The inspirational preaching of Roger Roller and the musical skills of Drexel Rayford and Mark Andrist blended beautifully to produce a delightful yet thoroughly challenging call to share Christ at the Pastor, Deacon and Church Leader Conference held at Eagle Eyrie May 5-6.
As they worshiped, the 516 registered conferees observed a large banner proclaiming the conference theme: “Turning Your Church Inside Out.”
The empowering leaders team of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, under the leadership of Dee Whitten, created an experience those who attended will long remember as a high point in their spiritual lives.
At the close of the final worship service, evangelist Roger Roller invited those who would commit themselves to sacrificial service in the spirit of Christ to turn their churches inside out to come forward and take a towel. He had preached from John 13 using Jesus' servanthood as the theme of his sermon. Almost as one, men and women, some in tears, left their seats and made their way to the platform to signify their commitment to Christ and his body, the church.
The following testimonials convey the general sense that this year's conference was highly successful in conveying both a sense of urgency and a sense of confidence that we really can effectively reach people for Christ.
• “The retreat provided excellent examples of how churches can minister to those who seldom if ever attend traditional church services.”
Richard Ballengee, Deacon, North Fork Baptist Church, Blacksburg
• “I left the retreat with a sense of renewal and commitment to help the staff and other deacons at Franklin Baptist ‘turn our church inside out' for Christ.”
Nancy Hopkins, Deacon, Franklin Baptist Church, Franklin
• “Reverend Roller is a gifted speaker who was able to deliver three messages that convicted, consoled and energized our group of deacons to think about turning our 70-member rural church ‘inside out.' ”
Phil Scarborough, Deacon, Fitzgerald Baptist Church Cumberland
• “I came home knowing that my inclinations have to change and that I need to be more about ‘going' and having the evangelistic zeal instead of merely waiting for people to come to the place where I worship.”
F. Carson Riley III, Ministry Associate, Round Oak Baptist Church, Corbin
• “We felt the urgency to get off of our padded pews and meet our lost and dying generation where they are — at the movies, at the local Starbucks, in our gyms, beauty salons, places of business and schools. Waiting for the unchurched and the unsaved to come through our church doors in order to disciple them and save them is not only naïve, it is, in many ways, sinful!
Kristye Moxley, Pastor's Wife, Azalea Baptist Church, Norfolk
• “Our group … returned with great excitement and enthusiasm concerning what our Lord commissioned us to do.”
David P. Shreve, Minister of Music, Manly Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington
• “It was wonderful to be able to spend a couple of days sharing ideas with fellow church leaders on the different ways they are going about ministering to the lost.”
Steve Adkins, Deacon, Ringgold Baptist Church , Ringgold