Crossover Lubbock planned_92203

Posted: 9/19/03

Crossover Lubbock planned

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

LUBBOCK–The Baptist General Convention of Texas annual session is still seven weeks away, but plans to share the gospel in the host city already are under way.

Churches across Lubbock Baptist Association kicked off Crossover Lubbock Sept. 13 with training sessions and dinner. Congregations plan block parties, door-to-door evangelism, Bible and tract distribution, alternative Halloween activities and inner city efforts to spread the gospel in the region through Nov. 9.

The BGCT annual session will be held in Lubbock Nov. 10-11.

Baptists also will share their faith during weekend Old Mill Trade Days and the South Plains Fair, which is attended by more than 200,000 people.

Local churches will follow up on visitations and newly established relationships and bring prospects into congregations, said Judy Edgmon, chairwoman of the steering committee for Crossover Lubbock.

Leaders of the outreach effort want to connect people with churches to help them grow in their faith, not just lead them to make faith decisions and abandon them. Larry Jones, director of missions for Lubbock Baptist Association, said he would like to see baptisms increase 15 percent in the region as a result of the Crossover work.

“The potential for seeing those who are saved baptized in our churches should be greater than when we had the Franklin Graham crusade,” Jones said. “I hope to see people baptized in our churches. I know we will see people saved.”

While the evangelistic outreach will run through the weekend prior to the BGCT annual session, Edgmon prays the effort will be the start of a larger spiritual movement as people from around the state get involved.

“We would like to think this is going to set the tone. It is my hope and prayer this is the beginning of revival,” she said. “It is such a neat thing to see what other churches are doing. I'm hoping people will come here and get their appetite whetted and take it back to their churches.”

Planning for the event is bringing churches together, one of the purposes of the work, according to Wayne Shuffield, BGCT local church evangelism consultant.

“I see Crossover as a way to help churches partner together for a common goal to share the gospel and be the presence of Christ,” he said.

For information on how to get involved, contact Edgmon at (806) 791-4442 or Shuffield at (888) 269-3826.