April 25, 2024
The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, TX will host the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting June 12-13. BP/SpecialDALLAS — With a theme of “Testify! Go. Stand. Speak.” the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting will take place June 12-13 at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, TX.
SBC President Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church near Memphis, acknowledged the critical time in the Convention.
"Obviously, we face the challenge of seeking new leaders to fill two of our most important leadership roles – the President of the International Mission Board and the CEO of the SBC Executive Committee," he said. "We must have Godly, Spirit-filled leaders in those positions."
Crossover, Southern Baptists’ annual evangelistic emphasis in the host city, will occur over two days and culminate June 10. That night, California pastor/evangelist Greg Laurie and his Harvest America ministry will host a crusade at AT&T Stadium.
Harvest America, partnering with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, is providing opportunities for Georgia Baptists to join in evangelistic opportunities in the 13-county Metroplex.
Voting for SBC president will take place at 1:50 Tuesday afternoon. North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear will be nominated by Florida pastor Ken Whitten. In February a group of Southern Baptists announced via a state paper their intention to nominate former Southwestern Seminary President Ken Hemphill, currently an administrator at North Greenville (SC) University.
Last week both Greear and Hemphill each responded to a list of questions submitted by Baptist Press and Baptist state paper editors.
In addition to serving as the first African American president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference, Florida pastor H.B. Charles, Jr. will preside over the gathering with the theme of “Fulfill Your Ministry!”
"We are living in critical times. The world at its worst needs the church at its best," Charles, wrote on his website. "To reach this culture and generation for Christ, we must live faithful lives, preach faithful messages, and lead faithful congregations. Each message will be a call to faithfulness."
Along with a diverse lineup of speakers, also preaching will be Frank Pomeroy, pastor of Frist Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX, where a gunman murdered 26 people last fall.
Authors and speakers for a variety of events geared toward women in Dallas include Beth Moore, Lisa Harper, and Sherri Pomeroy of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX.
All events – the Ministers’ Wives Luncheon, Pastors’ Wives Conference, and women’s expo – will be held in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on Level 2, Ballrooms A1-4. The conference, slated for Monday, June 11 from 8:45-11:45 a.m., will feature Harper, Moore, and Pomeroy and is free with no registration required. Registration for the Tuesday luncheon with Harper as its keynote speaker, however, has reached maximum capacity.
Southern Baptist groups such as the National African American Fellowship, National Asian American Fellowship, Korean Council, Filipino Southern Baptist Fellowship, and Fellowship of Native American Christians will hold their annual meetings corresponding with the Southern Baptist Convention gathering. In addition, the six SBC seminaries will host their luncheons for alumni and guests on Wednesday, June 13.
Georgia Baptists join others nominated to serve as trustees on several boards among various SBC entities. For the full list click here.
With additional reporting by Shawn Hendricks of Baptist Press.
