1. 6 Servefest days through the end of 2006 + on-going Men’s Ministry/Repair & Rehab ministry
2. 1500+ workers total over the 3 year period
3. spent about $2000 each time, more for the initial one
4. have done anywhere from 22-65 projects per day, everything from working on a Habitat house to passing out free water to painting fingernails at the nursing home and TONS of yard work, painting, hauling away trash, etc…

New Life relied heavily on Cincinnati Vineyard’s Servant Evangelism materials. ServeFest can best be explained by phrases such as “no strings attached” and “small things done with great love can change the world” and “simple acts of service to show God’s love.” ServeFest is NOT a recruiting tool, nor a proselytizing tool, nor a church publicity tool – these things happen as by-products but they are not goals! It’s about glorifying Jesus alone.

Expansion: As church after church looks to reach out to their communities, it is clear that God is moving us all outside our walls. It was New Life’s goal to do a Gahanna-wide ServeFest much like the Leadership Westerville community day of service. Bryce Kurfees with The Gathering was looking for a way to unite the Body of Christ in Central Ohio and thought perhaps ServeFest might be the vehicle. We then (thanks to Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church) learned about Sharefest, which is the ServeFest-type event in Little Rock, AR, sponsored through Fellowship Bible Church. In its 8th year, Sharefest attracts up to 5000 workers from 100 different churches.