Update: About Three Dozen Respond to Gospel at Richmond, Ky., Crusade With Ken Freeman

RICHMOND, Ky. —

About three dozen people raised their hands to say they wanted a relationship with Jesus on Wednesday night, Nov. 4, at the Hope for Central KY Crusade at Eastern Kentucky University's Arts Center in Richmond, Ky., Kentucky Today reported. They met with counselors after evangelist Ken Freeman gave the invitation.

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About 700 people attended. Illusionist Zak Mirz, who appeared on “America's Got Talent” last year, entertained the crowd for about an hour before he and Freeman told how they came to faith. Mirz said his Iranian father was murdered when Mirz was a year old, and that a magician who mentored him later led him to the Lord. “I didn't have an earthly father, but I do know what it means to have a Heavenly Father,” he said.

Freeman, who has been in ministry 50 years, told the crowd he first tasted alcohol at age 9 and thought about suicide by 10 before a friend helped lead him to Christ. He preached from John 10:10 and urged churches to do more to care for people and share the gospel. “We have to do better at proclaiming Jesus,” he said.

Freeman also said he had hoped for a larger crowd. “I wish this place had been standing-room-only,” he said. Before the crusade, he spoke to 1,500 students at seven Richmond-area schools on Monday and Tuesday.

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Among those who responded was a 15-year-old who attends Waco Baptist Church. Randy Calico, pastor of Pilot Knob Baptist Church in Berea, prayed with him as he recommitted his life to Jesus, according to Kentucky Today.

The crusade was the centerpiece of Hope for Central Kentucky, a week of evangelism events running Nov. 3-8 ahead of the Kentucky Baptist Convention's annual meeting. In October, Kentucky Baptist volunteers went door to door in Richmond to invite people. “Our only hope is Jesus,” Freeman told the crowd.