2007 Evangelism Conference to help with the struggles of the modern church

By Lauren Urtel
Jan. 26, 2007

Brandon (FBC)—Even though Florida ranked second in the Southern Baptist Convention for baptisms in the 2005-2006 church year, an estimated 13 million spiritually lost persons still live in the state and 1,000 new residents move here each year. The 2007 State Evangelism Conference March 5-6 at First Baptist Church of Brandon is designed to equip Florida’s church leaders with intentional ministry tools for reaching these individuals in their communities.

The 21st century church not only faces internal struggles but a culture that finds it “irrelevant and dissonant,” said David Burton, director of the Florida Baptist Convention’s Evangelism Division. “Language barriers, methodology and worship style wars are often killing us [the church].”

The 2007 conference, with the theme, “The CROSS . . . Makes the Difference,” will feature proven church leaders sharing how to impact communities by focusing on the different areas of ministry within the church.

“My hope for this event is that it sets the pace for a stronger evangelistic mindset in our state,” said Burton. “I hope each person who attends leaves with a mission-conscious mindset, intentional evangelistic goals and motivation in their soul-winning efforts.”

Ed Young, senior pastor of Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, will be the keynote at the conference, speaking Monday evening on how to build a church in the 21st century.

“We will especially talk about from birth all the way through high school. There is my passion,” said Young in a video address to Florida Baptists. “How do you reach kids today? I’ll give you secrets of Biblical insight I believe will radically change your church.”

Second Baptist baptized 2,000 new converts in 2006.

Several of Young’s staff members will lead breakout groups Tuesday morning. These are: Lisa Milne, program coordinator, adult track; Doug Page, North Campus pastor, youth track; Steve Seelig, associate pastor, children’s track; and Mark Terry, minister of music, music track.

Florida’s own Troy Gramling, pastor of Flamingo Road Church in Cooper City, will speak Monday evening as well. Gramling’s church, known for its nontraditional approach to ministry, baptized 732 people in 2006.

Young and Gramling will also take part in a panel discussion Tuesday afternoon.

The panel discussion will be opened by William Rice, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater and 2007 Florida Baptist State Convention President, who will deliver a sermon prior to the discussion.

The panel will be comprised of church leaders from across the state, including Tim Passmore, pastor, Woodland Community Church in Bradenton; and Rodney Baker, pastor, Hopeful Baptist Church in Lake City. The discussion will include a question and answer segment.

Music during the two-day meeting will feature recording artist Russ Lee, former lead singer with NewSong and DOVE award winner; and Terry Williams, director of Florida’s Church Music Department and the Florida Baptist Men’s Worship Choir and Orchestra.

Participants may choose 2 of 10 interest groups offered Monday afternoon.

Convention staff leading these conferences include: Rick Shepherd, director, Prayer and Spiritual Awakening Department; Maxie Miller, interim director, African-American Ministries Division; Herman Rios, director, Language Evangelism Department and Stewardship; and Bill Carmichael, director, Discipleship and Family Department.

Other topics and leaders include: “Building Powerful Evangelism Teams,” Rick Wheeler, director, Office of Leadership Development; “CROSS Web-Evangelism,” Jeff Hessinger, director, Personal Evangelism Department; and “The Home, the Disciple Making Place,” Gary Nichols, associate, Discipleship and Family Department.

Other leaders and conferences include: Kitty Hogan, children’s minister at Chets Creek Church in Jacksonville, “Children and Conversion;” and Will McRaney, associate professor for evangelism, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, “Total Church Evangelism.”

Preceding and during the main conference, four additional events will take place.

The host church, First Brandon, is sponsoring a pre-conference event “Confronting Culture through Biblical Truth,” March 2-4, featuring four Baptist seminary presidents speaking on different aspects of the theme.

Speakers and their topics are: Phil Roberts, president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo., “Confronting False Teachings” Friday, March 2; Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, “Confronting Moral Issues,” Saturday, March 3; Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ken., “Developing a Theological Framework,” Sunday morning, March 4; and Charles Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; New Orleans, La., “Developing an Evangelistic Framework; Sunday evening, March 4.

In conjunction with the Luis Palau Tampa Bay Festival, March 3-4, a “Pre-Festival Rally” for youth will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, March 2, at First Baptist Church of Temple Terrace. The speaker and band have not been announced.

On Saturday, March 3, beginning at 9:30 a.m. two events will be offered in conjunction for Florida Baptist women at the Brandon church. “Choices of the Heart,” an evangelism training for women, will feature speaker Margaret Kay Tucker, a member of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville. Tucker, who has been sharing at events since 1988, will focus on “a passion to know him, a passion to serve him and a passion to share him,” she said.

Following a complimentary lunch, at 1 p.m. a training session for Florida Baptist women’s ministries leaders will be conducted by Andrea Hall, associate in the Convention’s Women’s Missions and Ministries Department.

On, Tuesday, March 6, the “Everyone Can” Senior Adult Evangelism Conference will take place at First Brandon. Dave McClamma, associate pastor of First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, and Bo Mitchell, Florida Baptist Convention evangelism consultant, will lead the event. The conference is designed to help church leaders reach more seniors in their communities with a special focus on “EvangeCube” (a handheld witnessing tool that illustrates the Christian story of salvation) training. Each participating Senior Adult Ministry will receive one free large training EvangeCube.

For more information on the Evangelism Conference or any of the accompanying events, please call 800-226-8584, ext. 3090 or go online to the Evangelism page on this site.