March 15, 2026

Many who experienced the full offerings of last year’s Reno-Tahoe CityFest movement have expressed that their favorite parts were the multi-church prayer gatherings that occurred on a nearly monthly basis.

There is a move afoot to keep this tradition moving forward and growing in participation. As part of this effort, a Citywide Good Friday Prayer & Worship event is planned for Friday, April 3 at Outlook Church (3697 Kings Row, Reno) from 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Attendees are encouraged to bring the entire family as there will be a special kid’s worship event offered as well.

So far, twelve churches are committed to participate in this special evening, with more churches encouraged to, and expected to join in as well. Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of which church they attend.

If you would like your church to participate you can reach out to Pastor Dan Dix of Outlook Church or call at 775-747-4411.

Kyle Bateson, the lead pastor for Living Stones Church, joined Christian Business Connections on March 6 to provide some wisdom with the approximately 50 business owners and leaders for their monthly lunch gathering.

In his talk titled Embodied Leadership, Pastor Kyle Bateson shared about the importance of recognizing that we are embodied souls, created and loved by God. Stewarding our physical bodies is not separate from our spiritual lives. It is an act of worship that strengthens our relationship with God and shapes us into more faithful and effective leaders.

Drawing from his background as a former athlete, personal trainer, executive leader, and now pastor, Kyle shared practical insights on how physical stewardship impacts mental clarity, emotional resilience, and spiritual vitality. 

He shared how because of sin, we’ve experienced a broken experience, a broken perspective, and a broken connection when it comes to our bodies. With proper stewardship we can recover through Christ’s strength by changing how we listen, sleep, eat, become more active, and live a life on mission. 

In addition to sharing this powerful message, Pastor Kyle offered stories of how Living Stones was founded, and the opportunities they face today through God’s provision. 

Next month’s speaker will be Wes Duncan at the CBC lunch. To learn more about these monthly gatherings, click on the link below.

Frank McElfish explains the formation and goals of Northern Nevada United, an alliance of churches and organizations working together to positively impact our community.

The alliance has three main pillars: life (supporting the sanctity of life), government oversight (working with legislators and supporting Biblically-aligned candidates), and family authority (defending the role of parents in raising children).

Frank shares how his background in leadership and working with the government has prepared him for this role, and how the alliance brings together various groups with the common goal of improving the moral climate in Northern Nevada and returning the Republic to its founding principles.

Pastor Jack Quinn discusses his role at Grace Community Church, where he oversees the youth, middle school, and young adult programs. Jack shares his personal journey of growing up in a family of faith and finding his own connection to the Church later in life.

He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and intergenerational relationships within the church, and how older, wiser leaders have impacted his own faith. Jack also speaks about the challenges and opportunities of ministering to the younger generation, and his efforts to collaborate with other youth pastors in the community to reach more young people for Christ.

Melissa Holland, the co-founder of Awaken, a Reno-based ministry that works with victims of sex trafficking, shares her personal testimony and the origins of the organization.

Awaken’s mission is to transform the city of Reno into a safe place where victimization no longer occurs, while providing direct services and healing for minors and adults affected by sex trafficking.

Holland describes her journey from a troubled youth to becoming a missionary in China, which led her to recognize the issue of sex trafficking in her own community. She partnered with Jen Campbell to start Awaken, which has grown to offer prevention, restoration, and city transformation programs.

The organization has faced challenges but has seen God’s hand at work in miraculous ways, including securing a building and gaining community support to combat the legalized sex trade in Nevada.

Nicku Bruce, the executive director of Real Choices Women’s Center in Northern Nevada, provides an overview of the organization’s services, which include free and confidential pregnancy tests, options counseling, ultrasounds, parenting classes, adoption support, and abortion recovery programs.

Real Choices is a pro-life Christian ministry that aims to empower women facing unplanned pregnancies to choose life for their babies, while also providing practical and emotional support.

The organization relies on volunteers and community donations to fund its operations and outreach efforts, which include digital marketing to reach women considering abortion.

Kate Vineyard, the founder and executive director of the Washoe Freedom Coalition, discusses how the organization aims to support and elect conservative candidates in Nevada. The coalition is comprised of over 300 members from various churches and organizations who share the goal of promoting conservative values in the community.

Vineyard explains that the coalition provides practical assistance to candidates, such as videography, flyers, and community outreach, to help them get elected, especially in primary elections where they may lack resources and support from larger organizations. The coalition focuses on issues like election integrity, pro-life, and protecting women’s and men’s sports.

Vineyard also her personal journey of starting the coalition to fill a need she saw for more grassroots support of conservative candidates.

Learn about the role of corporate chaplains in providing support and care for employees in the workplace.

Paul Gendron, a representative of Corporate Chaplains of America, explains how chaplains serve as a confidential resource for employees, offering emotional and spiritual support, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Gendron shares personal stories that illustrate the impact chaplains can have in building trust and helping people navigate difficult life circumstances. The summary highlights the importance of chaplains being present and available to employees, and the value they bring in supporting the overall well-being of the workforce.

John Katov, the founder of Open Table, shares how this ministry helps people in need by connecting them with volunteers and community resources.

The core of Open Table is small groups called “tables” that meet regularly with individuals or families to identify their goals and work together to remove barriers preventing them from achieving those goals.

The ministry also has a “neighbor” model where volunteers regularly text and connect with lonely individuals, as well as a “network table” where a group of volunteers leverages their personal and professional networks to solve specific challenges for those in need.

The key principles of Open Table are building relationships, accessing community resources, and empowering those being helped to take the lead in defining their own path forward.

The Fellowship of Companies for Christ International (FCCI) is a Christian organization that helps business owners and leaders integrate their faith into their work.

Jim Johnson describes how FCCI started a local chapter in the Reno-Tahoe area in the year 2000. It resulted in bringing together business owners and leaders for weekly small group meetings centered around the “table” – a place for sharing challenges, seeking counsel, and supporting one another.

Jim shares the importance of peer-to-peer relationships and using the Bible as a guide for making business decisions. He also touches on how FCCI has impacted the local community and discusses the vision of having every Christian business owner involved in the larger goal of transforming their city for Christ.

Pastor Shay Gilliam shares the story behind his new ministry, A2GG Apologetix, which aims to teach apologetics – the reasoned defense of the Christian faith – to youth in Northern Nevada and beyond.

Shay was inspired to start the ministry after being asked to teach apologetics to a homeschool group, which led to hosting regular apologetics sessions in his home that drew large crowds of interested teens. He believes this generation of young people is particularly open to exploring questions of faith, and he wants to provide them with the tools and knowledge to defend their beliefs in the face of challenges.

A2GG Apologetics uses interactive sessions where Shay plays the role of a skeptic to help the youth practice responding to common objections and arguments against Christianity.

First Responders for Christ ministry, which was started by Steve Walker and Kyle Endres, two local firefighters who felt called to share their faith with their colleagues. (Retired firefighter Chase Perham also was a co-founder).

The ministry is a weekly Bible study open to all first responders, including firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and military personnel. The goal is to create a safe and judgment-free environment where first responders can openly discuss their faith and support one another.

The founders emphasize the importance of having a ministry specifically for first responders, as the nature of their work can make it challenging to be open about their beliefs. They discuss the growth and impact of the ministry, with both Steve and Kyle expressing their vision to expand the group and fill up the worship room at their meeting location at Encounter Ministry.

Paul White founded Education Crusade, an organization focused on exposing problems in the education system, offering proven solutions, and demanding strong moral leadership.

With extensive experience teaching in some of the toughest schools and classrooms, often working with at-risk and troubled students, White believes the public education system is morally bankrupt and in need of drastic change.

He advocates for universal school vouchers to give parents more choice, and calls for teachers and administrators to have the moral courage to confront the systemic issues plaguing many schools.

White’s passion is to see transformation in the lives of students, even the most challenging ones, through the power of faith and a willingness of teachers and public school officials to sacrifice for the greater good.

Tom Sharp, a C12 Principal Chair, discusses the concept of “Marketplace Ministry” and how business owners and leaders can integrate their faith into their businesses. He explains the importance of peer group organizations like C12, which bring together Christian business owners to help them grow their organizations in a way that honors God.

Tom explains heart issues that business leaders can experience such as the loneliness they face when trying to lead all alone. He also describes the challenge of trusting God fully with your business, and the structure and benefits of a C12 membership. Tom encourages you to work towards making God the “CEO” of your business so you can experience the profound joy and legacy benefits of using your company as a ministry to impact the Kingdom for Jesus Christ.

In October, many Christians gathered to celebrate the Reno-Tahoe CityFest movement which culminated with a large, outdoor festival at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park last August.

Prior to this event, a small group of ministry leaders met to discuss launching a formalized effort to keep this movement and collaboration between churches moving forward.

They listened to wisdom shared by Gary Gaddini, who leads Transforming the Bay with Christ (TBC), and who is also connected to a national network of cities similarly hoping to lead their cities to Christ.

The result is there is a new entity forming consisting of pastors and ministry leaders to develop a more permanent and more integrated system of communication and collaboration.

It’s led by Pastor Dan Dix, and is supported by the prayer and input of more than 30 pastors in the area. Plans have been underway for more than two years, and was intended to benefit by the momentum caused by the Reno-Tahoe CityFest effort.

We’ll share more on Hope Herald of these encouraging developments as they progress.

GARY GADDINI

Hosted at the Encounter Ministry building in South Reno (9222 Prototype Drive), a group of Christian leaders have been gathering on a monthly basis to hear empowering speakers, to pray together, and to learn how to share their faith in the workplace. These networking events called Christian Business Connections are scheduled on the first Friday of each month at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

NEXT MEETING: The next gathering will be Friday, April 3 and will feature Wes Duncan.