In most evangelical denominations, including the Southern Baptist Convention, there has been a significant decrease in the number of conversions and baptisms. The resulting decline in America's Christian population has reached the point where the United States is now recognized as the fourth largest mission field in the world.
If we are to have an evangelistic resurgence in America, it must begin with pastors and their staff. If they have a heart for evangelism, church members will follow. The Great Commission Resurgence (GCR), an evangelism initiative for the 21st century, will utilize an approach to engendering evangelistic activity in churches, rekindling evangelistic fires throughout the nation.
GCR will seek to partner with Southern Baptist seminaries to provide more intensive evangelistic training and resources for seminary students who are pastors and staff in training.It also will provide a Church Health Analyses to churches to help them discover ways to improve their evangelistic well-being.
LifeWay Christian Resources will create a Great Commission Resurgence Center led by Dr. Brad Waggoner, vice president of research and ministry development. In cooperation with SBC seminaries and other SBC entities, GCR will provide forums, papers, conferences, a highly informational Web site and other resources to focus hearts and minds on the task of fulfilling the Great Commission in our nation and beyond.
Specific goals for GCR are to establish Great Commission emphases with all of our SBC agencies, including seminaries, state conventions and other agencies, and to collectively encourage every pastor in the convention to lead the local church toward intentionally sharing Christ with the unsaved.
