Sunday evening at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church Sulphur Springs, the churches of Rehoboth Baptist Association will gather to celebrate another year of service to the seven county area served by the 54 churches. This is the 161st annual meeting for the organization.
Guest speakers for the event include Bob Billups,Alliance Director for the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative and Dr. Jimmy Pritchard pastor of First Baptist Church, Forney.
Billups has nearly 40 years of experience as a pastor and minister in Texas which equipped him with the relationship-building skills needed in his position with the Wilberforce Alliance. The mission of 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative seeks to create a world where religious freedom is recognized by nations across the globe as a fundamental human right. The organization seeks to defend the vulnerable and victimized, and to champion religious freedom and respect for the equal human dignity of persons of every faith. They mobilize faith-groups for advocacy of religious freedom policy reforms and protections globally as they equip through training and other resources and employ technical solutions. The organization is named for the 19th century British Parliamentarian William Wilberforce who identified the slave trade as the single greatest violation of human rights.
Dr. Pritchard began his ministry at FBC Forney in April, 1994 following pastorates in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas. He is a former Trustee and Chairman of the IMB and past President of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. He served for 15 years with the Baptist World Alliance, and he is a former President of the Southwestern Seminary Alumni Association.
Rehoboth Baptist Association promotes cooperative efforts among churches and serves as a resource for education, referral, and support for local churches as they carry out their various ministry activities.
The evening activity will follow an afternoon business session at 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend the evening worship that will be broadcast on KSST and Suddenlink Cable Channel 2 Sunday evening at 6 p.m.
