Easter

Preach Evangelistic Sermons
Aim for those who may be attending who have never heard the truth of the message of Easter and the hope of Jesus Christ through His resurrection.

Invite a Friend
Take the time leading up to Easter to encourage the congregation to invite an unreached friend to church. You can use the downloadable postcard template on the resources page to print several handouts for your community.

Build a Relationship
Use Easter as your first opportunity to start a relationship with an unreached friend, but don’t stop there. Building a relationship with someone is key to developing trust – and a trustworthy relationship opens the door for sharing your life and faith. There are several video examples of how other North Carolina Baptists are building relationships available on our resources page. Share them with your church prior to Easter to inspire members to build relationships in their neighborhood.

Support Annie Armstrong
All money given to support the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering goes to train and resource more than 5,000 missionaries involved in church planting and compassion ministries who share the life-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ across North America through the North American Mission Board.

Brian Upshaw has served in a variety of leadership positions since joining the state convention in October 2008.

Brian was named director of the Ministry Strategies group in October 2021. He also serves as the state convention’s associate executive director-treasurer.

During his tenure, Brian served a stint as the convention’s interim executive director-treasurer, and at different times he led the work of the Evangelism and Discipleship group, the Disciple-Making team, the Church Health and Revitalization team, and the former Church Ministry team. Brian also coordinates the annual N.C. Baptist Disciple-Making Conference.

Prior to joining the state convention, Brian served local churches in Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia. From 2000 to 2008, he served at First Baptist Church of Gulfport, Mississippi, where he ascended to the office of senior associate pastor. He has also served in various youth ministry and education roles in local churches.

Brian has also led or participated in several short-term mission trips. In addition, he has trained pastors and church leaders in East Asia, the Philippines, Moldova and Argentina.

A native of Marietta, Georgia, Brian earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. He taught music and was a middle school band director for several years before answering a call to vocational ministry.

Brian went on to earn his master of divinity, master of theology and doctor of philosophy degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he teaches graduate-level courses in leadership and disciple-making.

Brian and his wife, Brandie, have two grown children.