GREENFIELD — Don Barnes had never met Brandon Atwood or Sam Tompkins. But there at the coffee shop, he saw they had Bibles.
Barnes and his wife, Lori, struck up a conversation with them. The four talked about what it would be like to bring Christians from various churches together to pray for the community.
They and others are hoping an April 6 gathering at Bradley Hall will do just that.
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“We’re really asking God to do something in our town,” Lori Barnes said. “It’s meant to be a collaborative event.”
“We all live in our own little church bubbles,” said Don Barnes, pastor of Greater Grace Church in Greenfield. “We’re supposed to be together.”
Some interchurch gatherings have happened locally over the years. For example, Apostolic Pentecostal Church and Faith Apostolic Church meet in prayer monthly, taking turns playing host to City Wide Prayer gatherings, as they’re titled on the APC website.
Church leaders gather monthly through the Greater Greenfield Ministerial Association, which organizes a community Good Friday service annually and a National Day of Prayer service each May.
The Community Ministerial Alliance in the Shirley area and the New Palestine Fellowship of Churches also collaborate on community services in their communities.
But organizers of the April 6 event hope to bring all of Greenfield’s churches together to pray for the community. To that end, they’ve sent emails and made phone calls inviting more than 30 congregations. Anyone interested is welcome to attend, Don Barnes said.
“It goes way beyond denominations,” he said. “When are we going to be involved in the Great Commission?” He’s referring to Bible passages in which a resurrected Jesus tells his disciples to go out into the world and share his message.
Plans for the evening include remarks from a guest pastor, Butch Veader of Baltimore, as well as refreshments and time to share ideas and pray together.
Veader holds the highest rank in Seigneury Ju Jitsu in the world, according to a bio released by Greater Grace, and has trained police and special forces personnel and lectured briefly at the NSA. He was shot in the head while working nightclub security in 1975; while he thought he was dying, he decided to become a Christian. Two years later, he enrolled in Bible college and later became a pastor. He often evangelizes at gun and knife shows and motorcycle events in inner-city Baltimore and in other cities.
Tompkins, Atwood and Atwood’s wife, Andrea Atwood, will lead worship music at the event. The Atwoods lead worship about once a month at their home church in New Castle, and when the Barnes approached in the coffee shop they mentioned looking for music leaders.
“To me it was like a no-brainer. God is leading in this direction,” Brandon Atwood said.
“One thing that Don and Lori said is they had a heart for bringing together the churches. … That’s something that’s been on my heart for a long time.”
Lori Barnes said several local pastors have indicated they plan to attend and are telling their congregations.
“This is not a church event. It’s not a denominational event,” she said. “It’s a Jesus event.”
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"The Great Commission" gathering is set for 7 to 9 p.m. April 6 in Bradley Hall on the third floor of Bradley Event Center, 2 W. Main St., Greenfield (northwest corner of State and Main streets).
"We are coming together as one body of Christians who believe God can bring revival to our town if we will humble ourselves and pray," reads a flyer organizers have distributed for the meeting.
Information: 317-496-0219 or 317-702-1017
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