WILMINGTON, Del.-The Delaware Association hosted an Embrace Wilmington Festival this summer in Rodney Park. One hundred fifteen student missionaries from Biltmore Church helped with the event.
DBA staffers, Ogletown Church members, and the mission team group gave out snow cones, hot dogs and hamburgers to people who lined up around the park. Kids had fun in a moon bounce. Representatives from Urban Promise were at the festival and presented a panel discussion about ministry in inner cities.
Later in the day, the teens sang and some people responded to a gospel presentation and made confessions of faith.
The neighborhood took notice.
“One guy came up and said, ‘I was on way to Thursday night Bible study and my pastor said, “Did you hear? There’s revival going on downtown!”‘”
Cody Whitaker, DBA’s ministry evangelism director, said, “I don’t know if you’d classify it as a revivial, but it was the highlight of my summer.”
The DBA officially launched its Embrace Wilmingtion initiative at its annual meeting on Oct. 3.
The festival, Whitaker said, is a way to get to know the city and to have the city get to know the DBA and its churches.
“We’re saying here’s who we are-a group of Southern Baptist churches that love God and love the city and want to reach out and embrace the city,” Whitaker said.