FORT WORTH—With arms fully extended, Texas Baptists reached out to Fort Worth.
Tarrant Baptist Association congregations worked together in a focused evangelism effort called City Reach, a Baptist General Convention of Texas effort to share the hope of Christ in Fort Worth. More than 30 congregations came together for the work, which included block parties, a marriage seminar and an upcoming soccer tournament.
More than 20 Hispanic congregations came together for one block party, which reached out to more than 2,000 people. The event included food, activities for young people, Scripture and tract distribution and preaching.
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Children participate in a block party at Unity Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth. The event was part of a City Reach evangelistic initiative involving more than 30 churches in Tarrant County. (PHOTO/BGCT/John Hall)
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“We have so many people in Tarrant County who still do not have a relationship with the Lord,” said Hector Mendez, Hispanic consultant for Tarrant Baptist Association. “We’re trying to preach the gospel to the entire county.”
During the one block party, more than 315 people made a profession of faith in Christ, Mendez said.
Many of them came as a result of the tract distribution where Christians could build relationships with people at the block party.
When people understand they are cared for, Mendez said, they are more open to the gospel.
“When the body of Christ comes together, great things happen,” he said.
At a block party hosted by Unity Missionary Baptist Church Nov. 1, a sign between two trees called to the neighborhood. Smiles abounded as church members served hot dogs and hamburgers. Children gathered around a piano as a church member showed them how to play it.
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Jon Randles, director of the BGCT evangelism team, praised Fort Worth-area congregations for reaching out to their communities.
“We took a little different approach this year,” he said. “Instead of going in and producing events, we worked with the Hispanic fellowship in Fort Worth and the African- American fellowship in Fort Worth to provide resources, leadership assistance to focus on core Fort Worth.
“They produced 11 core events, including block parties, health clinics, a giagantic party in the park and a soccer clinic.
“As a result, we’ve seen more than 320 people come to Christ, and those numbers will go up.”
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