Southern Baptists in strategy sessions for Baltimore evangelism project
Missionaries with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention are gearing up for evangelism projects targeting major U.S. cities next year. Baltimore is one of two "Strategic Focus Cities" where the NAMB will hold numerous witnessing efforts, including various acts of kindness, ministering to the homeless, and other outreaches.
For several years, the NAMB has focused on large metropolitan areas where Southern Baptists hold crusades, rallies, block parties, and other projects for one year. Although the Baltimore initiative does not kick off until next year, SBC pastors, NAMB workers, and volunteers are already taking part in strategy sessions.
Mitch Dowell is an NAMB missionary and is director of evangelism for the initiative known as "Embrace Baltimore." He says Baltimore is a unique city when it comes to strategic evangelism.
"Baltimore is uniquely a city of neighborhoods, and each neighborhood is uniquely different," Dowell says. "And so our approach has to be to develop a strategy for evangelism -- but whatever we're doing, that fits that neighborhood."
Stressing the neighborhood approach, Dowell says it is important to build relationships with those the volunteers are trying to reach. "I think that's probably key in a city like Baltimore," he says. "If you don't have a relationship with the folks, they just don't trust you. And so that takes a little time, but it's time well spent." And those who help out are being re-energized in their Christian walk, he notes.
Dowell says the need for a strong Christian witness is evident in Baltimore. For example, he says the city was recently named the second most dangerous city to live in in the U.S.
Baltimore City is where I ministry at with my church in one of the neighborhoods Great and caring people they are, always looking out for eachother and helping each other... The missionaries will be blessed.
