It Started With One Question
Why should a city have to walk into a building to encounter Jesus? Jesus said, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32). So we lifted Him up in a park. That is Jesus Festival: free, family-friendly, public worship with clear Gospel preaching, testimonies, prayer, and churches serving side by side.
After gatherings in Hamilton and Niagara, the most common message we get is some version of: "We want this in our city. How do we start?" This post is our honest answer, and the reason the Jesus Festival Movement exists.
1. Start With Prayer and Unity, Not a Stage
A festival is a stewardship of a city's attention. Before you book anything, gather praying believers from more than one church. Psalm 127:1 is not a slogan here: unless the Lord builds it, the sound system is vanity. We have watched unity across churches do more for a city's witness than any headliner. Jesus said the world would know us by our love for one another (John 13:34–35). Let them see the family before they see the lineup.
2. Keep It Free, Public, and Family-Friendly
Three non-negotiables. Free, because the Gospel is. Public, because the point is the people who would never buy a ticket to a church event. Family-friendly, because parents decide whether a city shows up. Kids' zones, accessible seating, food, and shade are not extras. They are hospitality, and hospitality is evangelism.
3. Preach the Gospel Clearly and Make Room to Respond
Worship draws people in. The Gospel is what saves them. Every Jesus Festival has clear preaching, real testimonies (Psalm 96:3, declare His marvelous works), and a prayer team ready for healing, salvation, and honest questions. Plan the response moment as carefully as the set list.
4. Plan the Follow-Up Before the Festival
A park gathering is a starting line. We wrote about how we follow up and what happened after Hamilton. In short: collect names, pray within 24 hours, offer one clear next step, and connect people to weekly rhythms like Friday night outreach or an outreach group near them. The Jesus Festival app helps carry testimonies, schedules, and next steps beyond the weekend.
5. Handle the Practical Side With Excellence
- Permits and insurance: talk to the city early, be honest about what you are doing, and build a relationship. Cities remember groups that leave parks cleaner than they found them.
- Safety: first aid, volunteer identification, a clear plan for lost kids, and trained prayer teams.
- Sound and stage: good enough to honour God, humble enough that the focus stays on Him.
- Budget: churches, Kingdom businesses, and freewill offerings. We have seen Kingdom businesses carry costs so the event could stay free.
- Volunteers: recruit from every participating church so the city sees one body serving.
6. Do It With Others
Ecclesiastes 4:9 is the strategy: two are better than one. That is what the Jesus Festival Movement is for: sharing everything we have learned, connecting you with people who have done it, and helping your city lift Jesus up without reinventing the wheel. You are not starting from zero. You are joining a movement.
Why Bother?
Because we have watched people stop on their bike path, hear a testimony, and put their trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:3). Because kids sang about Jesus in a public park and nobody could stop them. Because one day every knee will bow, and we would rather be early. Not to us, but to His name be the glory.
Ready to lift Jesus up in your city? Start at JesusFestivalMovement.com, and pray this week for the park where it should happen.