Southwestern hosts One Big Block Bash community event

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary hosted One Big Block Bash event on June 7, with other entities as a further sign of cooperation among Southern Baptists in reaching the community with the Gospel.

“We are excited to host this important Crossover event on the Southwestern campus,” President David S. Dockery said, calling it, “a marvelous opportunity, in conjunction with our friends from the Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention (SBTC), and the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), to share the love of God in Jesus Christ with many from across this area.”

More than 100 volunteers from the Southwestern community, Fuge student camp instructors housed on campus this summer, and members of the WMU, SBTC, BGCT, and Texans on Mission participated in the event, which featured food and fun family activities such as crafts, games, and balloon sculptures in front of the Memorial complex for about 250 community members. Each interaction was seen as an opportunity to share the Gospel as Bibles, Christian books, and Gospel tracts were distributed.

Southwesterners and other Southern Baptists partner together to reach residents around Seminary Hill with the Gospel.

Southwesterners participating in the Crossover evangelism initiative held in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting and supported through the North American Mission Board (NAMB) visited the neighborhoods around the campus throughout the week, sharing the Gospel and inviting families to the event on campus.

Sandy Wisdom-Martin of the WMU, which had about 80 members volunteering at the event and participating in the simultaneous prayer walk, said the event came about as the WMU and other Southern Baptists looked for events and activities that could be held around the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas and with Crossover.

“As Southern Baptists, we have one thing that unites us at the core and that is to take the Gospel to those who have never heard. … We are on mission together,” Wisdom-Martin said, adding this event was a “snapshot of what it means to be part of the Southern Baptist family. We are at our very best when we work together to tell others about Jesus.”

During the event, volunteers spent time prayer walking around the campus in shifts, praying for the Southwestern community in specific ways and for the people attending the event.

“The prayer foci are our own SWBTS mission, developing relationships with our perimeter neighbors, for the teams evangelizing, and that a harvest of people will trust Christ for salvation,” campus prayer coordinator Melana Monroe said.

Individuals who could not come to campus were able to participate in the time of prayer online and through the sharing of the suggested prayer requests.

Southern Baptist entities such as Texans on Mission helped serve the community during the One Big Block Bash.

David Hardage, former executive director of the BGCT and current church ambassador for Texans on Mission, brought a team of volunteers to help and supplied materials and tools for children to build their own small bookshelves and make evangelism bracelets. They also brought snacks and drinks to give out to those visiting the campus.

“I would just call it the practice and power of cooperation,” Hardage said of the Gospel effort of the event that involved so many individuals and organizations. “So, I think that’s just pretty simple. When people come together and work together, you make a difference.”

NAMB provided New Testaments that were handed out during the event, while others such as the SBTC also provided volunteers.

“The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is grateful for the opportunity to partner with our friends at SWBTS for this Crossover event,” said Tony Mathews, senior strategist for the SBTC, adding they came to the event trusting it would be a “powerful demonstration of God’s love, blessing both adults and children in the community.”

“This outreach was a picture of what it means to collaborate to share the Gospel—a true picture of New Testament Gospel partnership,” said Ashley Allen, assistant to the president and assistant professor of women’s ministries, who helped organize the event. “Each person and ministry involved brought their gifts and talents during the preparation process as we readied and organized for the event and each person served faithfully throughout the afternoon. All of this was done with the sole goal of making Christ known. This was certainly accomplished during this outreach opportunity.”

Dockery expressed gratitude to individuals such as Texas Baptist College Dean Carl Bradford, Events Coordinator Debbie Walton, Allen, and Monroe for their efforts to plan and prepare for the event. Even while praying for the Holy Spirit to move during the event, Dockery said the Southwestern community also gives “thanks for God’s provision and blessings for Southwestern, which make this opportunity possible.”