April 22, 2002
Brazos Valley has high hopes for Graham festival
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___BRYAN--Central Texas churches are mobilizing for a May 2-5 rally with Franklin Graham.
___More than 250 churches within a 50-mile radius of the College Station/Bryan area are actively participating in preparations for the event, said Bill Magee, chairman of the executive committee for the Brazos Valley Festival 2002.
___"We've had good participation from the other evangelical groups as you might expect, but also tremendous support from the Catholics and Lutherans," said Ron Horton, director of missions for Creath-Brazos Baptist Association.
___Because ofthe work of all those churches, organizers are expecting a big turnout. Reed Arena on the Texas A&M campus, site of the rally, seats 12,000 people. Arrangements have been made for an overflow area to seat 5,000 more people.
FRANKLIN GRAHAM
___More than 3,500 people turned out for a youth rally in February. Almost 700 attended a prayer rally. More than 3,200 registered the first week of a five-week course for crusade counselors.
___Pastor Butch Smith of Living Hope Baptist Church in College Station said his congregation is excited about the upcoming meetings. Members will be involved not only as counselors but by helping with security, helping people find seats and even babysitting so others may attend. A number of people also will follow up on those who register decisions.
___More than 150 people from First Baptist Church in Bryan have participated in the training for counselors, Pastor Tim Owens said.
___In total, more than 8,000 volunteers are expected to help in some manner during the four-day crusade.
___Baptists have been at the heart of the crusade from its inception. Magee said the idea first came up in 1996 but lost steam. When it resurfaced, it took on a life of its own, he said.
___Magee believes he knows why this time around is different.
___"In retrospect, we see it was simply God's timing. This is the right time--because of significant growth in the area, 9/11 and several other factors."
___Christian musicians scheduled for the services include Michael W. Smith, Paul Overstreet, the Charlie Daniels Band, Jaci Velasquez, Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary. Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer, Christian relief workers who were held captive in Afghanistan, also will partipate in the Friday night service.
___Jars of Clay and Jennifer Knapp will perform Saturday night during a special program for college and high-school students. Saturday morning will be devoted to children and will feature BibleMan and vocalist Jeni Varnadeau.
___Each service will begin at 7 p.m., except for the children's service at 11 a.m. Saturday and the Sunday service at 4 p.m.
___One of the best by-products of preparation for the festival is the way his church has seen its vision expanded, Owens said.
___"It's been kind of a season to turn our eyes on the lost in our community and not so much on ministry inside the walls of the church," he said. He pointed to a recent egg hunt that was transformed from the church event it has been in years past to a community event this year.
___"The Franklin Graham crusade has encouraged our church to look more outside itself, which is a real healthy thing," he said.
___
Get printer-friendly version of this story
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook
