NASHVILLE (BP)—“We are going to send until the whole world hears,” Southern Baptist missions leader Kevin Ezell told the 2015 Send North America Conference.
David Crowder and his group were among several bands providing music at the Send conference. (NAMB Image)“This is not about a conference. This is about a movement. We are going to send and motivate people to send.”
Ezell, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, and David Platt, president of the SBC International Mission Board, shared the stage at key moments throughout the two-day missions gathering their organizations sponsored.
“It is pure joy to think about the pastors and churches represented in this room,” Platt said. “It is amazing to say we want to do this together. Let’s trust the good hand of God to do this.”
Platt was the final keynote speaker for the event that drew more than 13,600 participants. He spoke from Nehemiah 1-2.
“When was the last time you wept over people in need?” David Platt asked participants at the Send conference. Platt is president of the SBC International Mission Board.“God is telling us to open our eyes and see a world (like Nehemiah did) in great need,” Platt said. In the Scripture passage, Nehemiah is weeping. The remnant is in trouble.
“When was the last time you wept over people in need?” he asked, noting it’s dangerous to become cold and calloused when overwhelmed by a world in need. He said the world’s needs are not only physical, but eternal and spiritual needs: People are going to hell without ever hearing the good news of how they can be saved.
“This cannot be tolerable to us,” Platt said. “God help us to weep for them.”
In the conference’s opening session, Vance Pitman, pastor of Hope Church in Las Vegas, shared characteristics of the ordinary people in the Book of Acts who helped launch the church.
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Speakers at the 2015 Send conference urged the more than 13,600 participants to pray for greater compassion for a needy world. (NAMB Image)“They had a faith that produced obedience,” Pitman said. “They trusted God and did what God said. They clearly heard Jesus speak and simply did what he said. To see God move, you have to have faith that leads to obedience.”
It was a message that resonated with participants.
“It is time for the church to get back to the main thing,” said Becky Thomas of New Albany, Miss. “We need to do what Jesus told us to do. Vance Pitman did a good job explaining it and making it clear. This has been great.”
Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy shared by video how life on mission principles came to him at an early age.
Evangelist Louie Giglio spoke at a session of the Send conference. (NAMB Image)“My No. 1 influence in life started with my parents,” Dungy said. “What my mom instilled was driven home my rookie year with the Pittsburgh Steelers by Donnie Shell, the first Christian athlete I encountered who lived his faith. He showed me how to live. You can’t separate your faith. Success is uncommon, but significance is even more uncommon. Being able to point people to Christ means more than winning a Super Bowl.”
In order to live a life on mission, people need only to start where they are, Dungy insisted.
“Start at home first, work second,” he said. “Look at areas where I can direct my children first. Then at work—do people see Christ in my life? My hope would be that we would do what Jesus asked us to—be salt and light in the world.”
Ronnie Floyd (far left), president of the Southern Baptist Convention, led the Sending Church panel breakout session on day two of the 2015 Send North America Conference. Floyd was joined on the panel by church planters (from left) Vance Pitman, Hope Church; J. D. Greear, Summit Church; Alex Himaya, theChurch.at and Bryant Wright, Johnson Ferry Church. (NAMB photo by John Swain)Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore addressed a Christian’s responsibility as a citizen of the kingdom of God. Moore later moderated a presidential candidate forum with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
“We are held accountable for a system of government where Romans 13 shows we are the people who hold the sword,” Moore said. “Act justly. How will we wield the sword of justice? Avoid the temptation of retreating into our subculture or disengaging the gospel from social responsibility. Over all flags, there is a cross. We are Americans best when we are not Americans first.”
IMB missionary Matt Miller, who serves in Barcelona, spoke via video.
His family built their dream house outside Atlanta. But the 2004 terrorist bombings of railway stations in Madrid turned their hearts to Spain. They sold their home and found a job there in order to be a part of reaching the city for Christ.
Caleb Platt and Kevin Ezell fist bump as they introduce Platt’s dad, David, as the keynote speaker for the closing session of the Send North America Conference in Nashville. (NAMB photo by John Swain)“Living missionally through your job is where you start,” Miller said. “You have relationships that allow you to share your life. In whatever God calls you to do, take action. You will see him come through in ways you can’t explain any other way.”
Ezell said he wanted to remind church planters that they are not alone.
“I tell church planters—no matter where you are—you are part of a family,” he said. “The real purpose of this was to get the family all together to lift up the name of Jesus. We are connecting with people who are like-minded and like-hearted. If you have not connected with people here, you have missed a big part of this.”
Ezell introduced Platt for the final address by bringing Platt’s 9-year-old son, Caleb, on stage.
“David Platt is one of the best friends I have,” Ezell said. “We love each other. This is Caleb Platt.”
Ezell recounted how, at their first meeting, “Caleb asked me: Are you a Christian? I said yes, and I said I am very thankful you asked. We are trying to motivate and mobilize all these people to ask the same question that you asked me. I’m glad that you have a mom and dad who taught you that. Making disciples starts at home—no one knows that better than David Platt.”
Caleb recited Romans 10:9-11, and said family worship time at the Platt house is followed by family wrestle time. He embraced his dad as the elder Platt took the stage.
Joe Conway writes for NAMB. Anne Harman is a writer and editor for IMB.
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