Historic Christian Crusade set to fill Bojangles Coliseum

CHARLOTTE ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — Bojangles Coliseum has hosted a whole slew of events, including most recently political rallies for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

Politics can oftentimes divide us, but on Friday, September 20th, 140 churches are planning an event aimed at bringing people together under one core, shared, value.

“When you zoom out, the scripture is about one message over and over again; the gospel and God’s plan to save humanity through Jesus Christ,” said lead pastor at Vizion Church, Tyson Coughlin.

The Christian Crusade started roughly a year ago when a group from South Korea traveled to Vizion Church to pray that late evangelist Billy Graham’s crusades would take place again, starting in Charlotte.

“They said, ‘Because this is the city of Billy Graham, and we’re praying, God, do it again’,” Coughlin said. “Move in the city of Charlotte and may it reach the corners of planet Earth.”

Tyson Coughlin is the lead pastor at Vizion Church. He says nothing like this has happened in Charlotte in over 30 years. They expect Bojangles Coliseum, the 1958 home to one of Graham’s crusades, will surpass its 10,000-person capacity.

The sermon will be available via live stream and on an app, translated into 10 different languages.

A 600-person choir will fill the arena with music.

“I got to sneak into one of the choir rehearsals, and I’m telling you, it was powerful! There was an electricity in the atmosphere,” Coughlin said.

During a time when maybe religion isn’t the first story you see on the news, and people seem just as divided as ever, Coughlin believes we’re in a spiritual crisis that politics can’t solve, and that’s what is drawing people in.

“We could have never dreamed that this many churches would unite together,” Coughlin said. “It’s going to be special, and God is certainly at work in the city of Charlotte.”

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