About a year ago, God began touching pastor Jay Pope’s heart about a revival. But it was a “different type” of revival, he explains.  

He is planning a big tent event at the Celebration grounds on Sunday, Oct. 2, following the mule show, which ends on that Saturday night.  

Food will be served on the 2nd at 5 p.m. Worship service is at 11 a.m. The groups will take a break and reconvene about 6 p.m. for more worship, special music and testimony under the tent.  

Pope serves Kingdom Cultivation Ministry in Shelbyville on Kingree Road.  

“It’s a time for fellowship but also a time for manifestation. It’s time for the true and living King to show up and touch the hearts of our community. I think our community needs a touch of God.”  

Jay is not a newcomer to Shelbyville; he grew up here and graduated from Central High School. So he knows a little about Shelbyville and the surrounding area.  

Has he served a perfect life? He says not by a long shot. But he does note strongly how finding a deep and abiding love of God changed his entire life.  

So lately he’s been reflecting back on the old fashioned revivals held when he was a tiny kid. Now, he has pastoral friends all over the world-those he can draw upon for such times as these.  

While some of his friends are across the ocean, Pope is still bringing God’s Word through ministry right back to Shelbyville.  

The upcoming revival is going to be in old style in some ways, with a tent and food, but also will bring a new reflection to where the community is headed on a spiritual level.  

A lot of home churches, he said, are planning to be involved. He calls that a “tremendous move of God.” 

“We have over 250 plus churches in our country . . . maybe 260,” said the pastor. He admits that many remain within their walls.  

“Even though we’re in church, we may still not be having that relationship that we need. Relationship changes.”  

See Tuesday’s T-G for story about Pope’s hopes and dreams for this community and a little more about the upcoming tent revival.