Conference to address church growth, evangelism

Finding the courage to share their faith is often the most difficult challenge a Christian faces, but the Rev. Sam Ramdial is encouraging his congregation to make the Gospel contagious.

Ramdial, pastor of First General Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, is asking his church leadership teams to attend a weekend conference on "Becoming a Contagious Christian" Oct. 5-6 at the church.

The Cape Girardeau church will host the Fall Festival of Church Growth and Evangelism for the General Baptist denomination. The conference begins Friday and should draw about 150 pastors and church leaders from Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Michigan and other states.

Workshops are planned Friday afternoon, with a contemporary worship at 7 p.m. Saturday sessions are focused on "Becoming a Contagious Christian," based on the book of the same name by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittleberg.

"The ideas aren't all being shared by pastors," Ramdial said. He expects the seminars and workshop sessions to include information from church members on what's worked for them and how they developed new outreach programs.

"Lay people will share how they've been able to do this seven days a week," Ramdial said. "We're learning how to relate our faith."

Crossing cultures

As the nation and region continues to become more diverse, church members need to learn about sharing their faith with people of other backgrounds and cultures. One seminary lead by a Kansas minister will address just that.

"With the 'browning' of America, we need to learn how to reach new people," Ramdial said.

The entire conference is based on Hybels' popular book, which outlines a blueprint for spreading the Gospel. The heart of the book is to build a lifestyle of evangelism and not be "in your face" witnesses, Ramdial said.

"People are wanting more," he said. With recent world events, church attendance has been up and people are seeking peace and trying to find solace in God.

The church must refocus "as we try to present hope and healing," Ramdial said.

He attended an afternoon seminar about developing contagious Christianity during a session at the General Baptist conference this summer. At each step along the way, Ramdial said, Christians must remember the Great Commission -- "to make disciples of all nations," from Matthew 28:19 -- and the command to love, from John 15:12.

"That's the heart of what this whole thing is about," he said.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

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