The Center for Informed Faith and the Center for Effective Leadership invite you to a conference on theology and leadership at the conclusion of the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting in Houston, Nov. 17 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Timothy George, David Naugle, David Dykes, George Mason and Chris Seay will be the presenters.
Some pastors opt out of denominational meetings and choose rather to attend stimulating conferences that bring immediate impact to their ministries. Obviously, the BGCT annual meeting is not a conference. It is an opportunity for messengers to learn how their mission dollars are being spent and what kingdom opportunities are available for our collective ministries. It also is a time of inspiration and fellowship.
Some of our early Texas Baptist gatherings included theological debates and conversations about challenges and prospects for missionary endeavors. In this light, the G-5 Conference will be an opportunity for dialogue and sharing resources that will help us to be better equipped for ministry.
Texas Baptists have been around for more than 160 years. If we set an arbitrary length of leadership as a 40-year span, then we are currently in the fifth generation—G-5—of leadership. What are the theological and leadership challenges we face as G-5 leaders?
One of the key theological debates concerns Calvinism. On this double anniversary of the 500th birthday of Calvin and the 400th birthday of Baptists, there appears to be a resurgence of interest in Calvinism. This debate is not new to Texas Baptists. When Texas Baptist leaders met in June of 1840 in Independence to consider forming a Baptist association, Calvinism was one of the hot topics. In Texas Baptists, Leon McBeth records their confession, “We believe in the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, and man’s free agency as an accountable being … (and) that salvation on these terms (repentance and faith) is freely offered to all.”
Jim Denison, the BGCT’s theologian in residence, will engage Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School, and David Naugle, chair and professor of philosophy at Dallas Baptist University, in a discussion about the implications of Calvinism as they relate to our understanding of Scripture and implications for missions. One of the primary purposes of the conversation is to remind us of the imperative for developing a consistent biblical worldview.
Ron Herring will convene a dialogue between George Mason, David Dykes and Chris Seay concerning leadership. They have excellent reputations for leading diverse congregations over significant time in effective and innovative ministry. It will be helpful to learn about their styles of leadership, resources that have proven helpful to them and mentors who helped to shape them.
The G-5 Conference will be held at the Brown Convention Center, where we will hold the annual meeting. We encourage you to make plans to be part of this dialogue that we pray will prepare us to be effective in the leadership challenges we face as fifth-generation Texas Baptist leaders.
Randel Everett is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.
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