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River Festival Harvest

Evangelism: Mark Jackson
Thursday, June 16, 2005

Our association decided to make a difference in the Wichita community this year during an annual block party known as the River Festival. The effort consisted of months of planning, significant commitment of resources, weeks of prayer walks, training in evangelism and counseling, three days of face-to-face witnessing, our own block party, a special performance by Team Impact in the parking lot, and a four-day crusade by Team Impact at Metropolitan Baptist Church.

Was the harvest an adequate return for the investments we made? Let me share with you some data points that include Metropolitan Baptist numbers.

Street Evangelists from across the country: 8
Church members trained in street evangelism:  
Prior to Event: 19
During Event: 38
Prayer Warriors (estimate): 400
Churches Participating: 32
Church members mobilized (estimate): 600
Salvation Decisions total: 462
On the street: 154
Related to Team Impact: 308
School Assemblies Conducted: 7
Students at Assmeblies: 3,575
Tracts distributed: 5,000

In addition to these numbers I have also heard stories of new Christians requesting baptism, relationships restored, and churches energized. I watched and received reports of Christians, some for the first time, sharing the gospel and leading people to Christ. Our saturation of the gospel was so complete surrounding Metropolitan Baptist that on Saturday afternoon it became difficult to find someone who had not been given a tract and/or invitation to the crusade.

Bruce Cargile, new pastor of Metropolitan Baptist said, "Wow! What an awesome week!! Our Team Impact event was everything we had prayed for and more. I am particularly blessed by how our church came together for this great event. You prayed for great things to happen and your prayers were answered!"

Many workers and leaders, unnamed in this life but celebrated in the life to come, were responsible for this harvest and I want to thank you for your efforts. I would also like to give special thanks to Don Herron and the youth committee for providing leadership in organizing the activities on Saturday, Magill Truck Lines Inc. for supplying the flat bed trailers that Team Impact performed on, Kenny Underkofler and No Boundaries Ministry for special music and sound equipment, the Heart of Kansas evangelism committee for their commitment and boldness in undertaking this event, my wife who endured the many hours of my absence from home, the 32 pastors that caught the vision and led their churches in living out the Great Commission, and special thanks to Reverend Bruce Cargile and Metropolitan Baptist for being the anchor for this event. Thank you, all.