The Christian Index
Revival wave hits East Georgia with powerful impact
By J. Gerald Harris, Editor
Published May 12, 2005
Georgia Baptists' wave of revivals hit the eastern part of the state with a blessed fury in April with major crusades in Augusta and Swainsboro. Greg Laurie, the guest evangelist for the Augusta Harvest Crusade, has been called the next generation's Billy Graham.
Laurie is pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Ca., one of the eight largest churches in America, and the speaker on a nationally syndicated radio program entitled A New Beginning that is heard coast-to-coast and overseas.
The California pastor began holding evangelistic crusades, called Harvest Crusades, ten years ago. Since 1990, almost 3 million people have attended Harvest Crusades.
The Augusta crusade, held April 17-20, was the result of 135 churches banding together to share the gospel with thousands in Augusta. When the final invitation was given more than 28,000 had been exposed to the gospel message, and 1,393 decisions had been made.
The Harvest Crusade, held in the August Civic Center, marked the first such city-side evangelistic meeting in almost twenty years. The last crusade held in Augusta was in 1986 with Leighton Ford.
The event also included several guest musicians: Doyle Dykes, Crystal Lewis, Dennis Agajanian, Jeremy Camp, Mercy Me, the Katinas and Jars of Clay. Ashley Smith, who was recently thrust into the spotlight after Atlanta shooting suspect Brian Nichols held her hostage, shared her testimony of that harrowing experience.
Mark Harris, pastor of Curtis Baptist Church, was chosen to serve as the crusade coordinator. Don Wheless, director of missions for the Augusta Association, Gordon Robinson, Billy Faulk, Jeff Harris and David Miller made up the Crusade Core Leadership Team.
The preacher for the Emanuel County crusade was Southern Baptist evangelist Rick Gage, who has been filling football stadiums for more than a decade in small towns across America. Many were skeptical that he could do it in Swainsboro, which claims a population of only 6,943 people.
Emanuel County's citizens were astonished when thousands flocked to Tiger Stadium at the local Swainsboro High School for a four-night crusade. By the conclusion of the crusade, 878 spiritual decisions had been recorded, including 534 first-time professions of faith.
More than 40 churches worked together in what pastors claim is the greatest sense of unity and spirit of cooperation of churches ever seen in Emanuel County. Churches came together across denominational lines with a united goal of loving and reaching people for Christ.
Blundale Baptist pastor and crusade co-chairman Jamie Archer declared, "The crusade was absolutely the most wonderful move of God this county has ever experienced. The mighty outpouring of God's Spirit sparked a revival that will continue.
"God moved in power in countless lives, and the huge impact of this crusade has changed this county forever. We are already working diligently to follow-up on the many decisions that were made. Blundale Baptist will baptize more than 50 people in the days ahead."
