2008 SBC Annual Meeting Preview

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Fulfilling the mission Christ gave His followers -- bringing lost souls into God's Kingdom -- will be the focus of the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention when it convenes June 10-11 at the Indiana Convention Center.       The meeting will extend a theme of spiritual awakening that has characterized the tenure of Frank Page as SBC president, pressing on to the evangelistic outreach that flows naturally from renewal.       For a complete schedule of events, go here.       "The motivation and power for evangelism arises out of spiritual awakening," said Page, who is completing his second term as SBC president. "I keep going back to Acts 1:8, which says, 'When the Holy Spirit comes, you shall receive power.' And when we have been stirred by God's spirit, we reach out to the lost and God draws people to Himself."       That's why Page said he selected Acts 2:47b as the watchword for the gathering: "And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved" (HCSB).       "The recent report of a decline in baptisms and membership in the Southern Baptist Convention re-emphasizes that for too long we have been attempting to raise baptisms among non-revived people in non-revived churches," Page said. "The lack of connection with lost people and the lack of urgency for soul-winning and personal evangelism is a direct indication of our lack of spiritual passion and love for the lost.       "Even when there is a love and a concern for the lost, sometimes we have a total disconnect with the culture in which we live," Page added. "Many of our people simply do not know how to relate to people in 21st-century culture and have been frustrated at their inability to communicate the Gospel.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Pastors planning to attend the SBC Pastors' Conference in Indianapolis June 8-9 will need to arrive earlier this year, according to Pastors' Conference President Michael Catt -- for a screening of the new movie, "Fireproof."

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--The Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists will honor its founding generation, but also will reach out to a new generation during its 50th anniversary celebration June 6-9, convening immediately prior to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Frank Page is coming to dinner.       The Southern Baptist Convention's president will be the guest speaker at a Woman's Missionary Union dinner ...

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–The presidents of three Southern Baptist Convention entities will speak at the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Directors of Missions’ June 8-9 annual meeting in Indianapolis, featuring the theme “Growing the Kingdom, Church by Church.” The meeting, the organization’s 46th, will begin with a worship service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 8, at the […]

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Prayer is news at this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis. A chaplains’ luncheon and a Missional Network discussion also may yield a few lines of ink. This year’s prayer emphasis at the Southern Baptist Convention has been boosted by the efforts of Indianapolis-area pastors who have caught a vision of what […]

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–When Southern Baptists hold their annual meeting, plenty goes on beyond the voting and presentations during the Tuesday-Wednesday sessions held in the local convention center. The SBC exhibit hall, for example, will be a hub of activity as much as ever. It will be open from Monday through Wednesday, June 9-11. INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD […]

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–GuideStone Financial Resources will sponsor its annual Wellness Walk/Run on Tuesday morning, June 10, in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting. The Wellness Walk/Run, at White River State Park in Indianapolis, is open to all messengers to the SBC meeting, attendees and their families. Registration is free and is available online at […]

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–The Southern Baptist Convention’s six seminaries will host luncheons for alumni and guests in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention’s June 10-11 annual meeting at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. GOLDEN GATE — Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary’s president, Jeff Iorg, will be the featured speaker at the seminary’s annual Alumni and Friends […]

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–The Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship, now recognized as an official ethnic and language ministry of the North American Mission Board, is eager to help SBC churches understand the Jewish culture for purposes of evangelism. The fellowship’s annual meeting will begin with a Shabbat service on Friday, June 6, at 7 p.m. in Room 208 […]