608 messengers attend pre-convention inspirational rally

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RSBC sanctuary
The Roswell Street Baptist Church Choir and Orchestra open the Sunday evening inspirational rally with “Holy, Holy, Holy.” A total of 608 individuals attended the service. JOE WESTBURY/Index
The Roswell Street Baptist Church Choir and Orchestra open the Sunday evening inspirational rally with “Holy, Holy, Holy.” A total of 608 individuals attended the service. JOE WESTBURY/Index

MARIETTA — Falling temperatures, heavy rain, and traffic-snarled highways and interstates were not enough to keep 608 worshippers from attending Sunday night’s inspirational rally prior to the opening session of the Georgia Baptist Convention annual meeting.

GBC President Don Hattaway welcomes the crowd to the Sunday evening session. Hattaway is ending his second one-year term and will be succeeded by a new president at the end of this year’s convention. Pastors Jerry Speers of Columbus and Tom Hammond of Alpharetta are expected to be nominated for the post. JOE WESTBURY/Index
GBC President Don Hattaway welcomes the crowd to the Sunday evening session. Hattaway is ending his second one-year term and will be succeeded by a new president at the end of this year’s convention. Pastors Jerry Speers of Columbus and Tom Hammond of Alpharetta are expected to be nominated for the post. JOE WESTBURY/Index

Roswell Street Baptist Church is serving as the host church for the two-day event which opens at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. Theme is Awaken 2015 with Cartersville pastor Don Hattaway presiding as president.

The first evening’s session will follow the Executive Committee meeting at 10:30 a.m. and the afternoon Pastor’s Conference from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. IMB President David Platt will be one of several guest speakers.

The evening opening session will feature special music guests Keith and Kristyn Getty of Nashville. The Irish duo are returning for a second year to lead music in the first session.

Guest speakers for the 194th annual meeting will include SBC President Ronnie Floyd, pastor of Cross Church of Springdale, AR; GBC President Don Hattaway of Tabernacle Baptist, Cartersville; First Baptist Church of Dallas, TX, Pastor Robert Jeffress; Claude King of LifeWay Christian Resources of Nashville; Glenn Sheppard, president of International Prayer Ministries of Lee’s Summit, MO; Barry Snapp, pastor of Victory Baptist Church of Rockmart; Brad Waters, pastor of First Baptist Church of Hazlehurst; and GBC Executive Director J. Robert White.

GBC Executive Director J. Robert White shares the good news of how Missions Georgia is reaching the state’s 7.1-million lost residents out of a population of 10 million. JOE WESTBURY/Index
GBC Executive Director J. Robert White shares the good news of how Mission Georgia is reaching the state’s 7.1-million lost residents out of a population of 10 million. JOE WESTBURY/Index

Emphasis on spiritual renewal

The theme will continue Hattaway’s emphasis on prayer for spiritual renewal and revival. The hashtag for commenting online is #Awaken2015.

A popular feature from last year’s meeting, called Coffee Shop Talk, will again allow informal time with program personalities throughout the event. Messengers are encouraged to meet the personality of their choosing around a table and dialogue in a small-group setting.

Monday’s opening session will be preceded with a Coffee Shop Talk with IMB missionary Edmund Brannen.

Two pastors are expected to be nominated as GBC president to follow out-going President Hattaway. Thomas Hammond, who serves as pastor of First Baptist Church of Alpharetta, and Jerry Speer, pastor of Northside Baptist Church of Columbus, will allow their names to be placed in nomination.

Georgia Baptist state missionary Yong Nam Suh, foreground, who serves as a Korean church planter, and Intercultural Church Ministries department head Jerry Baker, background, set up their booth on Sunday night. JOE WESTBURY/Index
Georgia Baptist state missionary Yong Nam Suh, foreground, who serves as a Korean church planter, and Intercultural Church Ministries department head Jerry Baker, background, set up their booth on Sunday night. JOE WESTBURY/Index

Backpacks to be collected

Messengers will bring backpacks to the meeting to be delivered to ministry sites throughout Appalachia.

Last year Georgia Baptists provided a record 22,501 backpacks – 700 more than 2013 – with very little advance promotion and no set goal. This year, state missionary Frank Nuckolls said a goal of 25,000 will help even more children receive spiritual as well as material blessings in the impoverished region.

For more information and a schedule visit www.christianindex.org and look for the annual meeting schedule under the “news” drop down menu.

Download the GBC app for a more complete schedule and posting of reports that will be viewed by messengers.

State missionary Buck Burch, who serves in Cooperative Program and Stewardship Ministries, delivers a box of materials to the booth he was setting up in the exhibit hall in Roswell Street’s gymnasium. JOE WESTBURY/Index
State missionary Buck Burch, who serves in Cooperative Program and Stewardship Ministries, delivers a box of materials to the booth he was setting up in the exhibit hall in Roswell Street’s gymnasium. JOE WESTBURY/Index
Glenn Sheppard, president of International Prayer Ministries of Lee’s Summit, MO, challenges attendees to not neglect their prayer life as he delivers the inspirational rally message on Sunday night. The evening service at Marietta’s Roswell Street Baptist Church was attended by 608 in spite of heavy rain, falling temperatures, and wrecks on adjoining interstate highways. JOE WESTBURY/Index
Glenn Sheppard, president of International Prayer Ministries of Lee’s Summit, MO, challenges attendees to not neglect their prayer life as he delivers the inspirational rally message on Sunday night. The evening service at Marietta’s Roswell Street Baptist Church was attended by 608 in spite of heavy rain, falling temperatures, and wrecks on adjoining interstate highways. JOE WESTBURY/Index
Georgia Baptists’ three educational institutions – Shorter University, Truett-McConnell College, and Brewton-Parker College – are well represented at this year’s annual meeting. Peter Faulkner, vice president of development at Mount Vernon-based Brewton-Parker, gently balances a stack of plastic cups being given away at his booth. JOE WESTBURY/Index
Georgia Baptists’ three educational institutions – Shorter University, Truett-McConnell College, and Brewton-Parker College – are well represented at this year’s annual meeting. Peter Faulkner, vice president of development at Mount Vernon-based Brewton-Parker, gently balances a stack of plastic cups being given away at his booth. JOE WESTBURY/Index
J. Eric Mattison, vice president of administration and advancement at Baptist Village, drove from Waycross to provide literature and educate Georgia Baptists about the senior adult ministry. JOE WESTBURY/Index
J. Eric Mattison, vice president of administration and advancement at Baptist Village, drove from Waycross to provide literature and educate Georgia Baptists about the senior adult ministry. JOE WESTBURY/Index
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Joe Westbury

Former Index managing editor Joe Westbury served with the news journal for 20 years before retiring earlier this year. The career journalist with the Southern Baptist Convention for 42 years has traveled extensively telling the story of Southern Baptist missionaries at home and around the world. He is a 1974 graduate of Union University. Westbury served as a career journalist at The Jackson (TN) Sun newspaper, the former Baptist Brotherhood Commission, the former Home Mission Board, and the North American Mission Board before joining The Index in January 1998.

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