Great Soul-Winning Churches - Elmer Towns

the Interstate bypass and Stone Mountain freeway. Hutson saw the field where the church is now
located. A neighboring lady told him it wasn’t for sale, but he looked up the owner, who told
him, “It wasn’t for sale yesterday, but it is today.” The church has built on its present location
three times. Last spring they dedicated a new auditorium that will seat 2,500.
A preacher walked into Hutson’s new 2500-seat auditorium and remarked, “I’d hate to be
responsible for filling this church—you’ll never fill it up.” Hutson grinned and replied, “When a
farmer builds a barn he builds according to the crop he expects to harvest. And I know how
much sowing has been done around here.” Since Decatur borders the Greater Atlanta area,
Hutson believes they need the largest church possible, to reach one of the greatest cities of the
southeast.
Recently, the church bought Avondale High School, where Hutson attended as a boy,
when the school moved to a new building. He indicated, “When I went out for basketball, I was
second string and couldn’t get on the playing floor. Now God has given me the floor.” In
September, 1973, Hutson plans to open a Christian High School. This year they opened
kindergarten through seventh grade with approximately 200 students.
Last year, Hutson set a goal to add one bus a month, enabling them to go from 1263 in
Sunday School to average 2109 in the spring. The riders on the bus increased by 400, from 600
to 1,000. Those who come in cars increased by 450. This is healthy growth, showing expansion
is not by the bus crowd only, while at the same time the evangelistic fervor of bus workers is
responsible for conversions where people drive to church. Last year there were 879 baptized and
570 the year before that, and the church is still growing.
Work is the secret of Hutson’s success. He indicates, “I keep on winning souls when
others quit.” He looks at his gigantic growth over the last year and indicates, “We still haven’t
scratched the surface. There is much work to do.” Hutson has a deep belief that the soul winner
who makes the most visits will win the most people. And the man that wins the most will have
the fastest growing Sunday School.
Chapter Four
Trinity Baptist Church,
Jacksonville, Florida Bob Gray, Pastor
“A Church Built on Preaching”
Many feel that one of America’s greatest preachers speaks every Sunday at Trinity
Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida. Pastor Robert C. (Bob) Gray, who came to the church 19
years ago, has grown in national reputation as the church has enlarged its size. Gray is known as
an eloquent Bible expositor, a compassionate pulpiteer, a hard denouncer of sin and an effective
Holy Spirit-filled preacher who pleads for souls.