Children dance during a block party outreach in a field outside Oasis Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas.

How One Church Served Their Community


CRU STORYLINES

photos by

Guy Gerrard

published in

OCTOBER 2017

Cru®’s inner city ministry envisions cities transformed by the hope and justice of the gospel. To do this, the inner city ministry partners with local churches to holistically serve the community and proclaim the gospel in relevant ways. Oasis Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, is one example of this partnership.

In the inner city, Christians must not only talk about hope, but demonstrate it in practical ways. Leonard Hatcher, pastor of Oasis Baptist Church, and others from the congregation hosted a block party—complete with inflatable slides, face painting, Kool-Aid-soaked pickles and “bags of love” for the kids—to meet and serve those in nearby neighborhoods, while giving them a chance to hear about Christ.

Photo Face painting, food, music and games bring neighbors to the church.
Photo To the beat of the DJ’s music, adults join in the dancing that the children started.
Photo A volunteer helps organize children in line for one of the event’s most popular activities, an inflatable slide.
Photo The ride down the slide was worth the wait in line and the climb up for these neighborhood children.
Photo Joy and laughter ring across the field during the outreach.
Photo A church member inside the church offers a shaved ice treat.
Photo Volunteers bag hot dogs, popcorn, candy and drinks in the church kitchen.
Photo Catching bubbles makes time waiting in line for the big slide seem to pass quickly.
Photo Children make bracelets or necklaces that represent the message of the gospel from colored bead kits provided by Cru®’s inner city ministry.
Photo Young women who helped paint faces and make gospel bead jewelry show off their smiles and their bead necklaces.
Photo Oasis Baptist Church’s pastor, Leonard Hatcher (in white shirt), announces the drawing for a television donated by the tax service next door.
Photo Pastor Leonard gives a salvation message through an illustration using a cross, water and a few drops of dye.
Photo During the outreach, each child and teen gets a “bag of love” distributed by a volunteer from a partner church.
Photo Each “bag of love” contains an age-appropriate gospel booklet.
Photo Smiles and sips from a drink reflect the outreach day as neighbors prepare to go home.

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