Author: Jayson Larson

Melton, a ‘giant’ for God’s kingdom, passes away at 93

ABILENE—Thomas “T.C.” Melton, a longtime West Texas pastor, died Dec. 15 in Abilene. He was 93.

Melton pastored for 29 years, including his long service leading Abilene’s Elmcrest Baptist Church. In “retirement,” starting in 2003, Melton was a tireless consultant for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. His wisdom and encouragement were significant to pastors in the region where he also served churches as interim pastor and pulpit supply.

Hundreds of tributes on Melton’s Facebook page expressed gratitude for his life and ministry, referring to him as a “giant” for God’s kingdom and a “blessing and encouragement to pastors.”

SBTC Executive Director Nathan Lorick praised Melton’s conviction, saying, “T.C. Melton was one of God’s choice servants. He courageously stood on the inerrant Word of God his entire life. His influence in the SBTC will always be cherished and remembered.”

Melton earned a BA and MA from Hardin Simmons University, and later a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary. He served as a trustee for Hardin Simmons. His alma mater also awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity.

Melton was preceded in death in 2023 by his wife and ministry partner of 72 years, Mary Frances. The Meltons had three daughters, seven grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

A military service for Melton will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20, at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene. A memorial service will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene under the direction of Hamil Family Funeral Home of Abilene. Visitation will be Thursday, Dec. 19, from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

North Texas church partners with family to bring toys, the gospel to area children

BURLESON—A Southern Baptists of Texas Convention church is using a holiday toy drive to share the love and message of Christ during the Christmas season.

Last year at NorthPointe Church in Burleson, more than 100 volunteers blessed over 750 children in the community with new toys, bicycles, and school supplies as part of Kaleigh’s Sleigh Toy Drive. The church is expecting to serve even more children this year.

The toy drive was organized by Jeff Pool, a chiropractor, his wife Julie, and their children. The Pools have been doing toy drives the past 20 years under other unofficial names, but in December 2020, after the death of Kaleigh Rhea Moss to a pulmonary embolism at age 22, they renamed the toy drive to honor her memory.

“Six months after Kaleigh’s death, God awoke my heart to the name ‘Kaleigh’s Sleigh’ for the toy drive, and with the blessing of Kaleigh’s wonderful parents, Kaleigh’s Sleigh took flight,” Julie Pool said. Because Kaleigh loved horses, the Pools made sure the logo for the sleigh includes a painted horse.

The Pools personally knew and loved Kaleigh and her family. Consequently, her loss devastated their family, as well.

“Kaleigh collapsed in our office, and [despite] many attempts of resuscitation, she was not able to be saved that day in December,” Julie recalls.

The Pools have served hundreds of kids every year. This year, the toy drive will take place as usual, with child care provided to make it easier on the parents to shop for their kids.

“The families had to pre-register to make the event fair to everyone,” Julie said. “Each one of the families will receive two to three toys per child, as well as a gift card and a grocery card if there is a situation identified with food deprivation. The families can also pick out stocking stuffers for their kids, and we have volunteers in our wrap room who help the families wrap their gifts so they are all set for Christmas.

“We are praying for God to also bless the time with the families so we can have gospel conversations with all the participants,” she continued. “By sharing the love of Christ with them … we are praying that many of them will make professions of faith.”

The Pools have used various methods to raise toys for the drive, including going door-to-door, partnering with school districts, offering free chiropractic office visits in exchange for toys, and working with churches such as NorthPointe, which allows the drive to use its building, members of its team, and resources to provide support. The drive also partners with 27 local businesses that accept toy drop-offs.

This year’s toy giveaway is scheduled for Dec. 14 for Johnson County residents.

‘You go where God sends you’: SBTC DR chaplains reflect on Helene ministry

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—Rookie Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief chaplain Patsy Sammann wasn’t quite sure what she was getting into when she joined veteran chaplain Lynn Kurtz to deploy to North Carolina this fall to serve survivors of Hurricane Helene.

“You go where God sends you,” Sammann said.

In late October, she drove from her home in Carrizo Springs to Waxahachie to rendezvous with Kurtz, and from there the pair hit the road for Asheville.

Kurtz and Sammann first assisted SBTC DR shower and laundry volunteers supporting a Red Cross shelter in Asheville. When that task ended earlier than expected, they contacted SBTC DR Director Scottie Stice for instructions about what to do next.

“You have two weeks blocked off. You are already there. Go be a blessing to the community,” Stice said.

And they did.

“This was typical for how we used to deploy our chaplains, especially during and before COVID,” Stice said. “We would send chaplains to hurting communities to talk to survivors, share the gospel, and be a presence supporting our volunteers. Sometimes our DR volunteers see such tragedy that they, too, need chaplains.”

So Kurtz and Sammann set out to see whom they could help by sharing Jesus.

Serving and listening

They spread out across Asheville, splitting up at times. Whether assisting Salvation Army food distribution efforts in the Biltmore or Burnsville areas or serving with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams from other states, the chaplains embraced ministry opportunities at every turn.

While passing out hot meals in the field via a drive-thru operation, Kurtz and Sammann visited and prayed with hurricane survivors.

“They had stories to tell,” Kurtz said.

Wearing their recognizable yellow SBTC DR gear, the chaplains approached diners at a crowded mall food court asking if there was anything they could pray for.

“Ninety-five percent let us pray with them,” Kurtz said. A lady observed the pair praying before starting to eat their own meals and approached.

“I am so impressed that you all prayed over your food before you ate. You just don’t see that anymore,” she said, launching into a lengthy conversation before offering her vacant rental unit as a place to stay should Kurtz and Sammann need it.

“Her offer was typical of this community,” Kurtz said. “People were so grateful—and they did want to talk.” Many at the food court had lost their homes, she added.

Later, driving through a hard-hit Asheville neighborhood, they talked with people walking their dogs or working in their yards. They prayed on their own for a Hindu woman who declined their offer to pray for her. On another street, they encountered an SBDR recovery team. Members asked Kurtz and Sammann to talk with a woman at a house nearby. Her home was being worked on by her brother, who is a pastor, and members of his church.

“She’s lost. She needs help,” SBDR volunteers said.

The chaplains found the woman uninterested in talking, but she did allow them to pray for her. She was surrounded by Christian people helping her, yet she wanted none of Christianity, Kurtz noted.

“When I pray, I always ask the Lord to help them in whatever situation they are in,” Kurtz said. “I ask the Lord to let whoever it is know He loves them and that He loved them so much that He died on a cross.”

Rookie lessons

What did Sammann learn on her first deployment?

She liked the Cambro containers used to transport Styrofoam clamshells filled with hot meals. “We Baptists have our casseroles and those things are perfect. I wish I had some,” she said.

She witnessed the seamless teamwork among state Baptist DR teams and other relief groups.

She learned that seemingly insignificant things matter.

Working alongside North Carolina Baptist DR, Sammann visited with a family of three whose home had been cut in half by a fallen tree. The couple’s special needs son, 14-year-old D.J., had pushed his mother out of the way when the tree hit.

“Had he not, she would have perished,” Sammann said.

“You’re a hero,” she told D.J., who downplayed what he had done but engaged in conversation with her.

“He doesn’t talk to people he doesn’t know. I am amazed he is talking to you,” D.J.’s mom told Sammann as the chaplain helped D.J. sort a box of Legos, his coping mechanism.

“We had a grand old time going through that box of Legos,” Sammann said. She promised D.J. she would stay till the North Carolina team finished work at the house that day.

Other stories, more somber in nature, greeted Sammann, including that of an elderly gentleman who had attempted to save his wheelchair-bound wife. As the creek beside their property rose dramatically, he phoned 911 and followed the operator’s instructions to place their IDs in Ziplock baggies, taping them to their arms, and using permanent markers to write their Social Security numbers on their bodies. He then moved his wife to the barn due to its higher elevation, where he assumed she would be safe. He carried her to the loft, then returned to the house to get their medications, food, and water.

Moments later, he walked outside his home. The barn was gone, swept away by the flood.

“They found his wife’s body in Tennessee,” Sammann said, her voice cracking with emotion. “He was trying to protect her.”

“I should have kept her in the house,” the man said.

“In a situation like this, you just have to do what you feel is best. You thought your wife would be safe. It’s not your fault the creek rose,” Sammann said, consoling him. “He let me pray with him. He is a man of faith. He and his wife were both believers. He knows she is with God.”

The man later took in an elderly couple who had lost their home and is caring for them, Sammann said.

“I saw a lot of strength, faith, and courage in North Carolina,” she said. “People were more concerned about others than themselves.”

“Pray for my community,” folks often asked. “Pray we get back to normal.”

Helping people get back to “normal” is at the heart of DR work.

Primer retiro para esposas de plantadores en español ofrece un tiempo de conexión y refrigerio

MARBLE FALLS––Cuarenta y nueve esposas de plantadores de iglesias se reunieron para un tiempo de retiro y capacitación del 31 de octubre al 1 de noviembre, marcando el primer evento de este tipo como parte de la creciente iniciativa de Send Network SBTC en Español.

El tema del evento fue “Fundamentos para la esposa del plantador”. Las ponentes fueron Carolina Santander de Georgia, Carla Cox de Arizona y Marjarie Hernández de Nueva York.

Las esposas disfrutaron de un tiempo de enseñanza, compañerismo, diversión y refrigerio. Las sesiones incluyeron «Cumbres y Valles» -donde se les dio espacio a las mujeres para compartir cómo vieron al Señor manifestarse en momentos bajos y altos de sus vidas–– y otros temas como «Conociendo a Dios» y «Mi identidad en el evangelio».

«Situaciones de la vida van a desafiar nuestra fe, y qué tanto conocemos a Dios determinará cómo respondemos en medio de ellas», dijo Hernández. «El corazón no puede amar lo que la mente no conoce. Para amar de verdad a Dios, debemos conocerle de verdad».

Las asistentes también aprendieron sobre los temas “Entendiendo a mi esposo” y “Tu huella única en el ministerio”, en donde pudieron profundizar sobre sus roles únicos como esposa de plantador y el ministerio al que Dios las ha llamado.

“Es importante tratar de entender a nuestros esposos… nuestras palabras de afirmación o de crítica y desaprobación les afecta profundamente”, dijo Santander. “Es sabio refrenar nuestra lengua y aprovechar nuestras palabras para animar y no para destruir”.

Las mujeres recibieron el reto de amar, cuidar y apoyar a sus esposos. También se les animó a abrazar su identidad en Cristo y a ejercer su rol de esposa de plantador con sabiduría. La clausura fue un hermoso momento para comprometerse a orar unas por otras.

“Todas necesitamos recargarnos, pero ni siquiera me imaginaba que lo necesitaba tanto y que este era mi momento”, dijo Mariu Covalt, una esposa de plantador que asistió al retiro.

«La gracia y el amor de Dios eran palpables. Reí, lloré, adoré… todo en dos días realmente maravillosos. Estoy recargada, estoy llena, tengo nuevas fuerzas para continuar e incluso para empezar de nuevo.»

Un grupo de esposas de pastores y personal de SBTC en Español ayudaron a coordinar y conducir el evento, incluyendo a Carla Arriola, Karina Velázquez, Zoila López, Wendy Contreras, Alicia Violante, Juani Shelton y Aurora Cruz.

“Me sentí muy amada por Dios, por mis hermanas y por cada una de las líderes de la actividad», dijo Leidy Fernández, otra esposa de plantador que asistió al retiro. «Fue una bendición conocer a personas tan valiosas y hacer amistades que durarán para siempre, mujeres que aman profundamente a Cristo y que también tienen mucho en común conmigo. Aprendimos cosas útiles, confirmamos cosas importantes y nos animamos a invertir en la obra de Dios.»

Latest Send Network SBTC assessment prepares next generation of church planters

Josh and Amanda Clark weren’t sure what to expect at the Send Network SBTC assessment retreat.

He was certain of his calling as a pastor and church planter—certain enough that he’d left behind a career with a major supermarket chain of more than 20 years. The couple had completed an extensive pre-assessment process.

And yet, there was some trepidation.

“There’s definitely some nerves,” Clark said, “some fear of the unknown. You don’t know what you’re gonna get.”

But Clark looks back now to that retreat in October 2023 with fondness, recognizing its importance in both clarifying and affirming his call.

“They basically turn out every pocket you’ve got and turn over every stone in your life,” Clark said. “They ask the right questions. … When you get there, at least for Amanda and me, we were excited to talk about what God is doing around us, to share our vision, to share our heart, and to hear these ministry leaders who’ve been doing it longer than we have who are so excited for us.”

The Vine Community Church launched Sept. 8 in Buda, a rapidly growing town south of Austin. And Clark now numbers among more than 140 pastors who have launched or soon will launch since the North American Mission Board and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention partnered to form Send Network SBTC. All participated in an assessment retreat, which is required for endorsement as a planter.

Though numbers are still being finalized, Send Network SBTC will endorse approximately 60 church planters in 2024—the most in the three years of the partnership, which has exceeded its annual goal by 10-20% each year.

While the numbers are encouraging, Send Network SBTC leaders understand the task is immense. Vance Pitman, president of Send Network, has laid out a challenging vision: a 1% reduction in lostness in Texas. The state’s population has climbed above 30 million. While approximately 10 million claim a relationship with Christ, that leaves 20 million lost. Reaching Pitman’s goal would mean 200,000 coming to faith in Jesus.

“That puts it into perspective,” said Jason Crandall, church plant lead for Send Network SBTC. “We’ve had great numbers, but our hope would be to plant significantly more churches. We’ve been doing well, but we see so much lostness. We want to do everything we can through the work of church planting to combat lostness.”

Send Network SBTC holds three assessment retreats a year. The most recent assessment retreat was held Oct. 3-4 in Houston. The third of 2024, it included 31 candidates and their wives and was conducted in English and Spanish (16 English-speaking candidates; 15 Spanish-speaking), reflecting Send Network SBTC’s recognition of the needs in Texas. The English-speaking candidates participated in an assessment retreat at Houston’s Sagemont Church, the Spanish-speaking candidates at Champion Forest Baptist Church.

Before candidates and their wives arrive at the assessment retreat, they’ve completed an extensive pre-assessment screening process that evaluates their calling, marriage, and leadership abilities. It includes references and background checks, as well as MinistrySafe training.

At the assessment retreat, they’re closely evaluated in nine areas: calling, spiritual and emotional health, family dynamic, vision, leadership, communication, missional engagement, disciple-making, and relational intelligence.

Clark describes the first day, which is filled with back-to-back-to-back interviews with assessors in each of those areas, as “intense.” That evening, each couple is given a gift card and sent on a date, with instructions to treat it as such.

“We did that,” Clark said, “but we were both super giddy. We wanted to talk about all that went on and download with each other.”

Each candidate has a sending church, because Send Network’s theological and philosophical conviction is that networks don’t plant churches—churches plant churches. Thus, a representative from the candidate’s sending church must participate in the assessment retreat (the Clarks’ sending church, as an example, is the Well Community Church of San Marcos, which is itself a Send Network church plant). As the candidates and their wives go through assessment, the sending church representatives are going through sessions designed to help equip them to care for, coach, and mentor the planters through launch and beyond.

Julio Arriola, director of Send Network SBTC, says each assessment retreat represents a “summit” of an intense process of several months, at least. After the assessment retreat, church planter candidates receive one of three designations: “ready to plant,” “development needed,” or “redirect.” But Arriola says because the pre-assessment process pares down the initial candidate list, very few candidates who participate in assessment retreats leave as “redirects.”

Once endorsed, the planter goes through more Send Network equipping as part of a cohort of planters and is assigned a coach and a care team in preparation for launch and beyond. The ultimate goal is to determine readiness, because as Crandall says, “church planting is so hard. There’s so much spiritual warfare. If you’re not called to it and not healthy, you’re gonna make a shipwreck of life. We don’t want that for the planters and their families—but also for the name of Jesus.”

For most, the process is similar to what the Clarks experienced: clarifying and affirming.

“One of my prayers is that (the assessment retreat) is a life-giving experience for anybody there, whether a candidate or an assessor,” Crandall said. “We don’t have ‘gotcha’ moments in the assessment. We’re gonna ask hard questions, but it’s all done with grace and kindness and pointing toward the gospel.”

Connection, refreshment found at inaugural Español planters’ wives retreat

MARBLE FALLS—Forty-nine church planters’ wives gathered for a time of retreat and training Oct. 31-Nov. 1—marking the first such event as part of Send Network SBTC’s growing Español initiative.

The theme of the event was “Foundations for the Planter’s Wife.” Speakers were Carolina Santander from Georgia, Carla Cox from Arizona, and Marjarie Hernández from New York.

The wives enjoyed a time of teaching, fellowship, fun, and refreshment. Sessions included “Heights and Valleys”—where women were given space to share how they turned to the Lord in low and high moments in their lives—as well as “Knowing God” and “My Identity in the Gospel.”

“Situations in life will challenge our faith, and how well we know God will determine how we respond,” Hernández said. “The heart cannot love what the mind does not know. To truly love God, we must truly know Him.”

Attendees also learned about “Understanding My Husband” and “Your Unique Imprint in Ministry,” where they were able to dig deeper into their unique roles as a planter’s wife and the ministries to which God has called them.

“It is important to try to understand our husbands … our words of affirmation or criticism and disapproval affect [them] deeply,” Santander said. “It is wise to control our tongues and use our words to encourage and not to destroy.”

The women were challenged to love, care for, and support their husbands. They were also encouraged to embrace their identities in Christ and to exercise their role as a planter’s wife with wisdom. The closing was a beautiful time of committing to pray for one another.

“We all need to recharge, but I didn’t realize I needed it so much and it was my time,” said Mariu Covalt, a planter’s wife who attended the retreat. “The grace and love of God was palpable. I laughed, I cried, I worshipped—all in two truly wonderful days. I am recharged, I am full, I have new strength to continue and even to begin again.”

A group of pastors’ wives and SBTC en Español staff helped coordinate and conduct the event, including Carla Arriola, Karina Velázquez, Zoila López, Wendy Contreras, Alicia Violante, Juani Shelton, and Aurora Cruz.

“I felt very loved by God, my sisters, and each one of the leaders of the activity,” said Leidy Fernandez, another planter wife who attended the retreat. “It was a blessing to meet such precious people and to make friendships that will last forever, women who love Christ deeply and who also have much in common with me. We learned useful things, confirmed important things, and were encouraged to invest ourselves in God’s work.”

AM24: Spanish session draws hundreds for equipping, encouragement

HOUSTON—About 300 attendees gathered for the Spanish sessions of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting Nov. 10-11 at Sagemont Church in Houston.

The pastors, leaders, and church members who attended the Spanish sessions—gathering in a spirit of unity and affirmation in fulfilling the “Side by Side” theme of the meeting—represented double the average attendance compared to the past five years, according to Jesse Contreras, SBTC en Español associate.

“From the beginning, the reception was warm and emotional. Each ministry that gathered in the lobby set the mood for a special event,” said Juan Camilo Del Valle, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Getsemaní in McAllen.

On Sunday, Champion Forest Baptist Church worship pastor Job Gonzalez opened the event with a concert to prepare the hearts of the attendees. After a time of fellowship, the general session began, this time led by Sagemont Encuentro’s worship ministry.

The keynote speaker was Tony Miranda, an author, international speaker, and pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Austin. Miranda challenged God’s servants to encourage one another in Christ, to believe in them, and to spur them to move forward in their calling.

“To be side by side, you must believe in the Lord with all your heart, but you must also love your neighbor and believe in him … because you cannot do the mission alone,” Miranda said.

SBTC Executive Director Nathan Lorick expressed his joy and appreciation for the convention’s Hispanic churches.

“I want you to know how much we love you and are grateful for the ministry God has called you to,” Lorick said. “This year, our theme is ‘Side by Side,’ and this is exactly what we want to do at the SBTC with you and your church. We want to come alongside you as you fulfill the mission that God has placed on your heart and to resource your church to help you fulfill that calling.”

Also during the session, Jorge Diaz was awarded the Dr. Michael Gonzalez Ministerial Legacy Award. Diaz credited the grace of God for giving him what he called an “underserved honor.” Said Diaz: “I want to encourage all my fellow pastors to stand firm, side by side, because the Lord will sustain us.”

The first day of the Spanish session concluded with a commissioning service for church planters led by Julio Arriola, director of Send Network SBTC. Arriola said the commissioning service served as tangible evidence of God’s movement among the family of churches known as the SBTC.

The second and final day of the Spanish sessions continued with workshops for men and women offering deep edification, both theological and practical. Lazaro Riesgo, pastor of Sagemont Encuentro, spoke on the topic of “Contrasts: The Value of Being Different,” based on his recent book. He challenged attendees to be different in the midst of a society that values decadence by standing firm in Christ-centered principles and purpose.

Liván Quintana, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Vida en Cristo in Nassau Bay, led another workshop on restoring pastoral integrity. He challenged pastors to raise their standard of integrity and become aware of their need for accountability.

The workshops for women were led by Inés Pacas, speaking on the theme of “Keeping the testimony,” and Karina Vázquez, who spoke about “A life with purpose.”

The Spanish session culminated with an interview with Esteban Vazquez, Spanish associate pastor of Champion Forest, during the lunch break. Arriola led the interview, which was characterized by a time of inspiring testimonies of how God works to fulfill His plan.

“If you want to run fast, run alone,” Arriola said, “but if you want to go far, go together. Let’s keep giving Christ to His church.”

AM24: ‘On mission together’: Panelists talk about importance of connections

HOUSTON—A capacity crowd of 450 filled Sagemont Church’s Student Building Worship Center on Tuesday, Nov. 12, to hear four pastors speak about the challenges of ministry during the President’s Lunch Panel held each year at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting.

The panel was moderated by SBTC President Danny Forshee, lead pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin. It consisted of Gregg Matte, senior pastor of Houston’s First Baptist; Jason Crandall, lead pastor of CityView Church in Pearland; Joe Ogletree, lead pastor of Image Church of Cypress; and Levi Skipper, lead pastor of Sagemont Church. Ogletree and Crandall planted their churches, while Matte just celebrated two decades at Houston’s First. Skipper was called to Sagemont earlier this year.

The need for pastors to connect and encourage one another was discussed at length. Forshee began by reading a social media post by Champion Forest Senior Pastor Jarrett Stephens congratulating Matte on 20 years at Houston’s First.

“It was awesome,” Matte said, noting the love shown by the church and also by fellow pastors like Stephens. When contemplating the next 20 years of ministry, Matte said he couldn’t imagine doing it without the support and friendship of fellow pastors.

“We talk, we hang out. Levi [Skipper] and I are part of a group that meets quarterly,” he said.

Forshee praised Crandall for his “heart for planting churches and reaching people” and asked him about the importance for planters to have strong relationships and receive encouragement from other pastors.

“It is vital,” Crandall said. “We can’t do this alone. We can’t be on mission together [yet] alone. It just doesn’t work. … Planters desperately need relationships. They need to know that they are loved, cared for, prayed for.”

Forshee commended Ogletree on the disciple-making emphasis at Image Church, a plant in the Fairfield neighborhood of northwest Houston. Ogletree, who is bivocational, admitted opportunities to connect with other pastors can be rare.

“At this season, [relationships] are not about the quantity but the quality,” Ogletree said. Even so, he stressed the importance of finding a few people with whom “you can talk about life” and said encouraging texts always seem to come at the right time.

“If you don’t have people in your life, you’ve got to get them,” Skipper said. “Jesus had them. Paul had them. All of us need people in our lives who are strong encouragers.”

Offering a personal illustration of the importance of having people to come alongside, Forshee told of the near loss of his unborn son 32 years ago. “I don’t remember much about that night,” he said, but he vividly recalls the two men who sat with him in the hospital as his son received a risky and, at the time, rare in utero blood transfusion.

“God works when we are vulnerable,” Ogletree added. “The enemy works through shame.” He said he answers honestly when asked how he is. “Be vulnerable,” Ogletree urged.

The audience had questions, too, such as how to encourage yourself in the Lord when there’s nobody to come alongside you?

Crandall said he journals about things for which he is grateful, reflecting on Scripture and keeping a record of how God has acted in the past. Ogletree praised pastors’ wives and said his wife is a constant source of encouragement. Pastors’ wives, he said, “do not get enough credit.”

Panelists also emphasized the importance of rest—physical and emotional.

Regarding spiritual warfare, Ogletree cautioned pastors to maintain awareness of the devil’s schemes, to learn to prioritize, and to avoid distraction.

“I have to get Scripture in my heart first,” Crandall said. Matte described his routine of sermon preparation in which, before Sunday, he places his sermon notes on a prayer bench at home in a symbolic offering to the Lord.

Forshee urged pastors to not forsake personal time with the Lord.

“Suit up. Resist the devil. Put on the full armor of God,” he said.

Nathan Lorick, SBTC’s executive director, closed the meeting in prayer and offered a final word of encouragement.

“We are in this together,” Lorick said, “side by side.”

Don’t just sit there—pray!

Most Americans pray, and many pray every day; but what do we pray about? Not surprisingly, according to Lifeway Research, 74% of Americans pray for their own needs and difficulties. Predictably, most people pray for their own problems since troubles and challenges are common to everyone.

In fact, our problems are not substantially different than those shared by our neighbors. For instance, Pew Research finds that a majority of Americans see inflation, the inability of Democrats and Republicans to work together, the cost of healthcare, drug addiction, the rising federal deficit and illegal immigration as the top problems facing the country in 2024.

In addition to the cost of living and the border crisis, all these national problems have driven nine out of 10 of us to believe America is in the throes of a mental health crisis. The old spiritual says, “Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen;” but in today’s America maybe the better line would be, “Everybody knows the troubles I’ve seen!”

Of course, over and above the challenges most of us face, each of us has a long list of personal troubles unique to us. Our relationships are fragile, we worry too much, and we struggle with personal temptations. In light of all this trouble, what should we do? In reality, there are only two ways to face troubles: God’s way or your way, and God’s way always involves prayer.

A praying king’s trouble

In Jerusalem about 2,900 years ago, King Jehoshaphat knew two things: He knew he was in trouble, and he knew prayer moves the hand that moves the world. His problem was that he had a small window of time to prepare before he faced an oncoming Transjordan coalition of ferocious soldiers, representing multiple enemy armies and kingdoms.

King Jehoshaphat had never been so strategically unprepared or logistically overwhelmed by military power in his entire life. He had only one real option—he prayed. His prayer was straightforward, “… we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12).

No believer has to passively surrender to trouble. In prayer we can fight back!

Desperate prayer fights trouble

Have you ever prayed desperately for God’s intervention? Leonard Ravenhill once said, “God doesn’t answer prayer, He answers desperate prayer.” King Jehoshaphat prayed because he was in an urgently desperate situation. He prayed admitting that he was “powerless” against the rapidly approaching enemy insurgents.

In our competitive, style-over-substance culture where signs of weakness are aggressively avoided, it seems counterintuitive to approach God with a prayer of weakness—yet it’s the only kind of prayer He promises to answer. For example, the half-brother of Jesus had experienced moments of doubt and weakness through which he learned that “… God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Jim Cymbala has even made the astounding claim, “God is attracted to weakness.”

The question is, therefore, are you desperate enough in prayer? Desperate prayer demands a humility that repudiates our personal confidence, strength, intelligence, denominational advantages, or any other perceived leverage that masquerades as the primary answer to the dilemmas only prayer can address.

Are we willing to allow ourselves to look weak in the eyes of others in order to experience God’s help? Remember, the king humbled himself in the presence of the entire nation. Fortunately, his desperate, humble prayer led to God’s miraculous answer. If our pride won’t allow us to be broken before God and others in the face of overwhelming trouble in order to seek God, we have to ask ourselves this question: Do I really want God’s help, no matter the cost?

Dependent prayer fights trouble

One reason we resist desperate prayer may be because we are secretly relying on other sources of help. Our church governance models, our comfort with the status quo, or even our fear of extremes may temper our passion for a supernatural intervention. Long-time pastor and Georgia Baptist leader Larry Wynn may have accurately assessed our unwillingness to depend upon God when he recently said, “The church in Acts handled in a prayer meeting what we try to handle in a business meeting.”

The King of Judah had no choice but to depend upon God. He prayed, “… We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” He knew his army was ill-prepared, his arsenal was underdeveloped, and he was massively outnumbered by the enemy. So, he prayed, “… our eyes are upon you.”

During terrible circumstances we have all heard someone say, “All we can do now is pray.” That statement is true when we first recognize the problem, not just when we have exhausted all other options. Instead of a last resort, depending upon God in prayer can be our first response.

Our instinct is to depend on strengths, powers, and resources other than God’s provisions, and that is the oldest and most demonic temptation of all. For instance, in the Garden of Eden the serpent convinced Eve she could not enjoy a full life until she relied upon something other than what God provided (Genesis 3:4). Likewise, in the Judean wilderness Satan launched the same attack against Jesus. The devil attempted, unsuccessfully, to convince the Lord to resort to immediate gratification, shortcuts to power, and false worship rather than trust in what God was offering (Matthew 4:1-11).

Depending upon God in prayer is not a small victory. Instead, in dependence we actually resist and overcome our most basic urges toward sin, and we look more like Jesus.

Desperate and dependent prayer obviously appears to many secular Americans like the weakest available response to trouble—but it’s not, because God hears prayer. As Wheaton College President Philip Graham Ryken recently said, “One of the things we should do when we’re in trouble is just pray as well as we can and even when we can’t pray very well, God understands that and will answer our prayers a lot better than we can pray them.”

You’re not helpless in difficulties as long as God is the hearer of prayer. When trouble comes, therefore, don’t just sit there; pray something!

God is just getting started

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is an excerpt from O.S. Hawkins’ new book The Spirit Code: 40 Truths about the Holy Spirit that Every Believer Should Know. Proceeds from the book are donated to Mission:Dignity.

Luke has the great privilege of sharing how God’s work begins through the church. In Acts 1:1 he writes, “Of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.” Did you catch that? The gospels document what Jesus began to do—He is not finished; He is just getting started.

Often referred to as the “Acts of the Apostles,” the book of Acts is more accurately the record of the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in and through the church. Luke’s gospel recounts the life and teachings of Jesus in His physical body, while Acts tells us what the Holy Spirit continues to do through the spiritual body of Christ, which is the church. It’s incredibly encouraging to realize that Jesus remains active, partnering with us through the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to the world.

Acts is the unfolding story of how Jesus continues to work in our lives via the Holy Spirit. However, the narrative ends rather abruptly, leaving us hanging. This is intentional—the story continues in us, moving all the way to today.

Anyone who has tried to live the Christian life has discovered that it isn’t just difficult; it is impossible when attempted in our own strength. God isn’t interested in our doing something for Him. The key to victorious Christian living is allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us. As Paul puts it, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

When we awaken to the power of the Holy Spirit within us, we enter a new dimension of Christian living. This is the essence of what Jesus meant when He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12). This is a profound statement—Jesus is not merely suggesting we can replicate His works; He promises we can exceed them.

Many people interpret this verse as a call to work harder for God. However, this approach often leads to frustration and failure. The true understanding of Jesus’ statement lies in His promise to return to the Father. Just a few verses later, He reassures us: “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). Jesus assured His disciples, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). He indeed returned, not in physical form, but through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live out our faith.

After Jesus ascended, the disciples gathered in the upper room to wait for “the Promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4)—the coming of the Holy Spirit. They didn’t gather because they felt worthy; none of us are worthy in our own strength. They waited for the Helper that Jesus promised: “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). True to His word, the Holy Spirit fell upon them at Pentecost, transforming their lives and empowering the church in ways they had never imagined.

The power of Jesus does not end with the gospel records; He had just begun. The Holy Spirit continues to work today, in you, through you, for you, and upon you. A victorious Christian life is about the dynamic partnership between the Holy Spirit and ourselves.

Eureka moments

The word “eureka” has embedded itself into our modern lexicon, representing moments of sudden insight or discovery—those exhilarating instances when clarity replaces confusion. Think of a student who, after struggling with a math problem, suddenly sees the answer: “Eureka! Wow!” Or consider the joy of realizing that the person you’ve been dating is truly the one with whom you want to spend your life: “Eureka!”

Did you know the word “eureka” appears in the New Testament? In John 1:41, Andrew, after following Jesus, excitedly finds his brother, Simon Peter, exclaiming, “We have found [eureka!] the Messiah.” This exclamation followed centuries of prophetic anticipation and waiting for the coming Savior.

These eureka moments, whether small or monumental, remind us of the transformative power of revelation. In our spiritual lives, awakening to the truth of who Jesus is and the role of the Holy Spirit is the ultimate eureka moment. It opens our eyes to a reality that redefines our lives and empowers us to live for Him.

As we reflect on the incredible journey from the gospels to the book of Acts, we recognize that the story of Jesus is far from over. He began a transformative work that continues today through the Holy Spirit and His church. We are not just passive observers; we are active participants in this divine partnership, empowered to carry forth His mission.

The Holy Spirit equips us with strength, wisdom, and guidance, enabling us to live out our faith in ways that exceed our limitations. When we embrace the truth that “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27), we unleash the potential for greater works, not through our own efforts but through His power within us.

Let us be open to those “eureka moments”—the revelations that deepen our understanding of Christ and propel us into action. Together, as the body of Christ, we can reveal His love and grace to the world, proving that the story of Jesus is still being written through our lives today.