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Montgomery, Alabama

Evangelist Phil Waldrep was one of the speakers for the 2008 Alabama Baptist Pastor's Conference at the East Memorial Baptist Church here November 17. Waldrep was invited to speak by the president of the conference, Reverend Rich Evans, pastor of the Dalraida Baptist Church in Montomgery. As Evans introduced Waldrep, his voice broke with emotion as he recounted the ministry Waldrep had extended to his family during the tragic death of his grandson.   

"Phil contacted us and invited us to be part of a conference," Evans said, referring to his attendance at the North Alabama Pastor's Encouragement Retreat in February 2007. "It was a time of healing for us."

Evans, giving details about the ministry, called Waldrep a "friend of pastors." The Alabama Baptist, the official newspaper of the Alabama Baptist Convention, reported the details of Waldrep's message. Speaking from Mark 1 on "Who is Jesus", the paper reported:

Waldrep took pastors through a study of Mark 1, canvassing the life of Christ through His baptism, temptations and early teachings, reminding them that “the greatest proof of who Jesus is, outside of Scripture, is in the lives that have been changed.”  And that is how “we are to live,” Waldrep said. He pointed out that Christ was baptized to show the world He was willing to face death, burial and resurrection; He was tempted to encompass humans’ temptations; and He used teachings to lovingly command sinners to repentance. “But what if the day should come that I intellectually look at my Bible and say I no longer believe this book? … I still have one obstacle to overcome,” Waldrep said. “If Jesus is not who He claimed to be, how can I explain all the lives that have been changed when they say they met this man?”

A tear-filled audience listened as Waldrep told the story of an old alcoholic who stepped forward to receive Christ after being brought to church by his small child. “I looked into that man’s face and I saw a man who had just been born into the family of God,” Waldrep said, elaborating on the point that lives are changed by the power of Christ. The room fell silent as Waldrep concluded, “Lord, if I ever start doubting who you are, would you let that old boy cross my path, because if Jesus was not who He claimed to be, please tell me who changed him.”

Waldrep joined eight other speakers for the conference, including former Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch and Doctor Frank Cox, pastor of the North Metro First Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia.