Event poised to make an impact on Lexington
A two-night event, poised to have a lasting effect on the community, is coming to town. IMPACT Lexington will be held June 23 and 24. Hosted by Off the Wall (OTW) Discipleship, the first night targets young adults, ages 18 to 25, and takes place at Perfect Blend Coffee Shop and Café. The second night, deemed an event for the community, will be held at Breeden Insurance Amphitheater.
The brainchild of Trent Santos, director of OTW NC, and Don Stubbs, executive director of OTW, the event has been created to introduce OTW to the community. According to Santos, “OTW is a discipleship ministry for young adults. We believe that discipleship is a lifestyle, and we want to equip the young church to live it. Secondly, we define discipleship as the process of becoming more like Jesus in both thought and action; to become committed to the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
Thursday’s schedule of events is as follows:
6:30-7 p.m. — Bring your own dinner
7-8 p.m.— The Meet
8-9 p.m. — Afterparty
Santos stated, “’Bring your own dinner’ will just be a laid-back time for us to eat together and get to know each other. ‘The Meet’ will be a short time of worship followed by some sharing from Don Stubbs and myself. ‘Afterparty’ will be a fun time of games and laughter as we continue to get to know each other.”
This particular segment of the population holds a special place in Santos’ heart. “Night one is a preview of what I plan to become a weekly gathering for that age group. By September of this year, we will be meeting every Thursday night for the sake of giving this age group a community and place to belong [the name of this gathering will be BELONG]. This is where my heart lives. I love this age group — the Gen Z college-age student — and I’m passionate about them. Here’s what I know: they are hungry for community and they are hungry for purpose. And I think both of those things are hard for them to find on their own. A big part of what I want OTW and these BELONG gatherings to eventually become is exactly that. A place that will scratch both those itches for this age group and give them a place where they can find true, authentic community and be mentored in finding their purpose.”
Friday night’s activities begin at 5 p.m. The Pour Folk Pizza food truck will be in attendance. The worship concert featuring Branch Music from New Philadelphia, Ohio is from 6-8 p.m. Santos and Stubbs will also be in attendance “to share a short word with attendees.”
There is no fee to attend the worship concert. However, the ministry is partnering with Pastor’s Pantry for a food drive. Santos is encouraging everyone to please consider bringing nonperishables. The following are needed: canned meats, canned pasta, mixed vegetables, soups and crackers. “I hope we are able to really bless them as they continue to target senior hunger right here in Davidson County.”
Although Santos will be focusing on young adults through the ministry, he believes events where the community can fellowship are vital to the success of it.
“Night two being open to the whole community is just as important. My ‘why’ is probably simpler but just as deep. The word ‘community’ comes from the Latin word that gives us the word “common.” If Lexington wants to become a community that puts others’ needs first, looks out for the good of those around us, celebrates the success of others and supports each other, then we need more opportunities like this. We need times when there is no agenda, no expectation and just be given an opportunity to come together. My hope for night two is that we’ll have people from every walk of life. I hope to look out from the stage and see this beautiful mosaic of the pieces that make up Lexington. Because, man, think of all we could accomplish if we really started working together.”
To learn more about OTW and IMPACT Lexington, visit www.otwdiscipleship/impact.
