[1]ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–Leading into a soon-to-be launched National Evangelism Initiative (NEI) in the Southern Baptist Convention, the North American Mission Board has launched a comprehensive three-week media campaign through June 14 in Indianapolis, site of the SBC’s June 10-11 annual meeting.
The campaign is designed to introduce Indianapolis citizens to Southern Baptists, some 10,000 of whom will flock to the city for the SBC’s 2008 annual meeting, and for Crossover’08 the weekend before, when an estimated 800 Baptist volunteers will arrive to share the Gospel throughout the Indianapolis inner city and metro area.
With a theme of “We Are Southern Baptists,” the media campaign includes a 30-second television spot, radio spots, full-page print ads and a new website, www.wearesouthernbaptists.org [2], aimed at introducing people to the ministry work of Southern Baptists throughout the world. The TV ad features the Casting Crowns’ song, “Every Man.”
The website includes a summary of the history, beliefs and statistics of the Southern Baptist Convention, made up of more than 16 million members in 44,000-plus autonomous churches throughout North America. The site also links visitors with a Gospel presentation; enables the downloading of an e-book on “The Most Important Thing” and gives the number of NAMB’s Evangelistic Response Center, 1-888-JESUS2008. It also allows visitors to find the closest Southern Baptist church in their area.
Following the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis, state Baptist conventions and local associations will have the opportunity to adapt the media campaign for state and local use.
The advertising precedes the National Evangelism Initiative that SBC President Frank Page and NAMB President Geoff Hammond will introduce at the upcoming SBC annual meeting.
[3]“Southern Baptists share a commitment to biblical truth -– and a commitment to sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with everyone, everywhere. This includes sponsoring more than 10,000 missionaries in North America and around the world,” according to the website.
Looking toward the launch of the NEI, Hammond said, “Who would have thought that we as a team would have the privilege of launching an historic evangelism initiative for Southern Baptists?
“Our dream is to see every Southern Baptist believer sharing the Gospel and every person in North America hearing it by 2020,” Hammond said. “Why would we want anything less?”
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Mickey Noah is a writer for the North American Mission Board. To view the “We Are Southern Baptists” ad, click here [4].