At the heart of the Great Commission Resurgence is a burning desire to see God draw countless worshipers unto Himself, both in North America and abroad, through the ministry of Southern Baptists. Few people embody a passion for the Great Commission like our colleague Alvin Reid. Alvin occupies the Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism at Southeastern, where he has taught since 1995. He is the author of numerous books, including a widely-used evangelism textbook and a forthcoming book (co-authored with SEBTS ethicist Mark Liederbach) devoted to living missionally in an emerging culture. Alvin is a devoted churchman and a popular evangelist and Bible teacher, with a particular passion for teenagers and collegians. He is a gift to Southern Baptists.

One of the things that I appreciate about Alvin is that he is a man who loves the Southern Baptist Convention. He does not love our Convention out of a blind sense of institutional loyalty, but out of a deep-seated conviction that God has done, is doing, and will continue to do much for the sake of the gospel through the people called Southern Baptists. Alvin is not uncritical when it comes to the SBC, but he is always constructive. He is a role model to all of us who love Jesus, love the lost, and love the people, churches, and ministries of the SBC. He recently posted an article on his personal blog titled “Why I Am A Southern Baptist.” We commend it to you as we continue to pray together and labor for the sake of a Great Commission Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention.