MILLER – Missouri Baptist churches are transforming their communities and making disciples with the help of Real Encounter, a Springfield-based ministry that shares the gospel while performing motorcycle and bike stunts.
At the end of August, 12 churches in the Lawrence County Baptist Association organized a one-day crusade. Nearly 100 encouragers from these churches were involved in the event. Real Encounter performed at three school assemblies in Mt. Vernon and at one school assembly in Miller, sharing their message with more than 1,000 people.
According to Ken Hawkins, director of missions for the association, there were 82 recorded decisions that resulted from these outreach events.
“I’ve seen several Real Encounter events,” Hawkins said. “This is the best one I had seen, in how they had presented the program, how (they) presented the gospel. It was just a great night.”
Meanwhile, First Baptist Church in West Plains also organized a one-day crusade, Sept. 2, which included a Real Encounter event at a local civics center. According to interim pastor Rick Hedger, nearly 2,500 people attended the event, which resulted in 150 professions of faith. Hedger added that the church will celebrate its first two baptisms following the event on Oct. 2.
“We’re beginning to reap the harvest already,” Hedger said. “Some of the family members of church members, on the way home, said they wanted to receive Christ. It was a huge win for the church, for individuals to regain their confidence that God’s hand is still on them, even though they don’t have a (full-time, permanent) pastor. … It was just a big win all the way around.”