Many, including those in the church, have become blind to what Gen Zers can do for the Lord these days. Spouting statistics that the younger generation has simply lost interest in serving the Lord, they don’t see how the Holy Spirit has energized these youth to save souls.
More’s the pity, especially when they overlook the efforts of groups like United Revival Ministries out of Sacramento, California. Comprised of a group of Americans with Ukrainian and Eastern European roots, a handful of 20-somethings has heeded the Lord’s call to go outside the four walls of their share and share the gospel on city streets.
In five years, that effort has reached beyond Sacramento. This year, the group is reaching out to cities like Seattle, Santa Monica, California, Dallas, Phoenix, Tampa, San Francisco and Denver with evangelism training, worship and prayer, proclamation of His name, altar calls and baptisms.
The ministry has hosted 125 prayer and worship events, connected with 200 churches, commissioned 6,500 evangelists and introduced thousands of people to Jesus since its formation in 2018.
It certainly beats hanging out with their youth group at a movie theater.
Set on fire by Holy Spirit power, these young carriers of the gospel have led their peers to Jesus—even changing the spiritual atmosphere of downtown Sacramento.
Five years ago, this group of Gen Zers were stuck in a strict, conservative church. But will the help of Ivan Katrenyak, a Sacramento pastor’s son, the Lord revealed His plans to care for the new babes Christ was birthing on the streets.
Katrenyak saw a need and organized United Church to disciple, train and send followers of Jesus to proclaim His salvation. United Church then birthed Jesus March, a ministry of United Revival Ministries, both under its auspice.
In June and July, Jesus March has produced spiritual fruit in the midst of resistance in liberal cities like Portland and Seattle.
“Four thousand people came to Jesus March in Portland, where Antifa and protesters following Twitter calls to keep the city and culture anti-God produced a counter demonstration of more people than anybody imagined,” said Vadim Semenchuk, a ministry-team leader.
Yet, United Revival tore down the enemy’s walls around the two cities with Jesus March, much like the Israelites crumbled Jericho’s fortifications after seven days of marching around and shouting at them in Joshua chapter six.
“In the same way, when we march around cities something breaks and, wherever America goes, the world follows,” Semenchuk said.
In Seattle, a woman was delivered by Jesus from an unwanted addiction to alcohol in June. She then drove to Jesus March the next month in Portland, where she spoke to Pastor Katrenyak after 17 days of sobriety.
“I think Jesus loves the city that’s most broken, like Portland, Seattle, even Denver,” Semenchuk said. You see all these demonic things going on in Denver, where the devil has been unchallenged for too long.”
He and other Jesus March leaders believe transformation of the Mile High City (Denver) will take more than a one-day event.
“If 50 of you will worship and preach the gospel, let’s say four times per month, you will do so much more than Jesus March today,” Pastor Ivan Ketrenyak told the massive crowd of registered people, and hundreds more who followed the Holy Spirit to sounds of worship and chants of Jesus.
“We bring proclamation—not a protest—that all authority is in the hands of Jesus,” Ketrenyak said.
Carrying banners reading “Jesus is Lord” and other messages, marchers in Denver greeted motorists, pedestrians and police officers on streets near government buildings and a Masonic Temple.
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Gathered in an amphitheater, hundreds of people rushed to its steps when Pastor Ketrenyak invited them to receive Jesus. With thousands looking on, new believers were baptized in a trough filled with water.
Many testified they were healed through prayer like in other cities.
“In Dallas back in April, a man got out of a wheelchair after the body of Christ prayed for him.
“I see miracles and people healed from diseases which, even for me, is crazy. I can’t explain them,” Semenchuk said.
At least 6,500 people who’ve attended Jesus March or a United Revival worship and prayer events are now commissioned to preach the gospel. United Revival Ministries will host a conference in Sacramento Sept. 21-24.
“In 1 Corinthians 3:8 Paul writes, ‘One sows, another waters.’ We need both evangelism and pastoral care to disciple,” Semenchuk said.
To learn more about and give to Jesus March, visit the website unitedrevival.org.
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Steve Rees is a former general assignment reporter who, with one other journalist, first wrote about the national men’s movement Promise Keepers from his home in Colorado. Rees and Promise Keepers Founder Bill McCartney attended the Boulder Vineyard. Today Rees writes in his free time.
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