So often ministry leaders give and give without slowing down long enough to do a little receiving. That’s why the annual Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference (SEC) is so important, according to Sammy Gilbreath, director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions’ office of evangelism.
“There is little time for [ministry leaders] to just be fed. This conference attempts to do just that. (We want participants to) … just come and allow the Lord to speak through His servants with music, worship and the preached Word,” he said.
Held at First Baptist Church, Montgomery, on Feb. 29–March 1, the conference will be separated into four sessions with each session featuring one or more speakers and special music.
Jay Wolf, pastor of First, Montgomery, describes SEC as a combination of a worship service, instructional seminar, pep rally and family reunion and anticipates seeing God move throughout the conference.
“When God’s family gathers to focus on our primary task of sharing the gospel, the Lord’s favor and fire follows,” Wolf said. “We anticipate a barrel of blessings … for all who are able to attend.”
In the first session Feb. 29 at 6:30 p.m. the speakers will be Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tennessee, and Don Wilton, pastor of First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Charles Billingsley, worship pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Virginia, and president of Red Tie Music, will be the musical guest.
The remaining three sessions will take place March 1. At the 9 a.m. session, guest speakers will be Danny Lovett, pastor of The Church at Chelsea-Westover, Westover; Jimmy Jackson, pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville; and Mac Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida.
The 2 p.m. session will feature Dusty McLemore, pastor of Lindsay Lane Baptist Church, Athens, and Daven Watkins, pastor of First Baptist Church, Pelham, as guest speakers. Billingsley will be the musical guest in both sessions.
The final session will be at 6:30 p.m. Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida, will speak and award-winning singer/songwriter Larnelle Harris will be the musical guest.
Gilbreath prays participants drive home from the final session with a renewed spirit.
“I hope [they] will leave relaxed, rested and blessed by renewed fellowship with peers as well as challenged by the preaching and singing. I hope when they leave, they are closer to the Lord than when they came.”
Additional events surrounding SEC include:
- The Church and Sexuality Conference, Feb. 29, 10 a.m.–3:45 p.m.
- Dinner with Steve Gaines, Feb. 29, 4:30–6 p.m. To register, visit alsbom.org/event/stevegaines/.
- Ministers Wives’ Luncheon with guest speaker Kathy Litton, March 1. To register, visit alabama-wmu.org/ministerswives.
For more information, visit alsbom.org/sec/ or contact Amy Nelson at 334-613-2258 or anelson@alsbom.org.
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