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FLOYD: Prepare now for SBC’s 2016 annual meeting


Ronnie Floyd is president of the Southern Baptist Convention and senior pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas.

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) — Significant actions are taking place right now for our 2016 Southern Baptist Convention in St. Louis.

Permit me to list 10 things in a briefing today about our June 14-15 gathering of the Southern Baptist family.

1. Online registration opens today

Online registration opened today at 8 a.m. CST for the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention. You can begin registering messengers from your church at SBCAnnualMeeting.net. This website also answers all your questions about becoming a messenger to the Southern Baptist Convention.

2. Anyone can attend the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention

While our convention does have elected messengers from our churches, anyone can attend a Southern Baptist Convention gathering. You can come and attend everything, even if you are not a messenger. Please join us even if your church has its messenger capacity filled.

3. Crossover St. Louis needs you and your church’s assistance

The week before the Southern Baptist Convention, but especially on Saturday, June 11, our convention has many people volunteer, making an investment in personal ministry throughout metro St. Louis, on both sides of the river.

Please go here to find out more about Crossover 2016. Please pray for Jim Breeden and his team from the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association who are making this a fantastic experience. This association encompasses 150 cooperating churches in a region of 2.7 million people. We have a need for 2,500 volunteers to come and help these churches in 75 different projects. Contact them today.

4. Final decisions are being made

We are making final decisions now in regard to our convention program. While we have much already completed, there are so many more decisions that must be made. Please pray for us.

5. Committee on Resolutions is almost completed

Within the next several weeks, I will release names of the 10 persons who will serve on our 2016 Committee on Resolutions. This is a very important committee. There are many pieces that complete this puzzle, bylaws to follow, and many matters to take into consideration. I can announce to you today that Stephen Rummage will serve as chairman of our Committee on Resolutions. Dr. Rummage is the senior pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon, Fla. He is also an officer on the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please begin to pray for Dr. Rummage.

6. Committee on Committees is being recruited now

Additionally, within the next several weeks, I will release a list of the 68 members of our 2016 Committee on Committees. There are many bylaw restrictions that are part of appointing this significant committee. It is a long process from initial work to final completion. I can announce to you today that Willy Rice will serve as chairman of our Committee on Committees. Dr. Rice is the senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Fla., and served last year as president of the 2015 Pastors’ Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention.

7. 2016 Pastors’ Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention

John Meador is serving as the President of our 2016 Pastors’ Conference this year. Dr. Meador is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Euless, Texas. Please plan to join thousands of us in this pre-SBC conference that begins on Sunday night, June 12, and goes through Monday night, June 13. Please go to www.sbcpc.net to learn more.

8. Tonight I am speaking to the SBC Executive Committee and leadership

Tonight I will speak to the SBC Executive Committee and the SBC leadership meeting in Nashville. Please pray for me. Also pray for Dr. Frank Page and the entire Executive Committee during all their meetings on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 22-23.

9. A strategic time with leaders from across our Southern Baptist family

On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Feb. 23-24, I have called a strategic meeting with leaders from across our Southern Baptist Convention. I have invited all state convention executives, state convention presidents, SBC entity leaders and a group of pastors to join Dr. Frank Page and me in Nashville for this strategic time together.

This is an unprecedented gathering in our modern history, as these groups are rarely together except for our annual convention, and do not typically meet together in a strategic sense. Please pray for us. We are all partners in the Gospel and need to be together to chart our future. While schedules prohibit some from coming, approximately 90 of us will be meeting together.

10. #SBC16
Most of us use social media in some form or another. When you mention our 2016 annual meeting in St. Louis on social media, remember to use the hashtag #SBC16. We will all benefit from sharing with one another in this way.

Finally, these are great days to be part of our Southern Baptist Convention. Please pray for these days leading up to and through our 2016 Southern Baptist Convention on June 14-15.

    About the Author

  • Ronnie Floyd