Street Church

Street Church is a nondenominational ministry reaching out directly to the unhoused population right where they are -- on the street. Our Street Chaplains and other volunteers provide friendship, encouragement, hope, emotional support, and spiritual comfort to individuals who are often overlooked or rejected by society. We bring church out to the street instead of expecting homeless individuals to go look for a church building somewhere.

We share “faith, hope, and love” (I Cor. 13:13) with people who are often viewed as outcasts. Our mission is summed up in this verse: “...He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). We remind them that God has “plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11).

Street Church believes that the “religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress....” (James 1:27), and the kind of fasting the Lord wants is to “share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them....” (Isaiah 58:7). “Seek justice; encourage the oppressed; defend the cause of the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17).

We seek to love God with all our heart (Luke 10:27-28) and to “obey the most important law in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves” (James 2:8, CEV). Because “to love Him with all your heart, ... and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33, NIV). “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Gal. 5:14, NIV).

Street Church doesn’t only support street people’s spiritual needs, but also their need for physical nourishment. “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16).

“When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors;... invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:12-14, NIV & NKJV).

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, ... for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You....?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’” (Matthew 25:34-40).

Street Church, as an outreach ministry of Brighten the Corner, aims to bring spiritual and physical sustenance to those living on the streets. Street Chaplains, alongside other volunteers, actively contribute to fulfilling this mission by offering their time, compassion, and resources to the unhoused population.

At Street Church, we believe in the power of love, compassion, and connection. We invite individuals who share our vision to join us in making a positive impact on the lives of homeless people. By supporting our outreach efforts, you can help provide friendship, listening, caring, words of encouragement, hope, and essential resources for daily living, as well as offering to connect homeless individuals with resources for employment, healthcare, and shelter.

Together, we can fulfill the words of Matthew 25:40 as we serve “the least of these” and extend our compassion to those in need. Join Street Church and Brighten the Corner as we strive to not only help individuals survive the challenges of homelessness but also assist them in reconnecting with their families and rebuilding their lives.

Street Church is an outreach of Brighten the Corner, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity making a positive impact on the lives of homeless people through friendship, listening, caring, words of encouragement, and hope -- and nutrition, water, haircuts, socks, shoes, clothing, hygiene kits, and other essentials. The goal of our outreach to people experiencing homelessness is not only to help them survive, but also to help them reconnect with their family and get back on their feet.

© 2023 by “Street Church” -- a ministry of Brighten the Corner.