September 7, 2024
SWAINSBORO, Ga. – Revival arrived in another Georgia town last week when more than 50 people responded to an invitation to receive Christ as their Savior at a four-night crusade in Swainsboro.
“There was just an atmosphere that was ripe for salvation,” said Joe Bedgood, the evangelism director in the Emanuel Missionary Baptist Association who helped spearhead the event. “God was glorified; Jesus was exalted, and people were able to hear the word clearly.”
The crusade, which ran from Sunday through Wednesday in the Swainsboro City Auditorium, involved 25 churches from across Emanuel County.
Swainsboro is the latest Georgia community seeing signs of spiritual revival. Since the pandemic has waned, cities and towns all over the state have been reporting larger than usual numbers of professions of faith.
Emanuel Associational Missionary Billy Brinson Sr. said many of the people at the crusade were unchurched and some had never heard the gospel preached.
“We’re following up with all the individuals who gave their lives to Christ,” Brinson said. “We’re going to make sure they find a church close to them.”
Georgia-based evangelist Jon Reed preached in the Emanuel County crusade, the focus of which was to win lost souls to Jesus. Eager to see salvation decisions, Bedgood said, people from every participating church went door to door to extend invitations to the crusade.
“It was an all-out effort,” said Bedgood, pastor of Dellwood Baptist Church in Swainsboro. “God alone gives the increase, and that is certain. However, there is a principle of reaping and sowing. If you sow little, you reap little. If you sow much, you reap much.”
Bedgood said cumulative attendance over the four days was about 2,800, which, he said, speaks to the spiritual hunger among Emanuel County residents.
“God was glorified; Jesus was exalted; and people were able to hear the word clearly,” he said. “We give God all the glory for the great things he has done.”
