Where are the State Evangelism Conferences?

As a longtime Baptist I miss the old state evangelism conferences. I lived in Texas when I became a Christian and felt called to preach and the high light of my year was the State Evangelism Conference.

It was a great motivation to get out and knock on doors and tell people about Jesus. The preaching was great.

Time went by and the preaching seemed to more second to special conferences which were not well attended.

There are some state conventions with annual evangelism conference in our present time, but none in my state.

Professions of Faith and Baptisms are fewer now than in the 1950's. Fewer churches have revival meetings. Both the old evangelism conferences and the local church revival meeting were great motivators for getting out and doing evangelism.
NAMB used to promote and help support the state evangelism conferences but their plan has changed.

A: I have never in my 36 years as a believer ever heard of Evangelism Conferences in SBC denomination. Had no idea they even existed. I am in CA but have been in conservative and liberal areas and am surprised by this. 

I can say though, there was a weird shift from evangelism when that wierd Rick Warren & healthy church fad in 2005 took over, and churches have gone down hill ever since. Many embraced culture over Christ and it ruined most churches. That happens when you draw the world in and they remain as they are (false converts living in sin and led by Satan) then it becomes just a social club of idolatry. Only focusing on individuals self desires. 

Biblical Churches should be teaching Evangelism courses annually, and having outreach group so folk can get helps in day to day witnessing encounters & a place and time where they can go out in pairs with others in local community. You also need a discipleship course for new believers or those who never went through one.

Those who love God will obey the great commission naturally. God will lead people to witness to those he will save (seeds, water and harvest). We are all called to do this work.

The churches with congregants who dont, are either unsaved false convert idolators and He will close that church, or they are filled with people who naturally share the gospel (trained or not) without the church even knowing and those witnessed to havent got saved to be added to the church, baptized and discipled.

I went thru 2 evangelism "trainings" in small towns and they really didnt seem to help me talk to people about Jesus.

In my young years my mom told me [recently] that I used to talk to people about Jesus all the time. I was raised in the church on weekends by my godly grandparents, but I dont recall taking to people about Him until after I was 20. I was saved at age 12. But I have a vague memory of trying to talk to someone on a school bus when I was young (6-10?).

I couldn't imagine using the suggestions those courses (i was 23 and 25) becuz who goes up to strangers and says so where do you think you will go when you die. If some stranger said that to me i would run thinking he was a murderer.

However I was able to have a good convo with a coworker in the oddest situation, and had tried a few other convos there and at other jobs with people without using those trainings but simply using my bible knowledge. I didnt know how to share the gospel well but I still planted seeds as best I could. Knowing the Bible is key. Today statistics show only 3% read it daily and like 34% of believers ever even read it 1x. Sadly only 37% of pastors believe it is 100% from God and in it's authority. And fewer even preach it accurately from the pulpit. So it is no surprise if the church is full of non believers who claim Christ, and the more elderly who are 1. the majority in most smaller typical churches and 2. mostly home bodies who have no one to talk to [if they dont use internet to share Christ], and few if any living relatives. 

Those who only care about themselves are like Titanic passengers. They should be desperately helping those drowning get into the lifeboat. Not just content in thier safety while thousands scream and drown around them. It is a serious heart matter if they have no desire to go and reach the lost. 

It wasnt until LW material in 2002 that I learned more clarity and helps to sharing the Gospel well, and I've done so online and irl in public and with outreach group at church since then. Thankful to God to bring that to me and for Him using me.

But since the internet is used more by most people since around 2015 many in local churches likely minister online with those they know or randoms who do not live nearby so they are added to a church somewhere when saved, it just isnt their local church. Which is why churches need outreach groups. Our outreach group has led many to salvation and into our church over decades. All mentally stable able bodied "born again ones" in the church should be trained and if not all part of the Sunday outreach they certianly should be on rotation to participate with outings once a month or every other month. Even if theyre introverts... the group should go in 3's [one praying, the other 2 tag teaming in convos and taking turns] (anyway), then push the introvert into taking start for convos and the other two can pick up. It builds confidence and helps them move into ambivert. Im an ambivert. I like online witnessing because I can think through a response first. But can be an extrovert once I engage in a irl convo. People just need more opportunities to do so..  and go & grow from there.

And maybe many can't afford to go travel with gas food & lodging prices, but can join in a free zoom or attend local church campus evangelism training. But those need to be available & offered.

Resources

Encouraging Evangelism

Evangelism Training

School of Biblical Evangelism

Ambassadors Academy  

Evangelism Conferences