The Spirit of the Lord at Freedom Fest 2023
Photos by Keith Durflinger
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17
Calvary Chapel Downey (CCD), CA, celebrated Independence Day with Freedom Fest 2023, a community outreach drawing over 6,000 people. Throughout the stadium, prayer counselors ministered to hundreds of people who, coming for free fireworks, found what their hearts were truly searching for—truth and love.
When Art Reyes became senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Downey (CCD), CA, in November 2022, he committed to continue building on the foundation then Senior Pastor Jeff Johnson had laid, taking the ministry into the next generation.
True to his word, Art revived Jeff’s previous Independence Day outreach, Freedom Celebration, which lay dormant for the past nine years. To their amazement, over 6,000 people flocked to the Downey High School stadium in Los Angeles on a hot Saturday afternoon on July 1.
Senior Pastor Art Reyes (left) and Pastor Emeritus Jeff Johnson of CCD chat off-stage at Freedom Fest. Jeff’s vision for this event began in the early 2000s. After a nine-year hiatus, CCD brought back the celebration held July 1 at Downey High School stadium. “Jesus is Lord and people will know that as we gather to let the Gospel go forth—it’s going to convict them of their sin. They are going to turn back to the Lord and become viable, powerful in the Lord to share [the Gospel] to build up the body of Christ,” Jeff announced.
“This event was important because people come searching for something, trying to fill their hearts with something that isn’t going to fill them. It’s Jesus, He is the Truth, so it’s important for people to find that truth and love,” explained attendee Kaysha Dial.
Laying the Foundation
Cris Reyes, Art’s brother and outreach pastor at CCD, began putting together the community outreach event renamed “Freedom Fest”. He worked with leaders from the school district, the Downey fire chief, the captain of the local police department, city council members, the current and a previous mayor, and a professional, state-of-the-art fireworks company. Other Calvary Chapel churches and even churches outside the CC family participated in the day’s events and prayer leading up to the fest itself.
Bill Buffington (right), pastor of CC Inglewood in Windsor, CA, and his wife, Meka (left), hold up Bibles in the crowd, identifying them as prayer counselors to those around them. Bill was one of several pastors who brought a team from his church to participate in Thursday’s prayer meeting at the stadium and ministered throughout the day of the fest.
“It had been so long since we had done this, we had to start from scratch. The pastors that were involved before have moved on. Most of the people in [governmental] leadership positions are all new since the last time this was done. For our church, this work was really establishing a relationship with the city for the first time again,” stated Cris.
The whole month leading up to the event, the congregation dedicated time to prayer, both corporately and individually. CCD Outreach Pastor Cris Reyes pointed out, “There was … a big hunger to see God move and work, to see people saved.”
By the Spirit
“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6
Many congregants from CCD labored together in prayer the month prior, and the week before, an hour of prayer was carved out each morning and during their Wednesday evening service. The Thursday before the fest, one whole side of the high school stadium bleachers was filled with people from CCD, other CC affiliates, and even some from a couple of local churches who joined together in prayer and worship before the Lord. Cris pointed out, “There was a big hunger for prayer at our church, a big hunger to see God move and work, to see people saved.”
David Trujillo, pastor of CC South Los Angeles (CC SOLA), CA, prays over donations from the crowd—an offering to help offset festival costs. David also brought a team from his church to serve alongside the many other volunteers.
Pastor Jeff’s original vision and heart was to reach the community through a free firework show along with worship bands, CC pastors sharing their testimonies, the Gospel message given, and an altar call after. This year, Art and Cris decided to add activities for youth and adults as well as numerous food trucks serving a variety of delicacies. Throughout the event’s first hour and a half, kids, young and old, and their families enjoyed rock climbing, racing through obstacle courses, slipping and sliding down the huge blow-up slide, teaming up for volleyball at the cross net, strategizing the big Connect Four game, and bumping each other’s bean bags off the boards in competitive cornhole games.
Attendee Joshua Rodriguez shared, “I brought my family here today to celebrate the 4th of July with our church, Calvary Chapel here in Downey. We wanted to celebrate because it is a new beginning with a new head of the church and wanted to make sure my family gets to know the new pastor and facilities. This was the perfect night to have it because the 4th of July falls on Tuesday, so having it on Saturday evening is perfect.”
Holding Freedom Fest on Saturday afternoon instead of the actual Independence Day holiday on Tuesday gave families the opportunity to attend together. “I was 16 when I attended a freedom celebration myself. I was in the crowd up front and remember the Gospel message piercing my own heart and the heart of that generation. This [event] is needed because today, people are hopeless, desperate, anxious, and in fear. The only thing that gives them hope is the freedom in Christ Jesus,” stated Senior Pastor Art Reyes of CCD.
Danny Gokey, the headliner for Freedom Fest, and other well-known Christian musical artists led the crowd in contemporary praise music and patriotic worship songs. The Norwalk Army Recruiting Station Color Guard team rendered honors with the national colors, flags, and rifles while Danny belted out the national anthem—the enthusiastic crowd joining in.
Danny Gokey, the headliner Christian music artist for the day, leads the crowd in the national anthem while the Norwalk Army Recruiting Station Color Guard team behind him renders honors. Danny and his band also energetically closed the evening, offering worship songs during the fireworks display.
Kicking off Freedom Fest 2023: Fellowship & Worship
Flip through snapshots of outdoor activities captured at CC Downey’s Independence Day celebration.
Most advertising for the event was on social media and some banners were displayed around the city, but they did light up the tall “Giant RV” digital sign that overlooks one of the busy freeways. Cris acknowledged, “We weren’t sure what to expect because it’s been so long. We were hoping the community would be responsive and show up. We estimated over 6,000 people came and about 400 gave their lives to Christ. It ended up being very fruitful.”
Jimmy Ochoa, with CC SOLA, prays with two young men during the altar call. Jimmy was part of the follow-up ministry team to ensure new converts or rededications to Christ get connected to a Bible-believing church for discipleship.
Cris was encouraged to see that many of the city’s leaders he worked with were also there to support the event. “The mayor is a Christian and very excited to see the event take place in her city—she was grateful the church put this on,” he noted.
Holding a “Jesus” sign, a worshipper sings along with Danny Gokey. “The guy who brought those carried one of those signs himself in the Jesus Revolution movie. Everywhere he goes, he takes them and hands them out for people to hold up,” Cris explained.
Effective Prayer
Throughout the day, prayer teams in on-site tents prayed every 30 minutes and would also circulate through the crowd continuing to pray. Prayer counselors from CCD and other CC churches were there the entire day to pray with, talk to, and lead others to Christ and give out English and Spanish Bibles.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16b
Pastor Roger Stahlhut (right), in charge of CCD’s prayer ministry, and Michael Breaux (left), an evangelism minister at CCD, lead prayer under the tent. Throughout the day, alternating teams prayed together every 30 minutes before going out individually into the crowd where they continued praying for another 30 minutes.
Transformative Moments at Freedom Fest 2023
Browse this inspirational gallery of worshipful photos.
After Art’s powerful Gospel message, hundreds of people in the audience came forward to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Throughout the bleachers and on the field, scores of individuals were seen lifting hands in worship, crying, heads hung in reverent prayer and joyfully receiving the good news of salvation.
After his message, Pastor Art gave an altar call, inviting those who felt the Holy Spirit stir their hearts to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Prayer counselors spread all throughout the stadium, identified by orange badges and the Bibles they lifted in their hands. They ministered to each new believer while members of the follow-up team would explore local church connections with them. Cris estimated, “… about 400 gave their lives to Christ. It ended up being very fruitful.”
Ensuring there was follow-up with each new convert, Cris explained, “The prayer counselors handed out follow-up cards where the person could write who invited them, if it was a first time dedication or a rededication; according to that, we would either invite them to CCD or to the church that they were invited through.
As part of the follow-up team, Peter Guerra with CCD ministers to a young woman after the altar call. “We didn’t ask for anything except permission to put this [event] on. We didn’t ask for help because we wanted to serve the city and the community by doing this for free,” Cris Reyes disclosed.
Freedom in Christ
One banner alongside the stage proclaimed the verse: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36, NIV). With California’s environmental regulations, some fireworks shows were cancelled and others required a paid entry; few were free. But CCD’s Freedom Fest—complete with the spectacular fireworks show—was a free gift to the community, just as is the gift of Jesus Christ who indeed sets people free.
Dazzling colors and flashes of light illuminated the night sky over Downey, CA, as fireworks exploded over the stadium. The enthralled crowd sang along as Danny performed patriotic worship songs during the pyrotechnic display.
Celebrating Freedom in Christ with CC Downey
View the high points of the community outreach in the gallery above.
To learn more about Calvary Chapel Downey, visit their website at ccdowney.com
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