Fulfilling the mission Christ gave His followers — bringing lost souls into God’s Kingdom — will be the focus of the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) when it convenes June 10–11 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
The meeting will extend a theme of spiritual awakening that has characterized the tenure of Frank Page as SBC president, pressing on to the evangelistic outreach that flows naturally from renewal.
"The motivation and power for evangelism arises out of spiritual awakening," said Page, who is completing his second term as SBC president. "I keep going back to Acts 1:8, which says, ‘When the Holy Spirit comes, you shall receive power.’ And when we have been stirred by God’s spirit, we reach out to the lost and God draws people to Himself."
That’s why Page said he selected Acts 2:47b as the watchword for the gathering: "And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved."
"The recent report of a decline in baptisms and membership in the Southern Baptist Convention re-emphasizes that for too long, we have been attempting to raise baptisms among nonrevived people in nonrevived churches," Page said. "The lack of connection with lost people and the lack of urgency for soul-winning and personal evangelism is a direct indication of our lack of spiritual passion and love for the lost.
"Even when there is a love and a concern for the lost, sometimes we have a total disconnect with the culture in which we live," Page added. "Many of our people simply do not know how to relate to people in 21st-century culture and have been frustrated at their inability to communicate the gospel. Many believers do not know people who are outside the Kingdom and often do not even know their own neighbors."
Under the banner of Fulfilling the Mission, Southern Baptist leaders will introduce a multifaceted, long-term strategy for helping churches evangelize their neighborhoods, states, country and world. The 10-year National Evangelism Initiative was a priority Page set for his time in office when he was elected in Greensboro, N.C., in 2006.
"The moment I was elected, I knew I wanted to encourage a continentwide evangelism strategy," Page said. "A large number of people have been saying to us, ‘Don’t just tell us what to do, but show us how to do it.’
"So I approached the North American Mission Board (NAMB), and they have worked with our state and associational partners to come forward with a strategy that will help us know both what to do and how to do it."
Unlike some programs that drop a big box of material on the desk and leave it to the pastor to figure out whether it can be implemented in his church and how to do it, the National Evangelism Initiative will offer a menu of strategies in four areas: praying, engaging, sowing and harvesting, Page said. Churches will be able to pick and choose strategies that will work in their unique contexts.
"There will be many elements produced so churches of all sizes and all ethnic backgrounds in all areas of the continent can take part," Page said. "They will be able to pick and choose from various strategies, tools and emphases. It will be very flexible.
"Of all the things that could come out of the meeting in Indianapolis, the greatest for our continent would be that we come away with a common direction in presenting a very positive, life-transforming message about Christ."
Among the highlights of the annual meeting:
– Messengers to the annual meeting will hear challenges from Leo A. Endel, executive director of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention in Rochester, Minn., and Rob Blackaby, president of the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, Alberta.
– An intensified focus on prayer will be another feature of the convention. In addition to the prayer room, signs will be posted around the convention center to help messengers make a "prayer journey" for the annual meeting. A virtual prayer walk will be available at www.crossover08.com for people who can’t attend the convention. Information for those interested in volunteering to intercede for the annual meeting is available on that site as well.
– The NAMB report and presentation is scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 10, and the International Mission Board report and presentation will be Wednesday evening, June 11.
– Congregational praise and worship will be led by convention music director L. Lavon Gray, minister of music at First Baptist Church, Jackson, Miss. Steve Blanchard, director of worship ministries for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana, will lead the Indiana Baptist Combined Choirs in several performances.
– Al Gilbert, senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C., will deliver the convention message Wednesday morning, June 11.
– Online registration is available at www.sbcannualmeeting.net through June 7 so messengers can avoid lines upon arriving at the convention. The Web site gives a church a messenger reference number form to be printed out and presented by each messenger at the registration booth in exchange for a name tag and a set of ballots. The appropriate church-authorized representative must complete all online registrations. The traditional registration method also is available. Registration cards are available from state convention offices. Alabama Baptists can call 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 242, for more information.
– Messengers wishing to propose resolutions must submit them at least 15 days prior to the annual meeting, giving the Resolutions Committee a two-week period in which to consider them. Detailed guidelines on submitting resolutions are available at the annual meeting Web site by clicking on "resolutions."
For a complete schedule of events, visit www.sbcannualmeeting.net. (BP)
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