Revival!

[Tarheel Baptist]

Lord willing, I'm going tonight and I'll give an eyewitness report tomorrow.

I attended last night's meeting from beginning to end.
The congregational singing was phenomenal, inspiring. 4000 people under the tent singing old hymns...great experience.

The special music was very good. The choir, which was recruited from the congregation to practice at 7:00 for a 7:30 meeting was better than I anticipated it would be...enthusiasm was their strong suit. A gentleman, I missed his name but he sang bass for years with the Inspirations Quartet was excellent. He was joined by 2 men and a lady and they had good voices and harmony... although the song choice was not what I would have chosen, the music was quality.

When the evangelist CT Townsend was introduced, he told us to get our Bibles, but the Lord evidently led him not to preach his prepared sermon. He, in a very animated, emotional and passionate way talked about what had happened in the revival and asked people who wanted it to continue to come to the altar and pray to that end. This is where he really lost me, I (personally) felt it was an emotional and in some ways manipulative plea....and it continued for over an hour. All the while people filled the 'altar area' and many were led to faith in Christ by counsellors with open Bibles. 19 I think they said.

I was told this was not the norm but had happened a couple of times before in the 9 week meeting.  Couple of people who knew me came to me and asked me to go pray with them over specific needs and I was happy to do so. The plea and invitation reminded me of services at youth camp when I was a teen....emotion took over the meeting.

Do I think it was overly emotional and manipulative? As previously stated, Yes...but again this was not the norm. Did I 'feel' conviction was present? Subjectively speaking, I think many were sincere as they came forward and pray the Holy Spirit was working in their hearts and lives.

That is an honest report as I experienced it. My wife was with me and she was slightly less critical than I was.

 

[Twisted]

Lord willing, I'm going tonight and I'll give an eyewitness report tomorrow.

I attended last night's meeting from beginning to end.
The congregational singing was phenomenal, inspiring. 4000 people under the tent singing old hymns...great experience.

The special music was very good. The choir, which was recruited from the congregation to practice at 7:00 for a 7:30 meeting was better than I anticipated it would be...enthusiasm was their strong suit. A gentleman, I missed his name but he sang bass for years with the Inspirations Quartet was excellent. He was joined by 2 men and a lady and they had good voices and harmony... although the song choice was not what I would have chosen, the music was quality.

When the evangelist CT Townsend was introduced, he told us to get our Bibles, but the Lord evidently led him not to preach his prepared sermon. He, in a very animated, emotional and passionate way talked about what had happened in the revival and asked people who wanted it to continue to come to the altar and pray to that end. This is where he really lost me, I (personally) felt it was an emotional and in some ways manipulative plea....and it continued for over an hour. All the while people filled the 'altar area' and many were led to faith in Christ by counsellors with open Bibles. 19 I think they said.

I was told this was not the norm but had happened a couple of times before in the 9 week meeting.  Couple of people who knew me came to me and asked me to go pray with them over specific needs and I was happy to do so. The plea and invitation reminded me of services at youth camp when I was a teen....emotion took over the meeting.

Do I think it was overly emotional and manipulative? As previously stated, Yes...but again this was not the norm. Did I 'feel' conviction was present? Subjectively speaking, I think many were sincere as they came forward and pray the Holy Spirit was working in their hearts and lives.

That is an honest report as I experienced it. My wife was with me and she was slightly less critical than I was.

So there was no message?  How did the meeting close?

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Lord willing, I'm going tonight and I'll give an eyewitness report tomorrow.

I attended last night's meeting from beginning to end.
The congregational singing was phenomenal, inspiring. 4000 people under the tent singing old hymns...great experience.

The special music was very good. The choir, which was recruited from the congregation to practice at 7:00 for a 7:30 meeting was better than I anticipated it would be...enthusiasm was their strong suit. A gentleman, I missed his name but he sang bass for years with the Inspirations Quartet was excellent. He was joined by 2 men and a lady and they had good voices and harmony... although the song choice was not what I would have chosen, the music was quality.

When the evangelist CT Townsend was introduced, he told us to get our Bibles, but the Lord evidently led him not to preach his prepared sermon. He, in a very animated, emotional and passionate way talked about what had happened in the revival and asked people who wanted it to continue to come to the altar and pray to that end. This is where he really lost me, I (personally) felt it was an emotional and in some ways manipulative plea....and it continued for over an hour. All the while people filled the 'altar area' and many were led to faith in Christ by counsellors with open Bibles. 19 I think they said.

I was told this was not the norm but had happened a couple of times before in the 9 week meeting.  Couple of people who knew me came to me and asked me to go pray with them over specific needs and I was happy to do so. The plea and invitation reminded me of services at youth camp when I was a teen....emotion took over the meeting.

Do I think it was overly emotional and manipulative? As previously stated, Yes...but again this was not the norm. Did I 'feel' conviction was present? Subjectively speaking, I think many were sincere as they came forward and pray the Holy Spirit was working in their hearts and lives.

That is an honest report as I experienced it. My wife was with me and she was slightly less critical than I was.

So there was no message?  How did the meeting close?

The message time was in essence an hour long invitation.

 

[Twisted]

So there was no message?  How did the meeting close?

The message time was in essence an hour long invitation.

 

[Tim]

Lord willing, I'm going tonight and I'll give an eyewitness report tomorrow.

I attended last night's meeting from beginning to end.
The congregational singing was phenomenal, inspiring. 4000 people under the tent singing old hymns...great experience.

The special music was very good. The choir, which was recruited from the congregation to practice at 7:00 for a 7:30 meeting was better than I anticipated it would be...enthusiasm was their strong suit. A gentleman, I missed his name but he sang bass for years with the Inspirations Quartet was excellent. He was joined by 2 men and a lady and they had good voices and harmony... although the song choice was not what I would have chosen, the music was quality.

When the evangelist CT Townsend was introduced, he told us to get our Bibles, but the Lord evidently led him not to preach his prepared sermon. He, in a very animated, emotional and passionate way talked about what had happened in the revival and asked people who wanted it to continue to come to the altar and pray to that end. This is where he really lost me, I (personally) felt it was an emotional and in some ways manipulative plea....and it continued for over an hour. All the while people filled the 'altar area' and many were led to faith in Christ by counsellors with open Bibles. 19 I think they said.

I was told this was not the norm but had happened a couple of times before in the 9 week meeting.  Couple of people who knew me came to me and asked me to go pray with them over specific needs and I was happy to do so. The plea and invitation reminded me of services at youth camp when I was a teen....emotion took over the meeting.

Do I think it was overly emotional and manipulative? As previously stated, Yes...but again this was not the norm. Did I 'feel' conviction was present? Subjectively speaking, I think many were sincere as they came forward and pray the Holy Spirit was working in their hearts and lives.

That is an honest report as I experienced it. My wife was with me and she was slightly less critical than I was.

Mike Holcomb. That is the bass singer. He is starting tonight a series of local outdoor meetings.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

The meeting continues into next week.
Last night they had 6000 attend with over 100 professions of faith in Christ.

 

[FSSL]

Are they going to start a church?

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Are they going to start a church?

It began as a local church meeting and is basically still led by that church's pastor and the original evangelist. The evangelist is the glue that holds the meeting together, humanly speaking. But it is getting overwhelming support from many/most of our local IFB congregations...with church buses from many cities in NC and many other states bringing people almost every night. I don't see a new church forming from the tent meeting...but who knows?

I note that churches and pastors come from as far away as the Dakota's to attend and i'm a mile or so away and don't attend.
I'ts been said that I should be ashamed....

 

[Twisted]

Are they going to start a church?

It began as a local church meeting and is basically still led by that church's pastor and the original evangelist. The evangelist is the glue that holds the meeting together, humanly speaking. But it is getting overwhelming support from many/most of our local IFB congregations...with church buses from many cities in NC and many other states bringing people almost every night. I don't see a new church forming from the tent meeting...but who knows?

I note that churches and pastors come from as far away as the Dakota's to attend and i'm a mile or so away and don't attend.
I'ts been said that I should be ashamed....

No doubt NC needs another church.  How ridiculous!  The churches in the area that are participating and even those that are not should see a "bump" on Sundays because of this.  Where are all those saved folks going to join?  What kind of follow-up and discipleship is being offered?

 

[sword]

Are they going to start a church?

I note that churches and pastors come from as far away as the Dakota's to attend and i'm a mile or so away and don't attend.
I'ts been said that I should be ashamed....

I don't see it that way. If it was your church holding such a meeting or even it your church was supporting such a meeting an God was blessing and you were just too busy or disinterested in going that would be different.

You said from the beginning it was not your church or even your style of meeting. You also said you were not going to criticize them and you were praying God would continue to bless their efforts.

If a Pentecostal group in my area was seeing God bless in a great way I would pray for them and follow what was happening, but I would not be likely to attend. That is not wrong, it's just being consistent with your beliefs.

 

[sword]

Are they going to start a church?

It began as a local church meeting and is basically still led by that church's pastor and the original evangelist. The evangelist is the glue that holds the meeting together, humanly speaking. But it is getting overwhelming support from many/most of our local IFB congregations...with church buses from many cities in NC and many other states bringing people almost every night. I don't see a new church forming from the tent meeting...but who knows?
I note that churches and pastors come from as far away as the Dakota's to attend and i'm a mile or so away and don't attend.
I'ts been said that I should be ashamed....

No doubt NC needs another church.  How ridiculous!  The churches in the area that are participating and even those that are not should see a "bump" on Sundays because of this.  Where are all those saved folks going to join?  What kind of follow-up and discipleship is being offered?

In the meetings like this I have attended, the pastors of the cooperating churches work together on the follow up. Because this meeting was sponsored by one pastor in may fall on the host pastor to keep decision cards and manage the followup. A good pastor would share the cards for people outside a 20 min. or so zone of the church to other pastors who are closer.

Not sure why a church would need to be started when there are 15 good churches within a short distance of this meeting. The concept seems silly unless those churches are too large to handle the new converts. Many of the attendees are faithful church members bringing their unsaved friends and neighbors.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Are they going to start a church?

It began as a local church meeting and is basically still led by that church's pastor and the original evangelist. The evangelist is the glue that holds the meeting together, humanly speaking. But it is getting overwhelming support from many/most of our local IFB congregations...with church buses from many cities in NC and many other states bringing people almost every night. I don't see a new church forming from the tent meeting...but who knows?

I note that churches and pastors come from as far away as the Dakota's to attend and i'm a mile or so away and don't attend.
I'ts been said that I should be ashamed....

No doubt NC needs another church.  How ridiculous!  The churches in the area that are participating and even those that are not should see a "bump" on Sundays because of this.  Where are all those saved folks going to join?  What kind of follow-up and discipleship is being offered?

I stated that I did NOT think a new church would be organized from this meeting!
I'm sure that the responsibility to follow up on local's who make professions of faith in Christ is being shared among the local churches and pastors. The meeting is very well organized...

 

[sword]

Are they going to start a church?

It began as a local church meeting and is basically still led by that church's pastor and the original evangelist. The evangelist is the glue that holds the meeting together, humanly speaking. But it is getting overwhelming support from many/most of our local IFB congregations...with church buses from many cities in NC and many other states bringing people almost every night. I don't see a new church forming from the tent meeting...but who knows?
I note that churches and pastors come from as far away as the Dakota's to attend and i'm a mile or so away and don't attend.
I'ts been said that I should be ashamed....

No doubt NC needs another church.  How ridiculous!  The churches in the area that are participating and even those that are not should see a "bump" on Sundays because of this.  Where are all those saved folks going to join?  What kind of follow-up and discipleship is being offered?

I stated that I did NOT think a new church would be organized from this meeting!
I'm sure that the responsibility to follow up on local's who make professions of faith in Christ is being shared among the local churches and pastors. The meeting is very well organized...

Yes, you were clear in your response.

I should have addressed FSSL in my response. It was his comments I was responding to.

 

[Twisted]

Are they going to start a church?

It began as a local church meeting and is basically still led by that church's pastor and the original evangelist. The evangelist is the glue that holds the meeting together, humanly speaking. But it is getting overwhelming support from many/most of our local IFB congregations...with church buses from many cities in NC and many other states bringing people almost every night. I don't see a new church forming from the tent meeting...but who knows?
I note that churches and pastors come from as far away as the Dakota's to attend and i'm a mile or so away and don't attend.
I'ts been said that I should be ashamed....

No doubt NC needs another church.  How ridiculous!  The churches in the area that are participating and even those that are not should see a "bump" on Sundays because of this.  Where are all those saved folks going to join?  What kind of follow-up and discipleship is being offered?

I stated that I did NOT think a new church would be organized from this meeting!
I'm sure that the responsibility to follow up on local's who make professions of faith in Christ is being shared among the local churches and pastors. The meeting is very well organized...

Yes, you were clear in your response.

I should have addressed FSSL in my response. It was his comments I was responding to.

I too was aiming at FSSL.  He's a popular guy.

 

[FSSL]

My ears were ringing!

I don't know the area, so hopefully discipleship can occur with that size of influx.

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

My ears were ringing!

I don't know the area, so hopefully discipleship can occur with that size of influx.

The area is highly 'churched'...there is literally a church on every corner of most major thoroughfares. And most of them are Baptist...by a long shot. The churches co-operating in the tent meeting are all IFB, mostly small congregations. The host church of the revival is about 250-300 in average attendance. I'm not sure they would call themselves 'disciple making churches'....although I'm sure they would say that they do 'follow up' on converts. The mood and tenor of the meetings are camp meeting, shouting and sometimes running the aisles. That is the way many of the participating churches worship every service in their individual churches. The preaching is very animated with 'and-uh' coming at the end of most sentences. Not right or wrong, but different from my preference.

They have extended the meeting another week and report their largest attendance last Friday night with 6000+ attending and over 100 professions of faith. I learned this morning that the evangelist CT Townsend, a 30 something young man is asking 250 people to donate $1000 each to help him purchase his own tent.

 

[Twisted]

I learned this morning that the evangelist CT Townsend, a 30 something young man is asking 250 people to donate $1000 each to help him purchase his own tent JET.

For a moment, that's where I thought this was going.

 

[FSSL]

Ahhhh... So he is not a tentmaker!

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

The tent meeting, this incarnation at least, ended last night. The Evangelist who owns the tent needed it back in order to fulfill his prior commitments. The meeting closed after 12 weeks with well over 1200 professions of faith in Christ.
The past week or so, they raised just over $340,000.00 to purchase the Evangelist his own tent, plus lighting, chairs, trucks etc.

 

[bgwilkinson]

Do you think the evangelist tithed on his windfall?