First of all, I would like to thank those of you who attended and prayed for the Baptist Conference on the Holy Spirit. Secondly, I would like to thank all the presenters who came well prepared to preach and teach on their assigned subject matters. I’m very thankful to the Lord for having smiled upon this conference with His presence, power, and life-giving Spirit. This conference was blessed with the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit who rested, ruled, and abided within our hearts and midst.
I have been deeply encouraged by the evaluations, comments, and compliments from the conference attendees. For those of you unable to attend the conference, you may order CDs of the conference by going to my website at www.cbcarlington.org .
There were 723 people registered to attend the conference with over 300 of those people being Cornerstone Baptist Church members. The registration total included registrations for the women’s sessions as well as the youth and children’s conferences. Regretfully, a significant number of persons who registered did not show up. My assumption is that most of those absent participants were primarily Cornerstone Baptist Church members, whom I allowed to register free of charge. However, they sure missed a blessing by not attending.
Throughout the entire 3-day conference, we averaged 55-70 workers and volunteers daily whom served in various areas of the conference from hosts and greeters, to registration, youth and children volunteers. I would like to thank all of the volunteers whom sacrificed their personal opportunity to participate in the conference in order to serve and meet the needs of the conference attendees.
The conference daily attendance breakdown is as follows:
Friday’s Sessions
Friday – Round Table – 78
Friday – Women’s Session – 94
Friday Evening Service – 615
Saturday’s Sessions
9:15 am – Opening Session – Robert Fowler – 181
9:50 am – Plenary Session – Bart Barber – 190
10:30 am- Plenary Session – Sam Storms – 178
11:00 am – Panel Discussion – Ben Cole – 140
2:00 pm – General Session – Robin Foster – 102
2:45 pm – General Session – Alan Cross – 107
3:30 pm – General Session – Boyd Luter – 96
Youth Conference – 243
Children’s Conference – 122
Saturday Evening Service – 278
Sunday’s Services
7:30 am Service – 573
10:00 am Service – 1335
7:00 pm – Sunday Evening Concert – 203
I would love to hear from those who attended the conference. Share your thoughts on the conference and/or your ideas for next year’s conference.
For those of you interested in attending a similar conference next year, I plan to soon give you the dates for the 2008 Conference on Spiritual Growth and Revival.
Again, I would like to thank you one and all and I hope to see you next year.
In the days to come I will share more of my thoughts on the conference.
Yours In Christ,
Rev. Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr.
April 30, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Pastor Dwight,
Thank you so much for inviting me to participate in this conference! It was a wonderful experience and your people were amazing. I have never been blessed and served that way in my life. I went back to my staff today and told them that we all need to go to Cornerstone to learn some lessons on how to get things done!
I think that God has done some work in people’s lives through the experience. I know that I am beginning to process things differently. I hope that we will be able to connect some time in the future, as well. God bless you for your leadership, graciousness, humility, and sweet spirit.
May 1, 2007 at 6:05 am
Pastor Dwight,
Mary and I were blessed out of our boots by this past weekend. After forty years of pastoring I have a pretty good sense of congregations where I visit and, I have to say, your wonderful people, not only did the best I’ve seen at making all welcome, but seemed to enjoy every moment doing so.
I’m registering my vote for a conference next year and will do a far better job at getting friends to attend. My vision is that such a meeting will be an oasis for Southern Baptists annually where a sense of family and Kingdom can be experienced by all of us.
Needless to say, Mary and I are anticipating our being with you and speaking to your people on Father’s day. We love you and Vera and look forward to fellowship often. Next time the meal is on me.
May 1, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Pastor Dwight,
I can’t begin to tell you what a blessing it was to come visit your congregation and attend this conference.
Your congregation is made up of the sweetest people who obviously know the meaning of being a servant. They made this conference special and made me feel welcome.
The praise team, choir and young men who lead your worship were the best of the best.
Now that I know how to get there, my husband and I hope to visit you again, conference or not!
Alycelee
May 2, 2007 at 9:07 am
Well, I’d like to echo Paul Burleson’s sentiments and say I was blessed out of my boots, but since Friday is my day off, and I came to the conference wearing sandals, I can’t really say that
I came expecting an encounter with the Holy Spirit, and I wasn’t disappointed. I know you don’t have to come to a conference for that to happen, but there were things that occurred in that conference that fell into place to prepare hearts and minds to receive the Spirit, and that was my experience. I also learned a whole lot of new things about the Holy Spirit which will contribute to my ability to maintain the spiritual discipline I need to continue to be filled.
I’ll bring people from my church to the next one.
May 2, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Dear Bro. Alan -
I agree with Dorcas Hawker, you are a “celebrity pastor.” I say so because it is very clear that you celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ in your life, family, fellowship and ministry. Your sound, scriptural and well articulated arguments for continualism certainly make you a hero of mine and many in my congregation. Your humility and holiness is so transparent. Your scholarship and consecrated lifestyle also emanate and radiate from your presence and preaching. Because you celebrate Jesus, Jesus has chosen to illuminate you. And that’s the celebrity that Dorcas and I see in you.
It was a joy and delight to have had fellowship with you this past Thursday through Sunday and I look forward to future times of fellowship.
Sincerely in Christ,
Dwight McKissic
May 2, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Dear Bro. Paul
Having known of you long before I ever heard of Wade I now recognize that you are a “gun” and that makes Wade a “son of a gun.”:) I’ve grown to love and appreciate you, Wade, Mary and Rachelle so dearly. I feel as if we are family.
I asked you to preach on Father’s Day for a reason. I Corinthians 4:15 says, “Have we not many fathers…..” I truly consider you a spiritual father and I know God will use you to speak a special word to our congregation on Father’s Day. Truly you are a patriarch and I pray that the Lord will give you a double portion of His Spirit.
Thanks for your vote of confidence regarding future conferences as we are in the process of praying and planning.
Sincerely in Christ,
Dwight McKissic
May 2, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Dear Sis. Alycelee-
I have read your blog many times since August 2006. I’ve read comments you’ve made on other people’s blogs and I really appreciate the spirit and the wisdom in which you address everybody.
Thanks for attending the Holy Spirit Conference. I look forward to you and your husband visiting in the future and if I know that you are coming, I will look forward to personally greeting you.
Sincerely in Christ,
Dwight McKissic
May 2, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Dear Bro. Lees –
I’ve seen your picture on the computer screen many times but it did not dawn on me until I met you that “you don’t look like your picture.” You are a man with a kind and gracious spirit. I’m thankful to God that the Holy Spirit Conference met your expectations. We’re in the process of praying and planning for next year’s conference and I appreciate your encouragement and please pray for us when you can.
Sincerely in Christ,
Dwight McKissic
May 2, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Bro. Dwight
Thank you for the opportunity to speak at the conference. You have taught me a lesson in humility and service. I might also add that all those from Cornerstone that worked in the conference excelled in graciousness and service. You can be proud of what God is doing at and through your church.
I felt your presentation on Friday morning was very scholarly. We don’t see eye to eye on this issue, but you are a Southern Baptist brother and our convention is better for the work you do.
God Bless
Bro. Robin
May 3, 2007 at 5:52 am
Pastor Dwight:
I said it before but I’ll say it again: Worshiping at Cornerstone makes me feel like I’m back in Kingston, worshiping at Red Hills Baptist Church, and those who know me know that’s the highest compliment I could pay a church. As I said on my blog, the institution is the lengthened shadow of one man, and you’re the man (casting your own reflecion of Jesus).
The Conference was super. Thanks so much for putting it on, and for your graciousness to Peggy and me.
May 3, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Dear Brother Dwight,
Thank you so much for letting Cornerstone host this event. I had time to visit with several church members while I was there and can’t tell you how impressed I was with the sweet spirit and maturity of those I met. I was blessed beyond measure by the worship time and greatly edified by the teaching and preaching. Last night I was able to report to our church and teach on what the Holy Spirit had taught me during the conference. Thanks again for your sweet spirit. God bless you, your family and your wonderful church family.
p.s. I was thrilled to learn you were an Arkansas native. I knew there was something I liked about you.
May 4, 2007 at 12:28 am
Dr. McKissic: My husband and I had a wonderful time at this conference and enjoyed the education. I echo what so many have already said. Thank you.
May 4, 2007 at 8:50 am
Bro. Harold -
Thanks for your presence and encouragement regarding the conference.
Be Blessed,
Dwight McKissic
May 4, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Sis. Debbie -
When I met you and your husband I immediately recognized your name because I’ve often read your blog. Thank you for ministering to the body of Christ by sharing your thoughts with the Baptist family and others. I’ve often been blessed and encouraged concerning many issues while reading your blog.
Keep up the good work! I’m glad that you were ministered to at the Holy Spirit Conference. I trust that you and your husband will remember this conference and me in prayer as we contemplate next year’s conference.
Dwight McKissic