Outreach Festival Reflections

By Anthony Gammage “Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!” -Psalm 97:12

Since the Outreach Festival concluded in early February, I have had a chance to evaluate the time and to hear some of the stories that have emerged from it. Something I am trying to discipline myself to do more is celebrate. I’m often so busy running off to the next thing that I often fail to reflect on God’s faithfulness and work in the world around me. The stories below have encouraged my heart, and I pray you are able to join me in celebrating God’s work both in our church and in the world around us.

  • One man came up to me during the second week of the festival and told me how one of the sermons encouraged him to actually proclaim the Gospel to someone he did not know. That week while traveling to work on the train, the Lord afforded him the opportunity to share the Gospel with a stranger.
  • A family took the “neighbor” sermon to heart and invited their whole neighborhood to their house once a week for dinner over the course of Lent (six weeks!) to show hospitality and to encourage spiritual conversation. The first week, ten of the eighteen families in the neighborhood attended!
  • During a meeting, a friend leaned over to me and told me that they were going to write a letter to their non-believing family member affirming where the Lord may already be at work in their life, and challenging them in one area spiritually. They pray this will be the catalyst for them coming to faith.
  • This next Saturday, many in our church who are in the medical profession will be meeting at Northeast Community Church to begin a conversation on how to better love and serve the immigrants in our region in the area of healthcare.

Psalm 97 (above) is actually a Psalm of rejoicing over the Lord’s righteousness reigning over all the earth. Join me in celebrating the opportunities that have arisen in the wake of this festival for people to hear of our righteous king, and pray for hearts to submit to our righteous and merciful Savior.