Singular. Substantive.
And our responsibility.
That’s the way this year’s Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting’s theme has been described.
“The Great Commission … GPS” will be the theme of this year’s annual meeting, set for Nov. 17–18 at Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville.
It will prep Alabama Baptists for the coming 10-year emphasis on God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS) — a nationwide evangelism strategy developed by the North American Mission Board that culminates in 2020.
It will be Alabama Baptists’ first-ever decadelong emphasis. “This is the first time we have ever had a 10-year emphasis; usually our emphases have only been one or two years long,” said Sammy Gilbreath, director of the office of evangelism for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). “It really is the most concentrated effort to get the gospel to Alabama that I’ve ever seen. It is a concentrated, very simple strategy of putting the gospel in everyone’s hand.”
It will be a new thrust — but not a new concept for Alabama Baptists, said Rick Lance, SBOM executive director.
“Alabama Baptists have always been a Great Commission people. We have focused on the ‘One Mission — The Great Commission’ for more than a decade now,” Lance said. “During the next decade, we have the opportunity to join other Southern Baptists in the GPS efforts in Alabama and North America. The convention emphasis this year … keeps that focus before us in a singular and substantive way.”
Three speakers — Ed Cruce, director of missions for Bessemer Baptist Association; Shannon Ford, a Baptist representative in Ukraine; and Danny Wood, pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills — will interpret the theme through sermons at the annual meeting.
And soon-to-retire International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin will speak on the topic during the Tuesday morning session. (For dates and times, see agenda below.)
And Alabama Baptists will be encouraged to participate in the first part of the GPS emphasis — an evangelistic effort called Across Alabama taking place in 2010.
“This is just exploding in the state, and it’s so simple every church can do it, from a small bivocational church to a megachurch,” Gilbreath said.
Across Alabama will be comprised of:
• Prayer walking on March 20
According to Gilbreath, the goal is to prayer walk or prayer drive all of the state that day. The mapping center in the SBOM evangelism office is available at no charge to churches wishing to use it to prepare for prayer walking.
• Gospel distribution on March 27
On this day, church members who prayer walked will return to those same areas of their community, distribute the gospel and information about its church and invite community members to its Easter Sunday service.
• Harvest Sunday on April 4 (Easter)
On this day, pastors of participating churches will present an intentionally evangelistic message aimed at visitors who come as a result of the prayer walking and gospel distribution.
• Follow-up from April 4–forward
Churches will follow up with those who visited and/or made decisions on Harvest Sunday by visiting them, helping them plug into a small group or Sunday School class and ministering to their needs.
“Alabama Baptists have always been effective leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention in evangelism and missions,” Lance said. “The challenge today is bigger than ever before.”
After Across Alabama, what’s next in the GPS strategy?
An effort in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020, with the goal that everyone in Alabama — and everyone in North America, with each state doing its own emphasis — has heard the gospel by 2020.
Lance said this emphasis is a “decade to make a difference.”
For more information about the annual meeting, visit www.alsbom.org and click on the link in the rotating main box. For more information about GPS, visit www.alsbom.org/AcrossAlabama.
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ALABAMA BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION PROGRAM
‘The Great Commission … GPS’ • Nov. 17–18, 2009 • Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville
Tuesday Morning 8:15–11:55
PIANIST, Frank Jones
WORSHIP LEADER, David Briley
8:15 Pre-session Music, BC Decatur Ladies in Praise
8:30 Call to Order, Jimmy E. Jackson
GREETINGS
City of Huntsville, Tommy Battle
Madison Baptist Association, Harold Sellers
Whitesburg Baptist Church, Jimmy E. Jackson
Congregational Music, David Briley
Invocation, Harold Sellers
8:40 Enrollment of Messengers, Mary Sue Bennett
8:45 Committee on Order of Business, Mike McLemore
8:50 Committee Appointments, Jimmy E. Jackson
8:55 Memorial Service, Bob Thornton
9:05 Alabama Baptist Ministers Benefit Society, Paul Moore
9:10 Introduction of Resolutions, Sid Nichols
9:15 Congregational Music, David Briley
9:20 Miscellaneous Business
9:35 RECOGNITIONS
Fraternal Messenger, Earl Johnson
Report of Inter-Baptist
Fellowship Committee, Edwin Velez
Denominational Representatives, Jimmy E. Jackson
Recognition of Volunteer of the Year, Reggie Quimby
Recognition of Former Convention Presidents, Rick Lance
9:50 Recognition of New Pastors and New Church Staff Members. Bobby DuBois
Special Music, FBC Decatur Men’s Ensemble
10:00 The Great Commission … GPS, Ed Cruce
REPORTS ON CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION
10:25 Board of Aid for Students in Church-related Vocations, Raymond Hutchison
10:35 Education Commission, Jerry Henry
10:45 Judson College, David Potts
10:55 University of Mobile, Mark Foley
11:05 Samford University, Andrew Westmoreland
11:15 Introduction of Guest Speaker, Jimmy E. Jackson
11:20 Special Music, FBC Decatur Men’s Ensemble
11:30 GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing), Jerry Rankin
11:55 Benediction, Benny Berry
Tuesday Afternoon 1:30–4:50
PIANIST, Frank Jones
WORSHIP LEADERS, Tom and Gayle Smith
1:30 Pre-session Music, Alabama Singing Men and Women
1:45 WORSHIP
Congregational Music, Tom Smith
Invocation, Will Horton
1:50 Special Music, Alabama Singing Men and Women
1:55 The Great Commission … GPS, Shannon Ford
REPORT OF state board of missions
2:15 Report of Executive Director, Rick Lance
2:30 Report of State Board of Missions, Travis Coleman
Cooperative Program Recognitions, Jim Swedenburg
3:30 Miscellaneous Business
3:40 ALCAP Report, Joe Godfrey
REPORTS OF CONVENTION COMMITTEES
3:50 Audit Committee, Melissa Sahagun
4:00 Insurance Committee, Reyn Norman
4:10 Resolutions Committee, Sid Nichols
4:20 Committee on Boards and Commissions, Charles Brown
4:30 Committee on Committees, Jay Wolf
4:40 Committee on Time, Place and Preacher, Rick Patrick
4:50 Benediction, Harold Fanning
Tuesday Evening 6:45–8:30
6:45 Invocation and Introductions, Rick Lance
6:50 Music, Whitesburg Youth Choir, Keith and Kristyn Getty
President’s Message, Jimmy E. Jackson
Wednesday Morning 8:15–12:05
PIANIST, Frank Jones
WORSHIP LEADER, Mark Jacobs
8:15 Pre-session Music, 4 Given — Men’s Quartet, Mount Zion
8:30 WORSHIP
Congregational Music, Mark Jacobs
Invocation, Randy Carter
8:35 Special Music, 4 Given
REPORTS OF CONVENTION ENTITIES
8:40 Woman’s Missionary Union, Auxiliary, Candace McIntosh
8:50 The Baptist Foundation of Alabama, Barry Bledsoe
9:00 Ala. Baptist Christian Life Commission, Robert Ledlow
9:10 Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center, Buster Taylor
9:20 Election of Officers
9:35 Congregational Music, Mark Jacobs
9:40 The Great Commission … GPS, Danny Wood
10:05 Election of Officers
10:15 Alabama Baptist Retirement Centers, William H. Austin
10:25 Alabama Baptist Historical Commission, Lonette Berg
10:35 The Alabama Baptist, Bob Terry
10:45 Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries, Paul Miller
10:55 Resolutions Committee Report, Sid Nichols
11:15 Previously Scheduled Business
Introduction of Convention Preache, Jimmy E. Jackson
11:25 Congregational Music, Mark Jacobs
Special Music, 4 Given
11:35 Scripture, Travis Coleman
11:40 Convention Sermon, Steve Scoggins
12:05 Introduction of Convention Officers, Rick Lance
Benediction, Adjournment, Daniel Wilson
To request messenger cards
• Call Susan Corley: 334-288-2460 or 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 266
• E-mail: scorley@alsbom.org
• Visit Web site: www.alsbom.org
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