AHOSKIE – They came by the carload, truckload and busload.

The majority walked to their seats; others were chauffeured in by golf carts; while a few made their way confined to a wheelchair.

But no matter the mode of transportation, they came by the thousands to attend a historic gathering of churches here on a comfortable Sunday afternoon at the Ahoskie Amphitheater.

“Super Sunday” attracted well over 2,000 individuals from different walks of life and various religious denominations. They gathered together to fulfill a vision, two years in the making, shared from God to local minister Rev. Roy Faison of Nebo Baptist Church of Murfreesboro.

The outdoor gathering of different races and religions did not go unnoticed by the event’s featured speaker, Dr. David Jeremiah, Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in Cajon, CA and the founder of the very popular program and ministry, Turning Point.

“This is a very unique day, one with so many walks of faith in attendance,” said Dr. Jeremiah, making his first appearance in a pulpit in nearly six weeks after undergoing double knee replacement surgery.

He continued, “But I see this as a way back for our great nation…the different churches walking together in unity.”

A unified religious effort was the theme of Dr. Jeremiah’s message. He spoke on a “walk worthy of our calling.”

“If you are baptized and born again, then you are of one Christian body and one Holy Spirit,” he said. “I don’t get a bigger piece of the Holy Spirit just because I’m a preacher. I have the same piece of the Holy Spirit that you have. I have the same Christian body that you have.”

Dr. Jeremiah said Christians are also unified in hope…that of Jesus making a return to Earth.

“There’s only one way to get to Heaven and that’s through the Lord,” he noted. “There’s also just one faith, but that’s not to say there’s not more than one way to express that faith. How do you get to Heaven? By placing your faith in Christ.”

Dr. Jeremiah added there’s only one baptism, whether you are sprinkled with water or dunked, forwards or backwards, underneath.

“Baptism is a testimony of what God has done to your life…you have died from your old ways and are reborn in Christ,” he said.

Keeping with the unified theme, Dr. Jeremiah said there was only one God…“rejoice and celebrate in him,” he stated.

He asked all in attendance to place aside the petty differences that come with life and as a member of a church.

“Stop thinking about you and start thinking about us,” he stressed. “That will allow you to help unify your church and your community.

“What you are doing today with this celebration is exactly what I mean when I use the word endeavor,” Dr. Jeremiah added. “You should endeavor to keep this unity intact. Hopefully this is just the start of great things to come in this community.”

The three-hour event also included several selections from national recording artist and Dove Award nominee Alvin Slaughter who shared his Christian testimony through his powerful voice.

Additionally, the “Super Sunday” mass choir, under the direction of Dr. Ola Gathers of New Bethany Missionary Baptist Church of Harrellsville, performed several inspiring hymns, including the traditional “Just As I Am” for the altar call.

Several local pastors also shared the main stage, each contributing to the program. That group included Rev. James Brown, Rev. Lee Edwards, Rev. Elisha Barnes, Rev. Robert Richardson, Rev. Wallace Phillips, Rev. Tommy Kiker and Rev Faison.

Spanning the large crowd, Rev. Faison remarked, “Look what God has done. He has brought us all together. Nothing was going to stop this day. It is one to rejoice and be exceedingly glad.”