage, we have the opportunity to point people to Jesus because EACH PERSON is created uniquely in the image of God.
Throughout 2022, we are partnering with local ministries and organizations to host block parties, festivals and celebrations to unite our communities and to boldly declare the Good News of Jesus.
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Merge twin cities worship night

Come together as the Twin Cities Church gathers – from all tribes, tongues and nations – to live up our communities in prayer and rally around the name of Jesus. This will be a night of prayer, worship and unity as we continue to pray for God’s Kingdom to come here in Minneapolis & St. Paul.
God longs to see the nations gathered around His Throne (Rev. 7:9-10). So, we invite you to mark your calendars for this night of Worship, and invite your friends as we partner with God’s heart for our communities!
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