Evangelism conference focuses on the Cross

Evangelism conference focuses on the Cross

By Brian Koonce

Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD – Missouri Baptists will be asked to Raise the Cross during the 2009 Evangelism Conference Jan. 26-27 at Second Baptist Church here.

“The speakers are going to be challenging the participants to go back to their churches – their Jerusalems – and enlist others and engage their church family with their community in praying, training, sowing the Gospel and seeing a harvest of souls,” said Gary Taylor, director of evangelism for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC).

Theme of the 2009 Evangelism Conference is “Restoring Passion, Raising the Cross,” based on Matthew 22:37 and John 12:32.

Taylor said he hopes the conference will encourage churches to have a high attendance event Easter Sunday, April 12, and then a statewide baptism effort two weeks after that on April 26.

“Surveys show that 82 percent of unchurched people say they would attend Easter Sunday if they were invited,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what kind of harvest God would give.”

Taylor said those who attend are in for an “all-star lineup” of speakers. They include Thom Rainer, Ken Weathersby, Charles Roesel, Larry Wynn, Steve Hale and Joe White. Rainer is the president of Lifeway Christian Resources and Weathersby is the executive vice president for the North American Mission Baord (NAMB). Roesel is an expert in servant-evangelism. Hale is a leader in revival preparation. Wynn is a pastor from Dacula, Ga., and led that church from 100 in attendance to more than 2,000 today. White is the president of Kanakuk Kamps. He has spoken at numerous Promise Keepers events and will close the 2-day conference by constructing a cross on stage.

“That’s going to be a way to really visualize and verbalize the literal boosting high of the cross of Lord Jesus,” Taylor said.

The breakouts sessions will feature MBC staffers Mark Donnell, Matt Kearns, Lyle Witcher and David Tolliver. Also presenting are David McAlpin, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, Edna Roesel, Heber Mena, Jeanne Burns, and Jeff Ferguson. Bob Sena and Gustavo Suarez will be leading a special Hispanic and multi-ethnic track.

For more information, contact Betty Benz at 1-800-736-6227, ext. 656 or bbenz@mobaptist.org. A promotional flyer is also available at www.mobaptist.org/evangelism.