Bible Conference preachers emphasize Scripture exposition

CORPUS CHRISTI?Preachers from Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Virginia spoke at the 2010 SBTC Bible Conference, gleaning from various passages a recurring theme of the necessity and urgency of preaching Scripture to their congregations.

The Bible must be preached effectively for the Holy Spirit to move in people, convert souls, and positively influence society, speakers told those present for the conference preceding the SBTC annual meeting.

The Bible Conference elected as officers for 2010-11: Terry Turner, pastor of Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church in Mesquite, as conference president. First vice president for the coming year will be Alex Gonzales, pastor of Hickory Tree Baptist Church in Balch Springs, and serving as second vice president will be Scott Gray, pastor of Sycamore Baptist Church in Decatur.

KEEP THE GOSPEL CENTRAL

Tony Merida, pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Meridian, Miss., told the Bible Conference that he identifies with Timothy, the recipient of the New Testament letter, "because he was not a stained-glass saint" but timid and fearful among the "jacked-up church" he was leading in Ephesus.

Paul's advice to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1-8, Merida said, is a prescription for a gospel-centered ministry that draws on the grace of Christ.

"The key in our day is to keep what is central [the gospel], central, and to not put it in the middle."

In the passage, Merida said Paul exhorts Timothy to be daily strengthened in the gospel, to multiply the gospel intentionally, to suffer for it faithfully, and to hope in it wholeheartedly.

"My strength is not in how long I've been a Christian, how much I know about the Bible or how long I've been in ministry" but by his grace in the gospel.

Noting that Paul was not physically impressive or persuasive but instead was conscious of his weakness, pastors must also recognize their inherent weaknesses.

"This is the key to faithfulness; we live out of our weakness and into his strength," Merida said?. "Grace comes to us as we open the Word of God."

Quoting 2 Timothy 2:2's command to entrust the gospel to faithful men who are able to teach others, "This verse is really a life verse for me," Merida said.

The fact that the Bible Conference was gathered in Corpus Christi for gospel purposes is proof "somebody did 2 Timothy 2:2 and they've been doing it for 2,000 years."

Using a golf analogy, Merida said if preaching is the driver in a pastor's golf bag, then small groups are the irons and one-on-one mentoring is the putter.

"You drive for show but you putt for dough," Merida said, repeating the oft-quoted mantra and lamenting that many pastors are not involved in personal mentoring.

"I think if Paul wrote your job description he would [include it]," Merida said. "This is an important thing; we are missing an entire generation."

"You might find yourself rejuvenated if you'd start doing 2 Timothy 2:2."

A FUTURE FOR THE GOSPEL?

Steven Smith, dean of the College at Southwestern and professor of preaching, asked the gathering, "Do you think there is any future for the gospel?"

The question was not facetious or rhetorical. Smith said studies show 26 percent of Americans (even as few as 14 percent) attend church. Of those, only a fraction attends evangelical churches. And amongst that small band only 50 percent believe in the exclusivity of salvation in Christ.

"So," he concluded, "if you believe in what we call the gospel you are in the minority of the minority, of