English
Korean
Spanish
NASHVILLE – May 26 marked the first of three consecutive Wednesdays in which Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear invited Southern Baptists into “committed, specific times of prayer and fasting,” leading up to the SBC Annual Meeting in Nashville June 15-16. See Prayer.
From the adoption of resolutions to elections of officers to the approval of a new financial plan, messengers to the 2021 meeting will deal with the business of the national convention. They will also have opportunities to attend events sponsored by SBC entities and related groups.
The SBC’s Send Conference will precede the annual meeting. For details, visit Send Conference.
For our readers attending, here is an overview of what to expect in Nashville.
SBTC @ the SBC
SBTC friends will want to mark their calendars for 7:30 p.m. June 14 for the SBTC’s Texan reception at the JW Marriott Symphony Ballroom D/E/F. The event is for “Texans, former Texans or anyone wishing to be a Texan” and no ticket is required. More information is available at sbtexas.com/sbc.
New tech
To keep track of all events, including each day’s schedule, messengers will be able to download the upgraded annual meeting app: SBC annual meeting app. Livestreaming of events will also be available via the app. As business takes place Tuesday and Wednesday, June 15-16, messengers wishing to participate in making a motion or an amendment to business items are requested to do so by email prior to the time of business. For more information, see SBC annual meeting tech.
Candidates 2021
In addition to Al Mohler, Jr., Ed Litton, Randy Adams and Mike Stone—the four announced candidates for the SBC presidency profiled by the TEXAN online and in the January, April and May print editions—multiple nominees will be presented for the other offices. At this writing, candidates include Lee Brand and Anthony Dockery for first vice president of the SBC. For second vice president, Javier Chavez, Dusty Durbin and Ramón Medina are the announced candidates. John Yeats will be nominated for recording secretary and Don Currence for registration secretary.
Nominations for all offices remain open until the time of election at the SBC Annual Meeting and Send Conference.
Revamped business plan
Messengers at the annual meeting will be presented an updated business and financial plan approved by SBC Executive Committee members on May 11. For more information, see SBC new business plan.
Panels, exhibits, resources
The SBC Executive Committee’s Vision Stage will feature panel discussions on topics relevant to Vision 2025, the comprehensive plan to advance the Great Commission adopted this year.
“Baptists are best when we have the opportunity to dialogue together. The Vision Stage will provide a family-friendly atmosphere where helpful conversations will take place,” said Willie McLaurin, the EC’s vice president for Great Commission relations and mobilization.
A growing slate of featured panelists will include SBC EC President Ronnie Floyd; International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood; North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell; Franklin Avenue Baptist Church Pastor Fred Luter of New Orleans; First Baptist Church of Cleveland, Tenn., Pastor Jordan Easley; Long Hollow Baptist Church Pastor Robby Gallaty of Hendersonville, Tenn.; and D.A. Horton, associate teaching pastor of The Grove Community Church in Riverside, Calif.
This year’s panel discussions will focus on advancing missions and ministry through the CP, McLaurin said. A select group of the more than 1,500 individuals who have been engaged virtually in the SBC Young Leader Pipeline will participate in a special panel discussion.
Other panels will focus on a variety of relevant topics. To find out more, see Panels and exhibits.
Revised ministry assignments for Lifeway, NAMB
Messengers will also vote on proposed changes to the mission and ministry statements of Lifeway that, in turn, will affect the North American Mission Board.
At the February SBC Executive Committee meeting, the Committee on Convention Missions and Ministry presented a motion to amend the missions and ministry assignment of Lifeway Christian Resources. Within those revisions, which were approved by Lifeway trustees in January, the entity would move away from collegiate ministry responsibilities to focus more on Vacation Bible School and camps as well as Bible and book publishing.
In May, NAMB trustees voted unanimously on a resolution formally requesting ownership of the collegiate ministry assignment as Southern Baptists’ domestic missions agency. The changes were approved by the Executive Committee May 11 and now await final approval by messengers in Nashville. More details are available at Lifeway NAMB changes.
Women’s events, other events
Events, dinners and fellowship opportunities abound sponsored by SBC entities and affiliates. From health checks offered by Guidestone to meals sponsored by the IMB, NAMB, WMU and the seminaries, messengers may choose from a host of events when they are not perusing the exhibit hall.
Women’s events will be well represented in Nashville, including the women’s track at the June 13-14 Send Conference and the Women’s Expo at the Karl F. Dean Grand Ballroom on June 14. Various events offering encouragement, networking and development will be available.
Several ancillary Baptist groups have also planned meetings in conjunction with the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting in Nashville. They include 9Marks, B21, the Conservative Baptist Network and the Pillar Network.
For the big picture of women’s and other events, visit Events.
Cross-cultural and multiethnic opportunities
Cross-cultural cooperation, communication and understanding within the Southern Baptist Convention are goals of the National African American Fellowship (NAAF) approaching the annual meeting, according to NAAF President Marshal Ausberry. See NAAF meeting.
NAAF, a fellowship of 3,700 predominantly African American Southern Baptist churches and missions, will hold its annual business meeting and George Liele Missions banquet held in advance of the SBC Annual Meeting. NAAF is among several ethnically specific fellowships in the SBC, including Asian, Hispanic and other groups.
The first Asian American Collective will meet Sunday, June 13, one of several events geared for Asian American messengers. For more details, see Asian American collective.
On Sunday and Monday, June 13-14, Spanish-speaking pastors and leaders will fellowship and train to be “Firmes y Adelante” (Steadfast and Forward), the Send Conference’s Spanish-language theme. The two-day conference, sponsored by the North American Mission Board, will take place in the Karl F. Dean Ballroom (level 4) of the Music City Center in downtown Nashville, alongside the English-language conference in the same building. The Hispanic Send Conference is one of many events geared for Spanish speakers. More information is available at Send en Espanol.
Something for everyone
In short, the SBC annual meeting features something for everyone. The links in this article will help you plan, but even more events and opportunities will likely be available in Nashville, both at the annual meeting and at the preceding Send Conference, June 13-14. To stay fully informed, be sure to download the annual meeting app.
Additionally, while the City of Nashville currently has no official restrictions concerning COVID-19, some businesses still require masks. Messengers should prepare for the possibility of needing masks or face coverings. Social distancing by messengers is encouraged when possible. Hand sanitizer stations will be available at the Music City Center and other convention venues.
