Kicking It Up a Notch.

One of the things I enjoy most in my ministry is seeing churches and individuals take their Great Commission involvement to the next level. Such was the case this past Friday night at First Baptist Kenner's Fall Fest. It’s come a long way from my first attendance several years ago. Crammed into our acoustically challenged fellowship hall, I would characterize that night as noisy, chaotic, and smelly. It was Lord of the Flies meets Parish Fair (or County Fair for those not privileged to live in Louisiana). After Katrina, our Fall Fest took a new and more purposeful direction. Although still crammed into the fellowship hall, the fest now carried a theme that allowed kids to move from booth to booth and hear stories from the Bible, including the story of Jesus; his death and resurrection.

This year, our Fall Fest took its next bold step towards being a true community outreach event. The stuffy confines of the fellowship hall were traded in for the spacious, and highly visible, field on the church's campus. By the way, I can't name five other Southern Baptist Churches in the metro area that have access to property like this. Nearly all our churches are landlocked, even the "big" ones, and to have open green space that's nearly the size of a football field at your disposal 365 days a year is a resource I wouldn't take a million dollars for. Its potential for outreach is staggering. (If any of my church family is reading this, let it sink in. That field is pure gold!)

Not only did the fest change venues, it also shifted from a children's event to one that offered something for the whole family. The best change was an increased emphasis on sharing the good news of Jesus with the community. Add a new pastor who got behind the event and greater ownership from the church and you have an event that does more than give out candy. You have a genuine outreach event that seeks to connect people with Jesus Christ and his church at First Baptist Kenner. Over 150 families registered at the gate this year and I know of at least two professions of faith. Those in attendance had a great time and felt welcome at First Kenner. More importantly, many of them heard the Gospel. Was this year's Fall Fest perfect? Of course not, however, it was a big step in the right direction and I'm already excited about next year's event.