By Tony Martin
Editor
The 189th Mississippi Baptist Convention wrapped business Wednesday, October 29, at Broadmoor Church, Madison. This was the first time Broadmoor hosted the Convention. The final count was 807 messengers and 252 guests for a total in attendance of 1,059. This represents an increase of 186 attendees over the 2024 total of 873, which at the time was the highest attendance since 2016.
Highlights of the Tuesday morning program included:
- The first of the Bible Treasures, presented by Robert Smith, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Ala. The theme of his message was “I Don’t Know Where I’m Going, but I ain’t lost” from Hebrews 11:8.
- Music and worship from Bobby Sanderson, Worship Pastor, Pleasant Hill Church, Columbia, the Pleasant Hill Praise Team, and the Mississippi Singing Churchmen.
- Andrew Chesteen, Senior Pastor, First Church, New Albany, was nominated to serve as President of the Convention to serve in 2026. There were no other nominations and Michael Weeks, Recording Secretary, cast the single ballot “All for one and all for all.”
- Bill Hurt, President, Mississippi Baptist Convention and pastor of Pleasant Hill Church, Columbia, gave an address titled “A New Commandment of Love” from John 13:34-35 and John 15:9-17.
Tuesday afternoon and evening highlights included:
- Greetings from the Southern Baptist Convention by Jeff Iorg, President/CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, Nashville.
- A concert of praise from the Worship Collective, Mississippi College.
- A presentation of the proposed 2026 Cooperative Program Budget in the amount of $31,100,000 by Michael Barnett, Chair of the Budget Committee and pastor, First Church, Ocean Springs.
- Shane Freeman, pastor, Macedonia Church, Petal was nominated to serve as First Vice President. With no opposition, Freeman was elected by acclamation.
- Michael Weeks, pastor, First Church, Senatobia, was nominated to serve as Recording Secretary. He was elected by acclamation.
- Bill Kirkpatrick, pastor, Dockery Church, Cleveland, and Josh Braddy, Lead Pastor, Broadmoor Church, Madison, were nominated to serve as Associate Recording Secretary. Braddy respectfully withdrew his name from consideration, and Kirkpatrick was elected by acclamation.
- Chesteen, Chairman, Executive Committee, gave a report from the Cooperative Program (CP) Study Committee. The committee was tasked with researching the possibility of a new method of cooperative giving. The Executive Committee recommended that we continue with unaltered support of the Cooperative Program. The motion passed.
- Matt Olson, Senior Pastor, First Church, Sharon, was nominated to serve as Second Vice President. He was elected by acclamation.
- First Church, Biloxi, and Gulf Coast Baptist Association Worship Ministries led in congregational worship.
- William Carey University’s Worship Choir and Band provided worship music.
- Smoky Gibson, Senior Pastor, First Church, Biloxi, shared the Convention Sermon.
- Shawn Parker, Executive Director-Treasurer, MBCB, preached from Jonah 4:1-11.
Highlights of Wednesday’s session included:
- The sole resolution offered during the Convention expressed appreciation to Broadmoor Church and the speakers, singers, instrumentalists, all who have served the Convention faithfully, and to President Bill Hurt.
- Bennett moved for the adoption of the 2026 CP budget. The motion carried.
- John Pace, director, Leadership Department, MBCB, recognized Stanley Magill, pastor, Yellow Creek Church, Iuka, as Bivocational Minister of the Year.
- Hurt introduced the three Baptist university presidents. Barbara McMillin, President, Blue Mountain Christian University, shared a report, with videos from the presidents of all three Universities.
- David Eldridge, pastor, Dawson Memorial Church, Homewood, Ala., who used as his text Luke 10:38-42, preached a sermon titled “One Thing Is Necessary.”
- Hurt recognized Ivan Parke, a professor in the Department of Christian Studies at Mississippi College where he has taught since 1998, to give the benediction. Parke, who has ALS and is unable to speak, gave the benediction by pre-recorded video.
The PDF of the First & Second Day Bulletins and 2025 Book of Reports are available at https://www.mbcb.org/convention/. The Convention Facebook page has videos of all the sessions, casual “man on the street” interviews, and many other features. Visit https://www.facebook.com/mississippibaptists/.
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