- Well, welcome to "The 700 Club."
Let's go over to the CBNNewsroom for today's top stories.
- Thanks Gordon, politics has Georgia
in the national spotlight right now,
but what you may not knowis that a move of God
is taking place about 90miles northwest of Savannah.
Evangelist D.R. Harrisonsays around 200 people
have accepted Jesus Christas their Lord and Savior.
And most of them are betweenthe ages of 13 and 20.
(whooshing)
- The pastor calledback earlier in the year
and invited us to come.
And they'd been praying andseeking the face of God.
And from the first service,
the power of God beganto fall in this town.
And literally, teenagersare coming from everywhere,
from all backgrounds, social statuses,
high school, middle school.
And the church is literallypacked out with teens
every night, searchingfor hope in Jesus Christ.
- [Mark] The town is Swainsboro, Georgia,
about 90 miles northwest of Savannah.
And the church isHillcrest Baptist Church.
Harrison says teens continueto bring their friends.
- And then they're comin'and they're gettin' saved.
We've experienced kids layingtheir drugs on the altar,
their vapes on the altar.
And then immediately after gettin' saved,
goin' out and standing on the streets,
holding signs, saying, "Jesus loves you.
"Jesus changed my life.
"Come to revival and get help yourself."
I mean, just, it'sunbelievable what God is doin'
in these young people in thistown of Swainsboro, Georgia.
- [Mark] Harrison believesteenagers around the world
are looking for hope.
- We know the only hope they're gonna find
is in Jesus Christ.
And I have never personally,
we've seen some great revivals
in the last four years since being saved,
but I've never personally seenGod move among young people
like he's doin' in this town.
It literally is amazing to see.
- [Mark] The revivalhas outgrown the church.
And Harrison says abig tent will be set up
to accommodate the people.
He shared with CBN News, oneparticular time of prayer.
- We gathered around and started praying.
And people were literallylined up outside the church
praying for this, for God tosend revival to their town,
to the state of Georgia, and to America.
And I believe it's as possiblenow as it's ever been.
And this is the most amazing time ever
to be a Christian rightbefore Jesus comes.
- [Mark] Because it's takingplace during a pandemic,
Harrison says everybody whoattends is offered a mask.
There are sanitation stationsthroughout the church,
and there's a section for people
who want to social distance.
But he says it's up to the people
as far as what precautions they take.
- But we also understandwhen hundreds are coming,
you can't turn anybodyaway that needs the Lord.
So we're trusting God andtry to do everything we can
to remain safe in the process.
- The revival will remain inthe church until January 10th,
and then it movesoutdoors to the big tent.
So far, more than two million Georgians
have cast early ballots ahead
of the January 5thSenate runoff elections.
Polls show both races are tight.
Evangelist Franklin Graham saysthe election is so critical
that the future of ournation hangs in the balance.
Graham posted, "Christianswho believe the Bible
"and live in Georgia, the soulof our nation is at stake.
"If conservatives losecontrol of the Senate,
"there is nothing to stop theradical agenda of the left.
"There will not be anotherchance to get this right."
He went on to say, "Thesetwo seats will determine
"whether liberalsocialist-leaning progressives
"or conservativelawmakers have a majority.
"The policies supportedby those in the left
"promise to be openly hostile
"to those who hold Christian beliefs."
Surveys show that manyyoung people in the U.S.
want to live in a socialist country.
But history shows theutter economic destruction
and total government control of socialism.
Paul Strand introduces us to one man
who grew up under such tyranny,
and he has a dire warningfor the younger generation.
- [Paul] Georgian Banov leadsworship across the world.
Not only does he love rocking out for God,
he's also a classical violinist.
While Georgian rejoices inhis freedom as a Christian,
he still mourns over thosewho suffered for decades
in his childhood home of Bulgaria,
trapped behind the Iron Curtain.
- They immediately went afterkilling every capitalist
because according to Karl Marx,
capitalism is the main evil.
They made them dig the ditch,they throw them in the ditch,
they put fire on them, Imean, oil and burn 'em.
- We stand here at theVictims of Communism Memorial
dedicated to the morethan 100 million people
killed by the communists.
It's important to remember that system
and socialism are inextricably linked.
After all, the communist USSR
was the Union of SovietSocialist Republics,
a system controlling everything.
That levels its citizens out
by crushing individual incentive.
- Everybody makes thesame amount of money.
So if you're good atcertain and work hard,
you don't get a dime more than the guy
that sit and do nothing.
So the productivity goeslow and low and low.
This is a very destructiveto successful economy.
- [Paul] Georgian points out
how shortages inevitably follow.
- There's nothing, nothing to buy
because everything is so depleted.
The only thing you couldbuy every day is bread.
- [Paul] Georgian remembersbeing one of the five families
packed into a five room home.
And he remembers the constant fear.
- [Georgian] Now everybody's poor.
And unless you're sayingthings that are in line of harm
'cause remember the communists'propaganda and doctrine,
you get pulled out andeventually you disappear.
- [Paul] And in the schools,
your life, profession,and even your beliefs
were all dictated to you.
- You are directlycontrolled by a supervisor
who is over the teacher.
So making sure everything yousay supports the communists.
- [Paul] Georgian points outit's not just about economics,
but snuffing out God.
He explains Karl Marx,
the man behind socialism and communism,
despised God and wrote these words.
- God, I hate you.
And I'll hurt you by destroyingthe people you create
for your glory.
So the whole system isactually an antichrist system.
They became the God.
Praise us, glorify the communists.
So it was a religion.
- [Paul] Georgian saw how Bulgaria
clamped down on Christianswith an iron fist
and especially targetedspirit-filled believers.
- They had power.
Then the Holy Spirit gives you power.
So the Holy Spirit peoplewere the most persecuted
'cause they're the mostunsubmissable, unsubmissive.
They didn't give them membership.
They meet in secret only underground.
Bibles were confiscated andevery Bible press was destroyed.
- For those who thinkAmerica can have a softer,
kinder socialism, Georgianwishes they could understand
for this system to succeed,it has to take total control.
And that means taking away freedoms.
You contrast that to the Godwho gives us freedom, gifts
and power to lovingly care for all.
- You don't need to empower the government
to fix your problems.
We, the people are wellable to fix our problems.
So instead of falling
for what the communists will do for you,
ask what God will do for youwith the gift he has given you.
- [Paul] It was Georgian's gift of music
that got him into troublewith the communists.
These rockers would drivetheir Bulgarian audiences wild
and eventually catch thecommunists' watchful eye.
And finally, the communistsshut down the rock and roll
in the middle of a big concert.
- Unplugged all ourguitars and instruments.
You're all going home,no more rock and roll.
This is out of control.
That pushed me to wantto get out of there.
And I says that's it.
I can't handle this.
Eventually I got escapedthrough Iron Curtain
and made it to the free country.
Yay.
- [Paul] Here in America,
he met the Jesus people who led him
to a personal encounter with God.
- That's the first time I felt freedom
that I long for on the inside.
- A freedom Georgian wants people to know
they'll never find under socialism
and the control that will clamp on them.
Paul Strand, CBN News
reporting from the Victims ofCommunism Memorial Washington.
- Most people will be gladto see 2020 exit the stage
but there won't be anypublic celebrations.
While the annual ball dropand live entertainment
will still be broadcast
from New York's Times Square tonight,
police are telling people tostay home and watch it on TV.
- My message to thoseringing in the new year,
please stay at home.
There are absolutely no spectatorsallowed in Times Square.
- Health officials areencouraging all Americans
to skip large celebrations tonight.
This, as more cases of a morecontagious strain of COVID-19
are showing up in Colorado and California,
and distribution of the vaccine
is lagging behind expectations.
Officials are hoping toreach their 20 million goal
in January.
Meanwhile, Senate majorityleader Mitch McConnell
says there is no realistic path
for a quick vote to increasestimulus checks to $2,000
for individual Americans.
McConnell blocked Democratattempts to separate the measure
from a larger bill on Wednesday.
Severe weather expected in theSouthern Plains, Southeast,
and Midwest today and tonight.
A storm moving across Texas and Oklahoma
could drop as much as 18inches of snow and ice
in some areas.
In the eastern andnorthern parts of Texas,
heavy rain with possible flooding,
spreading ice into the Central Plains
and Ohio Valley later today.
In the Southeast, a risk of tornadoes
in Southern Louisianaand Mississippi tonight.
