More than 60 people made professions of faith in March at a “No Sale Yard Sale” event at Second Baptist Church in Russellville. (Facebook photo)
What began with prayer and simple acts of service is already producing eternal results. Churches across Arkansas are seeing lives changed this spring as they intentionally engage their communities with the gospel.
In Russellville, more than 60 people made professions of faith in March at a “No Sale Yard Sale” event at Second Baptist Church in Russellville held in conjunction with the statewide Spring Outreach Strategy.
That kind of fruit is exactly the vision behind the initiative.
The spring season offers a natural moment for churches to re-engage their communities with an intentional gospel focus. Designed as a pathway rather than a program, the Spring Outreach Strategy helps churches move from prayer to action to celebration.
The strategy centers on four connected components: Who’s Your One, Serve Local, Big Day, and Statewide Baptism Sunday.
Rather than viewing these as separate efforts, churches were encouraged to see them as a single gospel pathway – one that begins with prayer, is lived out through service, culminates in proclamation, and is celebrated through obedience.
At least 64 churches officially registered for resources through the state office, though many others participated in various components. From those who reported, approximately 3,650 guests attended outreach events statewide.
From Prayer to Action
The emphasis begins with “Who’s Your One,” where believers identify and pray for a specific person who needs the gospel. That intentional prayer often leads naturally into Serve Local –meeting tangible needs while creating opportunities for gospel conversations.
At Salem First Baptist Church, about 70 people participated in eight different ministries during Serve Local – the church’s first time engaging in the strategy.
“We had several come to church from being invited, many relationships were established, and several gospel conversations were had,” said Pastor Tyler Fox.
In Conway, Woodland Heights Baptist Church mobilized 105 participants across 11 ministries, resulting in four professions of faith.
“I have more stories than you want typed in a response. It would be pages,” said Discipleship and Administration Pastor Rox Horton. “Definitely one of the greatest discipleship days since I’ve been at Woodland.”
Horton described members of all ages stepping out in faith, including a senior adult who shared the gospel eight times in one day and a high school student who, after watching others, shared the gospel on her own for the first time.
Other churches found creative ways to meet needs despite challenges like weather.
At Browns Chapel in Paragould, a drive-thru Easter egg hunt brought in around 400 guests and led to the church’s largest attendance in more than five years, with 460 people that Sunday.
First Baptist Church in Camden pivoted its Easter outreach indoors due to rain but saw unexpected impact through a simple idea: encouraging members to send $10 for gas along with an Easter invitation.
The result included rides being offered and sparked multiple gospel conversations. Attendance climbed to nearly 150 that Sunday, the highest in years for a church that had been struggling.
“We prayed for our ‘ones’ all month long,” said Pastor Stephen Watson. “Please continue to pray for revitalization at FBC Camden.”
At First Baptist Church in Perryville, an early start to the emphasis led to consistent participation, four salvations, and increased attendance heading into Easter.
Even small moments made a lasting impact. At Black Oak, one family attending an egg hunt shared how the event marked their first outing after months of caring for a premature newborn. The opportunity led to prayer and meaningful connection.
Spring Outreach Strategy is not about events – it’s about people. People prayed for, communities served, the gospel proclaimed, and lives transformed.
Reports in this article were provided by the Arkansas Baptist Missions Team.