Rule brings 'The Vibe' ministry event back to Pitman Theatre on Friday

“The Vibe,” an evangelistic outreach for young people, will be held Friday at Gadsden’s Pitman Theatre — and there’s a story to tell of how it came to be.

God works in mysterious ways, often taking a person suffering in despair and giving new life to the man or woman. Such is the case with Garrett Rule, now the father of four boys (18, 11, 4 and 3), a Bible teacher at Westbrook Christian School and a member of the school’s maintenance staff.

Rule was in jail when his oldest son was born. He was a confirmed drug addict beginning during his high school days, had once overdosed and spent 16 hours on life support, then went back to his old habits. In 2010, he was arrested, charged with drug trafficking, was convicted and sent to jail.

During his incarceration in Etowah County’s James Hayes Detention Center, he was enrolled in Its drug intervention program (SAPP), which led to his freedom from addiction. “I’d never had anyone to give me the hard truth about what I was doing,” he told Donna Thornton in a Times article eight years ago. He credits that program with saving his life.

The SAPP program had been originated by then-deputy sheriff Scott Hassell, now the pastor of Southside’s First Baptist Church and Etowah County’s Judge of Probate.

“What we did with that program was to make an investment in people,” Hassell said. “It was highly successful for many people; I am extremely proud of Rule for the way he has changed his life.”

Rule further told Thornton that he had accepted Christ as a child, adding, “I looked back and I could see those times when God had saved me from the overdoses, and prayed to God to give me another chance to be a good fat her.”

Since that Christmas Day 11 years ago, as he looked out a jail window, Rule has been a new man, living free of the errors that had plagued him for 29 years.

He has devoted his life to telling young people of the dangers of drugs and sharing the gospel with an evangelistic outreach. Thus, "The Vibe,” a nonprofit ministry, was born. It attracted more than 400 young people to the Pitman Theatre in its first outing.

“Now, it’s time to do it again,” Rule said. “There will be a band, led by a WCS co-worker, a drama team and a visual presentation; 'The Well' will handle the sound system. It will be just like a winter “jam.”

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and is free to the public.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Vibe returns to Pitman Theatre