English
Korean
Spanish
Forshee prepares to preside over first annual meeting as convention president
The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s 2024 Annual Meeting is scheduled for Nov. 11-12 at Sagemont Church in Houston. Danny Forshee, lead pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, will preside over the meeting—his first as SBTC president. Forshee recently spoke with the Texan about the meeting’s theme, “Side by Side,” the importance of prayer, and what makes him most hopeful about the convention’s future.
Like many of your predecessors who have served as SBTC president, you have used your public platform to talk about the importance of prayer. How have you specifically been praying for our convention over the past year?
Danny Forshee: As part of my daily prayer time, I pray for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and its people, pastors, churches, and leaders. I pray specifically for Nathan [Lorick, SBTC’s executive director] every day. Nathan and I are discussing the prayer service on Monday night at the annual meeting on Nov. 11 and we are excited about this.
The theme of this year’s annual meeting is “Side by Side.” How have you seen God use our churches working alongside one another to advance the mission for His kingdom?
DF: Having served on the executive board and now as SBTC president, I have a front row seat to see the work of the SBTC—and it is truly remarkable. We are a large state convention of 2,780 churches with resources to help plant churches, support missions, and help pastors be healthy. One example is when Jeff Lynn [SBTC’s Church Health & Leadership senior strategist] and his team came to our church earlier this year and led an excellent training for about 20 pastors.
Next year, Southern Baptists will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program. Why is Great Hills so faithful to give through CP?
DF: We give because of the kingdom impact the CP makes. I am grateful that God gave our ancestors this golden idea in 1925, and it is unparalleled among denominations. We can help reach our state, North America, and the world. We join with others in supporting disaster relief, our six seminaries, and numerous other initiatives of the SBC.
What are some of the victories we will be able to celebrate at this year’s meeting, as well as some of the challenges that lie ahead?
DF: I am looking forward to the annual meeting. Our theme, “Side by Side,” is so needed as we seek to build one another up and help pastors and staff not go it alone, but be in harmonious fellowship and relationship with others on the same team. There will be many victories to celebrate, such as the planting of new churches, the ongoing work that the SBTC does in areas like pastoral help and training, disaster relief, and the overall unity God has given us. As for challenges, we will have to keep focused on unity and what unites us and not let the enemy divide us. We should pursue unity amid diversity but stay centered on our core convictions. We should fight against any kind of arrogance or intolerance toward those who disagree with whatever position we take.
It seems our world and our culture continue to move further away from God’s truth every day. What are some things Great Hills has been doing to reach people with the gospel in the Austin area that might serve as an encouragement to other pastors working to reach their communities?
DF: Pastors and churches are unique and should exegete their culture well and ask the Lord to lead them in reaching the lost. We started another campus 2.5 years ago, and while that has been costly and hard work, God has blessed us and we are reaching new people. Also, we try to follow the BLESS strategy: Begin with prayer; Listen with care; Eat with and fellowship; Serve others; and Share Jesus with them. We have quarterly community impact days where our church comes together to go out and do various service and evangelism projects in and for our city. We also have a robust ESL ministry that allows for many opportunities to share Jesus with people from literally all over the world. And finally, we are big on short term missions, sending our people all over the world.
As you look to the future, what are some things you are most hopeful about among our network of churches?
DF: I am very optimistic and hopeful! Jesus is working and using the SBTC along with numerous other churches and denominations to reach people. I am hopeful also because of the excellent leadership we have at the SBTC, beginning with Nathan Lorick and the other men and women who serve us. And finally, I am hopeful because of the continued emphasis on the Cooperative Program, an ingenious plan to help reach the world.
