Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Classifieds
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Classifieds
  • Your state news
  • Request a free trial

Church uses evangelism grants to impact California community

  • December 9, 2022
  • California Southern Baptist Convention
  • California, Church Life, Latest News
(Photo courtesy of California Baptist Southern Convention)

Church uses evangelism grants to impact California community

Outreach events don’t always go as planned. But they’re still a success when they help a church learn to do better next time.

That’s what happened when Thrive Church in Madera held a one-year anniversary celebration this fall. Attendance was low. Pastor Josh Dolarian felt like he was “pounding [his] head against the table” and wondering, “What do we have to do to get people to come to our events?” But Thrive applied the lessons they learned to a trunk-or-treat outreach the next month, which proved “catalytic” for the congregation’s spiritual development.

Thrive had the opportunity to find an outreach method that worked thanks to two evangelism grants from the California Southern Baptist Convention — one for the one-year celebration and one for trunk or treat.

“You just have to try stuff and see what works,” Dolarian said. “If something gets some traction, that’s something that you double down on.”

Changing plans

Thrive has been changing plans and overcoming adversity since its inception.

The Fresno-area church plant’s genesis came during the COVID-19 pandemic as Dolarian gathered people for Bible studies on Zoom.

Eventually, they began meeting in his backyard then moved to a martial arts dojo. When launch day finally arrived in September 2021, a crowd of 50-60 people convened at a local high school.

Sunday worship averages 50–60 today. There are 36 official members of Thrive, evidencing that “a good amount have brought into the vision,” Dolarian said.

As the church’s one-year anniversary approached, excitement appeared to build.

Thrive reserved space at a local community center and planned worship music, treats from a food truck and kids activities. When attendance disappointed, church leaders wondered whether the CSBC would support future evangelistic events.

A second evangelism grant for the Halloween trunk or treat answered that question with an emphatic yes.

“The beauty of the evangelism grants” is that the CSBC “is so good with helping churches,” Dolarian said.

“Church planting is like throwing stuff at a wall and seeing if it sticks,” he noted.  The events this fall were “a great learning experience for us as a church.”

Celebration

One big lesson for Thrive was that community members aren’t excited about celebrating a church.

They would rather celebrate a holiday that already matters to them. So Thrive poured into its trunk or treat. More than 40 people from the church helped, and a crowd of 600 showed up.

“It brought a catalytic feeling that we’re in this together” at our church, Dolarian said. “It put our face in the community.”

Six people who volunteered to serve at trunk-or-treat joined the church as a result. One was baptized. “Looking back on it I cried,” Dolarian said. “I was so proud.”

Other churches, he said, can take a lesson from Thrive’s experience: Try new things and know the CSBC stands with you as you find innovative ways to share Christ.

“Creating community excitement and blessing the community is really significant,” the pastor said. “It might take months or years,” but be persistent.

Any California Southern Baptist church that has given through the Cooperative Program in the past 12 months may apply for an evangelism grant at https://csbc.com/evangelism-grant-request/.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by David Roach and originally published by California Baptist Southern Convention. 

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Ukrainian guest professor partnering with TN Baptists to aid homeland
    Ukrainian guest professor partnering with TN Baptists to aid homeland
    January 28, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • U.S. Hispanic Protestant churches growing through community, evangelism
    U.S. Hispanic Protestant churches growing through community, evangelism
    January 27, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • TN, MS Disaster Relief teams provide support as Memphis braces for protests
    TN, MS Disaster Relief teams provide support as Memphis braces for protests
    January 27, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Ukrainian guest professor partnering with TN Baptists to aid homeland

A Carson-Newman University staffer has secured the assistance of local Baptist associations and churches in East Tennessee to aid his native country in war-torn Ukraine.

U.S. Hispanic Protestant churches growing through community, evangelism

Hispanic churches in the United States face unique challenges but are finding success in building community within their congregations and reaching those outside their walls.

TN, MS Disaster Relief teams provide support as Memphis braces for protests

Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams from Tennessee and Mississippi are providing support for first responders today (Jan.  27) in Memphis as the city braces for

First Person: 3 lessons from the 2023 March for Life

Last Friday (Jan. 20), thousands of enthusiastic individuals from every corner of the pro-life movement gathered on the National Mall for the March for Life.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel