Louisville—Young archers met with more than tough competition over last weekend as hundreds encountered Christ at an evangelistic outreach in Louisville.

“We can no longer sit in our churches and wait for our young people to come to us to hear the gospel. We must engage them where they are,” said Chuck McAlister, evangelism team leader at the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

Sandwiched between two national archery tournaments at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center, “Engage!” YEC (Youth Evangelism Conference) attracted more than 400 people with Brock Gill’s gospel-centered illusions.

McAlister said 103 young people made faith decisions.

KBC Affinity Evangelism Strategist Andy McDonald described one of the illusions as especially powerful.

While telling the story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well, Gill slowly poured the water from three silver jars into a large bucket placed at the center of the stage.

As he talked about the living water of Jesus that never runs dry, the illusionist returned to the first jar and emptied it again, doing the same with the other two vessels.

Three times Gill poured what appeared to be the entire liquid contents of the jar—all the while repeating the words, “You’ll never thirst again.”

“I’ve heard that story a hundred times. I’ve even preached it myself, but his presentation was so powerful,” McDonald said. “I think the light and the truth of the gospel became understandable for people in that moment. I know it did because they responded.”

McDonald said the Kentucky Baptist Convention plans to follow up with everyone who prayed to receive Christ and connect individuals with Bible-believing churches in their hometowns.

About 13,000 people traveled to Louisville during the three days of national competitions offered by Centershot and the National Archery in the Schools Program.

McDonald expressed gratitude to Kentucky Baptists for their part in making Engage! YEC possible.

“When they give and they pray, and when they give to the Cooperative Program, Kentucky Baptists have a hand in those decisions,” he said.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention has a new resource called LIFEproject that guides churches in reaching affinity or need-based groups in their communities.

For more information about LIFEproject visit http://www.kybaptist.org/lifeproject, and plan to attend LIFE Tour, www.kybaptist.org/lifetour, to learn more about how your church can be a Great Commission driven church. The next LIFE Tour is June 9 June 9 at Flemingsburg Baptist Church in Flemingsburg. (KBC)