It’s a special week in our nation. I hope you are gearing up for America’s 250th birthday this Saturday! The celebration will begin early at ABC on Friday July 3rd for our annual Freedom Over Austin event. We will offer an all-American carnival, food trucks, live music, and a professional fireworks show. The party will begin at 7pm and fireworks will go off a little after 9pm. Wear red, white, and blue, and I hope you are making plans to invite a friend.
We host summer events like this for a purpose. All our summer programming helps us advance our mission which is “to lead people into a life-changing relationship with the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.” I remember last summer I met a family who came to VBS. It was their first time inside our church doors, and their kids had a wonderful experience. They then came to Freedom Over Austin and loved our community. This made them start attending our church, where they were later baptized and are now active members. This is why we do what we do.
Events like Freedom Over Austin are simple bridges to our community. Hundreds of people will come to our campus from the surrounding apartments and homes. Hundreds of visitors will come with our church members who invite them. Outward facing events and ministries are so important for the local church to engage our neighbors. Our young adults started offering sports ministry on Monday nights this Summer. Their attendance has doubled by simply offering pickleball and basketball here on site. Just last week, one young adult prayed to receive Christ at that sports outreach event.
Thank you for partnering with us in the Gospel. Events like this are only possible through your generosity and commitment to The Great Commission Fund which is the general fund of our church. We are indeed advancing the Great Commission forward together, and I pray many more lives will be transformed this summer ABC lets our light shine before others.
Onward and Upward,
Dr. Jonathan Spencer
www.jonathanspencer.org 