By Ariel Worthy
Times staff writer
For over a century the National Baptist Congress has traveled across the country and held their six-day event in different cities. This will be its first year in Birmingham.
On June 12 the organization will host its 110th conference in Birmingham at the Sheraton Hotel and Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church will host.
Greater Shiloh pastor Dr. Michael Wesley said last year’s session in Atlanta made him excited about Birmingham hosting this year’s conference.
“I saw a unique opportunity to feature our city … and I’ve asked for support from the ministering community,” Wesley said. “We can’t just be isolated in our own churches; we have to understand the greater impact that promoting our city in a positive way offers us all.”
Hosting the event will push Birmingham as a convention and conference city, Mayor William Bell said.
“Since the Westin Hotel has been built and the expansion of the entertainment district in that area we have seen a number of conferences and conventions that have occurred here in the city of Birmingham,” Mayor Bell said.
The event is expected to attract 5,000 to 7,500 attendees to Birmingham with a potential economic impact of $2 million to $3 million.
“We’re excited to see the amount of rooms that will be occupied, the restaurants that will see all these pastors and the economic impact that will take place in our city due to their efforts,” Council President Pro Tempore Jay Roberson said.
Bell said the session is about more than economic growth.
“It’s the spiritual uplifting that will be brought here to allow us to discuss some things that will help make all of our citizens more cognizant of who they are,” Mayor Bell said.
The National Baptist Congress is a traveling Christian educational institute founded as an educational division of the R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation (RHBPC). It trains church workers and leaders to use different resources for Christian education.
Participants at the annual session are exposed to current trends in Christian education methodology, as well as strategies for effectively implementing the work of the Church.
The National Baptist Congress is different from the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., which most people in the area are members are part of, according to Wesley.
“It’s still the Kingdom of God and Christian education is needed.” Wesley said.
The National Baptist Congress puts an emphasis on youth, according to Wesley.
“With today’s troubled youth and with churches searching for activities for young people to get positively involved impacted, I think it would be a misrepresentation for any church to miss this opportunity for children to be involved.” Wesley said.
Dr. T. B. Boyd III, president of RHBPC, said the Youth Congress is an added dimension to the event.
This division trains and prepares youth for Christian leadership and provides activities, as well as scholarships and concerts featuring contemporary gospel/inspirational artists.
Boyd is hoping to have more events in Birmingham.
“This is the first time I have had an opportunity to have this kind of meeting here in the city, and hopefully it won’t be the last.”
