Posted by Matt Markins in This last weekend, I packed my family and my mother-in-law in the wagon and headed down town, along with about 50,000 other people, for the Luis Palau CityFest, a completely FREE event to the public.
Looking at this from every angle, I truly think that this was a breath of fresh air for Nashville. This event was similar to other events in Nashville, because it was loaded with live music from 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM. Many of these types of events in Nashville involve some sort of fee or ticket to get into the Riverfront Park area, however this event came at no cost to the public. Absolutely amazing!
The event also included a Family Fun Zone with games, prizes, face painting, a place to make bracelets and necklaces for the kids, inflatables, an appearance by Bob and Larry and more. Our family loved it!
Not only was the event itself free, Luis Palau Spoke to Nashville from the Riverfront Stage and offered a free gift to everyone who could hear him: hope, freedom and life through Jesus Christ.
We can’t thank Luis Palau enough for the impact he has had on our city. I can not even begin to estimate the cost of the investment that they put into billboards, radio advertisements, free signs to put up in yards, brochures, DVD’s, Training Events, hosting entertainment like Steven Curtis Chapman, Barlow Girl, Jeremy Camp, Toby Mac and others for the CityFest itself. Hundred’s of thousands of dollars to be sure.
It really makes me think “what price should we pay to have the opportunity to present and share the gospel with our neighbors and with the world?” I thought of these passages:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Matthew 13:44
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans 10:13-15
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 10:39
Matt
I had the privilege of serving on a steering committee for the Luis Palau folks before leaving Washington, DC. We had to leave town a couple of weeks before the actual event, so I did not get to attend, but the work that goes into planning and presenting such a weekend is intense, to say the least. I’m glad you and your family were able to experience such a weekend. It will be awesome to see what God will do for the city through that type of evangelism.
Steve