By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (LBM) – The Denham Springs High School football stadium became a house of God during the Livingston Parish GO TELL AMERICA Crusade, March 16-19.
By the end of the four-day spiritual encounter, including all related outside events, 1,316 persons had made decisions for Christ, with 602 individuals stepping forward to accept Christ, according to Chris Palmer, GO TELL director of ministry outreach.
Evangelist Rick Gage, founder of GO TELL Ministries in Duluth, Georgia, shared that more than a year ago his team met with pastors and other leaders to plan a crusade that would help reach a parish that Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association leaders believe is 80-90 percent
prepared with anticipation of a mighty harvest.
“It’s just been a great move of God, and it’s an area that was ripe for a harvest,” Gage told the Baptist Message. “We’re seeing pockets of revival across the nation and a great move of God among the younger generation.
“And as you study the moves of God and the revivals of the past, you learn that many of those great moves of God started with young people. Wasn’t it two and a half years ago at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, that revival started with a bunch of teenagers. So, we give God the glory for all that He’s doing.”
At the end of each service of the Livingston Parish GO TELL AMERICA Crusade, trained individuals counseled each person who made a decision for Christ.
The crusade also featured Garrett Nussmeier, starting LSU quarterback; Adrian Despres, former University of South Carolina football team chaplain and current speaker with Forge Ministries in Denver, Colorado; Al Robertson, the oldest son of Duck Dynasty’s Phil and Kay Robertson; and Ken Freeman, founder of Ken Freeman Ministries in San Antonio, Texas, who brought Gospel messages. Meanwhile, award-winning Christian band Rush of Fools shared about Christ through music.
Additionally, Gage and Freeman presented a character development program, “On Track,” in 11 local schools in front of an estimated 8,000 students.
PREPARED
Nearly 50 people were trained to serve as crusade ushers, decision and follow-up counselors and 500 prayer warriors were recruited.
Organizers also held several events to pray, plan and reach the youth. Among those was a youth rally, Feb. 19, attended by almost 700 students hosted by First Baptist Church, Denham Springs. By the end of the rally, 60 students came forward and professed their faith in Christ.
“To see the students fill the front was so amazing,” said Mike Fielding, minister of youth with Live Oak Baptist Church, Denham Springs, and youth team co-chairman. “My heart was beating watching in real time as hearts were surrendered to a God who sacrificed His own Son for their sake because of His love for each of those students. I am still in awe.”
ELBA Mission Strategist Richard Blue applauded the cooperative spirit among the area churches.
“Some of our churches committed to the crusade from the beginning; others slowly got on board,” Blue said. “And even in the days leading up to the crusade itself we saw another surge of commitment from area churches.
“The Livingston Parish business community has been phenomenal in their support of the crusade along with the principals of most of our junior high and high schools in the crusade target area of the central and western side of Livingston Parish,” he said. “School and school board administrative leaders had been highly cooperative along with city officials from Denham Springs and and from the parish.”
Leo Miller, pastor with FBC Denham Springs, said churches worked together to deliver door hanger bags containing a Gospel tract, DVD of the Jesus Film and crusade flyer to more than 45,000 homes in the area.
“The preparation for the crusade has involved much work and God has reached across denominational lines in our parish to unite His church in this mission,” he said. “We agreed to unite in reaching the lost in our parish by setting aside political and theological differences. We are united in our common beliefs that salvation is in Jesus alone and the Word of God is our authority. What a joy it has been to pray together, serve together and share to glorious gospel of Jesus Christ together.”
SAVED
Among the most impactful stories of the week was when a local man accidently attended a leadership lunch at Northside Baptist Church on March 18.
“He told Rick ‘I was raised Catholic, and I’ve just have felt the felt like I’m missing something,” Palmer said. “’And I came last night, and I think that I’m learning what I’m missing.’
At that lunch the man surrendered his heart to Christ.
“It was an unbelievable story and only the second time that has ever happened in Rick’s ministry career,” Palmer shared.
Palmer commended the area churches for their cooperative spirit and zeal to reach others.
“It’s really the body of Christ coming in, sowing the seeds, and now we’re reaping the harvest,” he said. “Jesus said the harvest is plentiful. We come in and give the message of hope and peace through Jesus and the hearts are just ready for it.”
