A crusade &045;&045; what better way to rejuvenate the Christian spirit in the Natchez and Concordia Parish area, said the Rev. Richard Cullum, pastor of Sycamore Baptist Church.

Cullum and a group of about 17 others have organized the program, scheduled for Oct. 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. at the Vidalia riverfront amphitheater.

Cullum will speak on &uot;State of Our Nation&uot; and &uot;Rebuilding the Walls.&uot; Brad Mount of Lismore Baptist Church, nominated as the top male vocalist in country gospel, will sing. And Russell Wagoner of Parkway Baptist Church will lead a choir assembled from Miss-Lou churches, Cullum said.

&uot;Mainline evangelical churches in America, almost without exception, are in decline,&uot; Cullum said. &uot;Anyone can see the moral degeneracy in our nation. I hope this will have some impact not just on Sycamore Baptist Church but on the whole area. This is about the gospel and what it can do for us.&uot;

Cullum hopes to reach people of all ages and from all walks of life, believing that the open-air amphitheater offers a less formal setting than a church and may therefore appeal to a larger group of people.

&uot;I want this to attract people who might have an aversion to organized church service,&uot; he said. &uot;We want anyone, any church to participate who wants to do so.&uot;

So far, 40 singers from different churches have signed up for the choir. There is room for many more, he said.

Maybe the crusade will be a building block, he said. &uot;I hope this is something we can do annually or semi-annually &045;&045; something to get excited about.&uot;

Cullum worries especially about young people today. He worries about the breakup of families, even among the Christian mainstream.

&uot;Our children are bombarded day after day by things that weren’t discussed in mixed company a generation ago,&uot; he said.

Hoping to reach young people through one of their peers, Cullum invited Josh Shelton of Lakeshore Baptist Church to speak. &uot;He’s a committed young Christian. I hope the teens will come to hear him speak.&uot;

A minister since 1982, Cullum has been at Sycamore for six years. During the 22 years of his work, he has seen the destruction of families at an alarming rate, he said. &uot;We’ve become a disposable society. Don’t wash it; throw it away. Don’t fix it; buy a new one.&uot;

One soul saved will make the crusade worthwhile, Cullum said.

&uot;I believe God puts it on our hearts to do this, and I don’t mean that to sound pious. We’re going to have a revival. If one soul is saved and the community is made better, it will be a success,&uot; he said.

Churches and church choirs may get more information about participating in the crusade by calling Cullum at (318) 757-4964 or 757-1826 or by e-mailing him at

rcullum@bayou.com

.