Live out the Gospel Personally: Engage Now 2019

Engage Now 2019 was truly a worshipful missions gathering!  Hearts were challenged to look at the world around us – both locally and globally in fresh new ways when it comes to “living out” the gospel personally.

Many gathered to hear our speakers Dr. John Perkins, Ruth and Nik Ripken and Sandy Wisdom-Martin.  

Dr. Perkins challenged us by saying: “People are put together in pieces. Truth is put together in pieces. We are not complete without one another. That is why we long for community. The problem is we are side by side but not together. To be reconciled, is to heal each oth-ers wounds. To truly know one another is to create new life together. I’ve been given this Grace…..am I not going to use it?”

Dr. Nik Ripken shared 4 questions a witness needs address when sharing their faith: 1. What do I say? 2. Who do I say it to? 3. Who will hold me accountable? And 4. What do I do when they say “yes?”  Too often we never bring people to the reality of the resurrection.  

Ruth Ripken spoke during lunch to a large gathering of women.  She stated: “serving God is a not a matter of convenience but obedience.” She went on to say, One’s ultimate goal in serving is serving God” A helpful tool when sharing with women of Muslim faith is tell them the stories of women in the Bible.  She spoke of how one overcomes tribulation and suffering as she spoke of the loss of their son while on the mission field.

Sandy Wisdom-Martin spoke of the power of one.  How God will use your life no matter how “unusable” you might feel.  We must understand our why “Y” in order to live out God’s purposes for each of us.  

The worship on Friday was led by Reverend Randy Wagner of The Crossing Community Church of Hilliard and a worship team from various churches across the Columbus area. On Saturday morning Reverend Dwayne Lee, State Convention of Baptists in Ohio staff led the worship. The Engage Now 2019 Mission Gathering concluded with the worship choir from Marietta Bible College, Marietta, Ohio.

Saturday afternoon 29 breakout sessions were offered on a wide variety of missional topics.  

A special thanks to those who made Engage Now 2019 Mission Gathering possible. Mission Support Team – Vernita Lambert, Sam Kelly, Cathy Pound and Charlotte Barbo; Thank you SCBO staff; our Engage Now 2019 Leadership Team – Jean DiFilippo (State WMU President), Gerald Saffo, Andrew Trezona, Penny Zuber, Steve Long, Mark Jones, Willie Peterson, Reggie Hayes and Pastor Paul Gabriel; the entire church family of Crossroads Baptist Church; our deaf signers – Paige Hobbs, Stephanie McEnheimer and Renea Trabue.  To everyone who shared a display, our program personalities and breakout session leaders – THANK YOU!  

I hope to see you next year when we gather for next year's Engage Now that will be held at Jersey Baptist Church, Pataskala, Ohio on February 21st & 22nd.  Plan to join us as we continue to reach the nations both locally and globally!