On a chilly January morning, women filed into Taylors First Baptist Church for the annual Women’s Lifestyle Evangelism Conference, kicking off a three-city weekend. The conference is jointly sponsored by the South Carolina Baptist Convention Lifestyle Evangelism group, South Carolina Woman’s Missionary Union, and Woman’s Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina.
Babbie MasonUnder the theme “Overflow,” conference participants heard from speakers from around the country who encouraged the women to engage their community and family through their lifestyles.
“Even if you are shy or have a hard time sharing your faith every day, you can tell others of God’s stories from your life,” said Donna Douglas, songwriter and television producer.
Douglas, who often works in Hollywood and New York, told the crowd that she often is discounted in her craft because of her faith.
Douglas, who often writes for Grammy award-winner Babbie Mason, told the story of writing Mason’s hit song “He Will Find a Way” after a family in her home church lost a child in a drowning accident.
“I said to the family, I know that if God can paint a sunset and put the stars in place, he could heal their brokenness,” she said before Mason joined her on stage for the song.
Mason also led participants in worship and held two mini-concerts during the conference.
Bible teacher and author Leighann McCoy taught attendees from Matthew 15:21-28, where a woman shouts after Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter.
“There are mothers in this room who are begging and begging God on behalf of their children – . Keep shouting! Your sons and daughters may be depending on your voice,” McCoy said.
She also said the challenge of the passage was for all to realize that “a crumb from the Master’s table was more than enough to meet your desperate need.”
Ashley Smith, who became nationally known after Atlanta courtroom killer Brian Nichols held her captive, told participants of her storied past and God’s redemption.
Women check in at the conference in Taylors.Smith, who was addicted to drugs and a widower at the time of her capture, was beginning to sense God calling her to a more meaningful life.
“I thought God only used people who had a perfect life,” Smith said.
Smith said she was hesitant to turn over her addiction to God until her encounter with Nichols.
“I didn’t want to give God that part of my life because I didn’t think he wanted it,” she said.
But as she stood face to face with Nichols, Smith said she “knew God was going to give me one more chance.”
Today an active member of The Church at Greenbrier in Augusta, Ga., Smith travels the world sharing her testimony.
Conferences were also held in Myrtle Beach and Columbia over the weekend.