Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

Georgia revival spreads: 102 professions of faith in ‘Little Chicago’

  • April 3, 2022
  • Georgia's The Christian Index
  • Georgia, Latest News, Missions
Children play during a church-sponsored block party in Columbus, Georgia, on Saturday.
(Photo courtesy of The Christian Index)

Georgia revival spreads: 102 professions of faith in ‘Little Chicago’

An evangelistic outreach in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Georgia recently resulted in 102 people becoming followers of Christ one Saturday, thrilling local church leaders eager to see their community transformed.

“We’re sometimes known as Little Chicago because of our high crime rate,” said David Lix, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, one of seven congregations that joined forces to sponsor block parties and to go door to door in the 31907 zip code to tell people about Jesus.

The spiritual harvest is the latest evidence of revival in Georgia where hundreds of people have made professions of faith in recent months.

Associational missionary Jimmy Blanton said he was heartbroken by surveys that showed fewer than 10 percent of the people living in the zip code area attend church, an indicator that perhaps 90 percent of residents are spiritually lost.

‘CrossOver907’

That led Blanton and other church leaders to develop a plan they dubbed “CrossOver907,” which sent about 260 volunteers into the community to knock on doors.

Lix said volunteers found people living in the high-crime neighborhoods open to discussing spiritual matters in visits at their homes and at the block parties held at two community parks on the sunny Saturday afternoon.

Marguerite Hodge, one of the Liberty Baptist Church volunteers, said three people have been killed in the parking lot of a discount store not far from her home. Those kinds of tragedies, she said, reflects just how important the CrossOver907 initiative is.

“If the entire city finds Jesus, we will not have these problems,” she said.

Two days earlier in nearby Carrollton, Ga., more than 1,100 people turned out for a Roopville Road Baptist Church initiative that included a low-country boil, a get-together that centers around a delicious meal of boiled shrimp and other seafoods with sausage, corn, potatoes and other ingredients all combined in the same pot.

Pastor Stephen Peeples said seven people made professions of faith at that event.

And in Sylvester, Ga., more than 100 people made professions of faith during an evangelistic outreach sponsored by a group southern Georgia churches the week before, said Tim Williams, an evangelism consultant for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

Williams said the COVID-19 pandemic may have opened the door for what’s happening in the state.

“People are extremely open to talking about spiritual matters since the pandemic,” he said. “Everyone knows someone who has been sick or who has died as a result of COVID-19, and that has caused people to open their eyes to spiritual matters.”

Churches began to see salvation decisions rise when they returned to pre-pandemic activities, including revival services, community outreaches, block parties and more.

In northeast Georgia, 17 salvation decisions were reported earlier this month at two Christian learning centers where public school students go for Bible studies. Mike Blount, mission strategist in the Tugalo Baptist Association, said those professions of faith were among 30 made since August in the learning centers.

“It’s amazing to see what God is doing,” Blount said.

‘Mighty movement of God’

Other ministry leaders also have used the word “amazing” to talk about recent instances of revival, including at Shorter University where 24 students made decisions for Christ during a chapel service in late February.

Shorter President Donald Dowless called what happened “a mighty movement of God.”

In Moultrie, Kingwood Baptist Church Pastor Matt Greene reported 30 salvation decisions during a four-day revival in early February. That’s in a church with average Sunday attendance of about 80 people.

In Woodstock, First Baptist Church baptized 99 people on a single Sunday in September, and in Bethlehem, Bethlehem Church baptized 114 on a single Sunday in August.

More than 1,500 Georgia Baptists turned out for regional evangelism training events sponsored by the Georgia Baptist Mission Board in February and early March, an indicator that the state’s largest religious group is ready to get back to the kind of soul-winning it has historically been known for.

“This is the largest turnout we’ve seen in years,” said JJ Washington, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s evangelism catalyst who organized the multi-site and multi-day conference. “We’re seeing renewed excitement in both the pulpits and the pews to win our state for Christ.”


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Roger Alford and published by The Christian Index, news service of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Nashville school shooting: Multiple injuries reported, shooter is dead
    Nashville school shooting: Multiple injuries reported, shooter is dead
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • 27 Christians killed in two separate attacks in Nigeria
    27 Christians killed in two separate attacks in Nigeria
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for April 2
    Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for April 2
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Nashville school shooting: Multiple injuries reported, shooter is dead

Police are investigating a shooting reported Monday morning (March 27) at a private Nashville school. According to local authorities, there were multiple injuries and the

27 Christians killed in two separate attacks in Nigeria

Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists killed 27 Christians in two attacks this month in Kaduna State, Nigeria, Morning Star News reported. Both attacks took place

Explore the Bible Sunday School Lesson for April 2

Remain in Me John 15:1–17 Viticulture is an interesting year-round business. My contacts in the vineyard business testify to the hard work involved as well

Children’s ministry leader shares helpful practices for teaching gospel to kids

Talking to her eight grandchildren about Jesus comes as naturally as breathing for Jenni Carter. “I pray for them to have authentic relationships with Jesus,”

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel