Recognizing that the yearly meetings of the South Carolina Baptist Convention are not as well attended as they once were, SCBC president D.J. Horton hopes to inject a spirit of celebration into this year’s annual meeting, to be held Nov. 11-12 at Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia.
“I’m hoping we’ll have the largest gathering of South Carolina Baptists in recent history,” said Horton, pastor of Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church in Moore.
Part of the celebratory activities will include a picnic-style supper for messengers, to be held on the grounds under a big tent. The meal will be catered by Bojangles, which has also signed on as a corporate sponsor for the annual meeting.
Charles Billingsley, a nationally known worship leader and former member of the contemporary Christian group NewSong, will lead worship on Tuesday night, backed by a mass choir featuring members from Shandon Baptist Church, Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church and an African-American choir. The Tuesday evening service will also include a time of prayer for South Carolinians heading off to serve as International Mission Board missionaries. The evening service, which takes place on Veterans Day, will also give messengers a chance to honor past and present military personnel.
Horton said he recognizes the need for South Carolina Baptists to conduct business at the annual meeting, but he hopes the business sessions don’t detract from the opportunity for South Carolina Baptists to come together to worship and celebrate achievements by fellow Baptists throughout the state. “There are so many things we tend to be critical about,” he said. “Before you know it, we’ve spent all of our time talking about one another and not talking to each other. When we discuss things, we need to remember that we are a family.
“South Carolina Baptists need to get together and enjoy being together,” Horton said, “and not camp out on who didn’t show up or how many messengers we don’t have or the fact that ‘the church plant down the road is stealing all my people.’
“People are not drawn to negativity. They want to be part of a winning team, and we have a lot of South Carolina Baptists who are winning, doing some great stuff.”
The meeting opens on Tuesday morning with music by the Singing Churchmen, a men’s chorus made up of worship leaders and ministers of music from across the state. On Tuesday afternoon, Ignite, a praise band from Horton’s church, will lead in worship. Horton said the Tuesday afternoon session will be casual dress and will feature a time of prayer and commissioning for church planters.
The fried chicken supper on Tuesday will be free to the first 400 people who pick up complimentary tickets. (Additional tickets will be available for purchase.) During the meal, a panel led by Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee president Frank Page and South Carolina pastors will present a “candid discussion” about the future of South Carolina Baptists.
During the Wednesday morning session, LifeWay Christian Resources president Thom Rainer will bring the convention sermon, and messengers will elect officers for the coming year. Shandon Baptist Church musicians will lead in worship.
Horton is completing a one-year term as SCBC president, during which time he has crisscrossed the state to preach in a number of churches on Sunday nights, sent out weekly video emails to pastors and planned this year’s annual meeting. “I’ve met great pastors, great directors of missions,” he said. “I’ve tried to be an encouragement to people.”
On the business agenda at this year’s annual meeting will be proposed bylaw changes, one of which would allow for the creation of the office of president-elect. For detailed information about the annual meeting, visit http://www.scbaptist.org/2014-annual-meeting.