More than 2,000 meals were served and 70 lives changed forever as LifeChurch of Reno and the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission partnered up to present a special breakfast and barbeque for the downtown needy and homeless.

The March 28-29 event was the centerpiece of the church’s “Reveal” weekend designed to demonstrate compassion to the poor. Over two days, LifeChurch members and staff and volunteers from the Mission prepared a pancake breakfast, barbeque lunch and an outdoor church service attended by more than 300.

Aside from the delicious meals, more than 70 men and women gave their lives to Christ. Eleven souls were even brave enough to be baptized in an inflatable pool in the 40-degree weather.

Rick Reynolds, pastor of LifeChurch Downtown, which meets on Sunday nights at the Mission, said the event was a “huge success” by many standards.

“We wanted to reveal the love of God to people downtown. We wanted to tell them that we’re not just here for a weekend, but we’re here for the long haul,” Reynolds said.

“We were overwhelmed by the response. It tells us there’s a need and that we have the answers.”