By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
BOSSIER CITY – Ken Hemphill, a candidate for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrapped up a two-day visit to Louisiana Wednesday afternoon (March 28) in which he met with pastors to share his heart and vision.
The noted author, pastor and Southern Baptist leader, who will be officially nominated during the 2018 SBC Annual Meeting, June 12-13, in Dallas, Texas, spoke to students at Louisiana College, and Southern Baptist pastors at McClendon Baptist Church, West Monroe (March 27) and at First Baptist Church, Bossier City (March 28).
Hemphill shared about his vision for the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Program and God’s unlimited love.
“I wanted people to have the opportunity to meet me, to ask questions, and to be able to share my heart with everyone,” said Hemphill. “This is why I speaking at these different places.”
CHALLENGED STUDENTS
He challenged students attending the Louisiana College weekly chapel service, March 27, to be available as instruments to advance His kingdom.
“When you pray, say, ‘Today, Father, on campus, let me see what you are about, what you are doing,’” Hemphill said.
Drawing from John 5, Hemphill said to help accomplish this, students can ask God to help them see people as Jesus saw them, to help them respond to the need as He would and to show them where He is working.
“When you ask Him to show you what He’s doing, He will,” Hemphill said.
Hemphill ended his message with a challenge to the students and faculty.
“God is looking for a campus, God is looking for a young man and woman, looking for a faculty person, who will dare to say, ‘I will embody your name, I will embrace your mission, and I will obey your will,’” Hemphill said.
UNVEILING HIS VISION
At McClendon Baptist Church in West Monroe, during a question answer session moderated by Ouachita Baptist Pastor Mike Holloway, Hemphill said he is optimistic about the future of the Southern Baptist Convention.
However, he wants to see a revitalization of churches and that to do so means congregations must focus more on prayer and spiritual awakening. To help accomplish this, Hemphill emphasized the importance of churches, associations, state conventions and the national convention working together through what has always before been a unique strategic relationship.
He said his passion is to see an increase in Sunday school attendance, worship attendance and baptisms, all which have seen declines in recent years.
“I believe we can turn this thing around,” Hemphill said. “I really believe that – if we get a renewed zeal for our partnerships.”
Speaking to First Bossier Pastor Brad Jurkovich, he reiterated the vision he had shared the night before at McClendon Baptist Church.
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
Through his Together We Can 2121 plan, Hemphill believes Southern Baptists can make headway into reversing the negative trends in baptisms, worship attendance and Sunday school attendance.
He said if churches would make a commitment to baptize two more people next year than in the present calendar year, it would produce a significant turnaround in baptisms.
Additionally, his plan calls for individual members and for churches to increase their giving to the Cooperative Program, respectively, by one percent.
“If your members give one more percent, your local church will have more money to do its ministry and mission in that area,” he said. “Then if every church gives one more percent, the Louisiana Baptist Convention, when you begin to multiply it by the number of churches, will have additional funds and can give greater to IMB and NAMB and to other relationships we have.”
Finally, his plan calls for churches to start two new small Bible study groups. Through his website, kenhemphill2018.com, he will post resources to better equip churches in meeting that goal.
CP ADVOCATE
Hemphill said he is an advocate of the Cooperative Program, which he believes is the lifeline to fund the Kingdom work of Southern Baptists. Though he recognizes the autonomy of the local church, Hemphill expressed concern about a movement by some congregations to “pick and choose” causes they give to instead of giving through the Cooperative Program to support all state and national cooperative ministries.
“When I make a decision that says I know better how this money ought to be allocated, I think that’s pretty frightening,” he said. “I would not want it, as pastor, if my people came in and we had a unified budget and I had some of my givers come to me and say, ‘Pastor we love you but we’re going to give one percent to the budget and we’re going to give the other 99 percent to the music ministry.’
“The problem is you can’t budget, you can’t plan,” he continued. “If we’re going to have a strategic plan as Southern Baptists, that strategic plan has to be backed by a unified budget. If we don’t know how that’s going to be supported, it is very difficult to plan your mission forces, to plan any of your church planting strategies.”
GOD’S UNLIMITED CHARACTER
Hemphill shared from his book “Unlimited: God’s Love, Atonement and Mission” that portrays how God’s unlimited character is expressed through His unlimited atonement, mission, resources and presence.
“I believe the Bible teaches that anyone can turn to Christ,” he said. “I don’t think God created anybody for eternal damnation. I don’t see it in His character. I don’t see it in Scripture. I believe that anybody who turns to Jesus can be saved.
“It means, ‘I cannot not witness to my neighbor,’” he offered. “It means, ‘I have a mandate.’”
