At Hillvue Heights Church, sharing the gospel “is a way of life,” said lead Pastor Steve Ayers of the Bowling Green, Kentucky, church. That has resulted in the church baptizing 703 people this year, the highest yearly total in the church’s history.

“There’s no magic formula,” said Pastor Ayers. “Our people have become convinced about sharing the gospel. It’s not a program, but a way of life.”

Adding to the excitement is the involvement of the younger generation in witnessing. “We have a group of kids who have grown up knowing they are supposed to share the gospel.

“Vacation Bible School has been very instrumental in discipling that. We have young people who go to the mall to share the gospel. This is all the work of the Holy Spirit. God is doing really cool things.”

Pastor Ayers, who has been lead pastor since 1991, said Hillvue Heights Church culture is that the congregation expects people to get saved.

“In the last eight years, we’ve talked more about ‘believing’ than ‘doing.’ People actually do what they believe. We believe hell is real and heaven is real, and Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.”

The 703 baptisms exceeded the previous yearly high of 641 recorded in 2019. “We were on a great run and then COVID hit,” Ayers recalled.

“We are really appreciative to God during COVID, we wondered if this is ever going to come back together. But it has exceeded it.”

Since 1991 Hillvue Heights Church has had more than 13,200 baptisms.

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