This article was originally written by Scott Barkley and published to the Baptist Press.

COMANCHE, Okla. (BP) — First Baptist Church has taken advantage of its central location for the last six years to take visitors far away from its town (population 1,400) without actually leaving southern Oklahoma.

It begins with the town Christmas parade. Two hours before it begins, First Baptist opens its doors for a peek of its gym, now transformed with up to eight rooms, or shops, that include various activities and information related to missions around the world.

Pastor Mark Hall of First Baptist Church in Comanche, Okla. welcomes two guests to the church’s Christmas Village. Photo from FB Comanche

The church’s culture is steeped in missions, said Pastor Mark Hall, with First Baptist having participated in trips to 18 countries or states. An International Mission Board missionary preaches on Lottie Moon Giving Sunday.

“When we started, church members thought, ‘Oh, well this is nice,’” said Hall. “But now they look forward to it. They ask if we need items for Christmas Village. Even our very senior adults who can’t do much else, but they can bake, make sure we have cookies.”

People lined up nearly 30 minutes before the parade this year to sip on cocoa, cider and coffee while milling around. The Village itself opened Sunday, Dec. 8, and – except for Wednesday – continued each evening through Saturday.

“We have a missions emphasis every year. But this year it was based on something we saw at the [SBC] annual meeting in Indianapolis,” Hall said. “Our missions room is set up like Lottie’s room, like her house would’ve been.”

That led to conversations about Lottie Moon as well as the offering in her name and Southern Baptist work through the nations.

LeAnna Hall, wife of First Baptist Comanche pastor Mark Hall, welcomes a guest to the church’s Christmas Village, held Dec. 8-14. Photo from FB Comanche

“We want to tell people about the love of Jesus and the real meaning of Christmas. This is a family atmosphere for them to have something to do together,” Hall said, adding that the focus on Christ is intentional.

“We don’t want to make life easy for people to go to hell, so one of our challenges this year was for people to have Gospel conversations with others,” he said.

Evangelism isn’t new to the church, which averages 50 on Sundays. There have been 19 baptisms since March across different age groups.

“I had been praying for a couple of guys I met since we first moved here [in 2018],” Hall said. “They got saved. One of them brought his two daughters the day before he was baptized. I led them to the Lord and they ended getting baptized with him.”

Other outreaches include a “grill walk,” an idea borrowed from another ministry. Once again taking advantage of the downtown location, a grill is set up at the church while members walk along the streets asking people if they would like a free burger. Every “yes” is someone going to the church to receive their flame-grilled reward as well as a Gospel presentation.

Local businesses contribute items ranging from herbal teas to a box of meat from a butcher shop as nightly giveaways during the Christmas Village. Two bicycles come from Walmart. A jeweler provided earrings.

A local missions highlight is the “post office” established where boys and girls can write Christmas cards. Those cards are then distributed to residents at a nursing home. Children ride a makeshift train made out of Boy Scout box racers pulled by a Kubota.

“My people are excited about missions,” Hall said. “We’ve been to two NAMB Serve Tours and plan on going to four more next year. When it comes to missions, I’m not having to force them into it. We’re in this together.”