BRENTWOOD — New leaders for both Tennessee Baptists and Southern Baptists will be among the featured speakers at the GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing) Summit which is slated for Aug. 9-12 at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center in Newport.
“Research tells us that less than 10 percent of Christians will even attempt to share their faith before they die,” says Steve Pearson, evangelism specialist for the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
“Research also tells us that 63 percent of lost people are somewhat willing or very willing to receive information or a gospel witness from a family member, neighbor or a friend,” he continued.
The GPS Summit will highlight some of the questions related to evangelism and outreach in the decade that is before us 2010-2020, Pearson noted. The GPS national initiative brings intentional and relational evangelism back to the forefront of contemporary ministry, he continued.
“This Summit is designed to encourage every believer to be intentional as we take the gospel across Tennessee.
“These words are not chosen by chance but they point to the GPS strategy TBC churches will be engaged in 2011. It will be our goal to prayer walk and give an Easter invitation to the 1.8 million households in Tennessee.”
The theme of the 2011 emphasis is “Sowing the Gospel in an Unseeded Generation. ”
Two of the featured speakers are Randy Davis, new executive director/treasurer of the TBC, and Frank Page, new president of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Other featured speakers include:
• Bruce Chesser, pastor, First Baptist Hendersonville;
• Brady Cooper, pastor, New Vision Church, Murfreesboro;
• Adam Dooley, pastor, Red Bank Church, Chattanooga;
• Steve Tiebout, pastor, The River Community Church, Cookeville; and
• Steve Cothran, worship pastor, FBC Milan.
The GPS Summit will feature a number of breakout conferences focusing on topics such as evangelistic block parties and festivals, how to give a gospel invitation, building a climate for intentional evangelism, servanthood evangelism, using GPS to reach ethnics/people groups, training mission teams in evangelism, how to pray evangelistically, prayer walking, becoming a missional church and more.
The cost of the GPS Summit is $110 and includes registration free and meals. Contact Carson Springs Conference Center for lodging options at (877) 704-6336.
For more information, e-mail Bernie Baker, bbaker@tnbaptist.org; Larry Gilmore at lgilmore@tnbaptist.org or Steve Pearson at spearson@tnbaptist.org.
