First Baptist Church Hazlehurst Reports 120 Decisions During Night of Champions Outreach

On July 16, First Baptist Church in Hazlehurst, Georgia, hosted a Night of Champions outreach event designed to engage local student-athletes. The gathering welcomed hundreds of middle school and high school athletes from across southeast Georgia to the church campus for a dinner and a tailgate-style block party.

The event was held in partnership with Strength of a Champion Ministries, an Arkansas-based organization led by Craig Whitt. This ministry describes its Night of Champions program as an evangelistic outreach intended to help local churches reach their communities by directly engaging student-athletes and their teams. Athletes and coaches from six counties participated in the evening’s activities.

A central feature of the program was a message delivered by Jake Fromm, a former University of Georgia and NFL quarterback. The event concluded with approximately 120 students making spiritual decisions, a result that Philip Worthington, the executive pastor of missions and administration at First Baptist Hazlehurst, described as an “awesome move of God.”

Worthington noted that the church is currently following up with the participating students to clarify the nature of their decisions. This follow-up process aims to determine how many of the 120 decisions were first-time professions of faith and how many were rededications to Christ.

The initiative reflects a broader effort to serve the community through practical engagement and spiritual care, aligning with the biblical principle of doing good to all people, especially those within the household of faith, as referenced in Galatians 6:10. By bringing together athletes, coaches, and church leadership, the outreach sought to provide a supportive environment for spiritual growth and community connection.

The event demonstrated how local ministries can collaborate to address the needs of young people, offering both fellowship and spiritual direction. This approach underscores the value of neighbor-love in ministry, where practical care and spiritual truth are presented together to meet the holistic needs of the community.

As the church continues its follow-up with the students, the focus remains on nurturing these new and returning believers. The outcome of the Night of Champions outreach highlights the potential for evangelistic events to create lasting spiritual impact when grounded in genuine community engagement and pastoral care.

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