Feeding Souls and Bodies: Street Church with the homeless-ft. Soul Church Leon Birdd
In this episode, Pastor Wayne Walker, CEO of OurCalling interviews Leon Byrd, who shares his transformative journey from construction work to a life dedicated to faith and serving the needy. Byrd details his personal conversion and ongoing battle with old habits, his commitment to helping the homeless inspired by impactful encounters, and the evolution of his ministry, which includes regular large-scale food distributions and full church services for the homeless featuring multiple preachers and bands. He discusses overcoming logistical challenges and highlights the diverse community attending his services, from street prostitutes to affluent individuals, all united by their spiritual needs. The conversation also touches on the support from local businesses that has been crucial in facilitating his outreach efforts in stable locations.
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- **00:46-03:52:** Leon Byrd discusses his transformative personal journey, which began with a life-changing conversation about Jesus with a friend while doing construction work, leading to his decision to pursue a life of faith and service.
- **04:14-04:28:** After his personal conversion, Byrd discusses continuing to beat old habits while attending a Promise Keepers event, highlighting the profound positive change he experienced.
- **05:26-05:56:** Byrd shares the impactful encounter that spurred his dedication to serving the homeless, beginning with assisting a disabled man, which led him to feed the homeless regularly.
- **07:22-07:52:** He recounts an inspirational story of a man with severe brain surgeries who continued to feed the homeless despite his disabilities, influencing Leon to continue his work.
- **08:26-09:21:** Byrd begins to help other individuals directly involved in homelessness service, illustrating the start of a service-driven community and his own deeper engagement.
- **10:16-10:41:** His commitment expands as he organizes more structured assistance for the needy by delegating responsibilities to sustain the outreach efforts.
- **11:18-12:02:** Leon Byrd reflects on the realization that his challenges growing up were preparation for his calling to serve those in need, thus accepting and embracing his life’s purpose.
- **12:11-12:48:** Byrd discusses the growth of his ministry, emphasizing regular large-scale food distribution to various congregations and continuous personal involvement in direct aid and mentorship.
- **14:10-17:21:** He details the progression from handing out food and beverages from the back of a truck to hosting full church services for the homeless, involving multiple preachers and musical bands to create an enriching spiritual environment.
- **18:04-20:47:** Byrd highlights the diverse community that gathers at the church service, from street prostitutes to affluent individuals, all finding common ground in their spiritual needs and expressions.
- **22:20-23:51:** Discusses the logistical challenges and location changes of his ministry over the years, including interactions with authorities and community members due to legal constraints around feeding the homeless.
- **25:28-28:21:** Leon narrates a supportive anecdote involving a business owner who provided space for Soul Church services and other aid activities, fostering a long-term partnership that enabled continued service delivery in a stable location.
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Creators and Guests
Host
Wayne Walker
CEO and Pastor Wayne Walker serves as the CEO and Pastor to the homeless at OurCalling. In 2001, Wayne, along with his wife Carolyn, started serving the homeless community in Dallas. They founded OurCalling in 2009. During his youth, Wayne’s family actively pursued the scriptural commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” by modeling the life of Jesus to scores of foster children whose own origins represented generations of human brokenness, dysfunction, sexual exploitation, and abuse. Early exposure to these destructive forces set him on a path to recognize the long-term effects of trauma, which often lead to homelessness. While completing his Master’s Degree in Cross-Cultural Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary, Wayne befriended and ministered to men and women in the homeless community. During that time he began to establish personal, discipleship-oriented relationships with homeless individuals, many in the same urban setting where he and his family continue to work today.
