By Mark Ellis
West Virginia revival meeting
In the small towns that dot the mountainous coal region of West
Virginia, a revival that began in early April brought 4,000 souls to
Christ over eight weeks.
“My life has gone back to normal,” says Bo Copley, the unemployed
coal miner who had a brief encounter with Hillary Clinton when she
visited Williamson. Copley, his wife, and their children, have attended
almost every event connected with the revival over the last two months.
He says the number of people saved exceeds the population of the two
small towns at the epicenter of God’s move of the Spirit. “The
population of Delbarton is about 500 and Williamson is about 3000, so in
eight weeks time, the two main places saw more people get saved than
the population of the two towns,” he says.
Williamson, West Virgina (Dewitz Photography)
This is possible because many were drawn from surrounding counties
and even other states. Some residents in the area put their vacations on
hold so they could be part of what God was doing.
“You still people hungry for God,” he says. “The people who
experienced it know it’s about our hunger for Christ. As long as we keep
fanning the flame the fire won’t die down. We don’t want it to have an
end.”
When Copley was unable to attend personally, he watched the revival
meetings via LiveStream. “Someone in our house has been to every event,”
he says.
Copley has seen the fruit of the revival in his own life. “I’ve begun
to praise the Lord more passionately. I’ve drawn closer, in my
attendance, my worship, my praise.”
“I don’t want to leave anything on the table any more,” he adds.
Bo
Copley speaks to the media after a campaign event for U.S. Democratic
presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Williamson, West Virginia,
United States, May 2, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young
After he was laid off at the mine, Copley’s family has relied on his
wife’s photography business to support them. He is still seeking work.
“I’ve had a few job offers, but they are not what the Lord has for me,”
he says.
Matt Hartley, the Tennessee evangelist who was God’s instrument to
spark revival, has taken a break for a few weeks. “He was exhausted,”
says Sonya Hackney, at Regional Church of God. “Nobody thought when we
scheduled him for three days that he would be here for eight weeks.”
Hackney says Pastor Hartley is scheduled to preach in mid-August at
Jefferson Avenue Church of God in Huntington, West Virginia, close to
the border with Ohio.
Ralph and Elizabeth Pyszkowski at Williamson Church of God were
regular participants in the revival and noted the profound effects,
particularly among young people, in a column they wrote for the
Williamson Daily News.
Many baptisms took place at the revival meetings (Charlee Lifestyle Photography)
“In Logan County Schools, a young cancer survivor felt stirred to
preach to others in the hallway. Students filled the hallway to hear the
message and some even made decisions to follow Christ,” they recounted.
“Also in Mingo County, prayer clubs are seeing higher crowds and
people are giving their lives to God. Over 150 students were saved in
just one high school. There seems to be a wide spread movement in
southern West Virginia and even in some Kentucky schools. It can only
mean that God still answers prayers and has a plan for our region,” they
noted.
Prior to the revival, the “war on coal” produced a devastated and
suffering economic climate. “There have been feelings of hopelessness
with a declining economy and many families destroyed by drugs.”
“Coal Country is ripe for revival and our only hope is in God.”
“The greatest high a person can receive is surrendering his or her heart to Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter if the
Ralph and Elizabeth
movement comes through the Presbyterians, Baptists, or Pentecostals, all can agree that we need God in our area.
The Pyszkowskis identify God’s process for change contained in 2
Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall
humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.”
“True revival takes place when addicts throw their needles and drug
paraphernalia away. It is when churches stop competing and start working
together to build the Kingdom of Heaven. Most importantly, it is when a
lost soul finds purpose in an all powerful, all loving God. Follow the
steps in 2 Chronicles if you want to see God move in your life and
neighborhood. God is answering the prayers of many in the Appalachian
Mountains!”
Source: Godreports