Rembert’s cohort helps pastors, associations serve urban communities

Dewayne Rembert during his breakout session at the Alabama Baptist Evangelism Conference

Dewayne Rembert said over the past few years, he’s gotten the same phone call several times. “They would say, ‘We really need a Flatline Church in our area,’” he said. “And I would ask, ‘Have you spoken to your pastors about what it would look like to support this type of church in your association?’” […]

Gilbreath: Give invitations at the end of services with compassion, urgency

Sammy Gilbreath leads a breakout session at the Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference

Sammy Gilbreath said if a pastor woke up on Domingo morning and God told him, “Today is going to be Joe’s last Domingo,” he bets the message and invitation “would have a sense of urgency about it.” “Because we don’t know who will be back, approach every invitation with that kind of urgency,” said Gilbreath, […]

Evangelism leaders encourage passionate sharing of the gospel

Scott Dawson speaks during the evangelism luncheon

“We’ve always had a goal of inspiration,” said Rob Jackson about “E3: Evangelize, Establish, Equip,” the state’s annual evangelism conference held at Lakeside Baptist Church in Birmingham on Jan. 26–27. Jackson, who serves as director of the office of evangelism and church health with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, said the goal of […]

Dowdy said he believes evangelism begins in heart of pastor

Tim Dowdy, vice president of evangelism for the North American Mission Board, leads a breakout session on “Creating A Culture of Evangelism”

Tim Dowdy told attendees at the Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference that the key to church evangelism is the heart of the pastor. “A pastor once told me he was just trying to keep his head above water,” Dowdy said. “I was a pastor for 31 years, and I know the pressures are enormous. But […]

Phil Waldrep leads off 2025 State Evangelism Conference

Rob Jackson introduces Phil Waldrep

Alabama evangelist Phil Waldrep was the keynote speaker at the opening session of the State Evangelism Conference at Lakeside Baptist Church in Birmingham last night (Jan. 26). In his introduction, Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, said Waldrep for 50 years had been both a “minister of encouragement and a master of encouragement.” During his sermon, […]

Clifton: Baptist churches in every neighborhood must make gospel impact

Group of men sitting in a room facing the speaker at the front of the room.

Mark Clifton chooses not to use the adjective “small” in describing most Baptist churches, but rather “normal-sized.” “Forty-six percent of our churches have fewer than 50 on Domingo morning, and 70% have less than 100,” he said. “I often talk about the number of Southern Baptist pastors who preached to more than 1,500 last Domingo. […]

Reavis says the Holy Spirit gives power for Kingdom work

Herb Reavis speaks during a luncheon at the 2024 Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference.

Herb Reavis attended Moody Bible Institute and often saw a plaque there that read, “Near this place Dwight L. Moody knelt and asked God for a school.” “Moody wasn’t educated or ordained, but biographers said he ‘shook two continents for God,’” Reavis told participants at a Jan. 29 luncheon at the 2024 Alabama Baptist State […]

Reach more in ’24 for Christ, urges Rob Jackson

Rob Jackson preaches at the Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference

If Alabama Baptists want to “reach more in ’24,” we need to do less talking, open our eyes to the lostness in our communities and “commence going,” said Rob Jackson, director of the Office of Church Health for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. Jackson explained the importance of doing these things during the 2024 […]

Watkins challenges God’s people to be ‘rooted, grounded in the gospel’

Daven Watkins preaches at the Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference

If ever there was a time for God’s people to be rooted and grounded in the gospel, that time is now, said Daven Watkins. Watkins, pastor of First Baptist Church Pelham, challenged this sort of “gospel grounding” as he preached Jan. 29 during the Lunes morning session of the 2024 Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference, which was […]