First Baptist Natchez is hosting Harvest America, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Harvest America is an annual nationwide event, streamed to thousands of host homes, businesses, theaters and churches throughout the nation. It is more than just a webcast. It is the body of Christ banding together to proclaim the gospel live across our nation. This free, live simulcast will be streamed from the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, where close to 200 churches, seminaries and Christian universities are sponsoring this event.

The goal of Harvest America is to impact a nation desperately in need of hope with the love of Jesus Christ. The event is being simulcast at First Baptist Natchez. It features top Christian artists, Switchfoot, Mercy Me, LeCrae, and Christ Tomlin and a clear gospel message by Greg Laurie.

Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, Calif. He began his pastoral ministry at the age of 19 by leading a Bible study of 30 people. Since then, God has transformed that small group into a church of some 15,000 people. Today, Harvest is one of the largest churches in America.

In 1990, Laurie began large-scale public evangelistic events called Harvest Crusades. Since that time, more than 5,347,000 people have attended Harvest Crusade events around the U.S. and internationally. More than 450,000 people have registered professions of faith through these outreaches.

First Baptist Natchez has been promoting this evangelistic one night event. It is a non-denominational event, meaning all churches, people and ages are invited. The night’s schedule is as follows:

-5 p.m. — Free pizza blast in FBC Natchez’s Family Life Center

-5:30 p.m. — Harvest America’s simulcast pre-show begins with Christian artist Switchfoot singing four songs.

-5:50 – 8 p.m. Harvest America main simulcast.

There will be childcare for infants up to children in the fourth grade. The event will be engaging for students fifth grade and above. We are opening our doors with other churches in this community to unite as one for the cause of Christ and look forward to working with more churches in the future.

The big key is for everyone to first: pray. Pray specifically for this event. Pray that God’s Church will seek God’s face, and pray for people who don’t know Jesus as their personal Savior that they will come to know Him and follow Him. Second: invite. Invite others to come. Invite all but especially those who may not be followers of Jesus Christ. Third: bring. Bring people here that may need a ride or would welcome that extra effort on your part to encourage them to come by bringing them to the Harvest America Simulcast.

We know that having hope in this world in this day and age is critical, and God has a plan for everyone’s life is to truly believe in Jesus Christ and surrender their lives over to Him.

The theme verse for Harvest America is Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV) — “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

The Harvest America free live simulcast is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church Natchez, and all people are invited to come. Please make every effort to be at our church and pray for God’s hope to truly change lives in the Miss-Lou and throughout our nation. For more information please contact me at (601) 442 – 1464, ext. 17.

Pray for God to move in a mighty way in the Miss-Lou.

 

Dan Ratcliff is the associate pastor of Student Ministries at First Baptist Church Natchez.