Seven sermons — combined with the uplifting music of North Greenville University’s Joyful Sound — brought joy, conviction and encouragement to those attending this year’s Pastors’ Conference at Southside Baptist Church in Spartanburg Nov. 9. With the theme, “Confronting the Culture, Encouraging the Church, Obeying the Commission,” pastors heard a variety of messages.
Paul Turner, pastor of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Easley, and Spartanburg First Baptist Church pastor Don Wilton brought the opening messages of the conference on Monday morning. Turner, taking his text from 2 Kings 6, counseled pastors about recovering something that has been lost in life. Mike Runion, who was elected Pastors’ Conference president for 2016, said that Wilton “brought a life-changing message.” He challenged pastors with 10 principles from Nehemiah. The message concluded with many pastors kneeling as Wilton prayed for them.
Tom Tucker, pastor of Sisk Memorial Baptist Church in Fort Mill, preaches at the 2015 Pastors’ Conference.
The afternoon session featured three pastors. Tom Tucker, Sisk Memorial Baptist Church in Rock Hill, spoke from Joshua 1 and shared with pastors how to appropriate the victory believers already have in Christ. “We must examine God’s promises before we can experience God’s principles,” Tucker said.
Michael Cloer, a South Carolina native and pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, N.C., used Revelation as his text as he examined the question: “Who is sufficient to control our destiny? Who is controlling the events of our life?” He pointed out that the question of who controls our destiny has been the determining factor throughout human history. “If you and I are going to make it across the finish line, we must know that Jesus Christ is able,” he said.
Ernest Easley, evangelism professor at Union University, spoke from Acts 4 as he outlined what “God gives His church in times of difficulty: great power, great grace, great fear, great persecution, and great joy.”
Jeff Crook, pastor of Blackshear Place Baptist Church in Gainesville, Ga., used Acts 19 as his text and elaborated on how to make the devil mad. He said, “The devil is mad when we magnify the name of Jesus, when we clean out the closets of our lives, and when we trust God in the most difficult experiences.”
New Pastors’ Conference officers, from left: Mike Runion, Schuyler Peterson and Bruce Price.
The closing message of the conference was delivered by David Gallamore, pastor of Rock Springs Baptist Church in Easley. Using 1 Timothy 1:12-17, he emphasized how all those who are born again are saved by grace. Referring to the increasing challenges facing Christians in today’s culture, he noted, “Suffering has begun in the U.S. for followers of Christ, and it will increase.” He concluded by singing, “I’m a Child of The King” in which he was joined by the congregation.
Mike Runion, pastor of City View First Baptist Church in Greenville, was elected president of the 2016 South Carolina Baptist Pastors’ Conference. Bruce Price, pastor of Buffalo Baptist Church in Blacksburg, was elected vice president and president-elect. Schuyler Peterson, pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Spartanburg, was elected treasurer.