Baltimore Street Church

The past couple of Sundays, I have been going to the Baltimore Street Church with some friends.  It started with Brian and I fulfilling our jobs as interns with Serve Greater Baltimore.  We were asked to check out this movement at Old Town Mall that's been creating quite a stir in the Christian circle in Baltimore.  Before we knew it, we were worshipping with the church community (above) and serving breakfast (below).  The job responsibility quickly became a personal desire.

I missed the past two Sundays and am not liking it!  The community there is extremely deep.  Members of the street church open up about their personal relationships with Jesus every morning, crying out for support from God and their brothers and sisters in Christ.  As many of the people there support each other through their struggles as Christ followers, they also help each other through their struggles with addiction, homelessness, and poverty.

The Old Town Mall area was once a lively location, full of businesses ranging from hair cutteries to grocery stores and customers ranging from old to young.  As time progressed, the surrounding area changed.   An apartment complex was built at one end and a methadone clinic was built at the other.  This created unwanted traffic and eventually the strip was deserted.

(click to get directions)

Every Sunday, rain, sleet, snow, or shine, the Baltimore Street Church is there speaking truth about the redemptive spirit of Jesus Christ up and down the strip.  Passer-byes either avoid the group, walk past the group, or join the group, looking forward to the occasionally served breakfast after a 20 to 30 minute sermon.  Several times I witnessed the ones that hung around for food get a lot more than a full stomach- they left spiritually filled as well.