By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
MANY, La. (LBM) – Many High School’s gymnasium became the center of a Holy Spirit movement during the Sabine 2020 revival, March 8-11.
By the end of the four-day event, 17 people came forward to declare Christ as Lord, 76 indicated a desire to restore fellowship with the Lord and one individual proclaimed a call to ministry. Attendance ranged from 800 to more than 1,200 for each of the sessions.
FIND HOPE
Throughout the revival, evangelist Sammy Tippit urged those attending the services to find hope in a relationship with Christ.
“Hope is here because Jesus is here,” Tippit told 1,000 people gathered inside Many High School’s gymnasium Sunday, March 8. “There is life in Jesus.
“He gives abundant life,” he continued. “Do you have the Son living in you?”
Tippit shared how Christ transformed his life when he was a freshman at LSU in 1965. Although he was raised in church, Tippit never surrendered to Jesus and eventually chose a life of partying. But during an evangelistic harvest event at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Tippit turned to Christ and surrendered to preach two nights later.
Since then, he has conducted evangelistic crusades and other events in more than 80 countries.
“I invited Jesus to take control of my life in 1965, and when I got on my knees to pray I have never been the same since,” Tippit said. “What God did for me, He can do for you.”
UNIFIED APPROACH
Sabine 2020 had the support from at least 46 churches in both the Sabine and the North Sabine Baptist Associations (two of five local associations in the District 8 Baptist Convention) as well as congregations from other denominations in the local area.
Pastors have prayed for more than 10 years for such a spiritual harvest to take place in Sabine Parish, organizers said.
Revival committee chairman Jay Begbie, who also is pastor at Bethsadia Baptist Church in Many, cast the vision shortly after he was released from four years spent as an inmate at Sabine Parish Detention Center in Many.
While in jail, Begbie eventually was promoted to trustee and was mentored by the late Vernon Stephenson, former missionary with Toledo Bend Baptist Resort Ministries in Many, associate pastor at First Baptist Church in Zwolle, and chaplain to inmates. Through a conversation with Stevenson, Begbie was convicted by the Holy Spirit that he must share his testimony with others when he was finally released from jail, which happened in 2017.
“He told me there is no greater miracle on the planet than a man giving his life to Christ and I wished we could get people of the parish together to a have a massive outreach one day,” Begbie recalled. “When I got out, pastors who heard me preach in jail invited me to preach in their churches and eventually I met with District 8 Director of Missions Ron Thompson, who was encouraged by my vision.
“In 25 years, we have seen fewer people attend church and more people succumb to violent crime, divorce, bankruptcy and dropping out of high school,” Begbie continued. “When you move Christ out of the parish, the devil moves in. I felt now was the time to bring Christ to a lost parish.”
The crusade featured Gospel messages from Sammy Tippit, founder of Sammy Tippit Ministries in Dallas, Texas, as well as testimonies from Begbie and evangelist Luke Hockenjos of Haughton. Meanwhile, the Louisiana College praise band shared Christ through music.
UNITED OUTREACH
Sabine 2020 is believed to be one of the largest multi-denominational evangelistic outreaches ever to take place in Sabine Parish. Nearly 150 people were trained to serve as crusade ushers, decision and follow-up counselors, and as prayer warriors.
“We were encouraged to see so many churches and people come together for the purpose of giving the hope of Christ,” said Cyle Clayton, a steering committee member and pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Many. “This has laid the groundwork for future outreach and ministry that wasn’t there before. When we come together to work together to see many saved and moved by the Holy Spirit.”
Matt Warren, chairman of the counseling and follow-up committee and pastor of Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Florien, expressed excitement about the decisions made for Christ and the united front formed among the churches.
“I saw churches from across two associations work together, pray together, and counsel together,” he said. “I personally feel closer to these other pastors because of the crusade. It was truly a beautiful thing.”
Jonathan Bost, a member of the steering committee and chair of the accommodations committee and pastor of First Baptist Church in Many, was excited to be part of an event that saw multitudes transformed by the Gospel.
“When the meetings closed on Wednesday evening, I sensed that this was not the end of Sabine 2020,” Bost said. “It was only the beginning.
“The effects of the faithfulness by believers throughout Sabine Parish to intentionally pray for the lost within their community and, specifically, the lost within their circles of influence, to invite them to this event, and to share the Gospel will be apparent in the weeks, months, and years to come,” he continued. “It is, and will continue to be, my prayer that the seeds planted through this area wide crusade will continue to be harvested well into the future.”
Ron Thompson, associational mission strategist for the District 8 Baptist Convention, added: “Sabine 2020 was a true blessing. Seeing the churches – pastors and laypeople alike – joined together in a unified effort to share the Gospel with the lost was exciting and encouraging. I am grateful for the vision and leadership of everyone who served in each capacity to make the event a success. I believe God was honored, Christ was lifted up, the Spirit moved, and the parish was changed!”
