Some of the notes are short. Some of the notes include explanation. Ron Barker holds them, clipped together, and sees beyond the words and sentences. Barker sees the Easter baptisms reported as part of South Carolina Baptists’ participation in GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing) of the Southern Baptist Convention.
GPS, a Southern Baptist vision for every person to hear the gospel by 2020, is twofold: for believers to share the gospel, and for every person in North America to hear the gospel. While the North American Mission Board is coordinating the project, it is unfolding differently in each state.
Barker, evangelism and prayer strategist, evangelism team, South Carolina Baptist Convention, said, “The Southern Baptist Convention has had different emphases in the past, searching for a long-term strategy to help churches impact lostness. GPS is not a program that comes in a box. It is a strategy churches can embrace in their own way and in their own community.”
GPS, a 10-year emphasis born in 2007 and deployed in 2010, calls on churches to pray intentionally about lostness and lost people in the church, association, and state; engage and train people to share the gospel; connect with lost people and share the gospel; and have an Easter baptism celebration.
In South Carolina, GPS was adapted to make sure people are engaged in a discipleship process.
“These are really the basic things the Great Commission is calling us to do anyway,” Barker said.
Reflecting on this year’s GPS launch in South Carolina, Barker held the stack of e-mail notes. The notes were from churches reporting baptisms that occurred at Easter.
“In the last eight years, we have averaged three baptisms per year,” wrote Rick Foreman, pastor of Bruton’s Fork Church, Bennettsville. The church reported nine baptisms from September 2009 through Sunday, April 11.
Dusty Bradshaw, pastor of Hillcrest Church, North Charleston, wrote: “As a part of the GPS strategy, we held a baptismal service on Easter (April 4). Two were baptized! We praise the Lord for both of them and others who will come in the days ahead.”
Calvary Church, Florence, reported 11 baptisms.
Alan Adams, pastor, Green Hill Church, Columbia, reported two Easter baptisms and three others awaiting baptism, writing: “We praise God and give Him all the glory for what He has done and is doing at Green Hill.”
Brown’s Chapel Church, Pacolet Mills, reported eight baptisms on Easter, including two senior adult ladies.
On Palm Sunday, Cedar Creek Church, Aiken, baptized 34 people.
Johnny Andrews, minister of music, First Baptist Church, Fountain Inn, reported seven baptisms on Easter.
At Jamestown Church, Conway, pastor Lynn Peters reported baptizing a 70-year-old woman on Palm Sunday and a 40-year-old man on Sunday, April 11.
Summerville Baptist reported eight baptisms on Easter.
Pastor John Sorrells, Crosspoint Church, Sumter, reported six baptisms on Easter.
“Six were saved on Easter,” wrote pastor David Bagwell, Bethel Church, Westminster.
Tim Williams, pastor, Roebuck Church, reported baptizing six believers on Easter and two others coming forward for baptism during the worship invitation.
“We praise the Lord for what He is doing at Central [Baptist Church, York],” wrote pastor Carey Caldwell. “We baptized six on Easter morning and have challenged our people to win 101 people to Christ.”
Trey Rhodes, Oceanside Fellowship, Mt. Pleasant, wrote, “We baptized three. They were in a small group and all recognized their need for Christ and obedience to Him.”
David Carter, Faith Church, Swansea, wrote about baptizing six on Palm Sunday, including “a dad, adult daughter, and adult son; a dad and adult son; and a man for whom we’ve prayed seven years.”
In 2011, Barker said churches will be encouraged to maintain the GPS focus with baptism celebrations around Easter, and there will be an emphasis on evangelism event training toward 2012.
“The GPS emphasis in 2012 will be on evangelistic events like block parties, game banquets, and how to make Christmas and Easter seasons more evangelistic,” he said. “We will use 2011 to provide evangelistic event training for the 2012 events.”
Barker said a part of the 2011 evangelistic training will be two statewide evangelism conferences in February 2011:
? Feb. 21-22, Anderson University. Speakers will include Don Wilton, First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, and his son, Rob, who is a church planter in New Orleans. There will be 10 breakout sessions related to evangelistic training. Music will be provided by the music ministry at NewSpring Church, Anderson.
Feb. 23-25, Florence. Speakers will include Randall Jones, evangelist and retired pastor, Langston Church, Conway; Herb Reavis, Jacksonville Church, Jacksonville, Fla.; and Phil Hoskins, pastor, Higher Ground Church, Kingsport, Tenn. Special music will be provided by The Whisnants of Morganton, N.C. – SCBC