By mid-morning, around 200 people had filled the seats of the Wink Theatre. They raised their hands in worship as the amps came to life. But the crowd gathered in Dalton, Georgia, on the Tuesday morning did not come to sing or to listen to the scripture readings.
They came to see what many are calling a modern miracle. They came to see the Bible.
In 2015, a small group of Dalton residents were surprised when oil began running down the walls of their prayer room. A year later, the clear oil began flowing from Jerry Pearce’s personal Bible. Some 400 gallons of oil later, and thousands of miles traveled, the group is drawing diverse crowds from across the country. Oil plays a prominent role in several Bible stories to anoint believers and care for the sick.
While the gatherings are to see the Bible, the book is serving as a way to bring people to the Christian faith, said Johnny Taylor, one of the organizers.
“[The Bible is] just a sign and a wonder,” Taylor said. “But it’s your faith and it’s how you apply it and use it … where the miracles come in. We tell people the Bible is not the move, it’s just the sign and the wonder, but if you go find out where the Bible is, there’s a move going on there.”