Just days before the launch of the Jesus 2022 Citywide Crusade in Nelson Mandela Bay, campaign visionary Pastor Jimmy Davis is upbeat despite some unforeseen obstacles with the venue for a planned mass final event.
The metro’s St George’s Park cricket stadium had to be shelved when the sponsor encountered a financial holdup. The executive mayor came to the rescue last week – offering the local athletics stadium — the Westbourne Oval — for free – but the deputy minister of sports, recreation, arts and culture has since cancelled that because the evangelism campaign clashes with a scheduled major soccer tournament at the venue.
A Gauteng evangelist speedily arranged the Gelvandale Stadium as a last-minute alternative but Davis told Gateway News he doubts they will be able to comply with all of the required documentation in time and that they plan to host final event at Cilliers High School which has made its hall and facilities available, while churches in the Despatch area of the metro have arranged to end off the campaign at a local rugby venue.
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Not fazed by the obstacles, Davis said about 100 local pastors and evangelists are ready to lead the Gospel campaign from September 7 (next Wednesday) to September 11.
He said their frustrating experiences with trying to secure a stadium at short notice for this year’s crusade will work to their advantage when it comes to booking stadiums in good time for future events – as the soul-saving outreach is set to become an annual event that will also be extended to other cities throughout South Africa from next year. He said arrangements for the Jesus 2023 Citywide Crusade in Centurion, Gauteng have already begun.
Next week’s crusade in Nelson Mandela Bay (Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth, Kariega/Uitenhage and Despatch) will reach schools, hospitals, prisons, businesses, retirement villages, churches and the streets. One of the positive spinoffs of the campaign is that it has unearthed some called evangelists who were not presently being utilised – some of whom were sitting in pews, he said.
On the first three nights of the campaign evangelists will lead simultaneous crusade meetings at participating churches. On the third — Friday — night, they will screen the Jesus Film. Other events include a final service at participating churches on Sunday morning and a thanksgiving and final combined event at at Cilliers High School in Sydenham at 3pm on the Saturday and Sunday. Evangelist Cecil Peasley, 78, who is leading outreaches at retirement villages, will preach the closing message at the Sunday afternoon event.
The motto of the crusade is “Reaching the lost at all cost”. Davis urged people to pray that God will prepare hearts – and trust the Lord for 10 000 souls to come in.
The list of crusade coordinators below is published to assist people to connect with initiatives in their area. Davis can be contacted at 084 464 0456.
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