Published: June 20, 2009
This year at the 152 session of the Southern Baptist Convention, ministry leaders from all across the nation will gather to proclaim to the world that ‘actions speak louder than words.'
Beginning June 23, the Southern Baptist Convention will be held in Louisville, Kentucky. This year's theme is: Love Loud: Actions Speak Louder Than Words."
To watch this year's SBC Conference live, click here!
Pastor Johnny Hunt, SBC president and pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia, believes that this year's conference will serve as a time for the church to demonstrate what Christ is all about.
"Across America, people are thinking less and less of Christian groups," says Hunt. "I think it's because we always talk about what we believe and don't spend near as much time demonstrating it. If it's really all about the glory of God, we ought to be doing things that cause people to see our good works and glorify our God in heaven."
While thanks in part to the "Conservative Resurgence," more Southern Baptists have made it clear that they are "people of the Book," Hunt believes the denomination must do more. "I it seems like we have done less with what we believe than we were doing before. The numbers all substantiate that."
Hunt adds, "We have declared that we are a people of the Book, but it's time to demonstrate what that means. The world is still waiting and watching."
This year's conference will include a ‘State of the Convention' address delivered by Hunt, one he hopes will focus on change and a ‘Great Commission resurgence' among all Southern Baptist Churches.
Other keynote speakers will include Daniel L. Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., Vance Pitman, senior pastor of Hope Baptist Church in Las Vegas, David Platt, senior pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Ala., and Jeff W. Crook, pastor of Blackshear Place Baptist Church in Flowery Branch, Ga.
Hunt believes that having Pitman, Platt and Crook speak this year will best represent a younger generation of leaders and pastors whose voice ‘needs to be heard.'
"What we are presenting is not just what we want to see done but what I am hearing as I crisscross the convention. Grassroots Southern Baptists know there needs to be a change," Hunt said. "We are a declining denomination. Sometimes it comes across that we are maintaining an institution instead of instituting a movement.
"We've got to turn this thing around. The bow of our ship -- the old Gospel, Southern Baptist Convention ship -- is floating low in the water," Hunt said. "There evidently are some things we need to remove so we can get higher and there are some things we need to add so we can move toward our destination.
"This year's program leads us to embrace what we believe would be a Great Commission resurgence. It calls us to action," Hunt concluded. "If we buy into what we are going to present, I believe it has a chance to start a major turn in our denomination."
To watch this year's SBC Conference live, click here!
For more up-to-the-minute information on this year's SBCconvention, log onto www.sbcannualmeeting.net.
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