Missouri Baptist messengers set for annual meeting in Springfield
By Allen Palmeri
Staff Writer
October 18, 2005
JEFFERSON CITY– Gov. Matt Blunt and H.B. London, Jr., vice president of Ministry Outreach/Pastoral Ministries for Focus on the Family, are among the scheduled speakers for the 171st annual meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Oct. 24-26 at Second Baptist Church, Springfield.
Blunt is scheduled to speak at 2:45 p.m., Oct. 25, and London will be the closing speaker at 11:30 a.m., Oct. 26. Other featured speakers and musicians will be: Mitchell Jackson, MBC president, and pastor, Miner Baptist Church, Sikeston; Terry Hopkins, minister of missions, First Baptist Church, Snellville, Ga.; Wade Akins, founder of the Pioneer Evangelism program for the International Mission Board; Wayne Isgriggs, pastor, First Baptist Church, Lincoln, and a member of the MBC Executive Board; and The Hoppers, an award-winning group that has spent more than 48 years singing Southern Gospel music.
The session will be called to order by Jackson at 6:45 p.m. Oct. 24. David Clippard, MBC executive director, will give his report that evening, followed later by Jackson’s presidential address.
“I don’t want it just to be a business session,” Jackson said. “I want it to be inspirational. I want people to be inspired to impact their culture and to have a ministry that would impact their own families.”
Theme interpretation will be done through drama this year. Second Act, the drama ministry of Second Baptist Springfield, under the direction of Denise Schriver, will be featured five times throughout the convention. The theme of this year’s meeting is “So Send I You,” from John 20:21.
Other musical guests will include: Darryl Griggs, minister of music for Miner Baptist Church; Joe Crider of the host church, leading a choir and orchestra; the Brant Family Gospel Bluegrass Band from Knob Noster; the music ministry of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Springfield; the praise team of Calvary Baptist Church, Republic; and Rich Lee, minister of music and worship, Oak Grove Baptist Church.
The preaching and singing will be interspersed with reports from MBC agencies and committees, motions and votes on recommendations from the MBC Executive Board, introduction of, and votes on, resolutions, and the election of officers. An update on the legal situation involving the convention and the five breakaway agencies will be given by Gary Taylor, pastor, First Baptist Church, O’Fallon, and chairman of the MBC Legal Task Force, during the morning session Oct. 25 (Tuesday).
Perhaps the issue that will draw the most interest of messengers will be single alignment. The issue will be debated and a tentative vote by messengers is scheduled following the Committee on Continuing Review’s report at 3 p.m. on Oct. 25. For a complete report on the single alignment issue, see pages 18-21.
The MBC website at www.mobaptist.org has comprehensive details.
The annual meeting will also feature its usual plethora of exhibitors.