SBC President Bobby Welch: Champion of Evangelism

When England was reeling on the precipice of discouragement and defeat from the constant onslaught of the German blitzkrieg in World War II, Winston Churchill inspired a weary and fainthearted nation with his persuasive and powerful words.

When the Chrysler Corporation was on the brink of bankruptcy and could have succumbed to the financial woes that haunted them, Lee Iacocca strategized, re-organized and negotiated with union workers until the automaker was once again vibrant and viable.

A recent issue of USA Today had a feature story on Joe Gibbs, the coach of the Washington Redskins. Gibbs is a fine Christian, who led the Redskins to three championships in four Super Bowl appearances during a previous stint with the team.

Last year the team had a lackluster season in Gibbs’ first year back at the helm. The newspaper reported that Gibbs is determined to transform the present team into the dominant Redskin teams of the 80’s. The article, which came out the day of Bobby Welch’s re-election as president of the SBC was entitled: “Second chance, second year, second wind.”

I personally think Bobby Welch had a tremendously significant and successful first year as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, but his first press conference on the afternoon of his election indicated that he is fully ready for the challenge of another year at the highest elected office in the SBC. Like Churchill, Iacocca and Gibbs, Welch is ready to encourage, inspire and motivate. He wants to see Southern Baptists get serious about evangelism again and in regards to witnessing, he believes “Everyone Can!” So, for Welch, too, it’s a “second chance, second year, and a second wind.”

Welch is a native of Fort Payne, Ala. and Vietnam War hero. He was a U.S. Army paratrooper, Ranger, jungle expert and Green Beret who ultimately attained the rank of captain. He was a highly decorated soldier, receiving the Bronze Star with “V” device for bravery, a Purple Heart, and an Air Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge to mention only a few.

As a recon platoon leader in Vietnam, he was shot and given up as dead, at which time God miraculously intervened in a life-changing way that resulted in his call to the ministry. Welch is one of the most sought after Southern Baptist “God and Country” speakers in the nation.

For the past 31 years Welch has been pastor of First Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, Fla. and first championed the cause of evangelism among his own people. First Baptist Daytona is the founder/originator of the FAITH evangelism through the Sunday School strategy. As much as time has allowed, the Florida pastor has passionately attempted to get churches to employ the FAITH evangelism strategy.

It was no surprise that as convention president he made witnessing to lost souls a priority. In fact, in his first year as president of the convention Welch decided to carry the banner to witness, win and baptize one million souls. In the first months of his administration he took his “Everyone Can!” Kingdom Challenge to the nation, personally visiting all 50 states.

At the recent convention sessions in Nashville Welch was the president, moderator, preacher, coach, and cheerleader constantly seeking to impress upon each messenger the importance of reaching the lost for Christ. At intervals throughout the proceedings Welch would call out to the messengers, “Who can witness, win and baptize one million in the next twelve months?”

The throng of messengers were prompted to respond, “Everyone can! I’m it!”

At the press conference he said, “We’ve got good people doing good things, but we have forsaken the main thing.”

Not only was the Nashville convention a rallying cry for “evangelism,” but also in each session of the convention Welch “kept the main thing the main thing” by having a local Baptist church baptize new converts, an unprecedented feature in convention proceedings.

Welch exclaimed, “We are here to change society by changing people, but we need to get at it. We are slouching along rather than moving forward. We need unity of purpose. What is the lowest common denominator to bring us together? If you can’t be for evangelism, then what can you support?”