Pastor's Prodigal Son Radically Born Again in North Carolina Revival

Mark Ellis : Aug 17, 2016
God Reports

"This has only been 11 weeks. Eleven weeks ago I was sitting on a barstool drinking. God has done all this in 11 weeks."  -D. R. Harrison

(Burlington, NC)—[God Reports] He grew up in a pastor's home, and spent "endless hours" in church. His father traveled frequently, preaching in evangelistic crusades. But the son had a superficial response to his father's message and after he left home, spent a dozen years pursuing worldly pleasures. (Photo: D.R. Harrison/via God Reports)

"I've been a preacher's kid my entire life," says D.R. Harrison, 34. "I traveled across the country with my dad as he preached crusades and revivals, but I never had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ."

He describes his father as an independent, fundamental, King James Bible preacher. "I grew up under the best preaching you could hear," he says. "I taught aSunday School class and led a youth choir, knocked on doors on Saturday, read my Bible and prayed, but there was always something missing on the inside."

When he turned 21, Harrison left home to "chase after money and fame" and build his career. "From age 21 to 33 I never darkened the doors of a church," he recounts. "All I cared about was how much money I could make."

He started drinking and became an alcoholic. "I did a lot of things I never dreamed I would do. I was bitter and angry and God seemed so far away."

But while he was still pursuing his own path—and had zero interest in God—God's great love began to draw him in an unexpected way.

On Mother's Day, May 8th, 2016, revival arrived in Burlington, North Carolina at New Hope Baptist Church. Pastor Randy Hobbs had invited evangelist C.T. Townsend to spend a week in his church, and as the power of God fell many were saved and the revival stretched on for more than two months.

D.R. Harrison happened to own a video production company in Burlington. On May 19th, he was surprised to receive a call from evangelist Townsend, who wanted editing of some videos for a message. Harrison was supposed to be headed out-of-town on business, but two hours before Townsend's call, the trip was cancelled.

Townsend said he wanted the video editing finished by 5:00 p.m. that day. (Photo: Burlington Revival/via God Reports)

"That's impossible," Harrison protested. "We schedule our projects months in advance and there's no way we can do it."

"D.R., God told me you were supposed to edit this video," he replied.

"God may have told you that, but you're not going to get them today," Harrison said.

"Well, at least try."

Harrison never edits videos himself, but that day, he edited the video. The video content Townsend gave him reenacted what a lost man would experience when he died and had to stand before God at the judgment.

"It was nothing I had never seen before. I've heard it 10 million times," Harrison says. "But for the first time in 12 years, the Holy Spirit started dealing with my heart while editing those videos."

During the editing, God spoke to his heart and said, Son, I love you and I want to use you in ways you could never imagine. If you turn Me away tonight, I will never speak to you again.

Unnerved, Harrison turned in the videos to the evangelist and went to a bar to drink and try and get away from God. "The Holy Ghost was convicting me so much I couldn't drink. I had to turn around and leave."

He went home and "wrestled with God all night long." He woke up the next day and God continued to hound him.

"I didn't want to get saved; I didn't want to give up my lifestyle," Harrison says. "I didn't want to risk losing everything I had by serving Jesus—that's what the devil was telling me." (Photo: D.R. Harrison/via God Reports)

What will your business partners think? a malevolent voice whispered in his ear.

That Friday night he couldn't take it anymore. On his smart phone, Harrison began to watch a live stream of the revival service.

The power of the Word and the Spirit overwhelmed him. He got down on his knees and cried out to God: "I can't save myself... I'm just a poor, lost, Hell-bound preacher's kid, but God, if you'll save me, I'll give you my life."

After a moment, he stood up and says he felt like a...

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