LAKELAND (FBW)—Florida pastors were reminded at the 2008 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference that the mission field isn’t overseas but right outside their church doors. With the theme of the conference “By All Means,” taken from 1 Corinthians 9:22, the men were exhorted to remind themselves that God is in control and putting their total trust in Him will gain results.

“My challenge to you is let’s do God’s way for God’s glory through God’s church,” Herb Reavis, pastor of North Jacksonville Baptist Church, told the gathering to start the two-day conference at First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland.

The Bible passage tells of Paul describing himself as a servant who is called by God to reach out to the Corinthians, many of whom had little to no understanding of the Gospel. Paul simplified it so the locals would understand and then let God do the work from there:

“… to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Thom Rainer, the president of LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, Tenn., closed out the conference with a powerful message on taking on a world whose views are the polar opposite. In between, the pastors heard from several of their state brethren as well as Nelson Searcy, the pastor of The Journey Church in New York City.

Conference President Tim Passmore, the pastor of Woodland/The Community Church in Bradenton, led the business session. The new officers elected were for 2010 Jim Pennington, pastor, First Baptist Church Navarre, president-elect, and for 2009, Stephen Ahrens, pastor, Wildwood Baptist Church, Bartow, first vice president; Timothy Folds, Fleming Island Baptist Church who has been called to First Baptist Church, Graceville, after Nov. 30, second vice president. Clayton Cloer, pastor, First Baptist Church of Central Florida in Orlando is president for the 2009 pastors’ conference.

HERB REAVIS

Reavis said many today feel the church is irrelevant, that it’s an option for people—instead of a place created by God for His people to worship Him.

“Today we have churchless Christians,” Reavis said. “I remind those who say the church is irrelevant that it was not invented by humans. It was not by man’s design. The Bible says our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.’ I have not read anywhere in the Bible where it said the church is irrelevant.”

Preaching from Ephesians 5:25-27, Reavis spoke about “The Beauty of the Bride,” which is the church. He said the church is pictured as a diverse body, a family, a household of faith. Reavis said Ephesians painted a beautiful picture of the church as a “blessed, beautiful bride of Jesus.”

In that vein, Reavis made three observations about the church:

1. The value of the church. Reavis said the word “church” is mentioned 114 times in the New Testament, 90 of which were used to describe a local, visible church.

“The Bible says, ‘Husbands love your visible, tangible wife.’ Christians must love your visible, tangible church. Support it and serve God through it,” Reavis said. “How much value do you put in the local church? Jesus gave Himself for her.

“Today we have a consumer mindset, a dumb-down mindset,” he continued. “What do you have to offer me? Jesus said, ‘Take up your cross and follow me.’ What do you have to offer a living Christ through a living New Testament church? Love it sacrificially.”

2. The vitality of the Lord’s church. Reavis said the most alive place in your community should be the local church.

“The Elks clubs are alive. The Rotary is alive. At church, we drag our dead bodies in there and say, ‘Bless me as you can.’ We want a life rooted in truth. We want real fire, not wild fire. A church that has life and vitality has to be grown by the Word,” Reavis said.

“There is no substitute for the teaching of the Living God,” he added. “People are sanctified by the Word of God. Faith comes from hearing and if you’re not pouring from the pulpit … Nothing’s better. Hell’s hot, heaven’s sweet. Get up there, unbutton your collar and shuck the corn.”

3. The victory of the Lord’s church. Reavis said all churches are about the same, with nice people and grouchy people; people who smile, never smile “and nuts. Why are there so many nuts in church? The Gospel is light: it repels darkness and attracts bugs.

“I’m not giving up on church. I know where she’s going,” Reavis concluded. “Don’t get depressed with different situations in America and think the sky is falling. Jesus is going to rip open the sky and we’ll leave everything behind. We’ll stand on streets of gold, lift our hands high and worship Jesus forever and ever. That’s where the church is going.”

JOHN CROSS

In a society that is obsessed with “keeping it real … raw, [and] unplugged,” and is in love with reality television, how real is hell? That’s the question John Cross, the pastor of South Biscayne Church in North Port, asked his fellow pastors, rhetorically.

 “Yes," he answered definitively.

Preaching from Luke 16:19-30, Cross, later elected president of the Florida Baptist State Convention at their annual meeting following the pastors' conference, talked about how Jesus gave people a view of the reality of eternity for those who do not ask to receive Him by telling the story of the rich man who lived life outside of God’s love.

The rich man, who had everything in worldly possessions, died and went to hell, while Lazarus the beggar died and went to heaven, carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom.

The rich man looked toward heaven and conversed with Abraham, who told the rich man what he had to look forward to. Cross said that hell has several messages for those who  believe that it’s real:

1. Hell is a reality. Cross said the Bible says that hell is a place of weeping, welling and gnashing of teeth. But, if people don’t believe there is a hell, then “that changes everything. If there is no hell, close the churches, sell off your assets and party and enjoy life. If there is a hell and 128,000 in Florida die without Christ, that changes the playing field. It’s time to stop playing church and understand that there is a hell and at all cost do what we can while we can.

“We are doing the same old thing over and over," Cross continued. "We are losing not just this generation but the next generation and the next generation. Hell believes in hell. We can’t go on with business as usual. We can’t placate people who threaten to go somewhere else.”

2. Hell is full of lost people. Cross asked the pastors what kind of invitation they were giving and how many lost people attended their church on Sunday. He said pastors need to lead people and people need to invite people all week long, not just on Sunday.

“Our churches should be filled with lost people,” he said. “Most aren’t coming because they’ve already been. Lost people aren’t knocking our doors down. We ought to be building relationships with them. John Wesley imagined everyone he saw had an ‘L’ on their forehead and assumed everyone was lost until they showed Jesus Christ. What would happen in our state if we viewed everyone like that?

“What would happen if we bring the unconvinced to our churches?" Cross asked. "Maybe we’d go from being flat and see baptisms go up if we believe hell is real.”

3. Hell is a very uncomfortable place. Cross said people have to get out of their comfort zone. In hell, Cross said there’s torment and agony. There’s psychological and literal fire and everyone must do what they can to help people avoid that.

“What’s our favorite chair at home? The Laz-E-Boy. It’s all about being comfortable,” Cross said. “That’s where most of our churches are. People are there because of the music that they like, the church government they like, the Sunday Schools they like. They say ‘It’s pleasing to me because I am a big, fat, overweight, obese, professing mature believer because it’s all about me, me, me.

“And what do preachers do? They say, ‘Please don’t leave the church.’ They’re robbing God. It’s time we get uncomfortable in our churches. There is noting comfortable about the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. There’s nothing comfortable about the Christian life so they can get completely comfortable in Heaven. There’s no business like soul business like no business I know.”

4. Hell believes in prayer. Cross said the most fervent prayer meetings are going on in hell. “Whatever happened to making a list of people and pray for them by name? Those who die without Christ are going to hell. If they are not going to hell, don’t pray for them. When is the last time, preacher, you cried yourself to sleep over the lost people or your neighbors?

5. Hell believes in evangelism. Cross said that churches have to be missional and take on the character of Christ. That means telling people about Jesus, which is what Abraham told the rich man.

“We can’t water down the message,” Cross said. “Connect with your culture whatever it takes wherever you are.”

6. Hell is growing. Cross said that 75 percent of church growth is “sheep shuffling,” while SBC President Johnny Hunt referred to it as “taking fish out of one aquarium and putting it in another.”

“We celebrate churches doing the deal but they are doing the deal for Christians,” Cross said. “If there is a hell, we have to do evangelism. We have to be fishers of men. Churches grow when one person at a time gives their life for Jesus Christ. Fifty-five people die every minute in this country without Christ. So, ask yourself: ‘Did we make it hard for people to go to hell?’”

7. What does hell have that we need? Repentance. Cross concluded with a very simple fact – that there are no second chances in hell.

“Thank God we can repent,” Cross said.

TED TRAYLOR

Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, took a look at the Gospel of Luke and broke it down into various components of Jesus’ life—two chapters on His birth; Jesus led by the Spirit into the desert and turning back Satan; led by the Spirit out of the wilderness; and going into the cities to teach and preach.

What Jesus did was prophesied in the book of Isaiah, according to Traylor, who spoke from Isaiah 61:1-3. He said Jesus wants us to be an “oak of righteousness so you can grow and fulfill the Great Commission.”

In order to be oaks of righteousness, Traylor said four thoughts emerged from the text:

1. Desire the anointing of Jesus. “You do not wear the cross, the cross wears you. Receive the unction of the Gospel. We must praise Him. Without His spirit, we are useless in this world.”

2. Deliver the message of Jesus. “The first thing you need to do if you are a Gospel preacher is to preach the Gospel. We have enough bad news. We have plenty of Good News.”

3. Develop the ministries of Jesus. “Afflicted are all around us. Lord Jesus can fix a broken heart. Captives by sin are set free by the Gospel. You don’t need a hurricane to find people who are hurting. Every church in this culture has needy people and you need a social side to your ministry. He will show you how to engage your culture. Some things bridge every gap. The Panhandle is different from Jacksonville, which is different from central Florida, which is different from Fort Lauderdale.”

4. Display the joy of Jesus. “You have to get happy if you are going to minister to the world. We ought to thank Jesus for what He is all about. We have Good News and the state of Florida should share it with the broken hearted. The Great Physician is open any time for an appointment.”

TROY GRAMLING

The hurt and pain that pastors carry with them can weigh heavy on their hearts. Troy Gramling used an elephant as an example of the “elephant in this room”—pain—that can destroy a ministry.

“As pastors, we don’t talk about our marriages and relationships,” said Gramling, pastor of Flamingo Road Church in Fort Lauderdale. “Some people in this room came here for encouragement. Your marriages aren’t where they ought to be. You’re not a spiritual giant. You lose the ability to lead, to make a difference.

“Hurt and pain are stuff we’re unwilling to talk about,” Gramling said. “If you’re going to impact this world, you have to deal with this elephant. You have to be honest talking about things you’re not comfortable talking about.”

Using 1 Peter 5:1-8 as a guide, Gramling talked about pastors shepherding their “flock” against Satan. Gramling described Satan like a lion that devours its prey. A lion’s prey usually can’t outrun a lion and are killed and Gramling said today the lion is roaring in our world.

“Most of us try to do it alone,” Gramling said. “That’s what the enemy wants to happen. We need to know that someone is in this with us, that someone has our back. The lion roars in our marriage, health, church, finances. We need somebody there who cares about the ministry we are leading.”

Peter was an elder much like the people was writing to. He wrote that he had the people’s backs but they all needed to work together to defeat the devil, Gramling said.

“Even with everything going on, we are to be shepherds,” he added. “[Pastors] don’t run when the lion roars, you lead the people. Take a stand. If we’re not strong and vibrant, we have a church that is ignored like it is today. You can use people to build a great ministry and use ministry to build great people. But the most difficult person to shepherd in our church is ourself.”

Gramling said there are three things Peter challenges us to do in this passage:

1. Guard your heart from outside influences, but also from bitterness. Gramling said there are a lot of angry pastors because people say they’ll be with them and then walk out the door. Success, Gramling said, is dependent on the pastor’s heart.

“Angry pastors are unsuccessful in being shepherds,” he said. “If you listen to everyone, you won’t hear anyone. Your heart can’t take it. You will shut down emotionally. We can’t accomplish everything that’s expected of us. We will die.”

2. Trust our calling. Gramling said God entrusted a certain group of people under the pastor’s care, but Satan wants doubt to creep in.

“It happens when you think you should ... put on a suit … take a suit off … smile more … yell more … laugh more … tell more jokes,” he said. “God created you to call you.”

3. Choose to Be Humble. Gramling said it is a choice and pastors shouldn’t beat up on themselves. Pastors also need support from their peers.

“We must choose to celebrate other’s success. We don’t do that really well,” he said. “We agonize with other’s failures really well. We don’t celebrate other’s victories very well. Look for opportunities to celebrate. God shows us favor when we do that. It would change our convention if we celebrated each other’s success.

“In due time, God will lift you up. Accomplish everything He created you to do. Don’t give up, don’t quit, don’t surrender. In due time, the all-powerful God … will reach down into your town, your church, your community and lift you up for His Glory.”

DAVID HUGHES

In Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus encountered a rich, young ruler who asked Jesus about eternal life. Jesus asked the ruler to give up his possessions and follow Him and the ruler went away.

David Hughes, pastor of The Church by the Glades in Coral Springs, asked the pastors if they’d give God anything and everything He desires to reach the world for Christ.

“The ruler missed greatness expanding the kingdom of God,” Hughes said. “God wants to aggressively expand His Kingdom. What do I still lack (to do that)? Go back to your church and ask God. You could bring revival to your church.

“I love the theme of this conference ‘By All Means.’ It should be the battle cry of our church. God will show you things to do. We can all learn from each other. There is a place at the table for all of us. Diversity is OK. We’re all about that Gospel thing.”

Hughes said there are plenty of people in the church who are untapped for their expertise. There are also plenty of people with diverse opinions and diverse attitudes who can help or hinder the ministry.

“There will be issues of control in the church, like the music,” Hughes said. “Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t say, ‘I don’t do wood, I don’t do nails. I don’t do suffering.’ But Jesus got highly uncomfortable.

“You’re afraid to pray that prayer: ‘God, what do we still lack?’ Are you resisting? You think Jesus will mess up my church. News flash: it’s not your church. It’s His church. You are to win the world.”

Hughes said studies have shown that 80 percent of evangelical churches have plateaued or declined even though the pastors and church leaders are dedicated. Hughes said the attention needs to be toward God and not inward. And that attention needs to happen immediately and not too far in the future.

“You’ll miss the moment,” Hughes said. “Florida Baptists have to make room at the table or we’ll miss it. We must seize this moment. We have made Jesus soft. Jesus loved people, but his enemies thought he was dangerous. They killed him.

“We follow a warrior king. We have domesticated the great Lion of Judah and turned him into a house cat. Say ‘yes’ to Jesus. It’s scary but remember who you’re saying ‘yes’ to. You can’t outsacrifice him. He’s so generous.”

NELSON SEARCY

Nelson Searcy, the pastor of The Journey Church in New York City, asked the assembly, “When was the last time you met the Devil head on? What do you have planned in your church in the next six months to make the Devil mad?”

Preaching from Mark 4:3-8, Searcy related the story of the farmer sowing seeds and a few taking root. In his own church planting experience, Searcy was called to start a church in midtown Manhattan after living in California. He moved there in September 2001 and started monthly services during Easter 2002 in a comedy club. About 110 people showed up the first week and 55 the following week.

“The next three months I was down to 35 and had a pity party,” he said. “The first thing God reminded me is that 35 is far more than I deserve. It was where I needed to be. I argued with God. God told me, ‘Nelson, I sent you here because the harvest is great. I sent you here to plant seeds of the Gospel. Your responsibility is to plant seeds; my responsibility is to bring the harvest.

“The next few months, I was on track to be out of business by Christmas. The last six years have been a freight train” (as The Journey Church has four services every Sunday and has other locations in Jersey City, N.J. and Brooklyn).

Searcy said pastors need to ask themselves three questions about their “sowing” skills:

1. Am I sowing seeds of the Gospel in my community? Searcy said pastors must be intentionally evangelistic because it’s hard to reach people even though people try to find areas “where it’s easy to reach people. If we’re not careful, we become an inwardly focused church. You mean well, but over time your passion for evangelism begins to wane.”

Searcy said most pastors don’t think about evangelism unless someone brings it up and most don’t have a “system.”

“God’s dream for your church is bigger than your dream. God wants lost people found in your community more than you do,” Searcy said. “What would your church look like if it reached its full redemptive potential? God has a certain population he wants us to reach.”

2. Are you sowing enough seeds of the Gospel? The farmer sowed a massive amount of seeds and three-quarters brought no fruit. Searcy said the church population is not growing as fast as the general population and if we want different results tomorrow, we have to do different things today.

“Maybe you need a reminder of the urgency,” Searcy said. “Do you know 63,875 die without Christ every year in New York City? It would take us 104 salvations a week to be stable.”

Searcy’s church uses servant evangelism touches to contact people. One summer he wanted to make 168,000 touches. He also looked out of the box to purchase radio advertising on The Howard Stern Show to tell people about his church.

Today’s economic downturn is a perfect opportunity for missions, he said.

“People usually come to God because of trouble, transition, [and] under tension. Now is the time to be proactive,” Searcy said. “Don’t cut your evangelism and missions budgets. Be bold. This could be our greatest time of evangelism in my lifetime. More people could come to Christ than ever. This could be the church’s finest hour. Don’t miss it.”

3. Are you expecting a harvest? Searcy said some seeds sown bring a disproportionate return. But you have to expect a harvest.

“Henry Blackaby said, ‘Fear is faith in the enemy.’ Put God first in evangelism. I believe in the law of spiritual readiness,” Searcy said. “My faithful action precedes God’s blessing in my church. God takes care of us externally and internally when we evangelize.”

THOM RAINER

Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, told the story of one of his sons calling him and said he didn’t understand why his wife was mad at him over the situation. Rainer gave his son advice and things eventually worked out.

“I’m not a genius and certainly not a prophet,” said Rainer, who preached from Ezekiel 2:1-7. “Ezekiel was a prophet. He spoke a message of a difficult time, not unlike the time we live today. No military power has taken us over, but the power of anti-Christians, the opposite of what we stand for, are pervasive. Is there a prophet in our midst?”

Rainer’s message, “Becoming Missional in an anti-Missional World,” took a look at what it is to be missional. According to Rainer, being missional “begins with the realization we serve an awesome God,” is not dependent on the circumstances in which we find ourselves, communicates urgency and means we will be courageous.

Ezekiel was told by God to go to Israel, a country which was rebellious and wouldn’t be easy to convert. However, Ezekiel felt the Spirit inside him and obeyed. Rainer said we need to do the same.

“God knows your heart. If you want to have power, you have to get close to the source of power,” Rainer said. “We get so busy, we leave out God.”

Rainer said to be missional, God controls all circumstances. Even when things seem the toughest, God will lead you through.

“Ministry is tough,” Rainer said. “God didn’t call you to serve because it’s great. He called you to serve because you are to serve. Being missional doesn’t mean you can wait. It is now. In the blink of an eye, life is gone. Don’t wait to find out what God has to do in your life.”

Rainer said many churches have lost their focus. They get divided over topics while the outside world looks in and questions, ‘Where is Jesus?’

“We look at people and don’t help. People ask, ‘Why doesn’t the preacher do something about it?’” said Rainer. “Isn’t that what we’re paid for? People look around who do not have the courage to go. We need more courage among people who do not want to hear what we say.”

Rainer said time is flying by too quickly. He said when he closes his eyes, his own life flashes by and before he knows it, he will not see this side of eternity but will come face to face with Jesus.

“Can we stop messing around,” Rainer asked. “Can we stop playing church games? Can we stop doing things that distract and distress us? It’s time, folks. Cut out all the mess and focus on what really matters.

“Is there a prophet among us who’s willing to speak the word of God? It’s time to be missional. The clock is ticking. The time is now.”

 

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