What do you get when you combine one syndicated radio personality, two evangelists, a Southern Baptist seminary president and a Gaither Vocal Band member with lots of prayer, fasting and planning?
MeadowBrook Baptist Church, Gadsden, got 4,500 people and a great time of revival. On Aug. 23, 50 years to the day it was organized, MeadowBrook Baptist, which averages 750 on Sunday mornings, celebrated its anniversary and concluded a five-day revival.
“We didn’t want to just commemorate the history alone. We were seeking the Lord for revival [that day], which we felt like would then position us for 50 more years,” said Pastor Randy Gunter.
The revival featured many well-known people: Rick Burgess, co-host of the radio program “The Rick & Bubba Show”; Alabama evangelist Junior Hill; Mike Satterfield of Field of Grace Ministries; Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and Wes Hampton of the Gaither Vocal Band.
To prepare for the revival, about 150 members of the Etowah Baptist Association church connected with 1,000 homes within two hours Aug. 16, inviting people to come. Thirty decisions were made during the revival — 20 were salvation decisions — and many more heard the gospel.
On Sunday, as part of the anniversary festivities, the church honored its charter members. Around 30 of the 146 charter members took part in the celebration. MeadowBrook also collected its annual anniversary offering. This year, about $25,000 was collected to provide clean wells for the southern region of Sudan, support the ministry of a Baptist church in the Dominican Republic and fund a girl’s transition home for orphans in Costa Rica.
MeadowBrook concluded the revival and anniversary celebration Sunday evening with a concert by Hampton and a special recognition of First Baptist Church, Gadsden, for its part in helping start the church.
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