The Greatest Showman – sharing Jesus through an unusual style
Dressing up as ice cream cone, the Greatest Showman or a giant lobster might not be everyone’s style of evangelism but for new trainee evangelist Jackson Turner it’s proved to be a great draw in sharing the Gospel.
Jackson, from Leeds, is passionate about sharing the good news with people out on the streets, cafes, pubs (pre-lockdown) – creatively engaging people in conversation which often lead to opportunities to pray.
Jackson explains: “My work out in the community is not based around street preaching but rather creatively engaging people in a conversation leading to the opportunity to pray. I will be dressed up (unless I am with my family or with my kids). Costumes vary hugely. I look ridiculous - however the Lord opens a way, and I pray for health issues, life issues, finance issues, business issues, whatever the person wants me to pray about.
“At the moment this seems to be the heart of my work. God moves, He heals, He brings peace, God encounters people and they have an experience. In just one month, I probably prayed for on average four different people each day. Each one a person, a story, valuable to God and I hope my prayer sows a seed, is a link in a chain and brings them into a relationship with Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit.”
Over the summer, Jackson was involved in a multi-church project called The Ice Cream Revival. He dressed as an ice cream cone and as part of a team gave out free ice cream, whilst offering to pray for people. They witnessed healings, accurate words of knowledge, prophetic words and salvations as the group of 20 volunteers boldly spoke about Jesus and prayed with faith.
On another occasion, Jackson met a man outside a burger van on an industrial estate. They started talking and the man revealed he had a painful shoulder. Jackson said: “Jesus asks me to pour a bottle of water onto his shoulder. I ask the man if this is OK, he says yes. Jesus healed his shoulder to the amazement of me, the man healed and the woman running the burger van, which in turn led to further prayer for others. This was all done dressed as the Greatest Showman and with blue hair!”
Jackson accepts that not everyone will find his style of evangelism appealing or readily accept prayer from a Christian dressed up in costume. He says: “There are lots of times when people politely say no when I ask if I can pray for them or sometimes shout abuse across the streets. Sometimes we get asked to leave various public places. But I always take my inspiration from Jesus. Not everyone loved him, but He kept going and really engaged with people.
“I think joy is what is needed in this time of lockdown and the current pandemic. I share the joy of heaven, which often leads to conversations, which in turn lead to prayer. Praise Jesus!”
