The 2006 Virginia Baptist Pastors Conference will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Thalia Lynn Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.
The conference will feature a time of worship, testimonies, teaching and preaching. The theme for the conference is “Surviving Transition: Thriving Through Change.” One of the toughest assignments for any pastor is to lead a church through a transitional period of change and then keep the church on track to continue moving forward in the direction for which God is leading.
To help pastors and church staffs have a better understanding of how this can be accomplished, Leith Anderson, senior pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., will be leading in the afternoon teaching session and then preaching in the evening session. Anderson has served as senior pastor of the Wooddale Church since 1977. This is a large church that not only ministers to thousands in metropolitan Minneapolis but also serves as a teaching and laboratory church to others across the nation. He has written a number of books, including Dying For Change, A Church For The Twenty-First Century and Leadership That Works.
There will be several pastors from across the state to share their stories of how God has led them and their churches through transitional periods and are now thriving as a result of the change process. They include Kevin James, Salem Baptist Church, Sparta; Tommy Speight, Courtland Baptist Church, Courtland; and Dale Seley, Downtown Baptist Church, Alexandria.
The afternoon session of the conference will begin at 3 p.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. There will be a two-hour break for dinner and there are numerous restaurants within walking distance of the church. The evening session will begin at 7 p.m.
Thalia Lynn Baptist Church is located at 4392 Virginia Beach Boulevard, three blocks east of Town Center/Pembroke Mall, and next to Princess Anne High School. For complete directions to the church or if you have any other questions, you can log on to their website at http://thalialynn.com or call the church office at (757) 499-0557.
The church is also extending an invitation to conference attendees to join them for their Wednesday night meal. The cost is $5 per person and you must place a reservation in the church office by Monday, Nov. 6, at 4 p.m. Childcare will also be provided by the church during the afternoon and evening sessions. Please call the church office if you will need this service.
Appreciation is extended to Ronald Hall, president/CEO of the Virginia Baptist Foundation, and his staff, and also to John Chandler, team leader for the courageous churches team of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, for their annual financial support and sponsorship of this conference.
For other questions about the pastors conference contact one of the officers: Randy Bower (434) 237-6417; Jimmy Dunn (434) 983-3368; or Wayne Collis (540) 832-2075.