By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor
INDEPENDENCE, La. (LBM) – Six Louisiana Baptist pastors have decided to break from the nearly seven-month-long revival services which began with Old Zion Hill Baptist Church in Independence, and then expanded to a greater community-wide emphasis and moved to a tent in Hammond.
Speaking on behalf of this core group who prayed together for months before launching an area outreach in October 2022, OZHBC Pastor Gary Dennis told the Baptist Message, April 26, that the men wanted to be sensitive to the work the Holy Spirit had accomplished in reviving many believers in the various congregations and in awakening hundreds of lost people in the community. However, he said, there has been a perceived change in emphasis from soul winning with a recent decision by the revivalist, D.R. Harrison, and that was the catalyst for parting ways.
Specifically, Dennis pointed to the planned addition of Greg Locke to the services, beginning May 19.
Locke adheres to “deliverance” theology (practices and rituals to cleanse people of evil spirits) and has published the “Deliverance Handbook.”
Moreover, during a Jan. 23 sermon, “Desperate for Deliverance,” Locke asked and answered himself, “Are you telling me my kid’s possessed? No, I’m telling you your kid could be demonized and attacked but your doctor calls it autism.”
Dennis said that adding Locke to the revival lineup seems to shift the focus of the religious services from repentance to something else altogether.
He said the pastors met and prayerfully decided to continue to work together on soul winning as well as the discipleship of those who have made spiritual decisions during the extended revival services. But they have pulled their support for the services, moving forward, led by Harrison with Locke.
Dennis said there had been earlier concerns with Harrison that were largely attributed to his Independent Fundamentalist Baptist background, but that such matters were weighed against the evidence of the Holy Spirit stirring people’s hearts. Moreover, he underscored that the 65 people he has baptized so far, with three more scheduled in the next couple of weeks — and more who will be baptized in the coming months after being discipled – have experienced authentic transformation.
“They have changed hearts,” he said, adding that he must help them understand that breaking with Harrison does not invalidate the salvation they have received.
Five pastors joined Dennis in the decision: Stepehen Campbell, pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Hammond; Danny Carter, pastor, Natalbany Baptist Church, Natalbany; Les Fogleman, pastor, New Beulah Baptist Church, Hammond; Randy Ray, pastor, The River Fellowship, Hammond; and Jeff Robinson, pastor, First Baptist Church, Hammond.
