Every once in a while I get to be part of something truly special. One such time came in August at Parkway Baptist Church in Evans, Georgia. I was scheduled for a typical four-day revival from Sunday through Wednesday, but what happened was anything but typical. Sunday morning was incredible. Five people in the 8:30 a.m. service said they were baptized before they truly came to faith in Christ and needed to get their baptism on the right side of their salvation. One young woman was baptized immediately and the others were baptized at the 11:00 a.m. service. Before I started preaching in the second morning service, I just asked if there was anyone who wanted to be saved. One man left his seat immediately and said, “I do!” That morning, thirteen people were baptized and several more came to faith in Christ and were baptized that night.
What struck me the most was how broken people were over sin – their own as well as the sin of people they loved. They were weeping over sin, weeping over lost folks, and weeping over the hurting members of their congregation. Revival broke out at Parkway Baptist Church because they were completely broken before the Lord.
Attendance for the Monday through Wednesday services grew and stayed strong. Now they weren’t just mourning over sin, they were rejoicing over obedience and the salvation of the lost. So much so that Pastor Russell Davis decided to extend to Thursday night and people continued to come. The Holy Spirit continued to work as Pastor Davis preached to his people that Sunday, but God wasn’t through yet. You see, just as genuine revival cannot happen just because we schedule it on a calendar, neither can it be constrained by it. They asked me to come back Monday night, and then again on Tuesday. What I saw on those last two nights was an interesting result of genuine revival – a desire for God’s people to fellowship together. I could sense the presence and peace of the Lord as I watched that church family display godly love and kindness toward one another. It was a sweet time.
I’m so thankful for Pastor Russell Davis and his heart to see revival in his congregation. He prayed for revival and led his church to pray for revival. There is no limit to what God can do when His people are sincerely broken over sin.
If my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14
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