By MARIE NESMITH
As reviveGEORGIA’s state chairman, Wesley Morris is embracing the opportunity to help fellow believers “share the love of Jesus.”
"reviveGEORGIA exists to equip the saints for the return of Jesus Christ,” he said. “Our passion is to unite the church and equip the saints to share the Gospel and make disciples. reviveGEORGIA is actively preparing the church for Jesus’ return by praying alongside believers for personal and corporate revival as well as declaring Jesus in their communities boldly.
“The goal of reviveGEORGIA is to see the body of Christ awakened, equipped, united and moving outside the church walls with the message and love of Jesus.”
Name: Wesley Morris
Age: 41
Occupation and title: Team member at reviveGEORGIA
City of residence: Cartersville
Family: Rebecca, wife; children, Emily, Elijah, Silas and Luke
Education: Cass High 1997, Luther Rice
The Daily Tribune News (DTN): Share your testimony.
Wesley Morris (WM): I grew up at Rowland Springs Baptist Church and during my early 20s, I was living the dream. I owned a successful construction company and spent most of my time hunting and fishing all over Georgia. I went to church but if you hung out with me there was no Jesus or transformation. I was selfish, worldly, prideful, angry and even though I was living the American dream I was empty. I couldn’t make enough money, win enough tournaments nor kill enough big deer to ever be content. It seemed like I was always reaching for something but never able to find it. In May of 2004, I was preparing to fish at a bass tournament on Lake Oconee, hanging out at a bar with a group of guys that I traveled with. After a set of events that night, in a drunken stupor, I encountered the holiness of God. I became instantly sober and saw the wickedness of my entire life before God. I cried out to Jesus to forgive me and to surrender my life to Him. I remember saying to Jesus, “I give you my life. I'll follow You no matter what." I went back trying to live my old lifestyle full of the same habits and hobbies but they were empty and brought me no pleasure. God started drawing me to Him and the Scriptures. I came under great conviction that my life didn't line up with the Word. I made up my mind that I was going to walk by faith and fully obey Jesus no matter what. Since that day, my life has never been the same.
DTN: When were you called to the ministry and share a little bit about your ministry background.
WM: About three years after being born again, the Lord convicted me that my faith was in my checkbook and my talent not Him. I clearly felt Him say “would you truly follow me if you had nothing.” This brought great conviction because He was right. A few months later, I handed my entire business to my dad and set out to walk to fully follow Jesus. I started going to Bible college and working part time at Rowland Springs Baptist Church as youth pastor. I was called into full-time ministry during the first SPLASH Bartow event. During that same time, I connected with some guys going to downtown Atlanta that were ministering to the homeless. Over time I ended up taking a man into my home to get him off the streets. God used this man as a catalyst to start a transition house for guys trying to overcome past hurdles and mistakes. Me and a couple of buddies launched a ministry called 2nd Genesis ministries. During this, I became pastor of Trinity Baptist Church and another unique door opened for me at Bartow County Jail to become the chaplain.
In May of 2015, I sensed God calling me to the middle. Followers of Jesus are called to the uncomfortable middle between heaven and earth. Jesus prayed for unity among the believers in Christ and stated that this unity would be the catalyst for the world to know that he came from heaven. In a nutshell, Jesus said that our unity would have a direct impact on the world.
In the summer of 2015, God connected me to reviveIndiana :: Fort Wayne. I watched and saw stories of multiple denominations coming together around the common purpose of reaching the city for Christ. Major manufacturers, business owners and farmers started opening their doors to the message and mission of Jesus. Thousands of people were being impacted and it was spreading like wildfire from city to city. Individuals were being equipped and empowered to make disciples and share their faith as a lifestyle. People were being healed of sickness and set free from addictions all the while learning to walk with Jesus.
I immediately knew this was what God was calling me to do. In January of 2016, my entire family went to Sarasota for the reviveFlorida outreach. The first morning, we worshipped together with one voice in a church full of Baptists, Pentecostals, Amish, Holiness, Methodists, etc. We were then trained and sent out to pray for people and share the Love of Jesus. My two boys and I jumped on one team while my wife, daughter and 3-month-old son went out with another group. It was amazing! Everyone from young to old were being challenged to listen to the Holy Spirit and respond to what they sensed God was telling them to do. The stories were tremendous and I saw both lost and saved people being impacted and transformed. This event continued on for four weeks straight in Sarasota.
After this outreach, I knew this is what God wanted to do in Bartow County and all across Georgia. I took a step of faith and filled out an application and began the interview process. During this time, I kept hearing the city of Dallas, Texas, but I couldn’t figure out how this tied into Cartersville. After I signed on with Time to Revive and raised financial support, they asked me to move to Dallas/Fort Worth to prep and engage for a reviveTEXAS event starting on Easter day in 2017 continuing for 50 days all the way to Pentecost. For months, we met with hundreds of pastors and churches across the denomination lines to mobilize and unite them in their individual regions. We had over 100 hundred team members spread out across 10 DFW regions working with hundreds of churches during this time. Once again, I saw God open tremendous doors in businesses, schools, and churches. We equipped and shared the Gospel with thousands of people. This led to many other city invites across Texas.
In June of 2019, we moved home to Cartersville to start reviveGeorgia and help build a team to unite the Body Christ and empower them to reach their cities.
DTN: How and when did you get involved with Time to Revive?
WM: I met Time to Revive at the reviveFLORIDA :: Sarasota outreach in January of 2016. Once I walked in the door, I saw Christians from all denominations unified under the common goal of reaching the city with the love and message of Jesus Christ. It was amazing to see the church walking in the power and love of Jesus Christ beyond the church walls.
DTN: What is your role in reviveGEORGIA?
WM: As the state chairman for reviveGEORGIA, I oversee the state team to include visioning and executing the ministry plan. I function in unity with the national Time to Revive leadership utilizing the five-fold ministry model outlined in the Bible: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.
DTN: What did the reviveGEORGIA :: Cartersville revival and outreach on Oct. 17 to 21 entail?
WM: The reviveGEORGIA outreach entailed daily worship, prayer, evangelism training and sending out teams into the community two times a day. We held two outdoor events of live worship in the city. We also provided lunch and dinner for all that came as well as ending each night with worshipping the Lord. Our game plan for the event was to equip our volunteers with prayer, training and then activate them while they went throughout the community in leader lead teams. After the outreach, all the teams would meet back up for food, fellowship, testimonies and worship. This would refill our teams to go back out in the city, refreshed and revived for the next adventure.
DTN: How was the event received, and what do you want attendees to gain/take away from the experience?
WM: I think for those that attended, it was well-received. We equipped and sent out over 50 local believers to share the love of Jesus. Their hearts came alive and many had a renewed passion to follow Jesus. Collectively we sent out 238 people on 58 teams in 3.5 days. This event wasn't a full-blown outreach, but more of a come and see so people can start to understand what we do. Our goal is that these events are catalysts to create a lifestyle of sharing the Gospel and making disciples.
DTN: What are the next steps for reviveGEORGIA?
WM: Our goal at reviveGEORGIA is to keep meeting with pastors and other key leaders across the city to foster unity and create opportunities to empower and equip believers. We are still going out monthly and adding to our remnant group. This event is just the beginning: reviveGEORGIA plans to do a larger and longer outreach next year in Bartow County as we have started to get invites from other cities across the state. You follow and keep up with us online … [website for revivegeorgia, https://ift.tt/2JlfPBY; Facebook, https://ift.tt/3lox6HK].
DTN: What is your favorite Bible verse, and why?
WM: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” — 2 Chronicles 16:9. I love this verse because it reminds me that we, as Christians, don't have to keep waiting for someone else to lead the charge. You are the one you've been waiting for! The time is now!
DTN: What is your greatest professional and/or personal achievement?
WM: Apart from giving my life to Jesus, my greatest achievement is marrying the love of my life, Rebecca Hyde Morris, and raising four exceptional children.
DTN: How would you describe yourself in three words?
WM: Follower of Jesus
DTN: What is the best advice you have ever received?
WM: Benjamin Cocar once said to me, “Wesley, do you want to know how to deal with your problems?” “Yes, sir.” “Outlast them.”
DTN: What do you like to do in your spare time?
WM: Traveling, hunting, fishing and hanging out with my family.
DTN: Where is your favorite place to be in Bartow County?
WM: My favorite place to be is not geographical but with local followers of Jesus worshiping, praying and studying the Word.
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