Southern Baptists Kick Off Conference With Visions, Challenges
by Allie Martin
June 15, 2004
(AgapePress) - Throughout this week in Indianapolis, Indiana, more than 5,000 pastors representing the nation's largest evangelical denomination are being encouraged to preach God's word at all costs.The Celebration Choir and Orchestra from Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, kicked off the 69th annual Southern Baptist Convention Pastor's Conference, and Paul Negrut of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Oradea, Romania, greeted the attendees, encouraging pastors to seek God's vision for their churches.
That vision, Negrut explains, is not "wishful thinking" but comes straight out of scripture and calls Christians to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. "The vision is to go from Siberia to the North Pole," he says, "to go to Japan, go to Australia and New Zealand, go around the world and take the gospel because that is a God-given vision."
The Romanian pastor said the explosion of Christianity in that former communist stronghold is proof that God's plans are much bigger than the plans of man.
President's Address and Keynote
But even as the Southern Baptist ministers were being reminded of the call to worldwide outreach, the head of the denomination was preparing to call upon church leaders to place renewed emphasis on local evangelism.
While there is a growing need for overseas missionaries, SBC president Dr. Jack Graham feels Southern Baptists in North America need to be mission minded here at home. "I'm going to be bringing a message at the convention, the president's address," he says, "and I'll be challenging Southern Baptists to rekindle the fires of evangelism at the local level."
Graham, who has served as SBC's president for two years now, says he is praying, through "our work within the churches, through our Bible teaching ministries, through our worship leadership, that we will commit as never before to fulfill the Great Commission until Christ comes."
Setting the tone for the conference on opening night was Dr. Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, who gave the keynote address. Taking his text from the book of Matthew, Chapter 7, where Jesus preached on how to enter the kingdom of God, the speaker pointed out that pastors who preach the true gospel cannot expect to win any popularity contests. After all, he says, the message of Jesus was not particularly popular among some people at that time.
"The princes didn't like it, the politicians didn't care for it, the preachers were offended by it, the priests certainly didn't like it, the professors were dubious about it, and the philosophers thought they had a better way," Patterson said. "It is, in fact, the most hated doctrine in all of the world today that Jesus came preaching -- the exclusivity of Christ in salvation."
The seminary head and former SBC president said rather than trying to be "user-friendly" or "seeker sensitive," pastors should be focused on preaching God's Word without compromise. He contends that the gospel is clear when it states that many who believe they are following God will not be ready to meet Him, and for them, "It's going to be a startling moment, an amazing day when they stand before the judgment bar of God."
That is why pastors have a responsibility before God to preach his truth rather than seeking emotional and religious experiences, Patterson said. He told the conference crowd that pastors today should emphasize Christ's sacrifice for sin and man's need for a savior.
New Business
Between such inspiring and challenging messages, the SBC is also proceeding with denominational business. Several motions have already been introduced, including a motion to commend Walt Disney Entertainment for an upcoming positively themed film called America's Heart and Soul.
Another motion encouraged SBC officials to investigate any allegations of child abuse by pastors or lay people in the church, and to take appropriate disciplinary action.
