The Oklahoma State Evangelism Conference (SEC), Jan. 30-31, is always an exciting event for Oklahoma Baptists. This year’s SEC is designed to equip, encourage and inspire pastors and church members to share the Gospel with others. Along with this important designation, there are many reasons for Oklahoma Baptists to attend this year’s SEC, but here are five of the most significant factors to expect.

1. Breakout sessions. This year’s SEC features 16 different breakout sessions attendees can experience on Tues., Jan. 31. Key SEC personalities such as Frank Turek, president of CrossExamined.org, and Charles Billingsley, worship leader at Lynchburg, Va., Thomas Road will be breakout leaders, as well as well-known Oklahoma Baptist pastors and leaders of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO), including Anthony Jordan, BGCO executive director-treasurer.

Breakout topics covered include how to give an effective invitation, sharing Christian faith with Muslim neighbors, evangelism in student ministry, the effectiveness of revivals or crusades, church renewal weekends, Upward Sports, witnessing to the deaf and meeting with members of Oklahoma Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists.

2. Free shoeshine for pastors. The BGCO Evangelism Office is teaming up with the Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma to provide a special shoeshine service during the State Evangelism Conference. Mike Napier, BGCO personal evangelism specialist, said all pastors are invited to come have their shoes shined, followed by a time of prayer, as an Oklahoma Baptist leader will pray for each pastor who comes to the shoeshine booth.

“We are bringing in a shoeshine company. There’s going to be shoeshine chairs and professional shoeshiners,” said Napier who explained what this free service represents. “In the Bible times, when you entered someone’s house, it was customary to have their feet washed. Well, praise God today, we wear shoes, but whenever pastors are entering into the State Evangelism Conference, we want them to go to the shoeshine booth. We want to show them the honor and the love that we have for them. We want to serve them in this way.”

3. Great time of worship in music. Billingsley will be serving as the SEC worship leader. The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter oversees the music ministry at Lynchburg, Va., Thomas Road and is a former member of the Christian music group NewSong. Billingsley also was a solo artist who averaged 200 concerts a year.

4. Great speakers. Frank Turek is known for his book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Athiest and television program of the same name. The leading apologetics expert and cultural commentator leads off a list of well-known speakers including Thom Rainer, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources; Charles Lowery, president and CEO of Lowery Institute for Excellence, Inc.; John Meador, pastor of Euless, Texas, First; Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Seminary; Rodney Keith, senior pastor of Jacksonville, Fla., Gardenview; and A.B. Vines, senior pastor of Spring Valley, Calif., New Seasons.

5. Fellowship with other Oklahoma Baptists. Opportunities to connect with friends in Oklahoma Baptist circles are always rich times for encouragement and support, especially while meeting during a time of emphasis on evangelism. As all who serve in state churches and ministries need time to recharge and focus on the purpose of sharing the Gospel, there is no better place for this to occur than with fellow Oklahoma Baptists and during the annual SEC.

To register prior to arrival at SEC, visit www.sec.okbaptist.com/registration.