Pastors model theme, 'Jesus Came Preaching'

By Randy Cowling, Jennifer Rash and Elizabeth Young

Baptist Editors' Network

INDIANAPOLIS - Southern Baptist leaders and standouts came preaching during the 2004 Pastors Conference, June 13-14 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind.

Following the theme "Jesus Came Preaching," pastors, professors and other ministry leaders developed sermons around Jesus' directives. Many also highlighted then-Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) presidential nominee Bobby Welch's goal for Southern Baptists to baptize 1 million people in one year. (Welch was elected SBC president June 15.)

Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, reminded Southern Baptists that since the conservative resurgence in 1979 they have only baptized an average of 400,000 people a year.

"And we have baptized mostly our own, many of them for the second time," he said. "Many of us are guilty of the infant baptism we used to criticize everyone else for. (This is happening) because we no longer believe in the exclusivity of salvation in Christ."

Preaching from Matt. 7:13-29, Patterson said the doctrine of the exclusivity of Jesus Christ "is the most hated doctrine in all the world today," but he challenged Southern Baptists to stick to it.

"Let us preach to make men free. God help us if we preach anything else but Jesus and Him alone for salvation."

Jerry Vines, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Fla., preached from 1 Tim. 6 with the theme "Old preachers never die."

"Our job is not to dilute the message, delete the message, dissect the message, doctor the message or dumb down the message," he said. "Our job is to deliver and to declare the message of the living God."

Ted Traylor, president of the 2004 Pastors Conference, found himself preaching during a slot reserved for Adrian Rogers.

Rogers, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn., was not released by his physician to preach following heart bypass surgery March 16.

Preaching from Luke 4:16-44, Traylor shared thoughts about the authority, anointing and announcement of the "peerless preacher."

"There are some people outside of our normal paths that we must begin to do a better job reaching," Traylor said, noting three specific groups - various ethnic groups, teenagers and twentysomethings. "Something must change with the way we are pronouncing the gospel, so we can announce to them that Jesus is Lord."

Ronnie Floyd, pastor of First Baptist Church, Springdale, Ark., said teaching, preaching and the practice of a biblical theology of stewardship are missing in most Southern Baptist churches today.

Drawing from the example of David in 1 Chr. 29, Floyd encouraged pastors to be courageous spiritual leaders who put biblical theological stewardship into practice. Only then, he said, will God provide "supernatural contagious results."

Another Arkansas pastor, Bryan Smith of First Baptist Church of Van Buren, said pastors should never forget the primary reason of their call - preach the Word.

Smith, who was vice president of the 2004 SBC Pastors Conference, said the same persecution under Saul that dispersed the early church is evident today.

He said 250 million believers live in communities under threat of persecution, prison or death. "These are not just heroes or statistics but they are our family. It should be a joy and a blessing to suffer for Jesus Christ."

Eddie Echarri a former prisoner who now directs community outreach for Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla., urged church leaders to reach out to those who need Jesus.

"Broken spirits and broken hearts are showing up at your church."

Mike Haley, manager of the gender division of the legislative and cultural affairs department of "Focus on the Family," Colorado Springs, Colo., was another who told of God's grace in his life. He described his life from being a homosexual and gay activist to leaving that lifestyle and becoming a youth pastor, husband to a woman who had had two abortions and a father of two sons.

"I pray ... that you've not heard the story of an ex-gay man or the story of a post-abortive woman, but instead the story of a powerful God that will go out of His way to reach one that many believe to be beyond His grasp."

Preaching from Luke 19:11-26, Paul Negrut, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Oradea, Romania, said service for Jesus involves calling, vision, passion, character and reward.

"We are working for the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the One who is coming soon and coming with a great reward."

Preaching from Hebrews 12, Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., challenged his listeners to be "satisfied to be called a preacher."

"Brethren, we're not CEOs. Who wants to be a chief executive officer reporting to the company when you can be a called-by-God pastor reporting to the Kind of Kings and Lord of Lords?"

Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, challenged Southern Baptists to become kingdom citizens by becoming like Christ.

Using John 13:34-35, Luter said in order to be like Christ, one must have love the Scriptures, the Savior and the saints. "How can we win the world if we don't love one another?"

Don Wilton pastor of First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, S.C., preaching from Hebrews 11, said today's pastors must repent, overcome issues, overcome prevalent beliefs, decide on action and settle on a focus.

Ergun Caner, a professor at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va., and the Southern Baptist son of an Islamic leader, said he became a Christian, and several other family members were saved in following years, "all because one stubborn, obnoxious high-school kid took the Great Commission seriously. ... Thank God that we are united in missions and evangelism, because I wouldn't be standing here if it were not for your hearts and your work and your programs."

Evangelist Voddie Baucham of Spring, Texas, said preaching the gospel in today's culture takes courage because it is not accepted as it once was. "I believe there is coming a time when we will pay a price for preaching the gospel."

Ed Hindson, assistant chancellor and dean of the institution of biblical studies at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., told pastors that Jesus ties the Old Testament with the New Testament. "Jesus is the theme of the Bible. Preach Him and change the world."

Steve Gaines, pastor of First Baptist Church of Gardendale, Ala., was elected president of the 2005 Southern Baptist Pastors Conference. A protˇgˇ of Adrian Rogers, Gaines was elected over Terry Fox, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan.

Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist of Woodstock, Ga., placed Gaines' name in nomination on behalf of Rogers. "It is our desire to see the Pastors Conference to continue in the same direction," Hunt said.

Scott Wilkens, a church planter from Kentucky, and David Thompson, pastor of Northpointe Community Church in Nashville, Tenn., were elected first vice president and secretary-treasurer respectively.