By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – In a state where an estimated 60 percent of the population lacks a relationship with Christ, “Here for You” is helping to remind Louisiana Baptists that a great harvest awaits.
Launched in the summer of 2014 as part of the President’s 2020 Commission, the “Here for You” multi-media campaign is attempting to impact the estimated 2.7 million people in Louisiana who do not know Christ.
At this point of our strategy, ‘We are not waiting on the harvest,’” Louisiana Baptist communication director John Kyle told the Baptist Message. “The harvest is waiting on us!”
Since its statewide launch in 2019, “Here for You” has used social media, streaming services, broadcast television, billboards and more to reach the lost in Louisiana. The campaign has seeded God’s truth through more than 31,000 views of the Gospel presentation and more than 2,100 searches for local churches.
Additionally, through a partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, viewers have been directed to a customized landing page for prayer with trained counselors, who share the the Gospel. Such efforts have resulted in more than 4,300 Louisianians who have indicated decisions for Christ since 2019. Louisiana is the only state that has such a BGEA partnership.
Kyle said Louisiana Baptists are finalizing a plan in partnership with the BGEA that will enable Louisiana Baptist churches to reach out to those who have indicated a decision for Christ in the state.
“There was a plan in place before COVID but, like many other plans during that season, those plans did not materialize,” he explained. “The new plan will allow us to reach out to the people who have indicated a decision for Christ and have provided their contact information. We hope to have this operational before the end of the year.”
Kyle said he is thankful for the campaign that has used money from the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering to “seed” God’s truth with people and in places that Louisiana Baptists typically don’t reach. Citing the parable of the seeds in Mark 4:26-29, Kyle said Louisiana Baptists have two jobs – to scatter the seeds and to gather the promised harvest.
“We’ve been doing and will continue to do the first job – seeding – but we need to pray and challenge our people to gather the promised harvest,” Kyle noted.
Supported through the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering, the goal of “Here for You” is to direct people to the Gospel and to a church. LouisianaBaptists.org/hereforyou shows congregations how to use the campaign to connect with their communities.
