2500 ATTEND FRIDAY NIGHT
“Pastor, the main auditorium is full. The overflow auditorium is full. The breakout rooms are full. We are putting chairs in the commons area so people can watch on closed circuit, but the police are telling us that traffic is backed up to I-40 and there is traffic backed up on the interstate trying to exit to get here!” That was the report given by the Director of Guest Services just minutes into the 2010 Reclaiming America for Christ Conference. In all, an estimated 2500 attended the Friday night session at Trinity Baptist Church in Yukon, Oklahoma. “What an encouragement,” said Paul Sublett, General Manager for the Bott Radio Network in Oklahoma. “Perhaps, Christians are starting to awaken.”
David Barton on Friday night (by: Elinor McLennon)
Nationally known speakers David Barton and Ken Ham each addressed the crowd three times over the two day conference. The lovely Anita Bryant and her talented backup singers, Voices, inspired the attendees with a performance that included America and the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Each day’s session was brought to a crescendo by passionate and challenging preaching from Dr. Rick Scarborough and Dr. Bailey Smith.
Dr. Scarborough proclaimed, “The I’m OK, you’re OK, we’re OK, it’s OK, preaching in America’s pulpits is not getting it done. We have forsaken our call to be salt and light in our culture.”
No more seating (by: Imagine If Photography)
“Many of these people are expressing frustration with their pastors who refuse to address issues of our day,” stated Pastor Paul Blair. “Go back and read the sermons of the pastors in Massachusetts and Virginia in the 1750’s, 60’s and 70’s. Of course they preached Jesus!! They had been a part of the greatest revival in American history called the Great Awakening. But they also knew that if they lost their civil liberty, they would lose their religious freedom, as well. Their slogan was ‘Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God.”
Pastor Dan Fisher added, “With Hate Crimes, ENDA, and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, it won’t be long until chaplains and pastors will face criminal charges for preaching against abortion and homosexuality or arrested for preaching the intolerant message that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. We have seen this month in Dearborn, MI, Christians arrested for simply sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
One of Reclaiming’s primary goals is to awaken pastors (Click here) to boldly lead their congregations in contending for the culture through prayer, evangelism, education and getting out of the pew and getting busy. Evangelist Bailey Smith humorously added, “We have a generation of sissy preachers that are busy resting on their blessed assurances. We need the boldness of Elijah, John the Baptist and Jesus Himself.”
Over the past year, the Reclaiming Oklahoma effort has served to encourage pastors in Kentucky, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas and Wyoming to begin working together in Reclaiming their own communities and states for Jesus Christ.
One pastor who attended the conference said, “My wife and I are reveling in the past two days of being convicted, encouraged, enlightened, taught, challenged and inspired! “ This conference “was exceptional!”
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