Panhandle church steers toward a witness with car show _60203

Posted: 5/30/03

Panhandle church steers
toward a witness with car show

By George Henson

Staff Writer

AMARILLO–Pastor Dana Moore's driving passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ recently steered his congregation to sponsor a car show in the church parking lot.

"It's that age-old idea of how do we get the gospel to people who won't come to church," he said.

About a dozen members of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Amarillo helped the pastor put on the car show that wheeled in 40 entries in its second year.

“We wanted to provide something for our community,” Moore explained. “A lot of people around here like to look at old cars, and this was a way to reach out to them and the people who own the cars too.”

Moore owns a 1963 Thunderbird.

“I've had this one about two years, but my first car was a 1963 T-Bird,” he explained. “My uncle turned me on to T-Birds early in life, and 1963 is my birth year, so that makes it special for me.”

Moore admits his baby blue T-Bird with white ragtop was completely restored when he bought it. “I'm no handyman,” he said. “My kids are impressed when I change a light bulb.”

Even greater than his interest in cars, however, is Moore's interest in bringing people into the church.

“We probably had 200 come through, and a lot of people came to our church parking lot on Saturday who probably never thought they'd be standing in a church parking lot.”

To widen the appeal, the church, which averages about 300 in Sunday morning worship, not only had the cars but offered food and an inflatable house for children.

Prizes were awarded in conjunction with the car show. All the money raised from entry fees and food sales was donated to the Pleasant Valley Elementary School across the street from the church.

Moore has been pastor of the Amarillo church nine years.

“These are just wonderful people in this church,” he explained. “They are open to trying innovative things like this to spread the gospel.”