By Staff
CROSSOVER
Ahead of the Annual Meeting and Pastors Conference, Southern Baptists are set to gather for Crossover in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday, June 8, to blitz the city with the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the goal of visiting 20,000 homes.
The metropolitan population is 1 million people, with 2 million living within 30 minutes of the city.
A hub church in each of seven associations in and around Birmingham will serve as a base of operations, according toSammy Gilbreath, Alabama Baptists’ state director of evangelism.
He told the Alabama Baptist it will be an opportunity to present the Gospel to an area that is very unchurched.
“While we have a lot of churches — 3,280 in Alabama Baptist life — there are a lot of people, a huge population in metro Birmingham, that are not connected to any church,“ he explained. “Not only are we getting the opportunity to knock on 20,000 doors, it’s giving us an event that provides an opportunity to train our own people in the state of Alabama to do this in their own communities.”
But Crossover is an opportunity for other Southern Baptists to learn and do evangelism as well.
Preston Nix, professor of evangelism and evangelistic preaching atthe New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, told the Baptist Message the school will take part in a week-long “evangelistic boot camp” for students, starting June 3 in Birmingham. Thirty NOBTS students will complete evangelism training and conduct door-to-door witnessing with activities culminating June 8 with Crossover.
“The students love it because they get hands on experience sharing the Gospel,” Nix said. “Most of them tell me it’s a life changing experience. It changes their lives and ministry and focus. Most of them are scared to death to do door–to–door and street witnessing at the beginning of the week. Then, by the end, they come away with confidence and realize it’s not as hard as they thought.”
CANDIDATES
Information (2018) provided for each candidate’s church includes: average worship attendance, total baptisms, the ratio of baptisms to worship attendance, undesignated receipts, contributions through the main funding channel, Cooperative Program, or CP and the CP percentage and per capita amount, Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and per capita amount, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and per capita amount, as well as Great Commission Giving (a combination of CP as well as direct gifts to SBC ministries) and per capita amount.
Data for the SBC:
Worship: 5,297,788
Baptisms: 246,442
Ratio: 1:21
Undesig.: $9,601,534,950
CP: $462,662,332 (4.8%, $87.33)
LMCO: $158,890,638 ($29.99)
AAEO: $61,100,000 ($11.53)
GCG: $572,281,994 ($108.02)
President
J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, will be nominated for a second term as SBC president.
Worship: 9,280
Baptisms: 616
Ratio: 1:15
Undesig.: $21,652,266
CP: $519,655 (2.4%, $56.00)
LMCO: $280,000 ($30.17)
AAEO: 0 (0)
GCG: $3,159,848 ($340.50)
First Vice President
Mashal Ausberry, pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church in Fairfax, Virginia, will be nominated for SBC first vice president.
Worship: 1,035
Baptisms: 16
Ratio: 1:65
Undesig.: $3,075,263
CP: $26,000 (0.8%, $25.12)
LMCO: $1,000 ($0.97)
AAEO: not reported
GCG: $268,000 ($258.94)
Second Vice President
Noe Garcia, pastor of the North Phoenix Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona, will be nominated for SBC second vice president.
Worship: 1,480
Baptisms: 97
Ratio: 1:15
Undesig.: $4,013,303
CP: $100,826 (2.5%, $68.13)
LMCO: $68,614 ($46.36)
AAEO: $6,470 ($4.37)
GCG: $266,477 ($180.05)
Recording Secretary
John Yeats, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention and a member of the Deer Creek Baptist Church in Cuba, Missouri, will be re-nominated for SBC recording secretary. He has served in this post since 1997.
Worship: 92
Baptisms: 8
Ratio: 1:11
Undesig.: $153,413
CP: $15,467 (10.1%, $168.12)
LMCO: $1,000 ($10.87)
AAEO: $2,150 ($23.37)
GCG: $27,890 ($303.15)
Eddie Eaton, pastor of Fuquay-Varina Baptist Church in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, will be nominated for SBC recording secretary.
Worship: 285
Baptisms: 5
Ratio: 1:57
Undesig.: $791,540
CP: $37,152 (4.7%, $130.36)
LMCO: $17,263 ($60.57)
AAEO: $7,881 ($27.65)
GCG: $69,234 ($242.93)
Registration Secretary
Don Currence, administrative pastor of the First Baptist Church in Ozark, Missouri, will be re-nominated for SBC registration secretary. He has served in that post since 2017.
Worship: 586
Baptisms: 8
Ratio: 1:73
Undesig.: $1,509,924
CP: $102,707 (6.8%, $175.27)
LMCO: $41,520 ($70.85)
AAEO: $7,724 ($13.18)
GCG: $242,789 ($414.32)
Kathy Litton, director of planter spouse development with the North American Mission Board and a member of the Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama, will be nominated for SBC registration secretary.
Worship: 1,271
Baptisms: 133
Ratio: 1:10
Undesig.: $3,298,747
CP: $121,146 (3.7%, $95.32)
LMCO: $30,200 ($23.76)
AAEO: $30,000 ($23.60)
GCG: not reported
COMMITTEES
Nominees to serve as the trustees over the various national cooperative ministries of the Southern Baptist Convention as well as members on the Committee on Order of Business have been selected by the 2019 SBC Committee on Nominations, and include a number of Louisiana Baptists. If elected by the messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, June 11-12 in Birmingham, Ala., nominees will serve beginning at the close of the last session.
Executive Committee (86 members): Nominated for second term — Philip J. Robertson, Deville. Also serving — Charles (Glynn) Rhinehart, Lafayette, and Mike Holloway, Eros.
International Mission Board (76 trustees): Nominated for second term — Chuck Pourciau, Shreveport. Also serving – Joel G. Williams, St. Francisville, and E. Gibbie McMillan, Kentwood.
North American Mission Board (52 trustees): None. Also serving – Frederick (Scott) Leachman, Ruston, and Gevan L. Spinney, Haughton.
GuideStone Financial Resources (43 trustees): None. Also serving – John D. Cameron, West Monroe and John (Johnny) D. Hoychick, Jr., Rayville.
LifeWay Christian Resources (51 trustees): None. Also serving – Harry Forester, Shreveport, and J.D. Perry, Baton Rouge.
Gateway Seminary (39 trustees): None. Also serving – David E. Crosby, New Orleans.
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (35 trustees): None. Also serving – Randall H. Tompkins, Alexandria.
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (40 trustees): Amanda T. Walker, Ruston. Also serving – Jackie A. Myers, Sicily Island; John P. Foster, New Orleans; Leland Crawford, Minden; Jerry W. Price, Monroe; Eddie Wren, Rayville; Stephen N. Horn, Alexandria; and, Waylon Bailey, Covington.
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (30 trustees):Nominated for second term — Sam F. Wheat, Ruston.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (42 trustees): James O. Jenkins, Shreveport. Also serving – Julie C. Emerson, Lafayette.
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (40 trustees): None. Also serving – Leon A. Stamm, Ruston.
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (34 trustees): None.Also serving – Ryan E. Gatti, Bossier City.
Committee on Order of Business (7 members): Steven F. Bates, Winnfield.
