Not just another meeting

Autumn brings Baptists together for various “family reunions.” Whether on the associational level or the state level, these “get togethers” provide opportunities for fellowship, renewing friendships and encouragement. The heartwarming reports of how God has worked among us and through us prove again and again that we can do more together than we can separately.

Our Bible conference and annual meeting, Nov. 9-11 at Southwestern Seminary, promises to bring the usual blessings that occur when we gather, including heart-stirring praise and Spirit-anointed preaching. However, this year will be different. We will join our voices to the chorus of those calling out to God for spiritual awakening. Each session will focus on an aspect of awakening followed by a prayer time. We are really going to pray.

It is in my heart that we seek the face of God in such a way that our lives, churches and convention will not continue with business as usual. We have tried to change and impact our world with our best talents, resources, resolve and programs. Though there have been breakthroughs and drops of awakening, our best efforts are not working and have not worked. As we reach the end of our very best, we will discover the presence and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to do all you can to be in attendance in Fort Worth. There are some who have never attended one of our annual meetings. There are others who have given up on meetings like these for various reasons. This year’s meeting, as we gather on  Southwestern’s campus, offers an incredible opportunity for us to call upon God to reveal himself in a movement that is beyond our ability to program or plan. I am praying that this will be part of the beginning of a fresh new visitation of the Spirit of God upon his people throughout our state, our Southern Baptist Convention and our country. God has done it before; let’s join together to ask him to do it again.

May our gathering in Fort Worth not be just another meeting but a joining of our hearts and voices that beckon an awakening, reviving movement of God’s Spirit among us. Let’s pack the house on seminary hill while we fill heaven with our prayer for spiritual awakening.