LifeWay and SBC Building Tours

Southern Baptist messengers visiting Nashville for the annual meeting will have the opportunity to tour the LifeWay Christian Resources buildings and the Southern Baptist Convention building, which is home to the Executive Committee, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, Southern Baptist Foundation and Seminary Extension.

Tours of both buildings will be conducted June 18-22 (Saturday through Wednesday):

LifeWay buildings -- June 18 from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.; June 19 from 1-5 p.m., and June 20-22 from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

SBC building -- June 18 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; June 19 from 1-5 p.m., and June 20-22 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Visitors to the SBC building will have an opportunity to view a 15-minute film, shown every half hour, chronicling early Southern Baptist history. Guides dressed in character such as George Truett will lead visitors through a historical display of rare holdings of the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives. The exhibition, "One Sacred Effort: The story of Baptists," highlights the history of Baptists, particularly the story of Southern Baptists. A featured item in the exhibit is the volume containing the original handwritten proceedings of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1845 to 1863.

Guests also may visit the offices of the SBC Executive Committee and receive a free photograph provided courtesy of Olan Mills Portrait Studios commemorating their visit to the SBC and LifeWay buildings.

At LifeWay, visitors may take a self-guided tour of the world's largest Christian book and church materials publisher while viewing historical showcases and listening to information on headsets or audio wands. Messengers and their families will get a firsthand look at the work LifeWay carries out in their behalf around the world.

"We consider ourselves partners in ministry with Southern Baptist churches, so it is a thrill to have guests visiting both in Nashville and here at LifeWay Christian Resources," James T. Draper, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, said. "This is the first time since 1914 that the SBC has been in Nashville and I want to invite Southern Baptists to visit our facility and experience the history and legacy of ministry that has been 114 years in the making."

Staff from each entity will greet visitors at the respective buildings.
On Monday, June 20, from 2-5 p.m., visitors to the SBC building will be able to attend a meeting of the Executive Committee.

"I am delighted to welcome Southern Baptists to Nashville and I join Dr. Jimmy Draper in inviting them to visit the Southern Baptist building and the LifeWay Christian Resources corporate complex," Morris H. Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee, said. "We want messengers and their families to have an opportunity to visit their convention entities in Nashville even as they enjoy the sights and sounds of the Music City. The historical displays and the guided tours giving an overview of our respective operations should be a treat for Southern Baptists of all ages."

Shuttles will be available to take visitors from the Gaylord Entertainment Center -- the site of the annual meeting -- to the SBC building.