For the last decade, leaders of the traditionally rural denomination have been trying to reach beyond its Bible Belt stronghold and into the urban areas of the Northeast, Midwest and West - regions where it may be better known for its socially conservative positions on abortion and homosexuality than for its spiritual beliefs, worship practices or good works.

The Baltimore Baptist Association invited the North American Mission Board to set up Embrace Baltimore in 2007. The move brought experienced managers to the city to help bolster the 72 mostly small Southern Baptist Convention churches already in the area and the new ones to come.

Here, as in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities on which the denomination has concentrated its efforts, the focus has been less on political activism than on community service.

"We didn't want to be known strictly for what we were against, but we wanted to be known for helping people in need," said Rich Carney, a strategy coordinator for the mission board. "It's one of those situations where, as followers of Christ, we need to put hands and feet on what we say."

So New Hope Community Church has given away furniture and sent volunteers to a local soup kitchen. Infinity Church, which is due to hold its first Sunday service on Sept. 13 in Northeast Baltimore, has held sports camps for local youth.

"It's just kind of getting out to meet the neighbors, casting vision, sharing with them what we're trying to do, loving on the community," Infinity pastor Aaron Pankey said.

In May, members of the Garden Community walked what they called the Trail of Tears, visiting the sites of the five most recent murders in the neighborhood and stopping at each to lay a rose and pray for peace in the city. The church, which bills itself as a "creative community of Jesus followers," is gearing up to paint a local elementary school, mentor students and help their parents complete high school diplomas.

At the meeting in the brownstone, Kurz opened the New Testament to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans and spoke of the sacrifices made by the early Christians living in a hostile empire.

"We live in an empire as well," he said. "It's an empire of consumerism and I would say it's an empire of individualism. And the thing is that we end up giving in to the lie of the empire without even realizing it.

"Money, cash, becomes our god. Climbing the corporate ladder becomes our ministry. Wal-Mart is our worship center. It's OK to try to get all that we can for ourselves and walk over those who don't have anything and not reach out to help."

He asked attendees to stick with the church, to worship with it and join in its community service. "We are asking you to sacrifice what you like, sacrifice things that you like, in order to discover a life that you'll love."

Kiki White, visiting the Garden Community for the first time, was impressed.

"I'm excited to know that things like this are happening," said the 22-year-old single mother, a certified nursing assistant looking for work. "I can see me getting more involved."

The men and women who formed the new congregation described a variety of church backgrounds, from those who had grown up without faith to those who were lifelong churchgoers. Laura Arvizu was raised Catholic in her native Mexico. She has been coming to the Garden Community for six months.

"One of the things that I like is that they don't only worship God," the 38-year-old homemaker said. "They're hands-on. That to me is very real."

Bob Mackey, the executive director of Embrace Baltimore, described it as "demonstrating the compassion of Christ in real time."

"When I talk about representing Christ in practical ways, it certainly includes sharing the message of Christ and his story of forgiveness," he said. "But in the long run, credibility to tell that story is typically earned, not given. And we're OK with that.

"The people who live in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, should they ever bump up against one of these churches, we hope it's a positive experience and they'll wonder about, you know, maybe there is something to this Jesus. Maybe he can make a difference.

"And then it's their choice."