[featured_image]I arrived in Denver around 11am yesterday and headed straight to Eaton Days where High Plains Harvest Church had set up a booth. During the summer, these followers of Jesus have a presence in a variety of local town summer festivals.
When I arrived, I had no problem spotting their booth from the street amid the dozens of booths in the park. As I approached the booth, I saw Pastor Mark from a distance and several members of their church engaging people in conversation. They also were giving away free popsicles and had a drawing for a $100 gift card to Heritage Market.
By the end of the day, over 100 people had entered the drawing and dozens of people had taken the “Are You a Good Person?” Test.
One of the highlights for the day for me was talking to a young couple that had come to know Christ and been baptized this past year. Mark had told me their story – but it was so awesome to meet them in person and to hear their love for Jesus and desire to see others come to know him. This couple, along with others that I met, were committed to making disciples who make disciples.
I started coaching Pastor Mark Hotaling almost two years ago in the summer of 2010. And guess what they were doing that summer – even before the church had started regular worship gatherings? They were out in the surrounding towns talking to people about Jesus.
Often I share about the priority for church planters to be about making cookies and not designing cool cookie jars. Mark and the High Plains Harvest Church get this. They are about making cookies from scratch. And they are finding ways to engage the culture around them with the gospel.
Today’s Missional Challenge
Find ways to engage those around you with the gospel this summer. Be present in your community!
