BTL Street Ministry

Behold the Light of Jesus Christ is ready to shine brightly into the hearts of those living in darkness. 

God has impacted and changed the lives of many on the streets of Atlanta and surrounding areas.

Ministry Highlight

God has blessed us throughout the years in working with many Christian organizations. Here we are pictured with Violet Taketh by Force, headed by Michelle (Mickey) Bowder. 

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The Birth of A Vision

How it happened I can’t explain… All I know is that I was in the middle of a journey that changed my life.

The birthing of BTL Street Ministry began during the spring of 1998. I was asked by a youth group to share a Word of inspiration in Woodrow Wilson Park (Downtown Atlanta). I was deeply touched by the demise of the living condition of those living on the streets of Atlanta.  My wife's heart was also very troubled as she witnessed people looking in trash cans for food.  

Conquer the Streets of Atlanta

The following week a one of my employees and I returned to the streets of downtown Atlanta. We were determined that we were going to convert partiers who were visiting Atlanta for Freaknic. The scene was out of control, therefore, we began focusing on those who had an ear to hear.  

Witnessing to One turned into a ministry that continue to impact my life today

A homeless man said he wanted to come to church with me and I promised him that I would pick him up the next morning. He told me to meet him back at the park. The next morning was very bad; it was raining and very cold. But I was determined to fulfill my promise.  He was nowhere to be found. I asked a guy where did the guys hangout when it rain. He led me to Trinity Street. When I arrived at the site my heart was in shock. I saw row and row of people wrapped in black blankets. It looked like rows of corpses. I saw death and at that moment the Lord placed upon our heart a burden for the community and my wife and I would return the next week with 35 meals. When word circulated that we had some food people started running toward us from everywhere. We were overwhelmed.  

We found ourselves in the middle of a ministry that found us…

We returned Sunday after Sunday. God then began demonstrating his Word. At the time I was a warehouse manager at Roberd electronic service center. One of my employee (he’s now an actor in Hollywood) father had gotten word of our efforts of feeding the homeless community. He began giving us some pointers concerning street ministry. Unbeknown to us he was the founder of a flourishing mission ministry in Alabama called Faith Crusade Mission and Rescue Center. He taught us how to engage the guys and he would push me to take a leadership role in organizing the ministry. He moved me into challenging position and I began stepping out by faith ministering to their spiritual needs as well as their physical needs.  

Never had I met a man like Chap: God will position you with the people to carry out his will

Chap, as we call him then committed to drive from Montgomery, Alabama every Sunday with hot meals to help us feed the guys. Each week he would give more insight to the ministry of serving the homeless community. He did this for 4-6 weeks straight driving 2.5 hrs  every Sunday to help us. Often our hearts would be very torn because Sunday after Sunday many men were committing their lives to Jesus Christ but we had to leave them in the same environment. One Sunday evening we asked Chap if we could bring some men who had committed their lives to Christ to his Mission Center. Every Sunday evening after feeding and serving the community we would load our van with men who desired a change and drive them to Alabama to learn to walk with the Lord. God will give you what you need if only you make yourself available for Him to use. This is His work, we are only vessels that He use to fulfill His will in the earth. Man times they would sit on the floor of our van and ride to a PLACE THEY HAD NEVER BEEN.  

Testimony after testimony

When you are tired and truly ready for a change you will drop what you call life in search of true life. They often testified that they could not believe that they were riding with complete strangers to a place unknown. Looking back we were driving complete strangers two and a half hours to Alabama. All I was concerned with was moving them from the environment in hope that they would be freed from the bondage that had robbed them of hope. They had to escape the environment that they were in. One guy gave me his straight shooter and said he was tired of riding a dead horse. That was the message I had preached earlier before the meal. He gave up crack to walk with God. I later found out that people don't just lay down crack cocaine. But God's word is able to pierce the soul, joints and morrow.  A couple of months later the guys would come back from Alabama to preach to the same environment in which they had been delivered from. We witnessed miracles after miracles on the streets of Atlanta.  

Served hot fresh fish

The Bible would literally demonstrate itself. A brother from the church I was attending heard about the ministry and told me to come to his fish shop on Saturday after closing and he would let have any fish he had left. When we went to pick up the fish he then said since the peanut oil was still hot we may as well cook the fish. For the next two months our routine was cleaning and cooking fish every Saturday night. My wife had always pledged that she wanted the guys to enjoy the same type meals we enjoyed on Sunday. the meals would consist of fish, chicken, rice, green beans, macaroni and cheese, black eye peas, bread and some type of sweet. We would be up until 1-2 am getting ready for the ministry on Sunday after church service. We would feed 125 to 175 meals every Sundays and our day would end around 7pm Sunday evening and up to 11pm if we had to take some guys to Alabama. God would send help and we saw many lives saved and homes restored.  

Bishop restored back to the Pulpit

We even saw a preacher return back to serving God in ministry. I remember one day when he preached on the street and a small revival broke out on the street of Atlanta. The guys were singing and rejoicing and testifying about the goodness of the Lord. I will never forget the testimony of one of the brothers as he declared; "God will always take care of his people; that if they are not welcomed in the church then God will bring the church to them." We became a church without walls. Every Sunday when they saw the van they would began getting ready for service. The guys started unloading the van for us and setting up the table. A sister that served on Greenforest outreach ministry would share some of the bread and snack cake that Kroger gave each week. We didn't make a lot of money from our jobs but God always provided. Sometimes the lines would stretch as far as we could see but God miraculously stretch the food and we were able to serve every one a hot meal. The guys started to have hope restored.

Pastor Cade, “I have a job…”

One guy saw me near the AU Center one day and ran from where he was working full of dirt to show me that he had a job. He was covered in dirt but proud to be among of the working class. Some people complain about their job but he was rejoicing to be working. We had challenging moments but God gave us faith to confront darkness without fear. Some of the people who would come to help were amazed at the calmness that we operated. But we would always tell them that God was at work in our lives. We have seem hundred of lives saved, may delivered from drug addictions, sex addictions, hopelessness, depression, despair, gaming (the hustle of surviving), many testified that they were going to commit suicide but God gave them hope to live. I saw divine healing take place on the streets. They didn't have health insurance but God gave them faith to believe in the saving and healing power of Jesus Christ. Sometimes I would be amazed at the instant healing that took place on the street. I guess I was so use to people coming to the altar sick and seeing them return back to their seat in the same way they came with the promise that God was going to heal them. Honestly God delivered me from the delayed healing mentality to right now faith. However. I rarely see it happen this way in the church building but on the streets I constantly witness instant miracles... Recently I prayed for a brother who came to an outdoor service and his foot was instantly healed. Instant manifestation...!!!! Praise the LORD!!!