Stories of changed lives continue to surface weeks after a “Go Tell” crusade was held in Anderson County.
“This is a story that needs to be told,” said Dennis Ashley, who co-chaired the crusade along with Tom Langston. “A great movement of God took place here in Anderson County.”
Ashley said that as a result of the crusade, 12 people have come forward requesting baptism at his own church, Barker’s Creek Baptist Church in Honea Path.
Likewise, Ted Coody, pastor of Honea Path Pentecostal Holiness Church, reported that his church baptized 10 new believers. “What thrilled me most,” Coody said, “was to see the Body of Christ come together in unity, regardless of the wide range of denominational affiliations, out of mutual concern for lost souls.”
Crusade evangelist Rick Gage said he met a young couple with a small child, separated and on the brink of divorce, who attended the crusade and felt led by God to keep their family together.
Helen Watson, a teacher at Honea Path Middle School, was moved to action after hearing her students tell stories of how their lives were changed during the crusade.
“I couldn’t help but notice a glow on their faces,” she said. Feeling she needed to do something to help them celebrate, she “prayed to the Lord that he would guide me.”
The next week, she spent nearly $100 for 200 white carnations to give to students wanting to tell her of the changes in their lives. She wanted to tell them that white was for purity and a sign of starting over, that they had been forgiven of their sins and cleansed, that they were blemish-free.
She also wanted to tell them they should share what had happened with their friends and families.
“As students came in, I asked them what their experience was like,” Watson said. “Some said they had been saved. They talked about how they cried and prayed with their family and friends. Some said they had been saved before, but they prayed and cried for strength to handle certain situations in their lives.”
On the day before the last day of school, Watson had given away 122 of her white carnations.
Thirty churches from different denominations agreed to support the crusade, which brought evangelist Rick Gage from Atlanta, along with guest speakers and musicians.
The four-night crusade was held May 20-23 at Belton-Honea Path High School’s football stadium. Gage also spoke to 6,000 students in assemblies at 12 schools. He said the crusade led to more than 1,300 decisions – 618 for salvation. The combined attendance over the four nights was more than 15,000.