State Evangelism Conference

Record Crowds, Soul Harvest At State Evangelism Conference

by Bob Nigh

What if they held an evangelism conference, and somebody actually got saved?

That question was answered in a huge way Jan. 24 at Del City, First Southern, as 35 persons made professions of faith during the evening session of the Oklahoma State Evangelism Conference. Included in the number of those accepting Jesus Christ as Savior were two pastors’ wives and one pastor.  In addition, 13 other decisions were recorded as approximately 3,500 people gathered for the conference’s first evening session.

“I have been attending evangelism conferences for close to 30 years, and I never remember in all those years ever seeing an invitation for salvation extended,” said Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma executive director/treasurer Anthony Jordan.  “It was one of the greatest joys of my life to see God move in His own sovereign way in bringing people to Christ.

“I’ve seen somebody say, ‘in case there is somebody here tonight that needs to be saved, you come,’ but never that head-on, straightforward communication of repentance in faith and calling people to that kind of commitment to Christ at an evangelism conference.  Typically, it’s for renewal and refreshment and recommitting ourselves to the task God has called us to.”

Speaker William Blackburn, who has held more than 900 revivals resulting in more than 90,000 decisions for Christ, exhorted the Monday evening audience that “being saved God’s way is the most important decision you will ever make.”  He reminded them that the reason Jesus came to Earth was “to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10).  Watch Real Revival Videos.

Blackburn said the evidence that one is not saved is that he or she continues to transgress (sin) against God willingly, and has not believed on the name of Jesus Christ for salvation.  “How do you get saved,” he asked?  “By being drawn by the Holy Spirit and then repenting and hating sin.”

“But, for many of you, the only thing different in you than in those who are caught up with the world is that you go to church,” he added.  “Remember,” he warned, “you will not be judged on how you compare to other men, but judged by the righteousness of God.”

The conference concluded Jan. 25 with an overflow crowd estimated at 6,200 people squeezing into the 5,500-seat auditorium at First Southern to hear noted author Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in Brooklyn, N.Y., speak on “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire.”

“The hour is critical and the calling is serious,” said Cymbala, who leads four worship services, each of which lasts from two to two-and-a-half hours, every Sunday at his church.  Calling, as D.L. Moody did so many years ago in Northfield, Mass., for a “fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit” to descend upon America, Cymbala bemoaned the fact that “Satan has scared us away from the Holy Spirit,” and as the church has moved away from a close walk with God to depending upon “weird stuff,” the resulting “pendulum swing is wrecking the Kingdom.”

Acknowledging that God “uses bumpkins–fools and the unlearned–to proclaim His truth, our churches are dying from cleverness,” Cymbala said.  “Without the Holy Spirit, we don’t have a prayer in this life; we need a revival of the Holy Spirit.”

Cymbala concluded the service with another altar call.  He asked everyone in the auditorium to join hands and then led them in prayer–first for the person on their right, then for the person on their left–out loud.  The front of the auditorium was packed, and the room was enveloped in a symphony of thousands of voices calling out to a merciful God in fervent prayer, their joined hands uplifted.

“First of all, it was the largest evangelism conference crowd in the history of Oklahoma.  But the significance is not just in the number of the people who came, it was the evidence of the power and presence of God among us.

“I sense a hunger among our pastors and people to get right with God and to have a fresh touch of His spirit, because we know that our churches, with exceptions, lack the dynamic of the power of God in them.  I believe there is a hunger to see that and I’m convinced God is going to honor that.

“In a lifetime, you get to enjoy a few of those experiences that we had this week at the evangelism conference,” Jordan added, “and I would say in my years of ministry and experience it was one of those times you walked away and you say God showed up in power and demonstrated his power among us.

“I think we’re going to see some changed pastors, laypeople and denominational workers and I think it’s undeniable that God is doing a new thing in Oklahoma.  I don’t know everything that’s about; I can’t even tell you all the reasons why.  I just want to thank God for it and rejoice in it.”

In addition to Cymbala and Blackburn, conference speakers included Fred Luter, pastor of New Orleans, Franklin Ave., and evangelist Jamey Ragle, of Kentucky.

Special music was provided by Christian recording artist Steve Green, while James Bradford, minister of praise and worship at First Southern, led congregational praise.  Also, a combined African American choir from several metro area churches provided special music Monday evening, while the First Southern choir and orchestra did so Tuesday evening.

“I hope this powerful two-day event sends our pastors and people back to their churches with a newfound thirst for the Word of God and a hunger for the power of God to be demonstrated among them,” Jordan said.

Bob Nigh is assistant editor of the Baptist Messenger.