An estimated 13,800 people attended the second stop of the Decision America Tar Heel State Tour with Franklin Graham on Wednesday in Greenville, North Carolina. The next evangelistic rally will be held Saturday in Wilmington.
This is the second time Franklin Graham has held an evangelistic event in Greenville. In 1998, he shared the Gospel during a four-day Festival at East Carolina’s football stadium and ate at local spot B’s Barbecue. Graham joked Wednesday he’s had the restaurant on his mind the past 21 years.
Greenville sits four hours east of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquarters in Charlotte and just 90 minutes from the Atlantic Coast. The town of 90,000 residents is considered a medical hub in the Coastal Plain region.
Franklin Graham opened his message with a question. “What's the value of your soul?” he asked. “Have you ever thought about it? Let me tell you what God says your life is worth.”
Local volunteers, many from area churches, make the Decision America Tar Heel State Tour possible.
“Jesus Christ is a greater Savior than you are a sinner. Don’t ever forget that,” Dennis Agajanian told the crowd as he closed his set on Wednesday.
Capturing the moment.
Prayer, specifically for the United States of America, has been a common thread during these Decision America Tours and Wednesday's stop in Greenville was no different.
Greenville is home to East Carolina University. Kyle Alligood, a 2004 business management grad, came to the Tar Heel State Tour with his wife, Misty, and their friends, all seated in purple ECU lawn chairs. Many men of his generation aren’t stepping up to be leaders in their homes, Alligood said, but he hopes events like this will give them “more courage to follow the Lord” and set an example.
The humidity kicked up as the 90-degree sun set over the Pitt County American Legion Agricultural Fairgrounds, but that didn’t stop people from fully worshipping the one true God.
"Children are a gift from God," the Bible declares in Psalm 127:3. Youngsters danced, bringing smiles to many around them.
“The soul Christ compares to the value of the world,” Franklin Graham shared. “It is impossible for us to get our minds wrapped around the value of the whole world. … That’s how much God loves you. One soul is worth more than the whole world.”
“Jesus Christ took a stand for you on that cross,” Graham implored the crowd as folks of all ages arose from their seats to publicly show their acceptance of Christ. “I’m asking you to take a stand for Him tonight.”
“No matter if you know Jesus or not, you’re going to go through tribulations, but we [as believers] have Jesus to walk through it with us,” Jeremy Camp told the Greenville crowd that nearly filled in the fairgrounds. Do you know the peace that only a relationship with Jesus can bring?
There are broken marriages and people battling addictions in the crowd, Jeremy Camp said from the stage. But Jesus Christ came to set us free from all those things. He quoted John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
“The problem we have in the world today is a sin problem,” Franklin Graham told a reporter earlier this week during a media event. “Just look at the problems of the world, it’s because of sin in the human heart. So I hope many people come [to the Decision America Tar Heel State Tour stops]. I hope this week many people put their faith and trust in Christ, and they’ll have their lives changed forever.”
"I'm fired up. People gave their lives to Jesus. That should fire you up!" Jeremy Camp encouraged the crowd to stand up and dance in celebration. He played a few more songs to close out the Greenville event.
Please join us in praying for the people who have made decisions for Jesus Christ this week. Pray they’ll find good local church families and dive into God’s Word as they deepen their personal relationships. Also, please keep the upcoming Tar Heel State Tour stops in Wilmington, Raleigh, Greensboro, Hickory, Charlotte and Asheville in your prayers.
