I don’t know if you’ve ever invited 240 teenagers over for tacos, but that’s exactly what we did on Tuesday.

The brilliant idea came from our then-youth pastor, Alvin Bueckert, more than 12 years ago, when he and his wife, Mandy, sat down to talk of a challenge they faced. Their Bible study was a hit with students. But in a town with 11 churches, some hadn’t been in one. What could they do for those who’d never been near a church? How could they coax them to walk in? Could they make that first step easier?

A lightbulb exploded overhead as Mandy and Alvin realized the answer: “Food. That’s how.”

Monthly Magic

And so, a once-a-month culinary super-event was born: Taco Tuesday. It would be held during lunch, and advertised to local junior and senior high students.

Still, logistical problems were raised. Who would cook and serve it? Who would pay for it? If you fed teenagers, you needed money. Jesus and the disciples weren’t available, so you couldn’t just multiply loaves and fishes.

As kids lined up for tacos, they were heard to whisper, "I've never been in a church." "Wow." "Interesting." PHIL CALLAWAY

The answer came from eager church members who knew that ministry is both messy and expensive. They wanted to help. They wanted students to know that the church is for them, too. They hoped to break down barriers for parents as well. After all, what parent wouldn’t say, “They feed them, why wouldn’t I want my teens there?”

A Lot of Food

Taco Tuesday began as slow as a turtle sending a text message, but it grew fast.

As kids lined up for tacos, they were heard to whisper, “I’ve never been in a church.” “Wow.” “Interesting.”

As beef prices soared, record numbers lined up. “There’s a hunger in these students,” says Alvin, who is now lead pastor. “It’s not just for tacos. It’s bigger than that. They’re wanting to belong. They’re hungry for truth.”

In 12 years, volunteers at Mount Olive Church in Three Hills, Alta., have passed out 30,000 paper plates, and students have downed 240 supersized cans of ice-tea mix, 240 megasized jars of taco seasoning, 240 bottles of Fry Your Lips hot sauce, 480 litres of sour cream, 1,400 litres of salsa, 1,900 bags of shredded cheese, more than 5,000 heads of lettuce and 2,700 kilograms of beef, all wrapped up lovingly in 60,000 taco shells, for a total of more than 25,000 meals to students in grades 7 to 12.

Who would do a thing like that? People who love Jesus and others, that’s who.

“Thank You”

Ask my wife for a highlight of her month and without a doubt, she’ll say it’s joining other volunteers, cooking, serving and cleaning up for these awesome kids who arrive faithfully for Taco Tuesday.

One of my favourite moments is serving sour cream and hot sauce to eager customers.

“I love your cross necklace,” I say. “That shirt looks great on you.”

And the response indicates that it just might be the first compliment of their day.

“Have some hot sauce,” I tell them. “It’ll put hair on your knuckles.” They laugh.

“Thank you,” they say, over and over.

Lately I’ve been saying, “You can’t buy these at a restaurant, you know. These are made by people who love you.” And their smiles widen, because they know it’s true.

One mom is amazed about the change she’s seen in her son who arrived at Taco Tuesday and soon found himself at a Bible study. “How can you get my kid out the door at 7:30 for a Bible study?” she asks, “and I can’t get him up for school on time the next day?”

Pastor Alvin knows that one key to it all is that people are praying for these students. That they’ll come to hunger and thirst after righteousness, so they will truly be filled. Then he smiles and says, “The Chick-fil-A mascot is a cow that likes to say, ‘Eat more chicken.’ Maybe we’ll get a mascot that’s a chicken that says, ‘Eat more beef.’ ”