African American pastors meet to discuss greater involvement in GBC

Joe Westbury

GBC President Tony Dickerson, center, and officers of the African American Fellowship of the Georgia Baptist Convention explore ways African American churches can become more involved in the life of the state convention. Shown with Dickerson are officers, left to right, Bernard Miller, historian, pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church in Griffin; Brian Bullard, treasurer, executive pastor of Peace Baptist Church of Decatur; Robert Hodo, second vice president, pastor of New Morning Light Baptist Church in Conley; Ken Bryant, coordinator for northwest Georgia, pastor of Bethsaida Baptist Church in Villa Rica; and Robert Wilson, president, pastor of Sandtown Baptist Church in Atlanta. Officers not attending the meeting are Calvin McMullen, coordinator for northeast Georgia, pastor of Community Life Baptist Church in Milledgeville; and Kenny Grant, coordinator for southeast Georgia, pastor of Christ's Community Mission in Savannah.

GBC President Tony Dickerson believes in multicultural ministry and has based his life on that concept. Pinehurst Baptist Church in Columbus, where he has served for 31 years, is one of the most ethnically diverse congregations in the state and where Anglos are in the minority.

He would like to see that same diversity reflected in churches being started by the state convention and is hoping Georgia's growing ethnicity will reflect that ideal. With that in mind, Dickerson called a meeting of African American pastors at the Baptist Center on Aug. 24 to explore that possibility.

The problem, Dickerson said, is that only three percent - 133 of the state convention's 3,543 churches - are African American. The roundtable discussion sought to address the issue and begin an ongoing discussion on how to bring more African Americans into the work of the convention.

The first meeting met that goal as pastors expressed appreciation to Dickerson and GBC Executive Director J. Robert White, who co-chaired the meeting. Robert Wilson, president of the African American Fellowship of the Georgia Baptist Convention, helped guide the discussion.

"I feel like this is the genesis of a new focus in our state convention's life. There is a new generation of pastors today who want to be included and this is an excellent way of beginning to move in that direction," he explained.

Other pastors agreed that the meeting was helpful in providing information on convention partnership in shared ministry.

"I like what I learned today about how the Cooperative Program works and I saw the value of churches working together for a common goal," said R.L. Miller, who pastors 100-member Unity Grove Baptist Church in Locust Grove. "I plan to take this information to my church and explain why we need to continue to be a part of the Georgia Baptist Convention."

Pastor Robert Hodo of New Morning Light Church in Conley said a strength of being affiliated with Georgia Baptists is the sense of structure it has brought to his ministry. His congregation is better organized in Sunday School, evangelism, and ministry because of the leadership skills he and others have gained by participating in convention workshops.

"Being a Georgia Baptist church has really helped us to close the back door on our membership and has helped us to keep more of those who were drifting away," he said.