JACKSON - With the sounding of the gavel on Thursday, July 20, at noon, the 2023 Annual Session of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention came to a close.

The week-long meeting held at Greater Pearlie Grove MB Church in Jackson, MS brought together numerous delegates from across the state to engage in classes, seminars, worship, and fellowship. Choirs from District Associations participated in the first-ever pre-convention musical which was a glorious night of gospel music and songs of praise. It also marked the last time that Executive Director Lannie Spann McBride would be leading the Music Department as she was passing the baton to Dr. Kelvin Towers. Thank you Sis Lannie for a service well rendered.

Day one, dubbed Mission Monday, was an exciting time as delegates were reacquainted, first-time attendees were acclimated to the convention proper and sponsors and vendors participated in seminars throughout the day. Evening worship focused on the convention's ongoing work in Mission and Dr. Aaron Parker, of Atlanta, GA.,  challenged the convention to “rediscover our holy ground” as the body of Christ.

By Tuesday morning it was evident that this Annual Session would be one of the best. The Congress of Christian Education offered classes relative to the needs of the church, the Laymen and Women’s Department continued to show consistent progress and support in ministry and mission and the Ushers Department made themselves available for every general assembly. Seminary Night was highlighted by the preaching of Pastor H B Charles, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL. An extraordinary exemplar of expository preaching he stirred the convention by calling for “the need of a revival in the church.”

With the Session theme being Generations Now & Next, everyone was waiting to see what the next generation of youth had in store for the Convention. The buildup from their week of classes culminated with a powerful worship experience as the children & youth choir along with praise dancers offered their best to the Lord in song. What followed, was an energetic and enthusiastic message from Dr. Sipho Mhlanga of Arkansas. He passionately pleaded to the convention to “not let the children fall out of the window”,  as he gave a visual from the text of Acts 20:7-12. The night ended in a prayer of commitment by delegates to return to their respective churches and do the work of revitalizing their youth ministries.

On Thursday morning, the building was a buzz as delegates were standing on tiptoes of anticipation awaiting the annual address of Convention President Reginald M. Buckley. As he gave an account of the convention's efforts over the past year, he announced that the Annual season opened with all expenses paid in full before Day one. This was of historic significance and a precedent for the convention. He also highlighted the official title of Humana as a corporate partner of the Convention and their financial commitment of $75,000.00 to the Conventions mission. The president then proceeded to deliver a soul-stirring message to the delegates by challenging pastors and parishioners alike to be authentic in their witness of Christ by making sure that their theological positions were in sync with their practical applications and that their personal beliefs did not contradict biblical teachings. Shouts of amen and hallelujah resonated throughout the sanctuary as the president preached from a heart burning with the love of God and the spirit of Christ.

And as he rapped the gavel bringing the 2023 Annual Session to a close, thoughts of the convention's future with Generations Now & Next could be summed up in the words of the Allstate motto, the GMBSC is in “ Good Hands.”

VIEW THE ENTIRE PHOTO GALLERY