NEW ORLEANS (BP)–The Crossover New Orleans evangelistic emphasis got an early start June 4 with the introduction of a 10-day television advertising campaign designed to introduce individuals in the New Orleans area to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
During the first three days of the campaign, a total of 762 calls had been received from individuals in the New Orleans area requesting a free copy of the “Jesus” video offered during the two advertising spots being used in the campaign. A total of 34 professions of faith in Christ by individuals across the country were recorded during the three-day period, 26 of which were estimated to be from the New Orleans area.
Commercials used in the campaign, sponsored by the North American Mission Board, include a testimonial by Mary Lou Retton of Jesus Christ as a “perfect 10” and another spot referring to the “living water” found in Christ.
Calls from the response are routed through NAMB’s Evangelism Response Center. The system allows more than 1,000 trained volunteer “telephone encouragers” across the country to answer calls from respondents to evangelistic campaigns like the Crossover effort from their own homes.
Because of anticipated heavy volume of calls from the Crossover New Orleans campaign, a special call center was opened at North American Mission Board offices in Alpharetta, Ga., June 4. NAMB staff members who are also trained telephone encouragers are logging in to the Evangelism Response Center system from a bank of phones at the temporary call center, joining other volunteers from across the country.
The advertising campaign is just one aspect of Crossover New Orleans, an evangelistic emphasis which this weekend will bring nearly 1,000 out-of-town volunteers to join local volunteers in more than 40 special events.
Among the events are evangelistic block parties and door-to-door canvassing efforts conducted in cooperation with local churches, special festivals and church services sponsored by ethnic churches, a “Kindness Explosion” effort offering free water and other gifts to merchants and vendors in New Orleans’ French Quarter, entertainment based evangelism efforts in the French Quarter, and evangelism efforts in public housing areas of the city.
Crossover since 1989 has been a prelude to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, which will take place June 12-13 at the Louisiana Superdome.
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