Conference speaker says individuals are the key to church growth, climate

Thom Rainer, president and chief executive officer of LifeWay Christian Resources, urged Oklahoma Southern Baptists to take a personal assessment of their own contributions to their churches’ growth and climate.

Rainer was one of the keynote speakers at the Baptist General Convention’s 2017 Evangelism Conference at First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, 6400 S Sooner Road. The annual conference also featured another well-known speaker, Christian apologist and author Frank Turek, as well as breakout sessions and a women’s session.

Rainer told the crowd that he wasn’t going to give them ratios and statistics that he typically includes in his presentations as leader of the Southern Baptist Convention’s research arm.

Instead, Rainer had them take a look at the Book of Acts, at a time in the early church when there was a chance that the spread of the Gospel would falter or sputter out.

He said this didn’t happen because early Christians held themselves personal accountable for sharing God’s word.

So, too, should believers today examine their own lives and evangelistic efforts instead of looking at the lives and activities of their pastor and fellow church members.

“Maybe the question that God is asking is what about you?” Rainer said.

“Probably one of the best church evangelistic tools I can give you is for each of you to get down on your face and say ‘use me, God.’”

To read more about Rainer’s presentation, go to NewsOK.com/blogs/ religion-and-values.