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If you’re walking along the street in Athens, Georgia, you may see a yard sign, or a sticker on a telephone pole that’s bright yellow, with two simple words across the front: “Jesus Saves.” If you attend a University of Georgia football game, you may see a couple handing out bracelets with the same text, the wife speaking into a microphone about Bible verses and salvation, with her baby on her hip.
Brent and Brigitte Farley pose with a "Jesus Saves" sign in Tate Plaza, in front of UGA's Sanford Stadium. The couple often goes out to football games to preach and hand out bracelets. (Photo/Anointed Ambassadors Ministries)
This couple is Brent and Brigitte Farley, Winterville residents and executive directors of Anointed Ambassadors Ministries. Brent also founded his business, Jesus Saves Signs, after his encounter with faith saved his life from addiction about 15 years ago. His business now supports the labor of other evangelists worldwide.
“It's so profound, you know, like I'm a new person from that point forward, like everything's changed, everything I look at, everything I study,” Brent said over coffee at the B-Hive, as the Farley home is known, “ I've just dedicated my life to share this with everybody else, because I know that they don't know. If they really knew they'd be out doing the same thing.”
"It was the 'Batman Forever' font... I feel like a superhero," said brent, "you kind of get these giftings, or almost powers from God to keep going."
"It was the 'Batman Forever' font... I feel like a superhero," said brent, "you kind of get these giftings, or almost powers from God to keep going."
These yellow signs intend to tell people what they need to do, and what Brent did: to dedicate their lives to a Christian faith. The reverse sides of the signs call viewers to, “Believe, Call, Repent,” listed alongside Bible verses.
The backside of the yellow "Jesus Saves" sign, calling viewers to "Believe, Call and Repent," with Bible verses. (Photo/Jesus Saves Signs)
Brigitte’s story of her faith comes from different beginnings. After growing up in a Christian household in Georgia, traumas experienced during her time at Bible college at Toccoa Falls left her feeling dejected and worthless. That is when a spiritual counselor met with her, and told her what is called a “word of knowledge,” or a truth about her life that he would have no way of knowing.
The Farleys, Mary Kathryn Suplita and other members of the group demonstrate with Anointed Ambassadors Ministries. The group organizes with signs in different parts of the community, including downtown, football games and even Planned Parenthood clinics. (Photos/Brigitte Farley)
“It's a gift of the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit of God knows all people,” Brigitte explained, “He actually knows your thoughts, your heart, your whole story, his story, my story, everybody. And he's the perfect spirit of love.”
She compares her testimony to that of the woman at the well in the Gospel of John from the Bible. This woman had been rejected from her community, and rejoiced when Jesus shared a word of knowledge with her and accepted her as she is. While the Farleys may not be able to perform miracles at the drop of a hat, their ministry is dedicated to sharing their faith with others and accepting believers from all backgrounds.
The Evangelist Movement: A brief History
The Evangelist Movement: A brief History
Evangelism is a key pillar of Christian faith, beginning at the very outset of the religion’s conception. The idea is very simple, Christians are called to share their faith and “make disciples,” as much as they can. However, for the 150 years after Jesus’ death, even before churches were erected, Christians were sharing their faith in and between their homes.
Learn about the theological basis of evangelism from Mary Kathryn Suplita, evangelist:
Learn about the theological basis of evangelism from Mary Kathryn Suplita, evangelist:
In the United States, the modern evangelical movement emerged in the mid-20th century after conservative fundamentalists broke off from the Protestant community. Names such as Billy Graham legitimized the community within the public eye, as did the new publication Christianity Today, as well as the new National Association of Evangelicals.
The community continued to grow, as hundreds of organizations dedicated to evangelism established themselves on college campuses. The purpose of evangelism on campus is twofold: many students become curious about faith as they leave home and become independent, and evangelists believe that students seeking truth through education should also be exposed to the truth as told by their faith.
A "Jesus Saves" sign rests on the steps in front of the UGA arch at nighttime. The yellow signs are a staple across Athens. (Photo/ Jesus Saves Signs)
Christians are not the only religious groups that have a presence on college campuses. Walking past Tate Student Center at UGA, you may encounter a range of organizations such as the Muslim Student Association, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Institute of Religion, Jehovah’s Witnesses, or Hillel UGA, a Jewish Student Life Organization.
As a public university, UGA has an obligation to uphold the First Amendment on campus allowing both for free speech and freedom of religion. This is specified to Designated Forums, as defined by university Freedom of Expression and Assembly Policy. This most notably includes free-speech zones in Tate Plaza or Memorial Hall, which can be reserved both by members of the University, as well as speakers not affiliated with the University.
Preaching through controversy
Preaching through controversy
While Christians are not the only religious group that hope to be exposed to college students, many Christians like the Farleys make evangelism a full-time job. Different Christian street preachers have also faced public controversy that sets them apart in the Athens community. Namely, a 2020 lawsuit was settled in favor of Adam Bishop, an anti-LGBTQ evangelical preacher, due to freedom of expression concerns
Regardless of how kind or empathetic one evangelist may be, for many the wounds of perceived offenses from evangelists remain. Different people hear different things from those who may be looking to teach them about their faith, according to their lived experiences.
Students have a myriad of feelings about street preaching as a practice, as they reported in an anonymous survey administered online. While some students may disagree with or feel attacked by street preachers altogether, many Christian students do feel conflict between their beliefs and how these evangelists go about sharing them.
“I think the reality is that so many things become true at once, and so if a common perception is that a particular religious group acts in a certain way—there's multiple different ways to interpret that action,” said Hannah Howard, post-doctoral fellow and Associate Director of the Center for Theologically Engaged Anthropology at UGA.
“There are unfortunately street preachers that condemn students and people walking downtown for drinking or dressing provocatively but this is wrong,” said a fourth-year student, “I’m sorry if this has ever happened to you and it’s not a representation of what it means to be a Christian.”
Many students, however, answered that preachers on campus make them feel angry or annoyed. Many of these students do not perceive these preachers’ missions to be within a traditional image of Jesus, but instead that they are pushing a personal agenda of conservatism.
“They are often trying to push traditional conservative christian values,” said a third-year student, “that are hurtful to people who are not straight, white, or a man.”
The Farleys, however, don’t see evangelism as passing judgement or indoctrination. “There's a lot of different doctrines and beliefs and, like, stuff off to the edge,” Brent said, “but it's like, I know I got saved when I did those three verses, you know, I want everybody else [to know that] those are the three things you've got to do.”
Instances of correlation between conservative ideology and religion and their spread on college campuses, however, were the open debates held by commentator Charlie Kirk, who was killed earlier this year. Though politics were his focus, he did also advocate for certain Christian values, and the Farleys see a correlation between students’ interest in religion and his death.
“The Bible talks about: preach in season and out of season,” said Brent, “Ever since I’ve gotten called, I’ve felt out of season… I made a video a few weeks before Charlie got shot, and I was like, you know ‘I smell revival in the air.’ ”
Since then, they describe a greater openness to their work in Athens. Students join in on their preaching, people compliment their “Jesus Saves,” shirts, and the public attitude just feels overall more responsive to their mission, and to following Christ, they say.
Listen to the Farley family talk about their mission:
Listen to the Farley family talk about their mission:
In their Winterville house, the Farleys hope to continue their ways, especially for their infant daughter, Rubee. Their religion will not appeal to everyone they encounter, but they will be there regardless, dedicating their time to sharing what they believe to be the truth. They will continue to be a part of the Athens community, which will remain a diverse community of passionate perspectives.
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