Florida Spring Breakers Finding Jesus Saves Lives on Beaches too!

Teresa Neumann : Mar 19, 2014
Amy Jacobs – Baptist Press

"BeachReach is one of the most important ministries we do. We see both souls and lives saved each week. [Our outreach] often save young women from dangerous and destructive evenings. The ministry our BeachReachers extend is life-saving." -Faith Whatley

(Panama City Beach, FL)—BeachReach is a collaboration of college students and an older generation who believe service and friendship makes a difference in reaching out to the lost. Especially, in this case, young people opting to spend spring break in hedonistic style on sunny Florida beaches. (Photo via BP News)

According to a Baptist Press release, student and senior Christian volunteers for BeachReach offer safe, free van rides and pancake breakfasts to vacationing students, in the belief it will open doors of communication.

Austin Wadlow, college pastor at First Baptist Church in Denton, Texas, said, "BeachReach is often the experience that causes my students to share their faith for the first time. When they start a conversation, on the van or over pancakes, it opens a door in their walk with Christ."

Bill Noe, event coordinator for the outreach, said, "I brought students to BeachReach… Every year because there was no other experience I'd offered my students that created that kind of change in them; one that lasted beyond the week and came back to the campus." (Photo via BP News)

The report noted that the outreach is a "tough one" in that volunteers are "stretched and challenged by what they see and hear… and learn to extend grace to their peers."

"It takes spring breakers by surprise," added Noe. "They expect one thing from us and they get something that's so much more genuine, loving and gracious than they expect. There is a temptation to be overwhelmed by the behavior and think we have to correct behavior. That's not the heart of BeachReach. BeachReach is offering the hope of Jesus through service."