With speakers that blasted over seven blocks of downtown Muncie,Touch of Fire Ministries celebrated Christ.
Members of the campus Christian group described Jesus curingblind men and lepers at their first "Crusade of Power" revivalFriday and Saturday night. They passed the microphone onstage,which Matt Evans, Touch of Fire member, substituted as a Romanhammer pounding Jesus onto the cross.
A small crowd shook from the cold in the field between Charlesand Jackson streets. The temperature was in the mid-20s, and threeor four members of local churches occasionally sat in the 20folding chairs provided.
Despite the small crowd, the message bounced off buildings andreached people, member Amy Smith said.
"I know people heard it," Smith said. "It was just so cold thatthey couldn't come out."
Sophomore Jessica Seamon said that she prayed with a man forsalvation Friday. He was standing alone and began to cry when sheasked if he had been saved.
"Praying with that man made everything we've done this week, andstanding in the cold, worthwhile," Seamon said.
While handing out 4,000 flyers for the event, pastor and groupfounder Scott Bogard said that he met a woman whose husband couldbarely walk. She invited the pastor and students to her home topray, he said.
"He could only walk in this little shuffle," said Bogard,describing the man before prayer. "Then, he could take big steps upand down. He said, 'Scott, I haven't walked like that in fouryears."
Bogard and his wife Brigit have managed Touch of Fire Ministriesfor five years. Each emphasized Saturday the healing powers andmiracles of Jesus. Brigit Bogard told the crowd to touch a spot inneed of healing, "an arthritic hand, for instance."
After the Bogards, the Heimsoth Family played worship music.Though Smith said the event was scheduled until 10:30 p.m., itended Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Touch of Fire Ministries plans to host its next "Crusade ofPower" in the spring.
"Hopefully, we'll have some warmer weather," Smith said.