By Staff
SPRINGFIELD—The Southern Baptist seminary president whose writing and sermon delivery helped shape the ideas that drove the Great Commission Resurgence to its ultimate passage in the 2010 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) at Orlando, Fla., will be a featured speaker Oct. 25 during the Pastors’ Conference at the Expo Center.
Danny Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C., is seen as a bit of a force in international missions right now. Two years ago, he began writing on the topic of “Answering the Call to a Great Commission Resurgence,” doing so in the context of theology and vision. Last year he wrote a booklet published by Southeastern detailing axioms of a Great Commission Resurgence.
In Springfield he will speak twice as one of two main speakers that are charged with addressing the theme of “The Pastor’s Life; The Pastor’s Leadership.” His first message will focus on the portrait of a faithful shepherd and will begin at 9:15 a.m. His second message will delve into the church that pleases God and will start at 2:45 p.m. The other main speaker with two messages is Ed Stetzer, newly elected vice president for research and ministry development, LifeWay Christian Resources.
Over the years, Akin has been active in both domestic and foreign missions with work among the Papago Indians in Sells, Ariz., and in Australia, Thailand, Paraguay, India, Kenya, Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. His scholarly mind has been directed toward the sober 12th century writings of Bernard of Clairvaux, whose hymn, “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded,” lifts up the idea of dying well.
On www.mbcpc.org, Doug Shivers, president, Pastors’ Conference and pastor, Boulevard Baptist Church, Springfield, communicates his hope that the conference will be “for your good and God’s glory.” Pastors who come this year are being encouraged to live as subjects of King Jesus, with the morning sessions aimed at helping pastors become better disciples.
The afternoon session, Shivers said, is designed with a challenge in mind—to fulfill our calling to see Christ’s kingdom expand.
“May this be a time, not for regret, but for a renewed sense of purpose to put Christ’s Kingdom first,” Shivers said.
Stetzer is frequently quoted in Southern Baptist media as an expert on planting and revitalizing churches. His assorted presentations and training modules are in high demand as he has imparted missiological wisdom on five continents. In the lead-up to the annual meeting he will be crafting two talks for the Springfield audience that can be applied in the context of a pastor’s unique needs.
The first Stetzer message will be at 10:15 a.m. on the topic of transforming spectators, or folks who generally watch instead of do, into something that the conference organizers are calling “mission-shaped disciples.” His second talk will revolve around the idea of being compelled by love.
Shivers is ministering to pastors from around the state out of the context of an extended tenure. His service at Boulevard goes back to 1994. He grew up in Richland and went to college at Southwest Baptist University.
Shivers will be assisted during the day by the other two officers, President-Elect Matt Marrs and Treasurer Micah Fries.
Marrs is pastor of Northland Baptist Church, Kansas City. Fries is pastor of Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church, St. Joseph.
The session will wind down with a question and answer session that could last up to 45 minutes.