INDIANAPOLIS — Several groups affiliated with Southern Baptists plan to meet around the time of the 2024 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting at the Indiana Convention Center (ICC).

It’s a convenient time to meet, saving money for participants by not having a separate meeting elsewhere.

“The greatest benefit for Southern Baptist Evangelists in attending the SBC annual meeting is the opportunity to meet pastors and staff of our Southern Baptist churches and to present our ministries and ways in which we can serve their churches with outreach, evangelism training, revivals, mission trips, youth events and more,” Amy Stockwell told Baptist Press. Stockwell is a music evangelist and the Evangelist fellowship’s secretary treasurer.

“SBC Evangelists have a special calling that is unlike that of other ministers of the gospel – a special gifting to preach and present God’s plan of salvation in such a way that people are moved to surrender their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior,” Stockwell continued. “Another wonderful benefit of attending the SBC each June is fellowship with each other, corporate worship, learning, growth and encouragement in our calling.”

Fellowship is a major interest of the following fellowship groups:

Associational leaders: The theme of the 64th annual conference of the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders (SBCAL) is “Run to Win,” based on 1 Corinthians 9:24: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win” (NASB).

The conference is to take place June 9-10 – from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and 9-11:30 a.m. Monday – in the White River Ballrooms E-F of the J. W. Marriott, 10 S. West St., in downtown.

Heath Lambert, pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., is to preach at the 9 a.m. Sunday morning worship service. SBCAL Executive Director/CEO Ray Gentry, Josh Benton, vice president of Send Relief North America, and Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, are to speak Sunday afternoon.

The 5:30 p.m. banquet is to include an SBC Presidential Candidate Forum. All six candidates have confirmed their participation, Gentry told Baptist Press. Todd Robertson, executive director of the Louisville (Ky.) Regional Baptist Association and chairman of the executive team, is to preside.

During business sessions, a new chairman is to be elected, next year’s budget voted on, and amendments to the group’s constitution and bylaws are to be considered.

Mac Lake, Founder/CEO of The Multiply Group in Charleston, S.C., is to speak at 10:20 a.m. Monday. Breakout sessions and a ministry fair also are set for Monday morning.

Baptist World Ministry: A gathering of the Fellowship of Baptist World Ministry is set for 10 a.m. to noon Monday, June 10, in the ICC’s Room 123-124.

Several Southern Baptist missions organizations discovered one another in 1985 and formed a fellowship for mutual encouragement. Each worked with local churches and held to the Baptist Faith and Message. The blessing of the International Mission Board was given to them and a written agreement of cooperation was signed. The fellowship group now includes 15 organizations and is ministering in dozens of countries around the world. R. Phil Roberts is the executive director.

Jewish Christians: The SBC 2024 annual meeting happens to fall this year on the Biblical Feast of Shavout, the Feast of Weeks.

Shavout follows seven weeks of counting the days after Passover, important to Jews because that time is when God gave the Israelite people the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.

“Shavout starts June 11 at sundown and ends June 13 at sundown,” Messianic Jewish Chaplain Ric Worshill told Baptist Press. “Because of this, most of our members will be worshiping or leading worship and won’t be able to attend the SBC annual meeting.”

“Due to the [limited] number of confirmed SBMF attendees, we will be gathering for a meal at a local restaurant,” Worshill added. “Any inquiries should be directed to me at [email protected].

Worshill and the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship’s (SBMF) leadership team plan to be at the SBC annual meeting, taking turns serving at the All Nation’s booth in the exhibits hall. This is to include Ric and Gwenn Worshill of Lindenhurst, Ill.; President Bruce Stokes of Riverside, Calif.; Vice-president Mike Saffle and his wife, the Fellowship’s secretary from Chugiak, Alaska; Jonah Wolf Freeman and Susan G. Freeman of Lebanon, Ore.; and Trevor Embry of Anaheim, Calif.

Native Americans: The 12^th annual meeting of the Fellowship of Native American Christians – FoNAC – is set for 10 a.m.-noon Monday, June 10, in the Level 1 Chamber and Council Rooms of the Westin Indianapolis Hotel, with a theme of “We Are Still Here: Native Voices Declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Native Praise is to lead worship, including tribal hymns of the Muscogee Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw Nations. Some FoNAC leaders plan to sing in Pawnee. Native American LINK, directed by Augusta Smith, is to be a special guest, Executive Director Gary Hawkins told Baptist Press.

Mike Cummings, pastor of Deep Branch Church in Lumberton, N.C., is to be a guest speaker. Cummings previously was director of missions for Burnt Swamp Baptist Association and president of North Carolina Baptists.

Business is to include reports from the treasurer, board members and Hawkins’ executive director’s address. There will not be any elections this year, Hawkins said.

FoNAC plans to host a regional meeting in Pembroke, N.C., in September.

Southern Baptist Evangelists: This group plans to meet from 4:30-6 p.m. Monday, June 10, in Grand Ballroom 5 at the Westin Indianapolis. Joe and Kim Stanley are listed as worship leaders. All are invited.

A business meeting for members only is to follow. New officers will be elected. Keith Cook of On the Go Ministries is the current president. Read the SBC’s Daily Bulletin or access the SBC annual meeting app for additional information and events related to the SBC Evangelists.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Karen L. Willoughby is a national correspondent for Baptist Press.)