Evangelism was the focus of a conference of the Fairburn

Baptist Association held last Sunday at Braelinn Baptist Church

in Peachtree City.

Dr. Dewey Draper, president of Lifeway Christian Ministry

Resources (formerly the Baptist Sunday School Board), was the

main speaker for the event, which drew churches from Fulton,

Fayette, Coweta and Clayton counties. About 18 of the 44

member churches of the association were represented, according to

Ronald Wildes, associational missionary.

"It was a great conference," Wildes said. "The Braelinn

Praise Team and other guests presented special music, and Dr.

Draper's address was very enlightening." Lifeway Christian Ministry

Resources, he added, is said to be the world's largest producer of

Sunday School and church-related literature.

The Fairburn Baptist Association was formed in the 1800s

to bring together churches in the vicinity, Wildes said, and has

grown steadily since then. The association sponsors primarily

leadership training events which are open to anyone, he said.

On March 12-13, the association will present a training

event designed to increase basic skills of Sunday School teachers or

other church workers. The event starts at 7 p.m. March 12 and at 9

a.m. March 13 at Line Creek Baptist Church in Peachtree City.

Another upcoming event is the Spring Association Meeting,

set for April 19 at New Hope Baptist Church in Fayetteville. The

spring meeting is always "mostly inspirational," Wildes noted.

During the course of every year, the association will sponsor

Vacation Bible School clinics and other seminars on all aspects

of church life, aimed at "training people to work in

churches," Wildes said. He has been with the association for six years,

succeeding Harvey Thornton, who served for 17 years.

At last Sunday's event, Wildes said, a Presbyterian and a

Christian church were represented. Anyone with an interest in

church leadership may call the association for more

information. Fairburn Baptist Association is located at 6470 Buffington

Road between Ga. Highway 138 and Flat Shoals Road in Union

City. Call 770-964-9830.

<!--##############