Rick Burgess from The Rick and Bubba Show will be speaking at Bush Memorial Baptist Church on Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27.

After Burgess spoke at a men’s conference in 2013, the Rev. Dwayne Norman wanted to bring the radio personality back to Troy.

“It was on my heart,” said Norman, pastor at the church. “I wanted to do something not just for men but for women and married couples.”

Burgess and his wife, Sherri, will share the story of losing their son and how it has affected their marriage.

“They have a really powerful testimony,” Norman said. “Sometimes marriages don’t survive when a child dies. If they do, it’s not a good situation. But they have thrived even in the midst of this awful tragedy.”

Burgess speaking on marriage is something that the community needs to hear, Norman said.

“Satan is really attacking the family,” Norman said. “We just want to do everything we can to encourage, support and love families and point them to Jesus. That’s my heart.”

Norman has been a pastor in Troy for almost four years, and he said that in his experience he has seen many difficulties in marriages.

“I just see it as a need in the community,” Norman said. “Not just here, but everywhere. I think they have the crosshairs of the devil aimed at them. We want to do everything we can to help and love on families. God can put your family and life back together if you trust and rely upon Him.”

Norman said he hopes this event will empower married couples and build up the families in the community to serve the Lord.

“We really want to equip our people,” Norman said. “You don’t have to be a professional. The same spirit of God that is in me is inside every believer. If you are a believer, you can be equipped and help others. What is better – to have a few pastors and a few people or having an army of people? I think God is bringing up an army in our community.”

Norman emphasized that this event is not meant only for members of Bush. The church wants to open its doors to the entire community for this free event.

“We wanted to be able to do this as a blessing for the community,” Norman said. “God has provided through people giving contributions in order for this to be a free event.”

While Norman encourages the community to attend the Saturday presentation, tickets are limited. However, Burgess also will be speaking the next day at the 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. services.

“We had 450 tickets, but now we only have a few tickets left,” Norman said. “We will have an overflow room, but we know that’s not the same.”

Those who attend without a ticket are able to view the event on a TV screen in another room. Norman encourages those who are interested to come Sunday, where there will be plenty of space available.

“We don’t want to take anyone away from their church, but we are hoping that some of those people who go to a later service would come to the early service and still be able to go to their normal worship service,” Norman said.

For more information, call Bush Memorial Baptist church at 566-4141.