JACKSON, Miss. (BP)–In the pre-dawn darkness of Sept. 9, Bobby Welch’s bus tour stopped in the parking lot of Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss. As the sun came up, the Southern Baptist Convention’s president stepped off the bus and, in prayer, claimed the ground in the spirit of Joshua and Caleb.
Welch has prayed a similar prayer at every stop along the bus tour by which he is launching “The Everyone Can Kingdom Challenge for Evangelism” campaign which has the goal stirring Southern Baptist churches to “Witness, Win and Baptize … ONE MILLION!” in one year.
Construction crews were putting finishing touches on the new Colonial Heights building for the very first event there.
“We can’t think of a better way to launch this new facility than to have an ‘Everyone Can’ evangelism rally led by Dr. Welch,” said Mark Anderson, Colonial Heights’ pastor.
Welch’s bus tour, Anderson added, is providing churches “with a shot in the arm for evangelism.”
Following the morning rally, Anderson and Welch led church members in an evangelistic blitz of homes and businesses near the new church facility. Three people committed their lives to Christ as a result, one of whom Welch talked with at an Arby’s fast-food restaurant.
Welch witnessed to two more people at another fast-food restaurant later that night in Norco, La., where he had been pastor of First Baptist Church years ago while attending New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
“I’ve shared the Gospel in every state on this tour,” Welch told church members in Norco, “and I’m not about to stop doing that now.”
Behind a Burger King in Norco, Welch encountered a young employee, Kim, on her break. Welch sat down and told her what Jesus had done for her and asked if she wanted to commit her life to Christ. She did.
The back door opened of the restaurant opened and Corey, the manager, walked out for his break. As Corey and Kim traded places, Welch stayed put. After a few minutes of talking with Welch, Corey committed his life to Christ as well.
“This bus tour is not about me,” Welch said later. “It’s all about Southern Baptists finding the Kims and Coreys in their own hometowns and sharing the love and the message of Jesus Christ with them.”
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