By Kayla Rinker
Contributing Writer
JACKSON – Revival.
The word seems to be on the lips and included in the prayers of pastors and church families everywhere. And, from small country congregations to packed inner city sanctuaries, Missouri Baptist churches are no different.
God’s people are pleading for revival … personal revival, revival amid their church families and revival throughout their communities, state and country.
“We were definitely one of those churches in need of a spark,” said John Rhodes, pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church in Jackson, a church that runs about 100 in worship.
In its quest for spiritual renewal, New Bethel recently hosted a week-long revival event.
“I believe with this revival we finally got our spark going and now we have some momentum going as well,” Rhodes said.
The church invited Bob Loggins, prayer and spiritual awakening specialist for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC), to present the evening sermons during the revival.
“He preached on the tongue, he challenged us and he didn’t hold back anything,” Rhodes said. “He talked about our faithfulness to God and how we are supposed to be working together. Friday night he even went into a bit of a shouting spell … he was just passionate. That old boy can shuck some corn.”
Loggins said serving the local church is what he and the MBC are here for.
“We will come to help anybody,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s preaching or praying with two people or several hundred people. It’s all about what God wants us to do regardless of size.”
While in Jackson, Loggins did more than just preach at the pulpit. He also spoke for the Cape Girardeau Baptist Association at a meeting of pastors, and joined Rhodes on hospital and shut-in visits.
“He just had a terrific willing spirit and I think he was blessed, too,” Rhodes said. “We visited one of our shut-ins, Miss Margie, and Bro. Bob prayed over her and then when he was finished she turned around and prayed for him. He loved that.”
Rhodes said though it’s impossible to know the lasting effects of the week-long revival, what he does know proves that it was a huge success.
“We had a grand time and, as far as the revival, it was a good and needed spiritual shot in the arm,” he said. “Our church folk were revived, refreshed and renewed. And with that renewed spirit, we have had many renewed commitments. People who had only been coming on Sunday morning have since been active on Wednesday nights and Sunday nights. There is a good spirit in the church.”
Rhodes said Loggins coming meant a lot to the people at New Bethel.
“I appreciate Bro. Bob for coming and the Convention for allowing him to come and spend a whole week of his time with us,” Rhodes said.
“I was blessed to be part of a great group of people,” Loggins said. “I feel like I made a lot of friends. It’s great meeting people who love the Lord as much as Bro. John and the people at New Bethel do.”