July 26, 2024
HIAWASEE, Ga. — Macedonia Baptist Church and pastor Wade Lott have an evangelistic spirit and a passion for seeing people come to faith in Jesus Christ. This spirit is reflected in all the church says and does.
In April, that spirit led to the church hosting a successful revival that saw many come to faith in Jesus. Though the event is over, the response continues.
On Sunday, May 5, the church baptized 21 new believers in a creek at Camp Hosanna in Hiawasee. Lott had urged church members to attend and support the new Christians. “Rain may be in the forecast,” he said, “but don’t let that keep you from coming to the baptism. The candidates for baptism are going to get wet anyway and you folks can come with your umbrellas.”
Sharing the gospel and supporting new believers has long been an emphasis for Lott and the church. At a recent worship experience at Macedonia Baptist, those present noticed what looked like a relatively small fish tank filled with ping-pong balls sitting just to the left of the pulpit. Some balls were white and others were green.
Lott explained that the white ping pong balls, numbering about 150, represented unsaved people for whom church members were praying and seeking to win the faith in Christ. The green balls denoted people who had already surrendered their lives to the Lord. This graphic display illustrates the church’s commitment to obeying the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
“We need to share Jesus because He is the answer to life’s questions,” Dr. Ken Gabrielse told the congregation when he introduced the song “Let Me Tell You About My Jesus” by Anne Wilson. Gabrielse is the church’s minister of music and the dean of Music at Truett McConnell University.
Lott then preached from Ephesians 1:7-12 and declared, “We are rich beyond measure, but often live our lives as if we were beggars.” He ended his message by urging the congregation to “be faithful to pray for and reach out to your ‘one.’”
His invitation was a heartfelt appeal to the church to live up to their inheritance in Christ and a heart-cry for the lost to be saved. The growth of the church and the baptism of new believers is evidence the appeal is not falling on deaf ears.
