Football on TV. Black Friday advertisements in newspapers. Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations everywhere. It all adds up to one thing. November is here, and that means it is time for the Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
At the 2012 Annual Meeting on Nov. 12-13 at Moore, First, Oklahoma Baptists will gather for the 106th time. There are a few items on the docket that are particularly exciting about this year’s meeting.
For starters, this year’s pastors’ conference and meeting features great preaching. The BGCO’s Anthony L. Jordan, Oklahoma Baptist University’s Bobby Kelly and popular author and pastor Jim Shaddix, among others, will ring the bell again.
There will be incredible worship through music, including from the Oklahoma Baptist Symphony, now in its 20th year of existence. The important election of officers and consideration of resolutions is also something to look forward to.
In addition to ministry and missions updates from around the world, we will hear about what God is doing in Colorado through our partnership there, as well as in East Asia and Mexico. The kingdom of God is being expanded by the power of the Holy Spirit, and God is using Oklahoma Baptists as we go about our work.
The BGCO’s leadership will unveil two major emphases for 2013 and beyond. The first is a Sunday School renewal initiative called “ReConnect Sunday School.” The second, a servant-evangelism thrust, is called “Serve Oklahoma.” Each will play a leading role in our shared strategy to reach Oklahoma communities for Christ in the years to come.
I am also pleased to tell you the Baptist Messenger, still celebrating its 100th year, will be featured prominently at the Convention. There is a brand-new mini-movie about the Baptist Messenger that you will not want to miss.
Finally, the time spent looking at ministry booths and meeting up with friends is a real treat.
You know, it has been said that the rarest commodity in today’s fast-paced world is concentration. Families, for example, have multiple distractions competing for their attention span. So, too, for church families. The higher tech our society gets, the more important the annual meeting becomes.
The Bible says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb. 10:25
The verse clearly speaks to believers who gather on Sundays, but the principle applies to our denomination. To that end, we hope to see you on Nov. 12!
