May 16, 2024
SWAINSBORO, Ga. — The plan was a simple one: post volunteers at two roadside locations in Swainsboro for a drive-thru prayer initiative.
The result was amazing: 30 people surrendered their lives to Christ in a single day.
Joe Bedgood, pastor of Dellwood Baptist Church in Swainsboro and evangelism director in the Emanuel Baptist Association, said the outreach worked because unchurched people are hungry for God and because Christians are eager to share their faith.
Barna Research Group, an organization that monitors cultural and religious trends in America, has data in hand that shows 52 percent of active Christians “strongly agree” that they have a personal responsibility to tell others about Jesus.
“Today, there is a general sense of opportunity for spiritual conversations, even about Jesus specifically,” Barna said in an article in August highlighting the research.
The research organization found that pastors have been training their church members to share their faith stories, listen well and build meaningful relationships, all of which unchurched people respond well to.
“People hope to be met with honesty about questions and doubts and a lack of judgment or forced conclusions,” Barna wrote. “People of no faith are clear that they are looking for understanding, empathy and belonging. If the church can share Jesus in a way that honors these needs, more meaningful connections may take place.”
Anecdotal reports from across Georgia appear to indicate that the state’s Baptist churches are being effective in their outreaches. Large numbers of people have been turning to Christ in every region of the state since the COVID-19 pandemic subsided.
Annual church reports submitted to the Georgia Baptist Mission Board show baptisms have risen by 47% in the past two years. They rose from 10,243 reported in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was gripping the state to 15,071 last year.
Bedgood said the Swainsboro area churches had set up the prayer stations with the intention to pray for whatever the people who came by asked for.
“Most of the people who came through had something major going on in their lives,” Bedgood said. “They knew they needed prayer, that God was the only One who could help them.”
Typically, in such an outreach, the most common prayer requests involve health challengers, financial concerns, and relationships issues. But, for many, getting right with Jesus was foremost on their minds.
Bedgood said people came with tears in their eyes, eager for someone to help them get in touch with God.
“At one point, we had an entire one-way street filled with cars,” he said.
