April 24, 2024
ROBERTSTOWN, Ga. — One north Georgia church has found that fishing poles are the perfect tools for reeling in new believers.
Center Baptist Church in Robertstown recorded 37 salvation decisions at a Saturday morning trout tournament that drew more than 400 people to the Chattahoochee River.
Church members had worked for months preparing for the Fishers of Men Trout Tournament, a gospel outreach that dates back two decades at the Robertstown church.
Mark Pourbaix, who spearheads the event, said his fellow church members at Center Baptist recognize the Chattahoochee River, with its fishing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, swimming, hiking and camping opportunities, is a tremendous gospel resource because it draws millions of people to north Georgia every year.
"We're just in a very unique place, and this event has just totally grown like crazy," he said. "Even 20 years later, I don't think we've yet seen what the Lord has in store. The best is yet to come."
Along with the free trout, the church held drawings to give away some $2,500 worth of camping and fishing equipment to participants.
“They even had a fish cleaning station,” said Stacy Dyer, a mission strategist in Blue Ridge, Ga. and former host of the Extreme Christian Outdoors television program. “Volunteers from the church cleaned the fish, bagged them, and put them on ice.”
When the trout tournament ended, Dyer shared the gospel and was thrilled that so many people prayed to receive Christ.
“The key is prayer, preparation, and a clear presentation of the gospel,” he said. “Don’t try to be complex. Just be simple, because the gospel is still powerful, and it still saves.”
Pastor Michael Wilkes said the church gathered back at the river on Sunday morning to baptize 11 new believers.
Wilkes said the annual fishing tournament provides families a fun-filled day in the outdoors.
“It’s all entirely free for everyone,” he said. “The church covers the entire cost of the event. And there’s such a sweet spirit about it. It’s a family atmosphere.”
Annual church reports submitted to the Georgia Baptist Mission Board show baptisms have risen by an eye-catching 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.
“What we’re seeing is the commitment of Georgia Baptist pastors to fulfilling the Great Commission,” said W. Thomas Hammond Jr., executive director of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. “We’re overjoyed to see that our churches have come out of the pandemic energized and enthusiastically sharing the gospel.”
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, localized revivals have been popping up in every region of the state in churches large and small.
In the first quarter of the year, 119 college and university students made salvation decisions through Baptist Collegiate Ministries, said Beverly Skinner, collegiate ministry catalyst for the Mission Board.
“We’re definitely seeing a move of God in Georgia like we haven’t seen in a long, long time,” said Villa Rica Pastor Kevin Williams where 53 people surrendered to Christ at a Passion play attended by more than 4,000 people last month.
In some instances, several churches in a single community have joined together for evangelistic outreaches, as was the case with Love Loud Bowden, where 32 people made professions of faith.
Northside Baptist Church in Valdosta had seen 43 baptisms as of March and 67 since Christmas. Others that have seen big numbers of salvation decisions include Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church in Silver Creek where 21 people made salvation decisions at sportsmen’s banquet, at Dudley Baptist Church where 42 people made salvation decisions, and at Hopeful Baptist Church in Camillia where 30 people made salvation decisions.
In February, 41 people surrendered to Christ at a wild game dinner in the fellowship hall at Bethel Baptist Church in the tiny community of Omega where some 400 men had gathered.
In January, First Baptist Church in Blackshear reported 19 professions of faith at a venison supper. Another 28 people recommitted their lives to Christ at that event.
Last Sunday, 12 new believers were baptized at First Baptist Church in Douglasville, the latest of 20 baptisms in the past six months.
“We’re seeing a renewed passion to win the lost,” said Levi Skipper, lead strategist for the Mission Board’s church strengthening team. “We’re seeing a sense of urgency that we really need to get the gospel to people.”
