State convention president issues personal evangelism challenge

Courtesy Photo

Ralph Curtin (left), pastor of North Pompano Baptist Church, is encouraged by Hayes Wicker (right), president of the Florida Baptist State Convention. Wicker spoke to dozens of Gulf Stream Baptist Association pastors and staff members during a luncheon April 4 in the fellowship hall of First Baptist Church, Pompano Beach.

POMPANO BEACH (FBW)—Hayes Wicker, president of the Florida Baptist State Convention, challenged south Florida pastors April 4 to evangelize and baptize the lost, to "get behind what God is doing in Broward County," according to Rob Peters, pastor of First Baptist Church, Weston. Area pastors, staff and church leadership gathered at First Baptist Church, Pompano Beach, to share lunch and encouragement.

The event, attended by pastors of several nationalities, was jointly sponsored by Gulf Stream Baptist Association and First, Weston.

Wicker, citing the Prayer of Jabez, challenged the group to "enlarge their territories" in evangelism, and to ask God to use them as never before. He asked the pastors to not only preach evangelism from the pulpit, but also to participate in personal evangelism and program evangelism so that others may also participate in personal evangelism.

Wicker has challenged Florida Baptists to baptize 100,000 in 2005, and Southern Baptist Convention president Bobby Welch of Daytona has set a goal of one million baptisms throughout the convention.

Peters, who calls Wicker a personal mentor, said he wanted to share his mentor with area pastors, and also show the FBSC president what God is doing in the unique metropolitan ministry setting of fast-growing Broward County.