JEFFERSON CITY—Bob Loggins, prayer and spiritual awakening specialist for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC), is going back to the basics for the MBC’s 177th annual meeting Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at Tan-Tar-A, Osage Beach.
Instead of a Solemn Assembly, which has been the featured prayer element for the past three years, a total of three prayer times lasting 30 minutes apiece will launch each day.
“Three prayers, three days,” Loggins said. “I think three is a divine number, so we’re going to do a complete prayer.”
The previous Solemn Assembly encounters, which Loggins would like to see become ongoing experiences in Missouri Baptist life, were “excellent opportunities for people to come and engage with God.”
The new way at the annual meeting will involve people gathering in Room 74 off the main meeting hall from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. simply to pray.
“We’re serving it up in a way to make it more equitable and more efficacious for our people,” Loggins said.
Events of each day will be the focus of the prayers. Pastors speaking at the Pastors Conference will be prayed for by name, Loggins said. On the second day the prayer emphasis would include annual meeting speakers and MBC staff. The third day would be similar.
“The most important thing that I see is that we cover the convention and our churches and leaders in genuine, heartfelt prayer,” Loggins said. “Our own personal repentance and corporate repentance are always wrapped into that. Dealing with sin, dealing with our relationships as brothers in Christ—we are the family of God. We are God’s people, and (we ask God) to help us to understand how important that is, as we walk together in oneness in Christ.”
Loggins also announced that Frank Welch, director of missions, Salt River Baptist Association, will be over the annual meeting Prayer Room.
ALLEN PALMERI/associate editor
apalmeri@mobaptist.org