Baptist Sunday in 2025 was a day of celebration at Balboa Baptist Church in Hot Springs Village as nine students who accepted Jesus into their hearts followed in believer’s baptism. (File photo)
By Clint Ritchie
Spring offers a natural moment for churches to re-engage their communities with intentional gospel focus. The Spring Outreach Strategy is designed to help churches move from prayer to action to celebration. This Spring Outreach Strategy is built around four connected components—each simple on its own, but powerful when practiced together: Who’s Your One, Serve Local, Big Day, and Statewide Baptism Sunday.
Rather than viewing these as separate initiatives, consider them a single gospel pathway—one that begins with prayer, is lived out through service, culminates in proclamation, and is celebrated through obedience.
Who’s Your One
The strategy begins on March 1 with a focused time of commitment for every believer to identify and pray for their “one”—a specific person God has placed in their life who needs the gospel. Throughout Scripture, Jesus consistently engaged people one-on-one, reminding us that evangelism is deeply personal.
Encourage your church to think through FRANgelism: Friends, Relatives, Associates, and Neighbors. These are often the most receptive relationships. Some churches are using different colored ping-pong balls as a visual tool—one color representing someone being prayed for, another for a gospel conversation, and another for a profession of faith. It’s a simple but effective way to celebrate progress and keep evangelism visible.
The goal is not pressure, but persistence—faithfully praying and watching God work.
Serve Local
Prayer naturally leads to action. Serve Local challenges churches to identify real needs in their communities—physical or personal needs, broader community needs, and the need for meaningful connection. Once needs are identified, the next step is determining which can be feasibly met. Then, churches are ready to formulate a plan that mobilizes their congregation to meet real needs and share the gospel while serving.
Many churches are finding success by mobilizing small groups to lead service projects. This allows groups to take ownership and engage relationally rather than just completing a task. Others are hosting their annual Easter egg hunt or similar outreach, but they are asking how it can be done bigger—and more intentionally—with an evangelistic focus.
A key challenge during this phase is encouraging members to serve their one. Serving becomes a bridge for gospel conversations. As churches serve, two components must remain central: clearly sharing the gospel and intentionally inviting people to Easter.
Over the past five years, several thousand Arkansas Baptists have participated in Serve Local, with countless gospel conversations occurring, and more than 300 reported professions of faith.
Big Day
The Big Day is Easter Sunday, April 5. This is the moment where prayer and service converge. By this point, relationships have been built and invitations extended. Pastors should prepare their churches to warmly receive guests—clear signage, friendly greeters, and intentional follow-up matter.
Most importantly, preach an evangelistic Easter message. Resist the temptation to overcomplicate it. Just stick to the story. The gospel is powerful on its own, and Easter provides a natural moment for people to respond in faith.
Statewide Baptism Sunday
Statewide Baptism Sunday is a time to celebrate obedience and gospel fruit. Those who make decisions through Serve Local events, personal witnessing opportunities, and at Easter services are encouraged, through the follow-up process, to take the important step of publicly identifying with Christ through baptism.
Even churches without baptisms are encouraged to participate by celebrating how God has worked—through prayers offered, relationships built, and seeds planted. Rejoice together in what the Lord has done.
The Spring Outreach Strategy is not about programs—it’s about people. People prayed for, communities served, the Gospel proclaimed, and our Savior celebrated. May God use this season to bring spiritual renewal to churches across Arkansas and new life to those who hear and respond to the Good News.
Free resources, including the 316 Bracelet evangelism tool, are available when churches register here.
Clint Ritchie serves as community missions strategist at Arkansas Baptists.