Alabama Baptists Norman and Dee Rich haven’t missed one Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Crossover since the first one in 1989 in Las Vegas. Celebrating 20 years of participation during this year’s Crossover Louisville, the Riches decided to do one thing differently — a block party instead of door-to-door witnessing.
“We meet more people with door-to-door and get to share with more people, but we decided to work with a block party this year,” Norman Rich said.
And Dee Rich is still celebrating.
Camie Oliver, of the Shivley community, near Louisville, prayed to receive Christ as Dee Rich walked her through the plan of salvation.
“It was like we were supposed to meet,” Oliver said of Rich. “I knew about Jesus and believed in Him, but I had never totally committed to Him. I need to let Him in every day not just sometimes.”
Oliver was watching her 6-year-old grandson, Robert, play volleyball when Rich approached her. And within a few minutes Oliver was praying to receive Christ as music boomed behind her and a volleyball flew back and forth in front of her.
Taking Oliver through a gospel tract, “I gave her a little testimony along the way. … I asked her to pray out loud,” said Rich.
After they prayed and Oliver confirmed she did pray sincerely, Rich asked her who she wanted to know about her decision.
“My mother,” Oliver told her.
“To me that makes it real,” Rich said.
Rich also encouraged Oliver to attend Rockford Lane Baptist Church, site of the event and one of four churches sponsoring the block parties. Oliver has been attending Rockford Lane and said she planned to get involved.
Rockford Lane Baptist Pastor Randal Pollock said he hoped the block party would bring new church members like Oliver.
“This is the oldest congregation in the middle of a changing community,” Pollock said. “We have sat here and gotten old and gray. The biggest ministry I’ve done is funerals.”
“We hope [the block party] will awaken our congregation and community,” he said.
The Riches, members of Grace Life Church of the Shoals (formerly First Baptist Church, Muscle Shoals), were among 3,000 Southern Baptists volunteering from 108 churches.
Volunteers worked June 20, and in some locations the week leading up to the Saturday blitz, in 79 locations across Louisville. Activities included block parties, door-to-door witnessing, food distribution, building projects, international activities and clean-up projects.
At press time, 1,035 professions of faith were recorded.
Ken Weathersby of the North American Mission Board noted that planning, preparation and prayer for Crossover Louisville began nearly a year in advance. But “the effects of Crossover will be felt in Louisville for a long, long time.”
“This is just a small taste of what God can do if God’s people are mobilized to share the Good News of Jesus Christ,” he said. “We pray God will bring revival and spiritual awakening to North America.”
To view the video that corresponds to this article, visit the video library.
Share with others: