Source: IMB Commission Stories, June 13, 2014
More than 1,000 Georgians indicated a desire to follow Christ [at an evangelistic festival] – a reaction that sparked a fire of enthusiasm in local churches.
It was a flame that burned on the heels of intense opposition.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, the Orthodox Church became very vocal in its opposition to the evangelical celebration. “George Green,” who serves with his wife, Lily, and their children in Georgia, said priests threatened congregants with excommunication from the church if they or any family member attended, a punishment tantamount to eternal damnation.
They also warned that any show of support would negate their national identity and they would “not be Georgian” anymore, Lily said.
Just days before the festival, arsonists destroyed the sports center reserved for the event, forcing the organizers to scramble for another location. Many parks and venues refused to host them, but a local church offered its parking lot as a solution.
Although the lot was only large enough for 2,000 people, about 5,300 gathered each night in a standing-room-only crowd, leaning from windows of neighboring buildings and sitting on the walls of the property.
The Festival of Hope pulled together 150 evangelical churches and trained them to share the gospel and lead people to Christ. This has sparked a fire in Georgian believers.
