EDITOR’S NOTE: The Baptist Paper also contributed to this article

ANAHEIM, Calif. (BP)—Plans for the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California, meeting June 14-15, have been announced. The following includes a preview of the SBC annual meeting, the SBC Pastors’ Conference and more.

Annual Meeting will center on Jesus

The 2022 SBC Annual Meeting will convene at the Anaheim Convention Center Tuesday, June 14, at 8 a.m. and adjourn at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, according to the official schedule for the meeting released March 22.

The theme for this year’s meeting is “Jesus, the center of it all.”

“Our committee (the Committee on Order of Business) worked to bring into focus this year’s theme—‘Jesus, the center of it all’—by kicking off the first session with presentations from both North American Mission Board (NAMB) and International Mission Board (IMB) to highlight what Southern Baptists are about at our core,” said Steve Bates, chair of the Committee on Order of Business and member of Winnfield, La., First.

As of April 18, three individuals have announced their intentions to be nominated for the office of SBC president. Tom Ascol, a Florida pastor and president of Founders Ministries; Former International Missionary Board missionary Robin Hadaway; and Bart Barber, pastor of Farmersville, Texas, First. For additional coverage of SBC annual meeting and SBC pastors’ conference candidate news, visit baptistmessenger.com.

The Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention consists of representatives, or “messengers,” as they are called, from cooperating churches, who gather to confer and determine the programs, policies and budget of the SBC. For information about messenger pre-registration, lodging, auxiliary events, SBC exhibitors, childcare and more, visit sbcannualmeeting.net.

Pastors’ Conference meets June 12-13, ‘proclaims’ Jesus

The 2022 Pastors’ Conference will include 12 sermons and a time of prayer and worship before the meeting, President Matt Henslee announced.

“Interspersed among the 12 expositional sermons (on) Colossians will be six timely messages from some faithful men of God,” he said. “While exegetically faithful and a little shorter, these will cover topics vital to our work as Southern Baptist pastors. You will hear from Adam Greenway, Paul Chitwood, Hance Dilbeck, Bryant Wright, Kevin Ezell and a dynamic evangelist named Daniel Ritchie.”

The prayer time will take place in the main hall at the Anaheim Convention Center from 4-6 p.m. on June 12. “We Proclaim Him” is the theme of the 2022 Pastors’ Conference, which gathers in conjunction with the SBC annual meeting each year.

“I should not need to tell you why prayer is so critically important for us as we descend upon Anaheim, but I would like to remind you of what the late E.M. Bounds said, ‘Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege to be enjoyed,” Henslee noted.

Speakers for the Pastors’ Conference include Julio Arriola, NAMB church planting coordinator; Matt Carter, Houston, Texas, Sagemont; Mark Clifton, NAMB senior director of church replanting and rural strategy; Marcus Hayes, The Woodlands, Texas, Crossroads; Al Jackson, retired pastor, previously at Auburn, Ala., Lakeview; Omar Johnson, Temple Hills, Md., Temple Hills; Daryl Jones, Pembroke Pines, Fla., Rock Fellowship; Hanley Liu, Walnut, Calif., First Chinese; Mathew Mueller of Peoria, Ariz., Valley Life; Clay Smith, Marietta, Ga., Johnson Ferry; P.J. Tibayan, Bellflower, Calif., Bethany; Israel Villalobos, Irving, Texas, Plymouth Park.

“All are faithful men of God who love their families well, lead their churches well and handle the inerrant, infallible, sufficient Word well,” he said. “It has been a joy to get to know them, and I look forward to hearing them preach in Anaheim. You should, too.”

Crossover, Serve Tour provide opportunity for Gospel impact in Anaheim

The North American Mission Board, in cooperation with California Baptists, will provide avenues for Southern Baptists to share the Gospel in Anaheim ahead of the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in June through a Crossover Serve Tour event.

“Southern Baptists have an opportunity to do what we do best in Anaheim by serving people and introducing them to the Savior,” said Johnny Hunt, NAMB’s senior vice president for evangelism and leadership. “I pray that many will get involved and that we will see a harvest of new Christ-followers as a result of our efforts together.”

Send Relief and NAMB are working with California Baptist leaders and local churches to host one-day, outreach-oriented sports camps for their communities.

NAMB is also working with Southern Baptist seminaries to host students who will spend the week learning from evangelism professors and putting those lessons into practice the week before Southern Baptists gather in Anaheim. To learn more and pre-register, visit namb.net/crossover.

For more information about the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting, visit sbcannualmeeting.net.

SBC Annual Meeting Schedule Highlights
Tuesday, June 14

Morning

  • Celebrating Freedom Observance – Ed Litton, SBC president; Chaplain Maj. Gen. Doug Carver, U.S. Army retired, executive director of chaplaincy, NAMB
  • GuideStone Financial Resources Report – D. Hance Dilbeck Jr., president and CEO, GuideStone
  • North American Mission Board Crossover Report & Presentation – Kevin Ezell, NAMB president; Johnny Hunt, NAMB senior vice president for evangelism and leadership
  • IMB Sending Celebration – Paul Chitwood, IMB president
  • President’s Address—Ed Litton
  • Resolutions Committee Report (Part 1)—Bart Barber, chair; pastor, Farmersville, Texas, First

Afternoon

  • Sexual Abuse Task Force Report – Bruce Frank, chair; lead pastor, Arden, N.C., Biltmore
  • Election of Officers
  • Executive Committee Report – Willie D. McLaurin, interim president and CEO, SBC Executive Committee
  • Jesus, the Center of Church Planting: Reaching North America with the Gospel
  • North American Mission Board Report – Kevin Ezell
  • Woman’s Missionary Union Report – Sandra Wisdom-Martin, executive director-treasurer, WMU
  • International Mission Board Report – Paul Chitwood

Wednesday, June 15

Morning

  • Convention Sermon – Juan Sanchez, senior pastor, Austin, Texas, High Point
  • Executive Committee Recommendations – Willie D. McLaurin
  • Jesus, the Center of Racial Reconciliation: Adopting a Kingdom Race Mindset
  • Joint Seminary Reports

Afternoon

  • Election of 2023 Convention Preacher, Alternate Preacher, and Music Director
  • Resolutions Committee Report (Part 2)—Bart Barber
  • Jesus, the Center of Life: On the Road to Roe50
  • The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Report – Brent Leatherwood, ERLC acting president
  • Lifeway Christian Resources Report – Ben Mandrell, president and CEO, Lifeway
  • Presentation of Officers – Willie D. McLaurin