Author: Russell Lightner

It all comes back to this

My final, foundational point about the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is this: The convention is here because our churches believe the Bible is true in all that it affirms, on every subject it addresses.

This is a simple thought, but not so simple in its implications.

God has spoken. When we affirm the authority of Scripture, we are saying that God’s expression (inspiration) of his will is authoritative. The converse is true—if the Bible is not accurate or authoritative then God has not spoken authoritatively. It goes to the nature of God; denying a thing he has said in Scripture undermines even the things we choose to not deny.

God’s authority is thorough. This impels our relationship with schools like Criswell College and Jacksonville College. Those who teach math or biology in these schools have affirmed the same statement of faith affirmed by the theology professors. The converse is true—the SBTC has no working relationship with institutions that teach in any discipline that the Bible is only partly or mostly true. Our fellowship of churches and the staff that serves this fellowship are likewise committed to honor the authority of Scripture in every outgrowth of ministry. This is why we have not maintained the affiliation of churches that have female senior pastors or affirmed any other doctrine clearly against the teaching of Scripture.

God’s Word is objective. It is not provable to a skeptic’s satisfaction—our trust in God’s Word is our trust in God. Belief in God is a matter of faith, an assumption from which we see all other things. But God’s written Word protects us from mystic, subjective nonsense. “I think God wants me to rob a liquor store.” He doesn’t. He has said so clearly in his Word, no matter what you think about it. The same is true of many other things we must or must not do.

When we affirm the authority of Scripture, we are saying that God’s expression (inspiration) of his will is authoritative.

Gary Ledbetter Tweet

Objectivity also protects us from thinking that our opinion of the Word is decisive. It is not pertinent if I decide to sign each page of the Bible or only most of them. Some things God says won’t fit my preferences or my understanding. Doesn’t matter. God has spoken.

Objectivity also speaks to the truth of a biblical teaching. Bible verses have a single meaning, say a thing that is true. They also have many applications for our diverse lives. The Bible objectively says that children are a blessing from the Lord, for example. Nothing makes having children as such a bad thing, then. But how this verse affects your life may be different from how it affects mine. Does this mean you should marry and have a bunch of kids? Adopt? Stay single and affirm families larger than yours? Your application may vary but none of us can pass judgment on the truth of what God has said. Submitting to the truth of inerrancy is more than an academic exercise; it has daily implications.

Inerrancy is denominationally significant. It is the story of Christianity to see churches and groups of churches struggle to define orthodoxy. At almost every juncture of a denominational split, there is a group or person trying to replace biblical authority with something lesser and another group unwilling to do that. As Jim Richards says in his interview, the battle for the Bible is never over until we see Jesus. So inerrancy is crucial to the idea that churches will join together for gospel reasons. Your fellowship, just like your church, will become something more akin to Habitat for Humanity if biblical authority is not your standard for belief and order. Denominational groups that tolerate or justify unbiblical doctrine soon become irrelevant to our Great Commission work.

After 23 years of growth and work, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is in essence where it started—a fellowship of churches that takes its marching orders from God’s written Word. May our Lord find us in this same place at his return.

… and a personal note

This is my last column as editor, although you may see my byline from time to time throughout 2022. It’s been an honor and a pleasure to tell the stories of churches doing well for the past 21 years. Thank you!

I want to mention some outstanding managing editors who made the TEXAN grow and develop: Tammi Ledbetter (two times!), Melissa Deming, Jerry Pierce, Keith Collier, Josh Owens and Jane Rodgers. These talented folks served us all well.

I commend our new editor, Jayson Larson, to you. The new format will be attractive (Russ Lightner will continue to do his stellar work), and the content will be practical. Jayson is the man to lead the TEXAN into the future. I’ll be pleased to assist in an advisory role as the new TEXAN
develops.

God bless you all,

Gary

Paramount Amarillo sees marks of vitality

AMARILLO—Paramount Baptist Church in Amarillo has given more than $1 million through its world missions offering in the past five years; God is moving among young adults and a Hispanic ministry is thriving—all these circumstances prompt pastor Andrew Hebert to say the church is moving forward.

“Like a lot of other churches, our attendance is not what it was prior to the pandemic. We’re certainly down in our attendance, but I think that we are as healthy as we have been since I’ve been the pastor,” Hebert, pastor since 2016, told the TEXAN.

“We’ve seen God do some really neat things in terms of bringing people to faith in Christ, people being discipled and leading their friends to Christ. I think God has done some pruning, and we’re seeing … fruit.”

Seventy-five percent of Paramount’s world missions offering goes to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions, and 25 percent goes to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions.

In addition to giving, the church has a partnership in the Middle East and has sent teams multiple times a year for the past five years, except during the time interrupted by COVID. Paramount also has worked with the North American Mission Board to plant a church in Denver most recently.

A neighborhood church with an international reach

Paramount began as a plant of First Baptist Church in Amarillo in 1958 when neighborhood churches were the norm, and the Paramount neighborhood was drawing young families. The founding pastor was Chester O’Brien, who went on to serve as executive director of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico. Hebert is only the fourth pastor, demonstrating the church’s long-tenured leadership.

Through the years, “looking to the least of these, people who are kind of on the margins or maybe forgotten by a lot of people,” has been part of Paramount’s DNA, Hebert said. The church started a deaf church about 20 years ago when it noticed a growing need.

Before COVID, as many as 300 students a year were learning English at all levels through Paramount’s English as a Second Language classes. That number has fallen to around 100, but Hebert expects it to rebound.

“We have one of the largest per capita refugee populations in the state of Texas in Amarillo, and it’s a great way to reach people from all kinds of nations,” the pastor said. “Often times we’ll have 30-plus different languages represented in our ESL ministry.”

Another compassion ministry at Paramount is disaster relief, and the church sends out a team that includes other churches in the Texas Panhandle almost monthly, Hebert said. Nearly 30 people came to faith in Christ through the group’s recent efforts in Louisiana with SBTC Disaster Relief.

A unique ministry at Paramount is Doxa, the largest dance studio in the Panhandle, which was drawing well over 500 students for ballet pre-pandemic. The wife of Paramount’s worship pastor has a professional dance background and a heart for worshiping God through dance. Each Christmas and each spring, “several thousand people” see a biblical story—such as the life of Daniel or Joseph—portrayed and “also hear a very clear gospel presentation,” Hebert said.

Amarillo’s sole Hispanic Baptist ministry

Paramount has now what Hebert called “the only Hispanic Baptist work in Amarillo.”

“There were a couple of other Hispanic Baptist churches that closed during the pandemic, so now if you speak Spanish and you want to go to a Baptist church, Paramount en Espanol is your only option,” he said.

"There were a couple of other Hispanic Baptist churches that closed during the pandemic, so now if you speak Spanish and you want to go to a Baptist church, Paramount en Espanol is your only option."

Andrew Hebert, pastor of Paramount BC in Amarillo Tweet

Sixty to 70 Hispanics attend the Spanish language service, which meets at the same time as the English service at Paramount. The church has a Hispanic student ministry and a fulltime pastor of Hispanic ministries.

“With the immigration trends being what they are in the state of Texas, our state is becoming a majority Hispanic state, and that’s going to be a trend that increases,” Hebert said, “so we want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to reach our neighbors for Jesus.”

Of students and CP

God is doing something special with Paramount’s student ministry as well as the college and young adult ministry, Hebert said. During the summer, about 25 junior high and high school students came to faith in Christ and were baptized.

“We’re not doing what I would call anything fancy in terms of our ministry. It’s not a show. There’s not lights and fog machines and stuff like that,” he said. “We preach the Bible. We stress things like evangelism and discipleship and missions and prayer, and God is just moving among young people.”

Cooperative Program giving is a priority at Paramount because it’s “the best thing going,” Hebert said, adding that it’s “one of the reasons that I am enthusiastic to be a Southern Baptist.

“The Cooperative Program is really a wise way of leveraging our resources so that whether you’re a large church or a small church you can be part of some really significant things in terms of getting the gospel to the ends of the earth,” Hebert said.

Praying for revival

I am grateful and humbled that you have elected me as president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. It is an honor to serve you in this capacity. I want you to know that I covet your prayers as we seek to expand the kingdom together in the coming year.

I am thankful for the leadership of Dr. Lorick and consider it a privilege to join him in this season of transition. I truly believe that God is at work across our state, and I have never been more excited to partner with the greatest missions organization in the world. I also believe that the SBTC has the opportunity and responsibility to lead the way as we prayerfully pursue reaching the world with the gospel of Jesus.

This year, God has been moving in my life in ways he has never moved before. I am overwhelmed by his grace and willingness to break areas in my life that have needed to be broken for years. He has revealed to me just how desperate I am for his power and presence in my life and church. I am convinced now more than ever, that if we are going to advance the gospel of Jesus and reach a lost and dying world, we need more than fleshly innovation. We need a holy desperation for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

My singular desire as the president of this great convention is to build upon the prayer focus of Kie Bowman and lead our churches to pray like never before! To call upon the name of the Lord, asking him to send revival and spiritual awakening to our churches, communities, state, nation, and world. Listen, what we need, more than larger budgets, bigger buildings and greater attendance is a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit in our churches. We need him to sweep through our communities, state, and nation. I don’t want you to miss the two-fold request in the statement above: We are asking God to send revival AND spiritual awakening. While these two works of the Spirit are often linked together, they are not the same. In fact, I believe that we cannot have the second (spiritual awakening) without the first (revival).

Listen, what we need, more than larger budgets, bigger buildings and greater attendance is a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit in our churches.

Todd Kaunitz, SBTC President Tweet

You see, revival is what happens to believers when God brings us to a place of brokenness. This leads us to repentance, resulting in a fresh outpouring of his Spirit in us. Pastor Bill Elliff says, “To ‘revive’ literally means to ‘bring to life again.’ It is a word for the church, for you cannot ‘re-vive’ what has not once been ‘vived!’” This is absolutely true! Revival is the by-product of the Holy Spirit bringing back spiritual vitality to the church. J.I. Packer said it like this: “Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God’s near presence and holiness.”

What is spiritual awakening then? Spiritual awakening is what happens to unbelievers when the Holy Spirit moves in power through his church. It’s when he moves with such a manifestation of his presence that unbelievers are supernaturally and powerfully awakened to the saving power of Jesus and their need for him. When a spiritual awakening occurs, you see lost people in a geographical region come to saving faith in Jesus in exponential numbers, resulting in a rapid expansion of God’s kingdom. It should be the heart cry of every follower of Jesus to see God move in power like this. Without a revived church we will not see a spiritual awakening in our culture. Andrew Murray, the great prayer warrior, said, “A revived church is the only hope of a dying world.”

This is why I am inviting the nearly 2700 churches that make up the SBTC to join me in praying like never before. Together, let’s call upon the name of the Lord and ask him to send revival. Revival in our hearts, revival in our churches, revival in our denomination, revival in every denomination. Let’s ask him to move with such power among him people that it leads to the next great spiritual awakening in our nation!

Dar e Ir: La asociación de la iglesia de Garland con la IMB subraya el “por qué” es importante dar a la ofrenda Lottie Moon

Los relatos hicieron que el corazón de Lee Varnado se acelerara.

Los misioneros de la Junta de Misiones Internacionales (IMB) que estaban de visita hablaron sobre su trabajo discipulando a nuevos creyentes y allanando el camino para iniciar nuevas iglesias. No parecía una tarea fácil, pero el ingeniero no pudo evitar emocionarse y anhelar ir.

Varnado vio cómo los miembros de su iglesia, North Garland Baptist Fellowship, se interesaran en la tarea de asociarse con los misioneros de la IMB. Escuchó más historias mientras la iglesia enviaba uno, dos y hasta tres equipos diferentes al extranjero para ministrar. Las historias eran un poco diferentes en cuanto a las tareas físicas que los misioneros a corto plazo del Norte de Garland contaban, pero la esencia era siempre la misma: “¡Dios está obrando de maneras asombrosas!”

Finalmente, llegó el día para que Varnado ministrara en Ecuador y viera de primera mano los beneficios de las iglesias que se asocian con los misioneros de la IMB.

“Antes de que llegáramos, éramos parte de su estrategia para llevar el evangelio a un grupo de personas no alcanzadas”, dijo Varnado, explicando que pasaron meses de preparación para las tareas asignadas. En cuanto pusimos los pies en el suelo, nos enchufaron y fuimos productivos”.

“No se trataba de vacaciones ni de misioneros que nos llevaban de un lado a otro como si fuéramos turistas. Eran misiones en su forma más pura: creyentes trabajando juntos para compartir el amor redentor de Cristo”.

North Garland no está ajena a la asociación con los misioneros de la IMB. La iglesia ha establecido asociaciones en todos los rincones del mundo. Barry Calhoun, director de misiones y ministerio de apoyo de North Garland, dijo que era una forma de ayudarles a ser más “holísticos” en el ministerio, orando por aquellos que no han oído hablar de la gracia salvadora de Jesucristo, dando a las misiones a través de la Ofrenda de Navidad Lottie Moon, que apoya a los mismos misioneros con los que se asocian, y enviando obreros a las naciones.

"The IMB knows how to take a people group from unreached to reached, so we just hopped on their wheel instead of reinventing it."

Barry Calhoun, North Garland Baptist Fellowship Tweet

En lugar de reinventar la rueda de “ir a las naciones”, North Garland se unió a la IMB en su trabajo. Sus misioneros ya estaban formados, conocían el idioma, habían establecido relaciones y contaban con estrategias sobre cómo entrar en un ministerio en un país concreto y cómo salir, dejando el trabajo a los creyentes locales. Calhoun dijo que este plan de “entrada-salida” era uno de los aspectos más atractivos porque no querían crear algo que dependiera de ellos sino algo reproducible por los locales.

“No me imagino tratando de resolver todo eso por nuestra cuenta. La IMB sabe cómo llevar a un grupo de personas de no alcanzadas a alcanzadas, así que nos subimos a su rueda en lugar de reinventarla”, dijo Calhoun.

Según los números

A través de la Ofrenda de Navidad Lottie Moon en el 2020, los bautistas del sur dieron más de 5 mil millones de dólares a las misiones internacionales produciendo

Misioneros Nuevos

Iglesias Nuevas

personas bautizadas

nuevos creyentes

escucharon el evangelio

Las asociaciones son diferentes en cada lugar e incluso de una visita a otra. El equipo de Varnado estaba formado por profesionales que enseñaban habilidades laborales. El taller se utilizó como una forma de ganar confianza en una nueva comunidad. Otra colaboración en el África subsahariana consistió en enviar a un miembro de la iglesia, George West, a vivir allí con los misioneros durante dos meses en Madagascar. El juez semi-retirado cuidó la casa de otro misionero y vivió a poca distancia de un colaborador de la iglesia. Trabajó junto con los creyentes locales yendo de puerta en puerta para compartir las historias de la “Creación a Cristo”. West recorrió la comunidad con un traductor visitando y compartiendo mientras dos creyentes locales recorrían el campo.

“Como había estado muchas veces en este lugar para ministrar, nuestro socio tuvo confianza para enviarme con un traductor. No necesitaba hacer de niñera todos los días. Me capacitó en lo que se necesitaba y nos dejó libres”, dijo West.

El juez reconoció que se benefició de las relaciones ya establecidas por su socio de la IMB y de los numerosos viajes que North Garland realizó a esta comunidad. Él y el traductor fueron recibidos en los hogares con el único propósito de escuchar las historias de Dios.

“Tener una persona local como ésta es importante. Saben dónde ir y dónde no ir”, dijo West. “Te transmiten las relaciones. Tienen una visión y una estrategia. Tuve la bendición de ser una pequeña parte de la imagen más grande de alcanzar a este grupo de personas con el evangelio.”

SBTC churches prioritizing prayer seeing spiritual movement like never before

Something is happening in churches across Texas.

In many ways, what’s happening looks different depending on which church you’re looking at, but in other ways, it looks the same.

Regardless, there’s a common source that seems to be powering a gospel movement: a laser-focused, dead-serious, get-this-right-before-anything-else recommitment to prayer.

Reports—no, testimonies—are being raised up from all corners of the state about God doing a work that hasn’t been seen by some in a long time, if ever. Marriages are being restored. Bonds are being broken. Lost causes are being found and falling into the arms of Jesus.

Which is to say, lives are being transformed and, in turn, churches.

New Beginnings Baptist Church in Longview and First Baptist Church of Farwell—located nearly 600 miles apart in two very different geographical areas of the state—are only two of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention churches that are experiencing a fresh movement of God after a recommitment to corporate prayer.

In each, you’ll find a similar backstory: a discouraged shepherd, a church struggling to see the hand of the Lord moving among them and then a realization that the solution is not a better strategy or outreach ideas, but an all-in approach to leading their congregations into the beautiful simplicity of corporate prayer.

Todd Kaunitz, lead pastor at New Beginnings and SBTC’s incoming president, instituted a prayer meeting at his church in January in the midst of a season of discouragement. Russ Ponder—who pastored FBC Farwell for a decade before recently answering a call to lead FBC Hamlin—remodeled his church’s existing prayer meeting in March.

"I really, truly believe that God is bringing about an awakening that we have not seen in a very long time in our nation."

Todd Kaunitz Tweet

In implementing the meetings, both men took what some might call bold steps. Kaunitz prohibited any other adult ministry activities to coincide with their Wednesday night prayer meeting to keep his congregation focused on the main thing. Ponder changed the focus of their meeting from praying mainly for those who were sick to praying over the Scriptures, singing praise and worship songs and confessing their sins to one another and to the Lord.

“That’s not necessarily a comfortable thing to do,” Ponder said.

Uncomfortable, but obedient.

As a result, both pastors are reporting a movement of God that each said they have not seen prior. Kaunitz said New Beginnings has had nearly 230 people make professions of faith in 2021—with salvations and baptisms happening on an almost weekly basis. One woman, he said, even got saved at the prayer meeting who “literally almost ran to the front of the room to give her life to Jesus.

“I feel like we’re just now scratching the surface, but we’re seeing the heart of God’s people transformed and changed,” Kaunitz said. “I really, truly believe that God is bringing about an awakening that we have not seen in a very long time in our nation. I’m hearing story after story after story of pastors who feel empty and depleted. The programs in their churches are great but the power of God is missing and (because of that) their hearts are being returned to prayer.”

FBC Farwell, located in a panhandle town of 1,300 right across the border from Clovis, N.M., has seen 18 people make professions of faith in Christ (with 17 following up with baptism). Thirty-one new members have joined the church since March—with about half that number being people who were unchurched and many others who returned to church after being absent for many years. The church typically has around 110 in attendance during Sunday morning worship.

The numbers of those who have joined the church is noteworthy, Ponder said, because they represent nearly triple the number of people who join on average annually.

"Man, I don't know. God is just blessing."

Russ Ponder Tweet

“I can’t explain it any other way than to say God is moving in a new way we haven’t seen in a long time,” Ponder said. “Man, I don’t know. God is just blessing.”

Ponder said he has been encouraged by the prayer leadership of other SBTC pastors such as Nathan Lino (Northeast Houston Baptist Church), Danny Forshee (Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin) and Kie Bowman (Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin). In fact, it was testimony on prayer given by Lino at the 2020 SBTC Annual Meeting that opened the door for the Lord to speak into Kaunitz’s heart about leading his own East Texas congregation to pray corporately.

The impact of those leaders, and the prayer efforts they are leading, is having a kingdom-shaking impact, Ponder said.

“I believe some of what we’re seeing at our church is an answer to their prayers,” Ponder said. “I believe we are directly benefitting from these pastors who are just calling out to God, crying out to God for a revival.”

Richards: ‘Stay faithful! Jesus is coming!’

Jim Richards became executive director of a new fellowship of 120 churches 23 years ago this month. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention has since grown phenomenally—a leading state convention in size, giving and ministry innovation.

Earlier this year, Dr. Richards welcomed his successor, Dr. Nathan Lorick, who became SBTC’s second executive director in July. Dr. Richards serves Dr. Lorick in an advisory capacity currently and will become executive director emeritus Jan. 1, 2022. The Richards family recently moved to East Texas, nearer their kids and grandkids, and Jim is keeping a busy preaching schedule.

The Texan asked Dr. Richards a few questions about his time leading SBTC and his thoughts about the current state and future of Southern Baptist cooperation.

Southern Baptist TEXAN: What makes you happiest about the time you led the SBTC?

Richards: The most rewarding part of my service for the SBTC was seeing churches being convictional about the Word of God and affiliating with the convention. Each autonomous local church had to make a decision: “Are we going to identify with a confessional fellowship of churches or remain in something less?” Normative-size churches and large churches came in huge numbers to be together for missions and ministry in Texas, America and the world. From 120 founding churches to now 2,700 churches, the SBTC is comprised of congregations that love the Lord Jesus and his Word.

Are Southern Baptists headed for another battle for the Bible? Another Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-type fracture?

Every day is a battle for the Bible because Satan never rests. There are always people in the church leading people astray. We never can hang a banner that says “mission accomplished” until we see Jesus.

All the identified groups (within the SBC) I know of affirm biblical inerrancy. I don’t see a departure. I do think there are subtle indicators that culture is influencing the direction of interpretation. In order to maintain some interpretations, biblical inerrancy will be undermined. We have to stay on guard.

(A fracture) is more likely to happen if (dissenters) coalesce around more than one or two social issues. Commonality over a broader base of issues is necessary to form a group that survives. In 1998, when the SBTC began, there was a problem with whether or not the (existing) convention was going to affirm biblical inerrancy. That was a no-brainer that provided a stack pole for churches to rally around. At that time, the current social issues were not as prominent. Because of that one clearly defined issue, it was easier for hundreds and even thousands of churches to come together.

Can you think of one or two things that surprised you as the convention grew and matured?

After 51 years in the ministry, little surprises me. I did find one of the most difficult tasks was to serve the SBTC while the SBC and other factors out of our control impacted our ministry. Being supportive of the SBC while doing what was best for the SBTC at times was a balancing act.

On a positive note, through more than two decades, I was able to see a new generation of leaders grow up. There are some extremely gifted young leaders who are committed to cooperative work. Pundits had predicted the demise of convention ministry. The young leaders will prove them wrong.

What is the greatest challenge on the horizon for Southern Baptists?

In one word—unity—we find the greatest challenge for Southern Baptists. The SBC is made up of a wide diversity of constituents. With the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 as a basis, churches must be willing to tolerate one another on a number of issues beyond the faith statement. There are danger signs about matters that fall outside the BF&M 2000 in the SBC. Valid concerns have to be addressed. Unfortunately, at times when these concerns are confronted, it is the right message but the wrong messenger. If I had a solution on how to bring the varying agenda-driven groups together, I would do it immediately. It is sad to see the greatest missionary force for the gospel threatened by infighting.

Have difficulties related to our strong connection with the SBC been a challenge to our unity?

When the SBC sneezes, we catch a cold. When there is a policy misstep that is unacceptable to local pastors and congregations, we are so closely identified with the SBC that the repercussions fall on us. Even when SBTC leaders would disagree with an SBC position, it still adversely affects the state convention. We are inextricably tied together—not just in giving, though that is a major portion of it—but through our vision for national and international missions. We are sometimes caught between the churches that generally appreciate how the SBTC has helped local churches and churches that are disenchanted with an SBC action or leader.

What’s the most encouraging thing you see happening in the SBTC?

Nothing excites me more than our new leadership in the person of Dr. Nathan Lorick. He is connecting with pastors and churches all across our convention. His winsome ways and strong convictions are the tools God will use to continue building the SBTC. He sees the landscape with fresh eyes. He brings new energy to the same task of keeping the churches moving forward together. He is leading well.

I believe the SBTC—not only in Nathan Lorick, but in other leaders of his generation—has a bright hope and future. This is true of the SBC, as well. These young men and women, if they’ll stay the course, and not deviate from who we are, and keep our core values, the future of the SBTC is bright.

What valedictory charge would you make to our fellowship?

The apostle Paul, in his farewell address to the Ephesian elders [Acts 20], captures some of my feelings. He loved the leadership and the church. It has been my privilege to watch the faithfulness of pastors in out-of-the-way places serve Jesus and proclaim God’s Word. My heart is knitted to them. Seeing churches determine that their beliefs align with the confession of the SBTC has blessed me beyond words. Having relationships with great leaders has been equally rewarding. Echoing Paul’s concerns to the Ephesians, I caution the pastors and churches about those who would lead the churches away from this strong fellowship. Stay faithful! Be courageous! Keep serving! Jesus is coming!

Pastor to Pastor: Getting your ministry focused on prayer

Fellow church leaders, if you struggle to lead God’s people to pray together, you are not alone. I do, too. A year ago, Jesus Christ directed me to some pastors who taught me best practices for doing so and it is not an overstatement to say that a weekly prayer meeting completely revitalized our congregation, post-COVID. Here are a couple of those best practices that I’ve learned:

1. Make Prayer as Much a Priority as Preaching

The pastor must decide in his heart to be as zealous about planning and leading corporate prayer as he is preparing and preaching sermons.

Kie Bowman (senior pastor, Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin) showed me the definite article in Acts 6:4 in the Greek New Testament before the word “prayer.” The definite article does appear in our English translations in Acts 2:42—“the prayers”—and refers to the disciples gathered to pray. In Acts 6:4, the pastors of the early church knew their primary responsibilities were twofold: to plan and lead corporate prayer gatherings and to prepare and preach sermons.

Vance Pittman (senior pastor, Hope Church in Las Vegas) describes the local church as an airplane with the two wings of corporate prayer and the public proclamation of the Word. The wind of God, the Holy Spirit, comes underneath these two wings and lifts the plane into the air where we are seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, transcending the brokenness of this world. A local church can have the most technically sound preaching, but until it learns how to pray together, she’s a one-winged airplane … grounded.

As a pastor, I’m learning to devote as much spiritual, emotional, mental, and financial capital to leading corporate prayer gatherings as I do preaching the Sunday morning sermon.

2. Consider the Lord’s Prayer Template

The following three phases of prayer seem to trigger the movement of the Holy Spirit: personal consecration; talking to the Father about what matters to him; and finally, talking to the Father about what matters to us.

It seems this is at least in part what Christ taught us in the Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father who art in heaven” means we ought to first pray our way to renewed personal intimacy with the God of heaven and earth. This of course includes fresh humility, repentance, and surrender. Then in Phase Two we ought to pray “Hallowed be Your Name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” meaning we ought to talk to the Father about the things that are on his heart. For example, our personal holiness, evangelism, global missions, a greater desire to fast and pray, greater repentance of sin and personal surrender, and the like.

Then finally in Phase Three, we ought to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This is when we talk to our Father about the things on our heart, from big to small.

My church family is learning that the more we desire to gather together to pray like we desire to gather together to hear the Word preached, and the more we pray through this three-phase paradigm, the more we experience the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. If you’d like to know more, please email me at nlino@nehbc.com.

Nathan Lino is senior pastor at Northeast Houston Baptist Church.

So What’s Your Story?

Inspired by the testimony of one of the stories you’ll read in this issue, I decided to let the psalms guide my prayer time one morning recently.

I landed on Psalm 19, which says in part: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4, CSB).

There’s so much good stuff there—much more than I’ve got space to lay out here. But notice two things:

1. There is a constant, 24/7/365 testimony being proclaimed by creation. Like a rambling, loquacious child full of wonder, the creation just can’t stop testifying of God’s greatness—and amen to that!

2. Creation does this without the benefit of voice. Not that it can’t—Jesus says if we don’t testify, the rocks will cry out. But I’ve yet to hear a sedimentary singing soprano. Its mere presence testifies to God’s greatness.

Humans are unique in countless ways, one of them being that we do have a voice with which we can sing the praises of our Mighty Creator and God. Psalm 105 encourages us to not only worship the Lord by singing praises to him, but to speak of all his wonders and make his deeds known among the peoples (v.1-2).

But I didn’t come here to preach—I came here to testify, and to encourage you to start doing the same.

You’re going to start frequently hearing us ask you, dear reader: “What’s your story?” It’s a simple-but-powerful question. If Jesus has saved you, you’ve got a story. I don’t care if you’re a dog catcher, a lawyer, a teacher, a college student, a stay-at-home mom … if you’re in Christ and he is in you, you’ve got a story to tell. Like every starry night, you’ve got a testimony to proclaim.

More often than not, I run into followers of Jesus who feel like there’s really nothing special to tell about their lives. Consequently, our churches are often devoid of testimony. We’re pretty good at proclaiming the testimony of Christ, but the other side of that coin is testifying about what he is doing in our lives. In doing so, we proclaim our God to be living and active, not passive and disinterested.

Here’s mine, in a nutshell: I didn’t grow up in church but chased a girl into First Baptist Church of Tool in junior high. While there, I went through the motions of getting saved and baptized, but my relationship with Jesus was about as deep as it was with that girl (who dumped me almost as soon as I started attending). Years later, in my early 20s, the challenges of life were crushing me and I came to realize that only Jesus could lift the burden. He so changed my life that I eventually walked away from a successful career in the newspaper business to serve him first as a missions and evangelism pastor at FBC Vidor in Southeast Texas, and then as lead pastor of a small church in Central Oregon.

And now the Lord has me back home to Texas, giving me the opportunity to seek and share the testimonies of what he is doing in the lives and congregations of our people across the state.

So friend, let me ask you—what’s your story?

What's Your Story

Tell us the stories of what God is doing in your life and your church by visiting the “What’s your story?” or by e-mailing jlarson@sbtexas.com.

5 Things for Pastors to Consider as the Holidays Approach

01. Use the season as an opportunity for ministry mobilization

The upcoming holiday season is one where you will certainly talk from the pulpit about being thankful and preach the birth of our Savior. But for many, the holidays are difficult reminders about loved ones who are no longer here. You’ve always been faithful to minister to the grieving, but this year, share that ministry opportunity and equip the saints by challenging your members to be intentional about reaching out to others who are hurting this time of year. It will bless them, and it will bless you.

02. Preach the gospel to others and yourself

The Christmas season presents a unique opportunity to preach the gospel to people you may not see again for months—if ever again. But as you proclaim the hope the birth of Christ brings, be sure to take time to meditate on that same hope as it applies to your life. As you study to preach about Jesus’ life on earth, take time to reflect not just on how he offers new life to others, but how he has given new life to you.

03. Consider community outreach opportunities

For this year’s churchwide Thanksgiving meal, challenge your members to bring one unchurched friend as the cost of admission. Enlist a few members to give brief testimonies during the meal so your guests can hear how God is real and active in the lives of his people. Go door-to-door and sing 2-3 Christmas carols while handing out invitation cards to an upcoming service. Don’t get overwhelmed with the endless opportunities here. Just start with one and see what the Lord does with it.

04. Plan a next step

It’s one thing to be able to get contact information from your holiday visitors so you can follow up with them. But now what? It’s time to follow up. Again, this is a great opportunity to mobilize your membership. Appoint an ad hoc team to follow-up on Thanksgiving and Christmas visitors for the first quarter of 2022. Plan a sermon series or start a small group focused on the basics of faith and invite those same visitors. If they came to church, assume God is doing something in their hearts, minds and lives.

05. Make the time to take the time

We’ll say it again for those in the back—no, pastor, it is not honorable to grind yourself into the ground for the sake of ministry. The end of the year can be a great time to catch your breath, spend time with family and, most importantly, rest your mind and your body in the Lord as the world (mostly) slows down between Christmas and New Year’s. What can you give to your people in 2022 if you already gave them everything you had to give in 2021?

Behind on sermon prep? Look up, in and out

When I first became a senior pastor, I felt like a kid at a buffet—I had too much on my plate. I preached Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday nights as the senior pastor, though I was also the education minister, administrator, part-time janitor, and fill-in music minister.

Did I mention I was also in the final stages of my dissertation at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and my wife was pregnant with our third child?

Because this was a lot, efficiency in my sermon preparation was essential as the alternative would have been a dumpster fire. While we must figure out our own rhythms and work them, there were more times than I’d like to admit that I was up way too late on Saturday trying to finish before Sunday, and sometimes, I was still working on my sermon as the sermon began!

So what would I say to the busy pastor behind on his sermon preparation?

Look Up

It seems that prayer should be the persistent practice during a preacher’s preparation, but sadly, it is often neglected or outright ignored. When you feel that your sermon hasn’t had the attention it needs, look up and pray. Prayer isn’t passive; it’s a reminder to rely on the one you need to help craft the message.

Look In

At times, I’ve been so busy for the Lord that I haven’t spent time with the Lord. Even when busy, as a pastor, you have a responsibility to cultivate your own heart. If you’ve been busy, pause and examine your heart to see where your affections are for Jesus. If your heart is only 10 percent engaged with the Lord, you’ll be less than effective when you preach and lead.

Look Out

When I’ve been busy or in a hectic season, I remember the flock that God has called me to shepherd and consider their struggles and joys, pains and successes. Each story helps me think about my sermon (and ministry) with greater compassion and enthusiasm as I consider how a message will benefit them.