2018 State Annual Meeting Reports

JACKSON, Mich. (BP) -- The Baptist State Convention of Michigan authorized its Executive Board to sell the convention's office building in Fenton, Mich., and adopted an increased 2019 budget. Messengers to the BSCM annual meeting also launched a church planting and revitalization partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and adopted resolutions affirming "the dignity and worth of women" and denouncing domestic abuse. The Michigan convention convened Nov. 9 at Grace Church in Jackson, Mich., with 132 ...

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP) -- In 1995, 13-year-old Thi Mitsamphanh was attending All Nations Camp at Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center, sponsored by the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention (now the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board). During the week, he heard a sermon from the camp pastor that literally changed his life. But all he could remember later was that the children at camp called him "Uncle Estri." Mitsamphanh recalled that during that time he was trying to find meaning in life. "At that camp, a man preached a message of hope, forgiveness and life found only in relationship with ...

BEL AIR, Md. (BP) -- The 183rd annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware was held Nov. 1-12 at the Oak Grove Baptist Church, founded in 1931 in Bel Air, Md. Messengers elected a new slate of officers and adopted the 2019 budget. BCM/D Executive Director Kevin Smith announced a new international partnership with the Baptist Convention of Kenya. The convention's theme was "Maryland/Delaware Baptists United in Prayer: Celebrating God's Mission in Maryland/Delaware."

HOUSTON, Texas (BP) -- The 20th anniversary of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention drew more than 1,300 Southern Baptists, including 1,027 messengers, to the SBTC's annual meeting. The theme for the milestone anniversary, "Entrusted: A Gospel Legacy for the Coming Generations," came from 2 Timothy 2:2 and opened each session as pastors and denominational leaders preached from 2 Timothy 2-4. SBC President J.D. Greear closed out the Nov. 12-13 meeting with a sermon Tuesday night.

DES MOINES, Iowa (BP) -- The 2018 Baptist Convention of Iowa (BCI) Annual Meeting was held Nov. 10 at the Hilton Garden Inn in West Des Moines. A total of 121 messengers and 33 guests represented 52 churches at the meeting. Keynote speaker Wes Searcy, president of Next Worldwide, urged messengers to pursue authenticity and accountability in their leadership roles and to become "World Christians." What does it mean to be a "world Christian"? Searcy challenged messengers to focus on their ministries and what God is doing in Iowa, but also to keep their eyes toward all "ethne" at the same time. Searcy asked messengers, "Are you ready to surrender to God whatever he ...

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP) -- Tennessee Baptists gathered at West Jackson Baptist Church for the annual Summit with a focus on winning their state for Jesus Christ. The meeting, held Nov. 11-14, drew 929 registered messengers from 409 churches, along with 160 guests. Among the business conducted, messengers elected a new set of officers by acclamation for the coming year. “We had a strong turnout,” said Randy C. Davis president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. “But it wasn’t just the numbers. There was a strong sense of unity among the messengers. I believe Tennessee Baptists are recognizing that if we are to reach Tennessee for Christ we must do it together.”

EDMOND, Okla. (BP) -- The 2018 annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) featured many highlights, including the installation of Hance Dilbeck as the ninth executive director-treasurer in the state convention's history. More than 650 registered messengers, and many more guests, gathered at First Baptist Church, Edmond, on Nov. 12-13 for the 112th annual meeting of the BGCO, which had the theme of "To Him be the Glory in the Church." Dilbeck installed, gives inaugural address Military veterans were honored, and the Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma led times of worship in the opening of the annual meeting's first session.

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Messengers to the Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Baptist Convention approved dissociating with congregations that are also part of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, broke ties with a university and adopted a $22 million Cooperative Program budget goal. Paul Chitwood, who is expected to be elected president of the International Mission Board on Thursday (Nov. 15), also shared what may have been his last address to Kentucky Baptists as executive director. With the theme "Bring Good News," the KBC annual meeting convened on Nov. 13 at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center, marking the first time Kentucky Baptists have met in the Appalachian city of Pikeville.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (BP) -- Missouri Baptists elected a more ethnically diverse slate of convention officers and approved a resolution encouraging racial reconciliation during their 184th annual meeting at Crossway Baptist Church in Springfield. Although this year's meeting was shortened to only two days, Oct. 22-23, attendance rose slightly compared to the previous two years, totaling 1,042 messengers and 184 visitors from 451 churches. Jon Nelson, elected as MBC first vice president, is believed to be the convention's first black officer. Nelson is an MBC church planter and pastor of Soma Community Church near the campus of historically black Lincoln University in Jefferson City.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (BP) -- New Mexico Baptists approved a 2019 budget, elected new convention officers, emphasized the importance of Cooperative Program giving and introduced new convention partnerships during the Baptist Convention of New Mexico's 2018 annual meeting. They also announced partnerships with Union University and personal finance expert Dave Ramsey. Two hundred sixty-nine messengers and 89 guests from 93 of the BCNM's 338 cooperating churches attended the Oct. 22-24 meeting hosted by Mesilla Park Community Church in Las Cruces, N.M. The 2018 theme was "God's Unshakeable Kingdom" derived from Hebrews 12:25-29, in which the author states God's promise that, through Jesus, people can enter into "a kingdom that cannot be shaken."