Edgefield Baptist Church, located at Fayetteville's center, is

very much alive and kicking. And dancing. And jumping. And running. And...

Sunday afternoon I was invited to attend Edgefield's groundbreaking

ceremony for a Spiritual Fitness Center to be build between their present

worship center and fellowship hall. It was an event to behold. Before

spading dirt and erecting the sign of future things, we enjoyed the drill

team, the dance troupe, and a rap duo interlaced with a depiction of

Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

It's been a long time since I have seen such passion on the faces

of so many people. From their faces, you would expect to walk right into

the new building that same day. Never have I seen so much excitement

over the erecting of a sign that spoke of a future building. What every

church in Fayette/Clayton needs, Edgefield has it. I would bottle it

and sell it if I could, and then buy half-dozen cases for my own church.

After a powerful service outside, we all marched inside for the second

half of the service.

Dr. Jim Willis of North Fayette Baptist Church brought words of inspiration

as well as Pastor Mamie Harris of New Generation Christian Fellowship

of Griffin. I, too, was honored to offer some words. In that atmosphere

highly charged with faith, one could read "Mary had a little lamb..." and

the people would have come out of their seats. The place was a preacher's

dream house.

What's a preacher's dream house, I heard you ask? It's

a church service where the people are anxiously charged up to hear a

word from the Lord so much so that the people themselves will pull God's

word out of your gut, through your voice box, and into their ears. A

preacher's dream house is a place where there is great hearing of

the Word of God.

At one point, Edgefield's adult choir, The United Voices, took

center stage as they filled every inch of the choir loft. They didn't

know it but they sang one of my favorite Gospel songs, "O Happy

Day." The song made the top pop chart in the late '60s with

Edwin Hawkin's rendition. I remember well how often it was played

on radio stations that ringed the University of Georgia. Imagine that.

College students getting turned onto a gospel song. That was a happy

day. The members of United Voices of Edgefield choir could make their

own recording of "O Happy Day" because they sounded even better.

Their voices and their faces made you into a believer.

It occurred to me, sitting among the Edgefield folks, if anyone wanted

to know where the action was in Fayetteville, they just needed to ride

down Church Street, that connector street between Georgia Avenue and

Georgia 54 west. It's all there - fervor, consecration, youth

excited and involved in worship (not just trips to Six Flags), healing,

powerful instrumentalists and singers, and preaching that won't

let you sit down. When you have been to church at Edgefield, you know

you've been to church.

The church on Church Street has not always been alive. In fact, I remember

when it was near comatose. Few attending. Control freaks running the

church into the ground. People more impressed with their own importance

than the Lord's glory.

But, they didn't know any better than to call a young man by the

name of Eddie Thomas (who had once served them as choir director) to

become their pastor. He had visions and dreams of what a traditional

Black Baptist church could become. He has tenaciously clung to the vision

God gave him and what you see on Church Street is what he saw in the

Spirit by faith years ago.

Watch out Eddie Long of New Birth. There's a new Eddie in metro

Atlanta and his reach extends further than little ol' Church Street

in Fayetteville.

Congratulations, Edgefield, you did good, you're doing good, and

you're going to do a whole lot more!

John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center, 1091 South

Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215. 770-719-0303

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