Frontliners to canvass Trussville-area homes this summer

Excitement is building at First Baptist Church, Trussville, as members prepare to host one of the community’s biggest and boldest evangelistic events ever. In a summer crusade dubbed “Light Your World,” the church will become a base of operations for 300–350 student evangelists from across the U.S. when Frontliners comes to town. About 200 First, Trussville, students will be involved.
   
Described by minister to students Chris Chambers as “a camp atmosphere with a missions endeavor,” the Frontliners ministry combines discipleship training and door-to-door witnessing with local church crusades to  flood communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
   
“Frontliners is being used in a positive way all across the nation to have an impact in communities,” said Pastor Gary Hollingsworth. “This is not about First Baptist; this is about bigger Kingdom work. It’s about finding out where the spiritual needs are in our community and doing something about them.”
   
First, Trussville, is expecting Frontliners representatives from Arkansas, Florida, Texas and Arizona, who are scheduled to arrive for the five-day event July 6.
   
“I think it will be exciting to have that interchange with students from all over the country,” said Hollingsworth. “Not only will we be able to share Trussville with them, but we’ll get the benefit of some different perspectives.”
   
Mornings will be spent in praise, worship, Bible study and how-to-witness sessions, with afternoons set aside for students to go out and share their faith. Groups consisting of three students and an adult walker will conduct door-to-door surveys, handing out literature and inviting residents to attend the evening crusade. Leaders will bring back information about decisions made and follow-up will begin immediately, either by phone or in person.
   
Plans call for canvassing 25,000 to 28,000 homes in the Trussville, Clay, Grayson Valley and Argo areas. Every home, said Chambers, will get a packet of information about the gospel that will also include information about First, Trussville.
   
“But,” he emphasized, “we don’t want other churches to think our goal is to go out and ‘steal their sheep.’ … If someone from another church makes a decision, we’ll encourage them to go back to their home church and let their pastor know. If they’re not involved in a church, sure, we’ll encourage them to come here. But if they’re a member elsewhere, we’ll encourage them to get plugged in there. We just want to tell people about Jesus.”
   
Chambers said several committees within the church are busy making arrangements to feed, house and transport visiting students. Others are making plans to facilitate the evening crusade and follow-up efforts. A Frontliners prayer committee, formed last summer, has been praying for God’s blessing and guidance throughout the preparation process.
   
“There’s a misconception that Frontliners is just a youth event,” Chambers said, “but Frontliners is churchwide — from preschoolers through senior adults.”
   
Involvement of First, Trussville, in Frontliners actually began in the fall of 2000 when Frontliners founder Kelly Green approached Hollingsworth with the idea of conducting a crusade in Trussville. To check out the program, Chambers, along with several other adults, accompanied First, Trussville, youth on two Frontliners events last summer. Senior high students went to Jacksonville, Ark.; a junior high group traveled to West Acres Baptist Church in Evans, Ga.
   
“At West Acres,” Chambers said, “the sanctuary was filled every night. Services started at 7 p.m. and didn’t end until 9:30 p.m. And nobody was saying ‘it’s time to go home’ because everyone was so caught up in what was going on. People are still coming to that church because of the crusade.”
    
The Trussville crusade will be led by Green with musical worship by contemporary Christian singer Charles Billingsley and First, Trussville’s, own Joe Estes. Discipleship sessions will be led by Stuart Henslee of Jacksonville, Fla.