# So I'm going to an evangelism conference tonight..



## Chris (Jan 24, 2007)

What should I expect? 

http://www.baileysmith.org/conferences.asp

(Yes, this is a serious question - I've never heard of this guy before. )


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## Blueridge Believer (Jan 24, 2007)

Chris said:


> What should I expect?
> 
> http://www.baileysmith.org/conferences.asp
> 
> (Yes, this is a serious question - I've never heard of this guy before. )



I think I heard him preach on a tape about 20 yrs. ago. You're not going to hear a lot of doctrine but I'm sure it will be entertaining. Go with the right spirit, eat what you can and spit out the rest!


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## MrMerlin777 (Jan 24, 2007)

Heard Bailey Smith preach a series of meetings at Rainbow Forest Baptist Church in Troutville Va about 16-17 years ago. Don't know if he's changed much but if he hasn't expect basic SBC with a side of Fundamental, Semi-pelagian, Dispensational fare.


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## Chris (Jan 24, 2007)

I'm back. 



I've seen better, I've seen worse.


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## Ivan (Jan 24, 2007)

Chris said:


> I'm back.
> 
> 
> 
> I've seen better, I've seen worse.




He was president of the SBC once. I think I meet him once. Just a handshake in a group of preachers. Intense man.


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## Pergamum (Jan 25, 2007)

So....

Did you at last find out what "Real" evangelism was?


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## Pilgrim (Jan 25, 2007)

See here, here, here and here for an aspect of Bailey Smith's ministry that stirred things up in the blogosphere in 2005.


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## Chris (Jan 25, 2007)

Ivan said:


> He was president of the SBC once. I think I meet him once. Just a handshake in a group of preachers. Intense man.



Maybe I'm a sourpuss, but I just don't care for preaching that's 50% jokes, 5% doctrine, 40% random thoughts, and topped with a 'conference rate book deal if I buy all 3 items tonight'.....

In all honesty, though, I watched two speeches (I wouldn't call them sermons) and there was several minutes of meat carefully woven in amongst the other stuff. I can't honestly say that no good points were made. 





trevorjohnson said:


> So....
> 
> Did you at last find out what "Real" evangelism was?



Statistics: 

Hours spent in conference: 2
Times the word 'repent' was used in some reference to salvation: 2
Times the personal pronoun 'I' was used in regard to evangelism/conversion (but not in the course of a reading of Ezekiel 36): 1 gazillion
Times I was moved to flip to the back of my Bible (not in the course of a reading from the pulpit) and read Leviticus chapter ten, verses one through three: 1





Pilgrim said:


> See here, here, here and here for an aspect of Bailey Smith's ministry that stirred things up in the blogosphere in 2005.




Thanks for those links. Theyre quite interesting. As for my feelings about charging on a per-soul basis, as it were, see my reference to the repeated use of the personal pronoun 'I' in regards to evangelistic success. 

(actually, that wasn't Smith talking - it was the other guy, but the point stands...)


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## Puritan Sailor (Jan 25, 2007)

So how did the conference go?


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## Ivan (Jan 25, 2007)

Chris said:


> Maybe I'm a sourpuss, but I just don't care for preaching that's 50% jokes, 5% doctrine, 40% random thoughts, and topped with a 'conference rate book deal if I buy all 3 items tonight'.....



I never said I liked him, just that I met him...very briefly.


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## Chris (Jan 27, 2007)

Puritan Sailor said:


> So how did the conference go?



*shrugs*

I watched Nadab and Abihu lay strange fire on the altar for two hours and then I left. I 'missed' the thursday/friday sessions because I was out of town on business.


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## Ivan (Jan 27, 2007)

joshua said:


> Just admit it, Ivan! You LIKE it!!!!! You like to tell endless jokes from the pulpit. You have 3 Volumes of the _Silly Sermon Stories_ _Series_. ADMIT IT!



 Glad I reviewed this thread and caught this post. 

Now, Josh, I sometimes tell humorous stories, but never jokes!  And, yes, I understand you were _"joshing"_ me.  

I have heard sermons like that (silly jokes) from the pulpit and when I did I had a sense of dread...as if the judgment of God was soon to fall. 

As to Bailey Smith....it was a fleeting encounter...I was introduced to him on the street outside the convention center, where the SBC was having the annual meeting. I think it was in Kansas City. I also met Adrian Rogers that week, again briefly.

I did get an impression of both men at the time. Smith was intense, unfriendly and self-absorbed. He was a man on a mission. 

I met Rogers immediately after he preached at one of the sessions of the Pastor's Conference. The impression I was left with of him is that he was a warm-hearted, compassionate man, yet a man on a mission.

Both men played a part in the conservative resurgence in the SBC. As we all know, especially we who are SBCers, we still have a very long way to go.


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## Chris (Jan 27, 2007)

> As to Bailey Smith....it was a fleeting encounter...I was introduced to him on the street outside the convention center, where the SBC was having the annual meeting. I think it was in Kansas City. I also met Adrian Rogers that week, again briefly.



It occurred to me that you may have taken my previous comments personally. All these years and I still haven't learned how to convey tone/inflection via electronic media. 

At any rate, I didn't take your comment about having met Smith as an endorsement of him - sorry if I gave that impression; it was not intnetional. 

Truth be known, Smith wasn't the really 'bad' speaker there - the other guy was! Smith made some good points along the way...his worst mistake was closing his message with a book deal!


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## Ivan (Jan 27, 2007)

Chris said:


> It occurred to me that you may have taken my previous comments personally. All these years and I still haven't learned how to convey tone/inflection via electronic media.
> 
> At any rate, I didn't take your comment about having met Smith as an endorsement of him - sorry if I gave that impression; it was not intnetional.
> 
> Truth be known, Smith wasn't the really 'bad' speaker there - the other guy was! Smith made some good points along the way...his worst mistake was closing his message with a book deal!




No, I didn't take it personally at all. I just wanted to be clear that I didn't endorse Smith. Yes, he is an effective speaker. I've heard him a few times and he is interesting. As far as the book deal at the end of the message...I think that speaks volumes....no pun intended.

Out of curiousity, who were the other speakers at the conference?


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## Chris (Jan 27, 2007)

Sam Cathey was the first speaker. I'm not sure who was there the other nights, but Steve Gaines (of bellevue baptist/memphis infamy) was supposed to be there last night. 

Sam was the guy I referrred to as overusing 'I', in reference to things 'he' had did.

Both were experts at working the crowd, hence my earlier reference to 'strange fire'.


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## Ivan (Jan 27, 2007)

Chris said:


> Sam Cathey was the first speaker. I'm not sure who was there the other nights, but Steve Gaines (of bellevue baptist/memphis infamy) was supposed to be there last night.
> 
> Sam was the guy I referrred to as overusing 'I', in reference to things 'he' had did.
> 
> Both were experts at working the crowd, hence my earlier reference to 'strange fire'.



I see. Strange fire indeed. 

Chris, are you connected to the Founders group?


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## Chris (Jan 27, 2007)

Ivan said:


> Chris, are you connected to the Founders group?



Unfortunately, no. 

I'll elaborate in an IM.


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