November 12–14 will be a special time of the year for Baptists in Alabama. The big event is the annual meeting of the Alabama Baptist State Convention (ABSC).
But that is just one of the many meetings that will bring hundreds of Baptists from across the state to First Baptist Church, Trussville, for three days of important activities.
Monday will feature attractions for most everyone. The Alabama Baptist Pastors Conference is expected to draw the largest crowd of the Monday activities. Pastors Conference President Daven Watkins, pastor of First Baptist Church, Pelham, has assembled an array of preachers charged to help pastors and others understand how Christ is proclaimed in various parts of the Bible.
Christ proclaimed
Renowned Beeson Divinity School Professor of Preaching Robert Smith opens the day at 9 a.m. showing how Christ is proclaimed in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). The final message of the night will focus on preaching Christ from Revelation. In between, participants will learn about preaching Christ from the Psalms, the prophets, the Gospels, the parables, from Acts and from the epistles of the Bible.
A special resource available during the Pastors Conference will be the nearly 40 exhibits by services ranging from Christian literature options to church lending sources to building products and supplies. Most of these exhibits will be available only during the Pastors Conference so church leaders will want to spend part of the morning or afternoon seeing how the various resources might be helpful to their various churches.
While pastors are learning new insights into Scripture and discovering new resources for their churches, others will be involved in training and skill development. The Alabama Baptist Church Planter Network will meet at Samford University in Birmingham for a four-hour study time. The Alabama Network of Christian Community Ministers will meet at First Baptist Church, Indian Springs, to learn new ways to help needy families. Alabama’s Singing Men and Women will gather for final rehearsals before helping lead worship at the state convention meeting Tuesday morning.
Associational mission strategists also will have a focused time of learning featuring University of Mobile President Tim Smith.
Another important meeting on that Monday is the gathering of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). This board directs the activities of the staff of the SBOM and acts in behalf of the state convention between annual sessions in matters not assigned to other entities.
At the SBOM meeting primary attention is likely to focus on final preparation for the board’s report to the convention which will be presented Tuesday afternoon.
So Monday will be a busy day, an important day, a special time for Alabama Baptists even though the ABSC annual meeting will not have begun.
If possible, plan to attend the Pastors Conference. It is open to everyone and promises to be a great experience. If you want to know more about how the state convention operates, SBOM meetings are open to all Alabama Baptists.
Tuesday begins two of the most important days of the year for the work Alabama Baptists do together. The annual meeting is the time when Baptists exercise their responsibility and stewardship for that work.
Yes, there will be times of inspiration. Tuesday evening usually focuses on inspiration and this year Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, will be the featured speaker. A Samford graduate, Mohler is celebrating his 25th year as president of Southern Seminary.
Other special times of inspiration will be the President’s Address delivered by John Thweatt, pastor of First Baptist Church, Pell City, and the convention sermon, this year delivered by Terrence Jones, pastor of Strong Tower at Washington Park in Montgomery. Many Baptists will remember Jones for his outstanding message during the 2018 Evangelism Conference in February.
But the annual meeting is also about business. New officers will be elected. Directors, trustees and commissioners will be approved to oversee the related entities of the state convention. An annual budget will be approved to support all that Baptists do together.
Usually election of officers is filled with suspense, but not this year. So far only one nominee each for president, first vice president and second vice president have been announced. While other nominees may yet appear, any serious challenges are unlikely at this late date, especially since the announced candidates are so widely known for their previous service.
After several years of declining budget goals, the proposed ABSC budget for 2019 will be an increase of $500,000 over the current budget for a total of $37.5 million. In presenting the proposal to the SBOM in August, Executive Director Rick Lance said he was confident that for the first time in several years the proposed budget goal could be met.
Cooperative Program offerings since that time have probably increased Lance’s confidence, since it now appears this year’s offering may meet or surpass the $37.5 million goal.
Whenever Baptists meet it seems something unexpected always happens. That is part of the experience of being Baptists. Any messenger from any cooperating church can nominate someone for office or introduce an amendment to an SBOM recommendation or a resolution or motion.
It is always the churches — through their messengers — that decide what the state convention will do. Never does the convention tell churches what they must do.
Pray and participate
That dynamic helps make the annual meeting a special time because no one ever knows what will happen when the president bangs the gavel calling Alabama Baptists into annual session.
If possible, be a part of this special time of the year. Come to the Pastors Conference or one of the other meetings. Attend the annual meeting of the state convention. You will find it really is a worthwhile effort. Above all, pray for Alabama Baptists as we gather to do the Lord’s business during this special time of the year.
Share with others: