Hundreds of Nazarenes of all ages took to the streets 29 April in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to share the Gospel for an Urban Invasion event themed A Genesis For Our Churches.

Global Missions and the Genesis Initiative promoted the event in the Central District, and the objective was to encourage missions service, equip participants to evangelize in urban areas, and share the message of salvation to more than 600 people in Santo Domingo.

The initial plan was to gather 100 Nazarenes from the Central District to participate in the event, but the response from the church was overwhelmingly positive. In total, there were 225 participants from 19 churches in four different districts.

The event began with workshops on urban evangelism strategies for adults, youth, and children led by Regional Global Missions Coordinator Scott Armstrong. 

In the afternoon, the participants put what they learned into practice in five areas of the city. They went from house to house, to businesses, and to recreational areas sharing the Gospel. They also shared personal hygiene kits and clothing in low-income areas.

The event closed with the participants focusing on the Eugenio María de Hostos Park on the city pier. They sang worship songs and shared the message of the Gospel with banners, prayer, and preaching to the people in the area.

“In my 16 years of missionary service, this event was one of the most exciting that I have ever been a part of,” Armstrong said. “The impact in the city was palpable, but the transformation in many of our participants was even more profound. I believe Urban Invasion has begun to help our churches see our cities as God sees them, and that is something we should celebrate.” 

--Church of the Nazarene Mesoamerica