PERRY–It was supposed to be a regular Wednesday night service that included a short business meeting at New Home Baptist Church in Perry, but when the testimonies ran long that night, followed by an extended prayer time around the altar, Pastor Dustin Logan could sense God was doing a work within the lives of those gathered.
The spontaneous revival that started that night–and ran for two more nights–resulted in changed lives as baptisms were held four consecutive Sundays, new members joined the church and a renewed emphasis on reaching the surrounding neighborhood for Christ began to take shape.
“People were crying as they shared their testimonies,” Logan said about that night in late November, just prior to Thanksgiving week and after two hurricanes had impacted the area in October. “We transitioned to a time of prayer around the altar for some specific needs as we went around the room calling out names of loved ones and friends who needed prayer. Tears poured out around the altar.”
One man in attendance professed Christ as his Savior during the service that ran two hours. As it got later, Logan knew he needed to close the service, but he didn’t want to end what was happening. Church members took care of the two business items in about five minutes. Then he announced a service would be held the next night and asked that everyone in attendance invite their friends.
“God is moving at New Home Baptist Church,” the church posted on its Facebook page that night. “Spontaneous revival services began tonight with a two-hour service …. at least three people have gotten saved this week. Join us tomorrow night at 6 p.m.!”
A spur-of-the-moment decision to hold an unscheduled church service? That’s not how things are typically done at this church, and Logan told the congregation it might make some feel a little uncomfortable.
This was supposed to be business meeting night. We certainly did business with the Lord in a way we didn’t necessarily expect.
“There was no way that I could cut off that service. I knew that God wasn’t done,” he said. “This was supposed to be business meeting night. We certainly did business with the Lord in a way we didn’t necessarily expect.”
That night Logan contacted an evangelist he knew and asked him to preach the next night. The church held services both Thursday and Friday nights with evangelist Eric Justice, resulting in two more decisions for Christ and a new member joining. Logan led others to Christ on that Thursday, including an elementary school student at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event, and a local business owner at his place of business.
“On that Sunday, we celebrated baptism with many of these who had turned to Christ,” he said. “During the invitation, two more people gave their lives to Christ. We had baptisms each Sunday for the next several weeks.”
Sharing a few photos of a baptism in December on Facebook, the church posted, “Pray for another new member of the family! What a blessing for our baptistry to be so busy this month!”
The increase in baptisms brings the total to 36 for the past two years since Logan became pastor. But he credits the previous pastor, Jeff Stading, for laying a solid foundation to help make the current work possible.
New Home Baptist is known as a praying church, Logan said, always ready to pray for anyone at any time. It also has a heart for missions, with various ministries within the church focusing on a different mission each quarter, including the International Mission Board’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, the North American Mission Board’s Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and Florida Baptist Convention’s Maguire State Mission Offering. He believes those qualities made the church ripe for a revival.
In speaking of revival, he shared this quote from British pastor, evangelist and author G. Campbell Morgan. “We cannot organize revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from Heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again.”
Logan said the church is still seeing fruit from the spontaneous revival and the days and weeks immediately following it, including an increase in attendance and what he calls an evangelistic fervor among church members.
Following the 3:16 on 3/16 evangelism initiative from the North American Mission Board, the church is working to reach more residents who live around the church and to share the Good News of that familiar verse during services on Sunday, March 16. The church plans to do prayer walks, knock on doors, invite people to church and send out mailers and flyers.
“God has situated us at 405 E. Hampton Springs Avenue for a reason,” Logan said. “He’s placed us here strategically to reach our community around us.”