You'd have been forgiven for not noticing anything unusual happening in the centre of York a few weeks ago. It was a sunny afternoon and on Stonegate, a popular street with both tourists and locals, it was business as usual. But if you'd have lingered a little, you may have been invited into an encounter that would change your life.
A small team of students had held a bold vision for a long time - a vision of mission that is fully reliant on the power of God. They were running a pop-up prayer cafe - but instead of asking guests what they'd like prayer for, they asked the Holy Spirit for prophetic words and pictures to share. They trusted that God would give them something meaningful for that person, and then they'd be able to introduce them to Jesus through this encounter.
The stage was set. The street had been prayer walked. The team was ready. Even the cakes were laid out.
Across two hours there were a steady stream of visitors - some students ready to leave at the end of term, some tourists, and some who were just out on a lunch break. Each of them received a meaningful picture from the Holy Spirit. Each of them heard the gospel of Jesus. Each of them had a chance to respond.
And four people made a commitment to turn to Jesus right there and then.
Those that didn't, still had powerful encounters. One guest said that she had visited psychic mediums in the past and was desperate to talk with her deceased mother - the team were very clear that this is not what was on offer here!
They prayed with her and one team member had a picture of a crescent moon and was reminded that the moon is a false light and is just a reflection of the one true light - and that Jesus invites us to turn to him as our light. When she heard this, the guest rolled back her sleeve and there, tattooed on her skin, was a crescent moon. She said she got it when her mother died. As the team prayed for her to be filled with the Holy Spirit, she broke down in tears and said that she knew that she had been looking for comfort in the wrong place and that Jesus was the one she should be looking for!
As the students packed down, they reflected on what had happened. "It was like holding hands with the person and with Jesus," said one student leader, "you started to see people like he does. It was really moving and has changed how I see mission!"
