SBC President crusades for souls

Search throughout the Southern Baptist Convention. Look far and wide, high and low. Check the DNA of all 16.3 million members of SBC churches and you will be hard pressed to find anyone more tenacious, determined and impassioned than Bobby Welch. Furthermore, he happens to be impassioned about something that should be burning in the heart and soul of every Southern Baptist. He has an unwavering desire to see people won to faith in Jesus Christ.

He says, "Cut me and you will find that my blood is type 'E' which stands for 'evangelism.'" Welch eats, sleeps, thinks and lives evangelism. In fact, he is the chief architect of the FAITH evangelism strategy used by many SBC churches, a plan he developed at First Baptist, Daytona Beach, Fla., where he has pastored for more than 30 years.

Evangelism a priority

In June at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis, Welch was elected as the 53rd president of the 179-year old Baptist body now composed of nearly 43,000 churches. Only moments after his election he vowed that he would make evangelism a priority during his term as president.

Welch has launched a whirlwind bus tour similar to those sometimes used by U.S. Presidential candidates as they traverse the country to appeal for votes. The "Everyone Can Kingdom Challenge" tour is scheduled to stop in all 48 states in the mainland. Welch will also fly to Alaska and Hawaii before he completes his tour of the states.

However, the first stop on the "Everyone Can Kingdom Challenge" tour was in Georgia. After the Sunday morning worship service on August 29th in Daytona Beach, Welch and his entourage motored to the Savannah area and stopped at Richmond Hill's First Baptist Church, where the SBC Convention President was introduced to the congregation by pastor Keith Joseph. Welch threw down the gauntlet by challenging the church to join thousands of other Southern Baptists to "witness, win, and baptize ... one million" souls in the next twelve months!

Welch issued six points of challenge all related to evangelism. His appeal is for Christians to "reach out to those with ministry needs and to those who are lost and need Christ as their Savior."

With deep conviction Welch expressed his commitment to the Cooperative Program, indicating that throughout his ministry his church in Florida has allocated 15 percent of its annual operating budget to Southern Baptist's CP missions. He stated, "Baptists do our best when we do it together. That is spiritual synergy. We've got to go and we've got to give."

All you can ...

Welch exhorted, "We must do all we can to change our world for eternity. I am not asking anyone to be successful, but to just try to touch the lives of others for the cause of Christ. Do all you can with all you have where you are ... now!"

The crusading president told of a member of his church who came to see him upon his election and said, "If there is anything I can do for you don't hesitate to ask. I am willing to do whatever you want me to do."

Welch replied, "If you really mean that I want you to go back to your home in West Virginia and get me a harness, one with blinders, one like you would put on a mule."

Suddenly from behind the pulpit area Welch retrieved an old harness brought back from West Virginia by his friend, smelled it and said, "Though it has been cleaned up, it still smells like a mule, but I am keeping this harness with me for the duration of my time as president because I don't want to lose my focus. I don't want anyone or anything to deter me from my mission."

On one of the blinders he had the word "SEEK" imprinted and on the other blinder he had the word "SAVE" imprinted. Welch's purpose is to inspire a denomination to herald the good news of the One who came to seek and save those who are lost and undone.

Leading the charge

After a ringing challenge to evangelize, Welch and Pastor Joseph dispatched hundreds of worshippers to blitz the surrounding neighborhoods to pray for God's protection upon the homes of Richmond Hill and to share a message of love and grace. Then the SBC president demonstrated that it is always better to see a sermon than just hear one. He led the charge as the visitation teams shared the good news of the gospel. He and three Richmond Hill members, Ray and Carol Seigworth and Sabra Lewis, formed one of the teams.

In a modest home near the church Welch's team knocked on the door of the Orlacchio family. George Orlacchio, a soldier at nearby Fort Stewart, came to the door to greet the unexpected visitors. The Convention president, a decorated army Paratrooper, Ranger, and Green Beret veteran himself, was able to relate well to the young soldier. Orlacchio announced that he and his wife, Mary Anne, were expecting their first child and that in December he would be deployed to Iraq.

Orlacchio listened attentively as Welch related his own near death experience in Vietnam, prayed for the Orlacchio family and lovingly shared the gospel. Although the young soldier acknowledged that he had received Christ, it was obvious that he needed a church home and a place where he and his family could be loved and nurtured.

After another visit Welch and his team returned to the church for a time of celebration as meaningful visits were reported including the report of one who had prayed to receive Christ. The long trek had begun, but 49 states and 20,000 miles of travel lay ahead for an impassioned SBC president whose earnest desire is to see people saved.

J. Gerald Harris

Bobby Welch is traveling to all 48 states on the mainland in his crusade for souls in the "Everyone Can" bus.

J. Gerald Harris

SBC President Bobby Welch, right, models the kind of witnessing he preaches in a visit with George Orlacchio of Richmond Hill. Ray Seigworth, left, accompanied Welch in the door-to-door effort.

J. Gerald Harris

Keith Joseph, left, new pastor at First Baptist Church in Richmond Hill, hosted SBC President Bobby Welch on the first stop of Welch's nationwide bus tour to promote evangelism.