Loving the “Homies” as Jesus Would With Kelly Kunz

Kelly Kunz is the Founder of Street Justice Ministry, a Minnesota-based mobile outreach serving people affected by addiction, homelessness, and human trafficking across the Twin Cities. Through its outreach bus, the ministry provides practical supplies, resources, encouragement, prayer, and spiritual support directly to people on the streets. Drawing from her experience with trauma, addiction, exploitation, and homelessness, Kelly helps others find hope, healing, and restoration through faith in Jesus.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[2:38] Kelly Kunz shares being removed from a church parking lot while serving people
[6:40] Ways trauma resurfaces and practical ways to reground yourself
[8:54] Why building people matters more than building churches
[14:01] How legal drugs impact families and future generations
[18:54] Addiction as a way of coping with unresolved pain and trauma
[22:25] Divine encounters with homeless men as lessons and tests from God
[32:47] Looking inward and addressing personal heaviness before ministering to others
[40:18] Kelly shares practical tips on deliverance, fasting, and breaking strongholds

In this episode…

It is easy to talk about loving people in need until loving them means getting close to the mess, the trauma, and the choices we may not understand. What does it look like to see people living on the streets not as a problem to solve, but as neighbors Jesus calls us to love?

Kelly Kunz believes it starts by looking at each person through the lens of Jesus and remembering that their current circumstances are not the whole story. Drawing from her own experiences with addiction, trauma, and outreach, she focuses on serving a person’s heart rather than enabling their addiction, using food, conversation, practical care, and genuine relationship as points of connection. That approach replaces judgment with compassion and creates space for people to feel seen, loved, and open to transformation.

In this episode of the Align & Abide podcast, Dr. Kim Tran is joined once again by Kelly Kunz, Founder of Street Justice Ministry, to discuss loving the “homies” as Jesus would. They explore seeing people beyond addiction, building trust through practical care, and serving without judgment. Kelly also shares how prayer, fasting, and forgiveness can strengthen both personal healing and ministry.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments

“If we’re going to keep building buildings, we’re going to keep having broken people.”
“Let’s stop pointing out their sin and point them to Jesus and remind them of their sin.”
“At the end of the day, point them to the cross and know he will do it.”
“And we have to look at the person through the lens of Jesus before the world got a hold of them.”
“And it just shows me how God can speak to you if you want to listen.”

Action Steps

Look at people through the lens of Jesus: Seeing beyond addiction, trauma, or appearances helps you respond with compassion instead of judgment.
Build relationships before trying to change someone: Taking time to listen, serve practical needs, and create genuine connection helps people feel seen and cared for.
Reground yourself when you feel spiritually or emotionally heavy: Recognizing when you need to reset helps you serve others from a healthier and more grounded place.
Pray and fast for people who are struggling: Kelly emphasizes prayer and fasting as ways to seek God, serve others, and support healing and transformation.
Release pain and practice forgiveness: Giving past hurts and trauma to God can help you let go of what weighs you down and move forward.

Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by Minnesota Family Chiropractic, a wellness clinic founded and led by Dr. Kim Tran.

Dedicated to helping patients find lasting relief and vibrant health through chiropractic care, nutrition, and functional medicine, Minnesota Family Chiropractic is on a mission to transform lives — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Its Signature Wellness System focuses on whole-person care to address the root causes — not just the symptoms — so you can get back to living fully.

Ready to start your path toward better health? Visit MinnesotaFamilyChiropractic.com or call (612) 545-5672 to schedule your consultation and experience integrative, patient-centered care.