Creative Evangelism Reaches 1,000

Story by LaTasha Hewitt

Several Allegheny East Conference churches in the Philadelphia area recently joined together for the Worship Share Urban Project (WaS UP), a creative evangelism initiative. Held in Upper Darby, Pa., the worship experience reached well over 1,000 people throughout the course of the day.

“This model is meant to introduce worship to the community, which can serve as a precursor to a more in-depth crusade, or just simply open the doors to Bible studies,” says Shawn Fordham, one of the event coordinators.

The initiative took a joint effort from Fordham, lay pastor of the East Lansdowne (Pa.) church; William Taliaferro, emcee and pastor of the West Philadelphia church; Marquis Johns, pastor of the North Philadelphia church; Bruce Patterson, worship leader and lay pastor; and Harold Jean Wright, a forensic psychologist featured on 3ABN who gave a TED Talksstyle health presentation. The East Lansdowne and West Philadelphia churches sponsored the event.

WaS UP began with vespers on Friday night and a praise and music fest on Saturday. The event featured several speakers and musical groups, including artists Clifton Davis and Brian McKnight Jr. Also, throughout the weekend, medical professionals provided more than 500 free health screenings.