Trailers make block parties portable
___ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Call it Block Party in a Box.
___Through the ingenuity of several Baptist evangelism leaders, small block party trailers have been created to make evangelistic block parties run more smoothly.
___Evangelistic block parties in recent years have become one of Baptists' most effective strategies for community outreach. They
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FOUR block-party trailers used in Las Vegas this year gave churches most of the equipment and resources they need to host an evangelistic block party. During this party at First Baptist Church of Boulder City, Jack Smith shares the gospel with a family relaxing during lunch on the church's lawn.
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have been used extensively in the Strategic Focus Cities emphasis of the North American Mission Board.
___The trailers include all the games, food equipment and other attractions considered most effective in helping churches put on a neighborhood event.
___"We call them a block party trailer, but the associations are finding out that they are useful more than just for block parties," said Tim Knopps, an Oklahoma City-based vocational evangelist who has helped put together several of the units in Las Vegas and Seattle. "They are also useful for Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps, church picnics and church outings."
___The concept arose a few years ago, he said, when evangelism leaders began to realize considerable savings by purchasing rather than renting equipment--particularly in Strategic Focus Cities areas where multiple block parties often are held each week during the summer.
___"We began to see that most of the block parties started using many of the same materials over and over again," Knopps said. The common denominators usually included a "moonwalk"-type inflatable ride for the children, popcorn and sno-cone machines, grills for cooking, helium and balloons, a selection of games, a portable sound system, a generator to keep it all running, small tents for shelter, and a number of other related items.
___The block-party trailer became a one-stop solution for churches, who would simply follow the instructions that came with the unit and focus more of their energy on meeting their neighbors and talking with them about Christ.
___The first units began to appear in Illinois, Oklahoma, Indiana and other states, he said. The Oklahoma unit was used in Phoenix throughout the summer of 2000 as part of the Strategic Focus Cities effort there, and Las Vegas purchased four units as a key component of its strategy. Las Vegas leaders also developed comprehensive training on preparation, implementation and follow-up for a block party, including a comprehensive manual and even a trailer-specific video to streamline the process even further.
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