Though the population in Owensboro, Kentucky, is only about 60,000 people, there’s no shortage of excitement lately when it comes to talking about Jesus.
Will Graham is set to bring a Gospel message to the border city April 24-26. The Ohio Valley Celebration will include musical performances by The Afters and Aaron Shust, and an event specially catered to elementary school-aged kids.
Since planning began last year, there’s been growing enthusiasm.
“It’s been very refreshing to see churches that were perhaps a little more marginal in the beginning really capture a vision in these last couple of months for how this can really impact their church well beyond the Celebration,” Celebration director Samuel Hardy said.
“[People] are very aware it’s time for something in their community,” he added. “There’s been a faithful remnant.”
That’s a term the local committee has used often. In the Bible, faithful remnant described the few who survived a battle or opposition and stayed true to God’s Word.
For Owensboro, it’s an indicator of how churches have endured and remained committed, no matter the circumstance.
“There’s a sincere desire to bring the hope and love of Jesus into their community,” Hardy explained. “There are things going on in their community where people are hurting and they know Jesus could make a difference in their lives.
“Jesus Christ’s presence can give them hope where they have none.”
Since Owensboro sits in Western Kentucky, less than an hour’s drive from Evansville, Indiana, the Ohio Valley Celebration encompasses a seven-county region—three in Indiana and four in Kentucky.
That has led to a few challenges with garnering support in the more rural areas, but there are at least 120 engaged churches across 10 denominations, as well as many non-denominational churches participating.
Among that number are a “solid group of students,” according to the local committee.
More than 30 churches had students involved in FM419, BGEA’s evangelism training for teens and young adults.
“Most of the people that are working student ministry are doing it absolutely bi-vocation or truly in a volunteer capacity,” Hardy said. “So, for us to run a three-week curriculum for students [with that turnout] was very encouraging.”
That eagerness among young people was on display just last week. A young man showed 30 minutes early for a Saturday make-up session of the Christian Life and Witness Course, the training all Celebration counselors must complete prior to the event.
“He said, ‘Am I late? Am I late? Have I missed it? I just got off work,’” Hardy recalled.
As it turned out, the student had taken all of the classes and didn’t need to make up any sessions.
“Having worked all night long, here he was at maybe 10 in the morning, cleaned up and ready to sit down and take more classes on sharing his faith, when he didn’t even have to be there,” Hardy said.
“That was a great encouragement to us that, even in the younger demographic, there are students who are committed to their faith and pursuing this earnestly.”
Prayer has also been a consistent practice among the supporters and participants of the Celebration.
Earlier this year, a local volunteer organized a day of prayer on board Owensboro’s trolley, riding through town and praying for communities along the way.
In a similar fashion, some from that same prayer team also put together a prayer walk on Palm Sunday—strategically starting and ending at churches participating in the Celebration.
About 120 people made the walk, stopping to pray in certain neighborhoods, on playgrounds and in front of local businesses. And it wasn’t just a few blocks.
“That was a 3.6-mile route. This was like a 5k!” Hardy laughed.
The commitment to prayer is something Hardy hopes even those who can’t attend the event will embody in these last few days ahead of the Ohio Valley Celebration.
“At this point in the game, the most important thing that we can do is be praying for ‘Bring a Friend,’” Hardy said. “That folks will not give up [inviting friends], and there will be a tireless pursuit of their family and friends who don’t know Jesus.
“Pray for Will as he continues to wrap his heart and mind around the message that the community needs to hear,” he added.
“And pray that [the Celebration] is going to draw people to Jesus.”
Thank you for joining the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in prayer for the April 24-26 Ohio Valley Celebration with Will Graham. Get a glimpse of what attendees will experience:
