By Greg Heyman
A bright, sunny day in Huntsville offered an opportunity for the perfect family outing for Damarius Hammonds, 11, and his relatives. A block party sponsored by Alabama Baptists provided the perfect location.
Members of local Baptist churches shared the good news of Jesus Christ with Damarius and his family as the sounds of loud praise music and the smell of burgers sizzling on a grill filled the air Nov. 11 at the Northwood/Calvary Housing Project. The party was one of three that day in which Alabama Baptists showed they have a passion for reaching the lost. And of the 425 people present, 129 accepted Christ as Savior.
The parties held that day, however, were only the final curtain in a series of evangelistic events called Crossover Huntsville that began Oct. 15. During that period, 5,688 people attended a series of neighborhood block parties, with 665 professions of faith made.
Crossover in Alabama is in its second year. The event, which is a traditional activity among Southern Baptists each year before the annual meeting, began in Alabama with the 2000 state convention held in Montgomery.
John Long, director of missions for Madison Baptist Association, said there was a total of 27 events, including block parties and door-to-door witnessing, during the month-long emphasis. More than 100 Alabama Baptists from 20 churches in the Madison Baptist Association participated. Lindsay Lane Baptist Church, Athens, and Baptist Campus Ministries students from the University of South Alabama also helped with activities.
For Damarius, the block party Nov. 11 afforded him a chance to enjoy time outside with his “auntie” and several cousins. Damarius played with other youth, all the time eyeing a table filled with toys, sports equipment and a color television that were eventually given away.
But while everyone was eager to win something, organizers of the event also shared with them the ultimate free gift — eternal life in Jesus Christ.
Whatever it took, from puppet shows and dramatic presentations to the display of brightly colored balloons and banners, organizers said they were determined to reach the communities they visited.
Gary Kent, a member of Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, was more than willing to donate his Sunday afternoon to grill hamburgers for the block party at Northwood/Calvary.
“I think you’ve got to get outside the four walls of the church to bring people in,” Kent said. “In today’s society, (many) people just don’t want to come into a normal church service, for whatever reason. You’ve got to go where the people are.
“It’s an important task to go out into the community where some haven’t even heard the gospel,” he said.
From where he stood grilling burgers, Kent could hear Dick Thomassian, minister of missions at Whitesburg, as he told about the importance of knowing Jesus.
Thomassian’s efforts echoed those earlier in the day when he helped coordinate another block party in the Boxwood Housing Project. Calling that event equally successful, the minister said he was encouraged by the decisions made at the first block party that day.
“We had a big crowd and had a bunch of folks saved,” Thomassian said, estimating there were some 50 decisions made during the Boxwood party attended by some 250 people.
Displaying his conviction, Thomassian shared the message with residents of Northwood/Calvary that he had earlier shared with those in Boxwood.
“You better watch out who you follow after, and we want to encourage you to follow after Jesus,” Thomassian told the crowd, his voice booming from several loudspeakers.
The third block party held Nov. 11 took place in the Farley community.
Overall, Crossover Huntsville reached the potential organizers were after, said Long. The decisions made during Crossover Huntsville is proof it was “a very successful” event, he noted.
“I was amazed at the weather we had,” said Long, who had feared shorter days and north Alabama’s weather might bring chilly days instead of the sunny skies that were present during the parties.
Don Newman, a member of First Baptist Church, Huntsville, said that spirit of cooperation with churches working together was also evident at a block party he helped with a few weeks earlier.
It involved Phillips Christian Episcopal Church and Life Way Outreach International Church. Newman said approximately 220 people attended the block party in the Council Court Housing Project.
The most encouraging aspect of that effort was the mixing of races in hearing and sharing God’s Word, he said. “Diversity was evident, showing God’s love bridges different races and denominations.”
Cheryl Guilbau, a member of Willowbrook Baptist Church, Huntsville, helped with the Northwood/Calvary block party by handing out fliers and counseling those who made decisions for Christ. She said the block parties “get us out of our church comfort zone by trying to reach out to other people in the community.”
Guilbau admitted the appeal of free food and a festive atmosphere created a missions field for reaching the residents of Northwood that might not ordinarily be there. “I think in any church effort you have to find ways to get people in and then you can tell them the things they really need to hear to get to Christ.”
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