DALLAS (BP) — Several Christian ministries — including 9Marks, B21 and Connect 316 — will offer events on topics ranging from the future of the Southern Baptist Convention to the doctrine of salvation for messengers and others attending the SBC’s June 12-13 annual meeting in Dallas.
Among them:
— 9Marks, a ministry to help pastors grow healthy churches, will hold panel discussions Monday and Tuesday, June 11-12, from 9-10:30 p.m. in room D1-4, Level 3, of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The June 11 discussion will focus on the topic “nations raging, church unchanging” and feature 9Marks editorial director Jonathan Leeman and 9Marks co-founder Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington. The June 12 discussion will focus on the current state of the SBC and will feature Dever; SBC Pastors’ Conference President H.B. Charles, pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla.; Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Danny Akin; and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. Admission is free to both events.
— Baptist21 (B21) will host a June 12 luncheon and panel discussion on “United and Diverse: Critical Issues for our Cooperative Future,” according to an email from the group. The gathering will convene during the SBC annual meeting’s lunch break in Room D1-4, Level 3, of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Panelists will include Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, and president of the Acts 29 church planting network; Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr.; Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore; Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware Executive Director Kevin Smith; and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary President Danny Akin. Registration at baptist21.com/events/ is $13 until May 18 and $16 thereafter. B21 was founded by younger Southern Baptists to address issues relevant to Southern Baptists in the 21st century.
— Connect 316 will host a “celebration” dessert and coffee fellowship June 11 immediately following the Pastors’ Conference evening session, beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m. in Ballroom H of the Omni Dallas Hotel. The first 300 guests will receive a complimentary copy of Ken Hemphill’s book “Unlimited: God’s Love, Atonement, and Mission.” Guests will be introduced to organizations advocating what Connect 316 calls a traditionalist view of the doctrine of salvation. The organizations to be represented include SBC Today, TrueLife, Soteriology 101 and Baptist Strong. The Jerry Vines Award will be presented jointly to David Allen, dean of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s school of preaching, and Steve Lemke, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s vice president for institutional assessment. Featured speakers include Richard Land, former president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and Ken Hemphill, former president of Southwestern Seminary and a candidate for SBC president. The event is free, but registration is required at buytickets.at/connect316. According to the group’s website, Connect316 is a ministry fellowship that affirms a doctrine of salvation between that of Calvinism and Arminianism, holding that Christ died for the sins of every person.
— The Fellowship of Baptist World Ministries will host a breakfast Monday, June 11, at 7:30 a.m. at the Omni Dallas Hotel in the Deep Ellum A Room. A keynote address will be from Elijah A., a Christian worker who is equipping pastors so share the Gospel in areas of the world where there is little access to it. His last name is withheld for security purposes. To make reservations, email Rodney Cavett, the organization’s president, at [email protected]. The Fellowship of Baptist World Ministries is an association of mission organizations who work in covenant with the International Mission Board to conduct evangelism and discipleship throughout the world.
— Replicate Ministries will offer brief assessment meetings in the SBC exhibit hall daily with pastors and church leaders to provide free, customized disciplemaking plans for their church contexts. Details and appointment bookings are available at replicate.org/sbc2018. Additionally, Replicate will be giving away copies of a book each day including, “MARCS of a Disciple,” “The Heart of a Disciplemaker” and “The Gospel Conversation.”