Pastors' Conference president hopeful for unity, revival

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SAN ANTONIO (FBW)—In planning the Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference June 10-11 in San Antonio, Hayes Wicker said he focused mainly on keeping unity and promoting a spirit of revival among pastors.

Wicker, conference president and pastor of First Baptist Church in Naples, said he hopes the sermons, testimonies and prayer times will both inspire and encourage those who attend the day and a half of seminars and worship services prior to the June 12-13 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.

"There is a growing sense among leaders in our Convention that we need a fresh movement of God among us," Wicker said. "There is a desperate need for God to unite us and revive us."

To that end, for the first time, an extended prayer time is built into the Monday morning meeting. Author T.W. Hunt will direct the Prayer Gathering at 11 a.m. following two 75-minute seminars which will address a broad range of personal issues including parenting, finances, divine intimacy and witnessing. During the same seminar time, panel discussions among Convention pastors will be featured in a symposium. Hayes said organizers planned more seminars than ever before although they are "shooting in the dark" in guessing how many pastors will participate.

With the theme, "Christ's Victory In Spite Of ...," Wicker has asked each speaker to be as transparent as possible in speaking about incidents that are "still very fresh" to the speakers.

"I think it is really important for pastors to see that well-known preachers and leaders share some of the same problems they have," Wicker said. "Sometimes in church, we live in a private world and don't ask for help. It will be important for these speakers to encourage other pastors."

Four frequent Pastors' Conference speakers will testify of Christ's victory though affliction, pain, temptation and opposition. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, will tell of his recent near-death experience; O.S. Hawkins, president of GuideStone Financial Resources, will relate his family's pain when his grandson was severely injured; Jimmy Draper, retired president of LifeWay Christian Resources, will tell of his struggle with sexual temptations; and Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, will testify of his reaction to opposition.

"I believe that these men's testimonies will grip people's hearts and minds," Wicker said.

At the time of his election as president in 2006, Wicker told Florida Baptist Witness he wanted "to avoid the fragmentation" of past gatherings. The senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Naples has asked every speaker in the conference to emphasize what unites us instead of what some may disagree on.

"I have asked the speakers to preach biblically with exposition, and to avoid 'drive-by shootings' of individuals or groups," Wicker said.

Wicker said he hoped many Florida pastors will be among the expected 9,000-10,000 in attendance even though San Antonio is a long way from Florida.

"Even if it means not preaching on Sunday before they leave, I hope they will make the trip and will be there at this important time," Wicker said.