Louisiana Baptists are challenging churches to pray about a golden opportunity to see thousands of lives transformed for Christ during a pair of evangelistic efforts preceding the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for June 13-14 in New Orleans.
The “Send Relief Serve Tour,” an effort that seeks to involve participants in service projects in Houma and New Orleans as the foundation for evangelism, will take place June 9–10. A celebration service will be held June 10 at First Baptist Church, New Orleans, with a meal at 5 p.m. and service at 6 p.m.
Additionally, “Crossover,” a large-scale evangelistic effort, will take place in the New Orleans Baptist Association and North Shore Baptist Association, June 10.
The “Serve Tour” and “Crossover” weekend will wrap up with a Harvest Sunday, June 11. Churches in these areas will be encouraged to utilize evangelists to fill the pulpit that day.
‘It all starts with prayer’
Steve Horn, Louisiana Baptist executive director, has set a combined goal for winning people to Christ through these two evangelistic efforts. In his report to the executive board in September and then again at the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in November, he shared that he is praying for 2,023 people to be saved.
“We know that the harvest is ripe for abundance in New Orleans,” Horn said during the annual meeting. “And, now we can say that the workers in that harvest are going to be more than usual at least for this abbreviated time. We cannot miss this strategic opportunity.”
Jacob Crawford, the “Crossover” point person for the New Orleans area and director of City Life NOLA, shared during a breakout session at the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference, Jan. 24, that prayer will play a key role in both evangelist efforts.
“Even the smallest church can do this and be a part of seeing communities come to know Jesus,” Crawford said. “Whether it’s ‘Crossover’ or ‘Serve,’ God is calling us to live on mission and share our faith. We could see God do something huge, but it all starts with prayer.
“It’ll be so encouraging to know your brothers and sisters are serving that day,” he continued. “You are the piece of a bigger puzzle. We will have to think outside the box in some communities to communicate the gospel. I’m excited about what God will do.”
Alex Brian, “Serve Tour” local project manager, said tour opportunities will include rebuilding homes impacted by recent hurricanes in southeast Louisiana, partnering with a mobile dental and medical clinic operated by Baptist Community Health Services and assisting churches with various projects.
“‘Crossover’ and ‘Serve Tour’ ground us in what makes us Southern Baptists, or Great Commission Baptists, in the first place – missions,” said Brian, also community ministries strategist for the New Orleans Baptist Association and pastor of Vieux Carre Baptist Church, New Orleans.
“We partner together because God is able to do more through us when we are working together, sharing the gospel in word and in our work. Specifically, with ‘Serve Tour,’ and as a pastor in downtown New Orleans, one thing I find myself trying to communicate with folks about the reality of ministry here is that compassion ministry is our urban apologetic,” he continued. “Serving our communities is how we are going to make the gospel make sense to a people in need.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Brian Blackwell and originally published by Lousiana’s Baptist Message.
