Through devotions, platform guests, and worship, messengers to the 189th annual meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention will embrace the theme of “Building Healthy Families, Growing Strong Churches.” The meeting will be Tuesday-Wednesday, Nov. 10-11, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
Rudy Gray“The foundation of healthy churches is Jesus, certainly, but I want churches to know that families hold us together,” said SCBC president Rudy Gray, pastor of Utica Baptist Church, Seneca. “We need to be helping families get stronger and healthier. There is a spirit of unity and togetherness in the church when there are healthy families. At this year’s annual meeting, we’re going to hear testimonies of how churches, associations, institutions and the convention have connected with families through ministries and how we’ve been blessed by that.”
Gray has a passion for family ministry. He is a board-certified professional and Christian counselor and serves as a recommended referral for Focus on the Family. In addition, he has also authored several books, including his most recent, “Marriage That Works Is Work.”
When Gray speaks at the Tuesday evening session, he will recognize a family or family ministry that is doing exemplary work in the kingdom. He plans to meet with other convention officers to select the award recipient. He said that “The Family Prayer Song” will be used in worship throughout the annual meeting.
This year’s meeting, Gray said, will also have an emphasis on connecting with the convention’s younger church staff leadership. He and Jim Austin, executive director-treasurer, SCBC, are hosting a young leader’s lunch and discussion on Tuesday for those under 40.
“I will be writing a letter to invite as many of these leaders as we can identify,” Gray said. “We are hoping for overflow capacity.”
As president, Gray will also name the convention’s Committee on Committees and said, “I am committed that 50 percent of that committee will be under the age of 40. I want to see more people at the table of convention leadership, and I’m hoping there is a fresh spirit to the communication that comes from that.”
The 2009 annual meeting will also feature Luther Price, senior pastor of Bishop Branch Baptist Church, Central, as the convention preacher on Tuesday morning; and David Garrison, global strategist for Evangelical Advance, International Mission Board, as the convention speaker on Wednesday morning. – SCBC