George Mason University
-- "Love Week"
with Bob Boyd Ministries
"We were just finishing
our message to the indoor track team at George Mason, which won
the national NCAA championship a few years ago. I invited those
men to pray with me, to come to Jesus Christ. To our surprise,
suddenly we heard ... the Most Beautiful Sound in
the World the sound of people praying out loud to surrender
their lives to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We were amazed
and humbled to find that 15 of the 20 athletes on the team 75%!
had made the greatest decision in life. Pray for a new Bible study
which is being started on the team! We held 10 meetings in all
at George Mason, bringing the gospel to more than 800 students
(most of whom would never attend a church in their critical decision-making
years of college).
This was the largest
evangelistic event at George Mason University in at least a decade.
The power of prayer
was evident in:
-
the great response on this very challenging campus.
-
the coming together of all Christian groups for the
first time in anyone's memory, to sponsor the "Love Week"
campaign with Bob Boyd Ministries. and
-
the beginning of a Prayer Movement at GMU with a weekly Thursday
noon prayer meeting.
Fayette, AL, April 22
-25. The Jerry
Drace Evangelistic Association conducted the first area wide crusade
in this section of Northwest Alabama since 1988. The Fayette
Festival of Faith involved approximately 50 churches in
this rural community of Fayette, AL. The Festival of Faith
tent which seats 3,000 was filled on the opening and closing nights.
Pastors representing Southern Baptist, Methodist, Assembly of
God, Church of God, Freewill Baptist and National Baptist were
actively involved in the Fayette Festival of Faith. One
of the pastors stated on the final evening of the Festival," This
event has certainly brought us as pastors together around a common
cause and that is to see the lost saved and the church stirred
up." Larry Barnes, the Executive Chairman for the
Festival said, "This has had a most positive impact on our community.
The students and teachers in the schools where Jerry spoke are
still talking about his message. We give God the praise and glory
for all the decisions which were registered during the Festival
of Faith."
Judge William Oswalt served on the executive committee as the
treasurer for the Festival He stated,"This event has
created a real desire for this community to continue the spirit
of evangelism. God's people came together and prayed seeking
His face and desiring Him to send salvation and blessings. He
answered our prayers. Don Smith in the evangelism department
of the North American Mission Board served as the Executive Director
for the Festival of Faith. His training of over 200 in the
Christian Life and Witness Course set the tone for the
spirit of expectancy. The small communities of our country
are probably more in need and often more receptive to an area
wide evangelistic event that our larger populated centers.
Let's continue to encourage pastors with a vision to reach their
"Jerusalems" for Jesus. One of the most effective ways is
through a Festival of Faith.
Mission Connecticut, May 15 - Jun 9.
Mission Connecticut and Mission
Pioneer Valley in Springfield, Massachusetts,
brought Luis Palau and a team of evangelists to New England
for festivals in 10 cities and dozens of other evangelistic
events stretching all the way back to April. More than 8,200
people indicated they made a decision for Jesus Christ.
Palau and five other evangelists with his ministry's Next Generation
Alliance(SM) spoke to more than 120,000 people at events in
Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Scott Dawson,
Dan Owens, Mike Silva, Bill Thomas, and Bob Mortimer proclaimed
the Gospel at citywide festival events and in schools and prisons.
Dozens of newspaper articles not only invited people to the
free events, but also communicated the heart of the Gospel to
hundreds of thousands of readers.
Connecticut is one of the richest states in America, the Hartford
Courant quoted from Palau's message at Dodd Stadium in
Norwich. But there are some things that money can't buy. Money
cannot buy forgiveness of sins. If you're here tonight and you
feel you've gone away from God and you miss him, I'm here to
invite you to come back, dear friends. Jesus misses you. Get
out of your seat and say: Jesus, I surrender to you again.
The News-Times in Danbury reported, What Palau said
he wants to convey to all who are willing to listen is not a
message of condemnation, but rather one of hope that rests in
the promise of the savior Jesus Christ. He said he does not
endorse a holier than thou approach or point fingers of blame.
Instead, he wants people to become acquainted with the forgiveness
of God, the eternal love he has offered through the cross.
During the final week of the mission, Palau's live television
program, "Night Talk with Luis Palau," was broadcast throughout
the state from WTXX-TV in Hartford - and nationally on FamilyNet.
During each of the four one-hour programs, Palau explained the
basic Gospel message and prayed with at least one person who
trusted Jesus Christ.
"The big question now is: Where do we go from here?"
said Peter Scalzo, a retired Danbury businessman who traveled
the state the past two years to unite pastors for a statewide
evangelistic mission. This has energized the Christian community
to such an extent. I've had the question at least a hundred
times. We’re going to try to keep this going, the unity
of the churches, the great joy that we have. Over and over people
have said to me, I've never been so happy.
Greater Louisville Crusade, June 21-24
In this Kentucky city where thousands of dollars are
bet on horses every week, evangelist Billy Graham encouraged
crowds averaging more than 45,000 – and a record-setting
Sunday evening attendance of 57,500 at the 42,000-seat Papa
John’s Cardinal Stadium to place their hope in Jesus Christ,
during the four-day Greater Louisville Crusade, held June 21-24.
This was Mr. Graham’s second crusade in Louisville following
meetings in 1956, and it was his first opportunity to preach
since last November in Jacksonville. An average of nearly 2,300
individuals responded to the evangelist's invitation to come
forward and make a commitment to Christ.
Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., crusade chair and president of Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, opened the first
meeting on Thursday, referencing hope among the local Christian
community that the crusade would have lasting results. "Nothing
else has brought together the kind of ethnic and racial and
denominational inclusivity as is represented in this crusade;
nothing in my experience and nothing in the recent history of
Louisville has brought together such a group of committed Christians
for one purpose,"Dr. Mohler said.
Executive Committee First Vice Chair Dr. Bob Russell, senior
minister of the 17,000-member Southeast Christian Church, echoed
this sentiment, expressing his hope thatThe lost will be saved,
the saved will be edified and the edified will be unified. But
as Christians, we are hoping not only for a unifying, but a
transforming experience, because the only unifying force is
Christ.
Mr. Graham was warmly welcomed by the opening-night audience,
and received messages of greeting and special presentations
from both Louisville Mayor Dave Armstrong, and Jefferson County
Judge/Executive Rebecca Jackson, who served on the crusade executive
committee. "God has answered our prayers by bringing Billy
Graham to Louisville," Mrs. Jackson said.
At each crusade meeting, Mr. Graham preached a strong Gospel
message, centering on prominent themes of God's love and forgiveness.
He also stressed the need for unity among the nearly 600 churches
from 54 denominations involved in the crusade; among the races,
which have reflected a tension similar to the situation in nearby
Cincinnati; and among the residents of the local city and county,
which are preparing to merge governments in the coming months.
He spoke of the need for change in an individual's life, and
the unchanging love of God in the midst of an ever-changing
world full of strife and social upheaval.
The crusade preparations, compressed to five and one-half months
from the usual nine, achieved the goal of bringing denominational
leaders and Christians of differing races and backgrounds together,
but there is much left to be done. "One of the greatest
things that could happen here is if people of different races
would go out of their way to love people of other races and
ethnic backgrounds," Mr. Graham said. "This could
bring about a great racial reconciliation, but only through
having the love that God gives for one another."
The 46,000 mostly-teen audience that attended the Concert for
the NeXt Generation on Saturday listened quietly and attentively
as the evangelist spoke to them about the value of their souls
and the importance of making the right decision for eternity.
In addition to the youth night musical guests Jennifer Knapp,
Kirk Franklin and dcTalk, the crusade featured hometown artists
Larnelle Harris and Ricky Skaggs' Kentucky Thunder Band; crusade
favorites George Beverly Shea, Michael W. Smith, and the Gaither
Vocal Band; and new artists 16 year-old Rachael Lampa and Third
Day. Other special guests included Louisville news anchor Ann
Bowdan and local entrepreneur Charlie Johnson, along with a
short greeting from Monica Hardin, the newly crowned Miss Kentucky.
More than 10,000 attended the "Kidz Gig"on Saturday
morning to hear a Gospel presentation through music and story-telling
from the colorfully-costumed "Psalty, the Singing Songbook,"
of which more than 1,100 children and their parents responded
to his invitation to make Christ their "Forever Friend."
An associate evangelist team spent the week in area prisons
taking the same Gospel message to 2,100 inmates in 5 area facilities.
In addition to the spiritual needs addressed at the crusade
meetings, the crusade "Love in Action" committee mobilized
the community in alleviating local physical needs, including
school supply kits for area children and a blood drive, which
will help thousands of individuals throughout Greater Louisville.
The ministry of the Greater Louisville Billy Graham Crusade
will be continued through the use of technology as a delayed
broadcast of the stadium meetings will be webcast the following
weekend, June 28 - July 1, at www.webcast.billygraham.org. Those
who were unable to attend can log on at 7-9 PM (EDT) each evening
to virtually experience the unedited crusade, with telephone
numbers posted for individuals who would like to speak with
a counselor about making a commitment to Christ.
Mr. Graham has repeatedly said he plans to continue preaching
and is planning his schedule for 2002. His next crusade will
be held Oct. 11-14, 2001, at Fresno State University's Bulldog
Stadium in Fresno, California. Altogether, he has preached to
more than 210 million people in live audiences in 185 countries
and territories during more than 60 years of crusade ministry.
|
