The Gaffney Ledger

Crusade announces some speakers

By SCOTT POWELL Ledger Staff Writer spowell@gaffneyledger.com

Elvis Presley’s step-brother and the CEO of the country’s second largest poultry company will be among the guest speakers for a May crusade in Gaffney.
Rick Stanley is the step-brother of the late Elvis Presley. Two months after Elvis’ death, Stanley became a Christian and has been preaching for 26 years.

Stanley will join Pilgrim’s Pride CEO Bo Pilgrim for the May 21-24 crusade led by evangelist Rick Gage, Broad River Baptist Association Director of Missions Donnie Padgett said.

Discussions are underway to bring a nationally known sports figure or coach to speak at one of the crusade events.

Pilgrim opened a feed store in 1946. He has developed his company Pilgrim’s Pride into the second largest America and Mexico. The company processes six billion pounds of chicken and 40 million dozen table eggs each year.

The Upstate Carolina Go Tell Crusade will be held at 7 p.m. daily at W.K. Brumbach Stadium.

More than 60 churches have joined Broad River Baptist Association in working with Rick Gage Ministries to plan the crusade.

Chuck Sullivan will serve as music worship leader while Nashville singer Amy Lowery will perform.
Sullivan performed at a kickoff event last week which drew nearly 1,000 residents to Broad River Electric Convention Center.

Sullivan started his own music and worship ministry in 1985 shortly after graduating from Liberty University. He traveled with Dr. Jerry Falwell as a soloist for six years before moving to Nashville.

Sullivan continues to work as a studio session singer with well known arrangers such as Don Marsh, Don Wrytzen, David Clydesdale, Lari Goss and the popular Gaither Homecoming series. He has been the worship leader and music director for Go Tell Crusades since 1998.

Gage, the founder and speaker for this ministry, said he feels called to county seat towns to share the Gospel. He hopes the W.K. Brumbach Stadium will be filled to capacity during the crusade.
“About 60 percent of Cherokee County residents are unchurched. We want to cast out a vision and burden for leading lost people to Christ by sharing the Gospel,” Gage said. “There is nothing more dearer to the heart of God than leading sinners to salvation.”

Gage entered full-time ministry after giving up a promising football career. He quit his assistant coaching position at Liberty University in 1986 to become an evangelist.