Will Graham Celebration Launched in Kentucky

By Erik Ogren   •   October 1, 2014

Will Graham talks to 200 pastors/church leaders at a launch event Tuesday for the Ohio Valley Will Graham Celebration in Owensboro, Ky.

Across the expansive ball room, one-by-one, local Christian leaders stood and cried out to God.

“Lord, let the meetings not just reach this generation, but reach the generation to come.”

“Father, restore hope to the hopeless.”

“Tear down the walls of religion and build up the body of Christ.”

Here at the Owensboro (Kentucky) Convention Center, situated directly along the Ohio River on the border with Indiana, approximately 200 pastors and church leaders representing 55 churches and 10 denominations gathered together Tuesday for the announcement of the Ohio Valley Will Graham Celebration.

Throughout the room there was a hunger to share the Good News of Jesus, and it was clear from the outset that the Word of God was going to go forth immediately and continuously while leading up to the three-day event, which will take place April 24-26, 2015.

Sharing anecdotes and observations from his evangelistic ministry around the globe, Graham encouraged those in attendance to partner together and work toward the Celebration, but not to miss opportunities to share Jesus whenever possible.

“There are people here in Owensboro who want to know Christ,” said Graham. “God’s already working in their life. The harvest is ready now.”

Paul Haire, director of wealth management for First Security Bank in Owensboro, is serving as the leader of the Celebration executive team, and he has caught the vision as well.

“I think the greatest thing that God’s going to do in our community is to teach each one of us that participates in this process how easy it is to share Christ,” he said. “And since it’s that easy to share Christ, we hope – and it’s my goal – that more souls will be won prior to the Celebration event than at the Celebration event.

“The fact is that we need to start sharing who Jesus is now,” Haire said. “We’re going to continue to build on this process over the coming months to teach others and to make it more comfortable to share Christ.”

In order for that to happen, it’s important that the people of Owensboro and the surrounding communities be intentional in telling those around them about Jesus, stressed Sam Hardy, Celebration Director, who will be working in the area over the next several months in preparation for the event.

“We’re reaching across the region, one person at a time,” he said. “It starts with those right in your circle – your friends, your family, your colleagues. We hope, as Will said, that many come to know Christ well before April. It’s the heart of what we do.”

Follow the Ohio Valley Will Graham Celebration Facebook page, for updates.