Alabama’s evangelists offer a variety of talents and gifts to Alabama Baptist churches.
From preaching and puppets to concerts and conferences, they travel this and other states sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and equipping churches and Christians to share as well.
In the midst of balancing ministry with family and other responsibilities, there isn’t much time to stop and fellowship with other evangelists.
If two evangelists do meet, then it’s usually passing each other on the way to engagements, noted Dean Forrest, evangelist with Forrest Ministries and member of Pike Road Baptist Church in Montgomery Baptist Association.
But the Alabama Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists (ACOSBE) offers a solution. Meant as a support network, ACOSBE provides fellowship and encouragement for its members, many of whom rely on their evangelistic ministry for their livelihood, said Forrest, president of ACOSBE.
"It allows … us to meet other evangelists that are doing the same things each one of us is doing," he said. "Even though our ministries look different, I feel like all of us have the same purpose — to bring men, women, boys and girls to a personal, living relationship with Jesus and to encourage [people] in their witness to the world and their personal walk with God."
ACOSBE also provides a link to the national Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, as membership in a state group is a prerequisite for membership in the national group, Forrest noted. Members of both groups have been recommended by their local pastor and the director of missions for their association. They are also members in good standing of a local Baptist church.
For information on joining ACOSBE or finding an Alabama Baptist evangelist to come to your church, call the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions’ evangelism office at 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 245.
ACOSBE will hold its annual retreat at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega before the Feb. 26–27 State Evangelism Conference and will hold its business meeting during the conference. For information, contact Forrest at 1-800-895-6219. (TAB)
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