On any given Sunday, out-of-state license plates can be found sprinkled among the thousands of cars sitting in the parking lot at The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham.
Countless travelers whose journey takes them through Alabama have been known to detour down Highway 280 onto Highway 119 to attend one of the three worship hours at the church. Their purpose? To hear Pastor David Platt preach in person.
Platt — who has gained international fame for his Bible teaching, preaching, writing and disciple-making focus — has become a rock star of sorts for Alabama Baptists. Churches across the nation use his books for discipleship classes. Individuals across the world listen to his podcasts. Organizers of preaching conferences and gospel-focused panel discussions vie for a slot on his calendar.
Attendance through simulcast of his six-hour Secret Church discipleship training events continue to grow. He has had more than 50,000 participants at one time.
The momentum is building around him, and the trustees of the International Mission Board (IMB) decided they want a piece of it — he was elected IMB president Aug. 27 and took office immediately.
His ability to re-engage Southern Baptists who have walked away from the traditional denominational routines as well as believers across denominations and generations has attracted the attention of many.
A wave of excitement rippled across social media outlets with the announcement. Now it’s “cool to be Southern Baptist,” some voices say.
But not everyone is excited about the potential new path Platt may blaze. Concerns about the future of the IMB, Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and Cooperative Program giving have been vocalized for weeks, months and even years as he was rumored to be the golden child sitting in the wings for the IMB position.
Platt assured members of the Southern Baptist media about two hours after his election that he wants to help convince all Southern Baptists that cooperation within associations, state conventions and at all SBC levels is “the wisest, most effective means for working together with other churches to see the gospel spread.”
He also wants the current IMB paradigm where the board “takes care” of sending missionaries to be “turned upside down so that the local church is the agent that sends missionaries and shepherds missionaries, and the IMB comes alongside local churches to do that.”
Platt succeeds Tom Elliff, 70, who had served in the role since March 2011.
Other articles on David Platt’s election as IMB president:
To read an article on Platt’s election, click here.
To read an article on Platt addressing new missionaries at appointment service, click here.
To read an article on Platt’s view of cooperation among Baptists, click here.
To read an article on SBC leaders’ affirmation of Platt as IMB president, click here.
To see other articles in the news related to Platt’s election, click here.
To read a letter from Platt to The Church at Brook Hills, and see a video message from him, click here.
To read an article about Platt's message to The Church at Brook Hills his Sunday back after the election and to hear the message, click here.
To read a guest editorial by FBC Montgomery pastor Jay Wofl, who also served on the IMB search committee that nominated Platt, click here.
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