Robertson marks 40 years leading South Georgia Bible Conference

VALDOSTA, Ga. — The year was 1986. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant, in what was then the Soviet Union, exploded, killing 31 people and sending radioactive contamination across Europe. The space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew members. Barry Bonds made his Major League Baseball debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  After a $50 million facelift, Carnegie Hall reopened. IBM released its first laptop computer.

And in South Georgia, Pastor Wayne Robertson launched a Bible conference at Morningside Baptist Church.

The Moody Bible Institute declares that its Founder’s Week is the nation’s largest, longest-running Bible conference in the nation, and although Dwight L. Moody initiated the conference in 1887, the institute has had a total of ten presidents since its founding. The Morningside conference was started by Robertson, and 40 years later, he is still responsible for its four decades of ministry. The Moody Institute Founder’s Week has had six different presidents since Robertson began holding Bible conferences in Valdosta in 1986.

The South Georgia Bible Conference is a testimony to Robertson’s vision as a young pastor and his long and faithful tenure to God’s call to the Valdosta church.

Almost 50 years ago, Wayne Robertson met Sam Cathey, pastor, Bible conference preacher, and evangelist, for the first time in the Atlanta airport. Robertson preached Cathey’s funeral on March 11, 2016, and said, “When we met that day, little did either of us know that heaven was going to bring something to bear that had been planned a long time ago.”

Cathey mentored Robertson as Paul taught Timothy. “Papa Sam had a profound influence upon my life," Robertson said. "I regarded him  as family and saw him as a giant of a preacher.”

Robertson was challenged and inspired not only by Cathey’s sermons, but by the many other preachers he was privileged to hear as he traveled with his friend and teacher.

In one of his earliest newsletters to his church. Robertson stated, “I want to invite you to make plans now to one of the greatest Bible Conferences in all of South Georgia. Each year we begin on the Sunday after the 4^th of July. We intentionally schedule it at this time so that many of you can take your vacation and spend part of it with us.”

Through the years, Morningside has invited speakers such as Jerry Falwell, John Phillips, Ron Dunn, Bill Sturm, David Miller, Al Mohler, Jimmy Millikin, Fred Luter, Herb Reavis, Bobby Welch, Robert Smith, Hershael York, and many others.

The inspiring Morningside choir and orchestra, under the direction of Minister of Music David Tew, has provided the music, along with guest Christian musicians and soloists such as Jack Price, The Sounds of Liberty, the Griffin family, the Balltzglier family, and the Mylon Hayes Family.

Pastors, church staff, and lay people throughout South Georgia and North Florida come to Valdosta yearly to attend the conference.

Morningside church member and greeter Fred Goff was not brought up in church, but he was saved at Morningside and was a member when Robertson launched the first Bible conference 40 years ago. “God has used all of the Bible conferences to show me how to live according to God’s Word and how to walk with Jesus," Goff said. "In the conferences, God has used all the preachers to instill the Bible in my heart to the extent that I am sure no one can move me from the truth and certainty of God’s Word.”

John Yates, the Minister of Education at Morningside, who has been on the staff since 1989, commented, “The Bible conference is the highlight of the year at Morningside. Our members plan for it, give throughout the year to cover the costs, and schedule vacation time so they can attend. It is a blessing to see so many of our folks and our guests attend both the morning and evening services.  Much like a retreat or camp, God speaks to our hearts through the concentrated time of Bible preaching and God-honoring music.”

This year’s conference will be held July 13-16 with Ron Lynch, Herman Parker, Freddie Smith, Mike Stone, Matt Peak, and Chad Campbell preaching and the Mylon Hayes Family providing the music along with the Morningside choir.  Complete information is available at morningside.ws/sgbc.