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DALLAS Southern Baptists of Texas messengers and guests will gather in Dallas for their 20th annual meeting Nov. 13-14 at Criswell College, 4010 Gaston Avenue, east of downtown Dallas. With a theme of Belong, taken from Ephesians 4, SBTC president Nathan Lino sought to create an environment of encouragement for pastors and church members through Spirit-filled preaching, powerful music and relationship-building breakout sessions.
In addition to ministry reports from SBTC departments, speakers include J.R. Vassar of Grapevine bringing the annual convention sermon on Tuesday morning and Tony Evans of Dallas preaching later that night.
Vassar serves as pastor of Church at the Cross in Grapevine. Previously, he founded Apostles Church in New York City in 2005 and served as pastor until 2013.
A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Vassar received a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). He is the author of Glory Hunger: God, the Gospel and Our Quest for Something More.
Evans pastors Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, which he founded in 1976. What began with a group of 10 people has grown to more than 10,000 congregants with over 100 ministries.
Through church and school partnerships, Evans has led the church to affect spiritual and social change around the country with the Adopt-A-School Initiative. He has authored more than 100 books, booklets and Bible studies, including Oneness Embraced and The Kingdom Agenda.
The first African-American to graduate with a doctoral degree from DTS, Evans serves as an associate professor, teaching evangelism, homiletics and black church studies. For three decades he has served as chaplain to the Dallas Mavericks.
SBTC President Nathan Lino, pastor of Northeast Houston Baptist Church in Humble, will deliver his message during the opening session, which begins at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Musicians from his church will be leading in worship.
Other sermons will be delivered throughout the two days in a sequential exposition of Ephesians 4 and part of Ephesians 5. Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano will provide music during the Tuesday sessions.
BELONG GROUPS
Two breakout sessions have been incorporated into the schedule in keeping with the emphasis on belonging.
“We want to give pastors the opportunity to go home with two new friendships,” Lino said. “On Monday night one will be geography-based, taking the 18 zones of SBTC. Dialogue will be built into that for them to meet each other and connect with a pastor who lives nearby.”
The other session replaces the traditional president’s luncheon on Tuesday by grouping participants based on church size. “There will be a presentation by a couple of pastors who have led well in that church size and dialogue for them to meet and connect with another pastor of their church’s size,” he added.
REGISTRATION
Online registration is available for messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. A letter was mailed to SBTC churches in September explaining the process and providing a web address and code for each church.
Churches that used the online pre-registration in prior years will be able to use the same user account again. For additional questions regarding electronic messenger registration, call 877-953-SBTC and speak with Pastor/Church Relations.
CHILDCARE
Childcare is available for newborns through 9-year olds during the annual meeting sessions beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 13. Pre-registration is required at the childcare tab of sbtexas.com/am17. No registration will be taken on site.
