Missions Conference

February 25 – 28, 2010

“Declaring His glory among the nations”—Ps. 96:3

• Interact with 25 missionaries
• Speakers – Landon Reesor, Jim Richards, Michael Lewis
• Opening celebration and parade of flags
• Testimonies
• Home fellowships
• Special events for Ladies, Men, Children, Youth, and College
• Missionary time in Bible study classes

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”—Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

2010 Speakers & Schedule

Download: GIC 2010 – Event Schedule (PDF)

Landon Reesor
Thursday Evening Feb. 25 – 7:00 PM
Landon Reesor is the founding pastor of Encounter Church in Stamford, CT, just outside of New York City. Church planting is his passion and he has ministered in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Central America. He previously served as a vice president for Global Focus in Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Michael Lewis
Sunday Evening Feb. 28 – 6 PM
Dr. Lewis is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Plant City, FL. He is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Seminary and has pastored churches in South Carolina, Georgia, and Texas. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and as the Chaplain of the Texas House of Representatives.

Dr. Jim Richards
Sunday Morning Feb. 28 – 9 & 10:30 AM
Dr. Richards is Executive Director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and is a graduate of New Orleans and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminaries. He has pastored in Louisiana and has served as a Director of Missions in Arkansas and as First Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Letter from the Pastor

Churches are much like people in that they each always have a reputation, they are known for something. The seven churches of Asia (Revelation 2 & 3) each had their reputation revealed by the Lord. The churches to which Paul wrote each had their own reputation. For example the Thessalonians were known for taking the gospel to “all in Macedonia and Achaia…” (1 Thess. 1:7)

Hillcrest is no different. While I do not know, and probably don’t want to know, everything that we are known for, I do know some of the things that we are known for, and one among many is that we are a church known for our MISSIONS emphasis, our MISSIONS sending, our MISSIONS going, our MISSIONS praying, and our MISSIONS giving.

Although Hillcrest has always had a heart for missions, our heart for missions has been greatly enlarged over these past five years through our GLOBAL IMPACT CELEBRATION (GIC). It is during our GIC that we are challenged in our total personal participation in missions: our praying, our going, our giving, and our sending out. During our GIC we are challenged not merely in a topical way, but in a very personal and practical way through the many missionaries and preachers that we are privileged to host.

It is when we hear what God is doing in and through the lives of others that He is able to open our hearts to nurture our love for missions, and envision us about our responsibility and role in missions. Not only is it a privilege to hear from the missionaries that we host during our GIC, but it is also an opportunity for us to minister and encourage some of God’s precious servants.

Another wonderful part of our GIC is the three times of corporate worship where we have the privilege to hear from God’s Word through the preaching of men with a passion for missions. This year you will discover two familiar names in Landon Reesor and Dr. Michael Lewis. Landon Reesor is the pastor of Encounter Church of New York, which he planted about four years ago. Dr. Michael Lewis preached during our 2009 GIC and at that time he was the pastor of Great Hills Baptist, Austin, TX, and is now serving First Baptist, Plant City, Florida. Our third guest preacher is Dr. Jim Richards, Executive Director of the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention. Regardless of whether you are or are not familiar with these men of God, you will be convicted and challenged by the anointed preaching of God’s Word and our mission.

I hope that you will be intentional about helping us to grow in our reputation of MISSIONS by planning to attend each service and event, and praying that God would move in our hearts with a greater love and passions for MISSIONS in 2010.

See you on the mission field,
Mike Simmons, Pastor