Muscles for Jesus - The Power Team Uses Amazing Feats of Strength to Share the Gospel

Lawn Griffiths / Aimee Herd : Jul 8, 2005
East Valley Tribune

Snapping a crescent wrench in two, using bare hands to drive a 16-penny nail through a board, lifting telephone poles overhead . . . these seemingly impossible feats are common occurrences during a night with The Power Team.

The group of about 20 men, founded in 1976, works as 5 teams made up of 3 to 4 members who visit churches, youth groups and even public school assemblies.

Big man Craig Lemley told East Valley Tribune News, "The ministry is committed to fight for this generation. If you come in and break something with your head, blow up water bottles, snap baseball bats . . . you are going to get their attention, so you can get to the heart, and that is where God changes lives."

As he prepares to break in half a wall of stacked concrete bricks, Lemley says, "These are real concrete bricks. They are really hard when you don't break them, I can promise you. These are physical walls . . . Jesus is our peace, and he has broken down every single wall."

When the team comes to a public school, they do the same acts of brawn, while focusing on a motivational message for students, encouraging abstinence and speaking against drug and alcohol use. "It's a completely secular assembly," team member Joel Caldwell said. "We talk about values and urge students to make good choices to reach their goals and dreams. Most schools will allow us to invite and tell where we will be in the nighttime, and some kids will come out and hear the gospel."