SBC’s one ambition must be to seek and save lost
By J.D. Greear
President, Southern Baptist Convention
The Christian life is like a well — you don’t get the best water from the well by widening the circumference of the well but by going deeper into it. Churches that grow wide without growing deep are not really as wide as they think.
Heaven counts converts not disciples. Matured disciples multiply. Growing deep with God leads to evangelistic width every single time since going deep with Jesus means becoming a disciple-maker.
The best riches of the Christian life come not by expanding your knowledge but by going deeper in the gospel.
In Romans 1, Paul refers to the gospel as the very power of God (Rom. 1:16). He doesn’t say the gospel connects us to God’s power but the gospel is itself God’s power.
Romans, a letter Paul wrote to Christians, is divided into two sections. The first 11 chapters are the Apostle Paul’s exploration of the depths of gospel doctrine; the second section is his application for practical living.
He joins these two sections with a single word: therefore.
“Therefore … in light of all you’ve learned about the mercies of God, I beseech you to offer your body as a living sacrifice. By renewing your mind in the mercies of God you’ll be transformed into the kind of person who obeys God from the heart” (Rom. 12:1–2).
The gospel loomed so large for Paul it was all he talked about. This is what it means for the gospel to be above all. It’s of first importance. It’s the only thing we should be known for — when people think about and talk about us, they should think and talk about the gospel.
Politics are important but not as important as the gospel and people’s souls. Our traditions and preferences are important but not as important as reaching the next generation. Our institutions are important but the mission is above all. The gospel is more important than any programs, preferences, political leaning or competing priority.
It’s not that we shouldn’t discuss these things and how we arrive at our conclusions, just that where Scripture does not draw a direct line between a biblical conviction and a political conclusion neither should we. We have a gospel too great and a mission too urgent to let anything secondary stand in our way.
If we amen or applaud that then we have to review our sermons, our Facebook posts and our Twitter feeds and ask: Am I allowing issues of secondary importance to hinder me from talking about issues of first importance?
Jesus’ life was driven by one ambition — to seek and save the lost. So must ours be.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Adapted from J.D. Greear’s presidential address to the Southern Baptist Convention on June 11, 2019.
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Thankful spirit
Thank you, Alabama Baptists, for your ministry of hospitality in welcoming our fellow Southern Baptists to my hometown of Birmingham during the SBC annual meeting.
Thanks especially to those who participated in Crossover Birmingham, whether sharing Christ and ministering in neighborhoods or praying that the effort would result in souls being saved — and they were.
This SBC meeting was highly consequential.
For those who came to know Christ as Savior and Lord, the impact will be forever, through the gift of eternal life.
Many decisions also were made that are typical of each year’s gathering but are nonetheless crucial matters.
Messengers accepted carefully crafted recommendations that will endure well into the future, encouraging Southern Baptists to become more effective ministers to the hurting, making our churches safer places and ensuring that all feel welcome at any congregation in the SBC family.
I am most thankful to God who has put us into right relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ and into a familial relationship with each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
As always: Thank you for supporting the Cooperative Program, which makes possible missions and ministries as we serve Him together.
— Rick Lance
EDITOR’S NOTE — Rick Lance serves as Executive Director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.
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May this world know the SBC stands against all forms of sexual abuse.
Ronnie Floyd
President, SBC Executive Committee
Sixty-three percent of our new churches planted in the last year were planted by people of color. #SBC19
Pastor Dean Inserra
City Church, Tallahassee, Fla.
I am a survivor of sexual abuse in the SBC and on that lived experience I call all Southern Baptists to take action for the church. Today, #SBC19, vote accordingly. To all believers, watch and pray. #allofus
Susan Codone
SBC panelist
Still chewing on this word from @plattdavid this morning: “Meekness endures challenges in this world with confident hope in the world to come.” #SBC19
Trevin Wax
Director of Bibles & reference, LifeWay
God is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine.
Dominique DuPar
National Acteens panelist, La Puente, California
In our own context and community, no matter our age, situation or culture, we are to be relentless in our pursuit of Christ.
Sandy Wisdom-Martin
Executive director, National WMU
3 things for #SBC19 …
- We can disagree and still be unified.
- We can disagree and still be gracious.
- We can disagree and still be hopeful.
Pastor Ronnie Parrott
Christ Community Church, Huntersville, N.C.
Great start to SBC! Because of generous donors in our convention, President J.D. Greear presented a check for $250,000 to Mayor Randall Woodfin to support Birmingham City School teachers. We love Birmingham! I am honored to serve here among great Southern Baptists.
Chris Crain
Executive director, Birmingham Metro Baptist Association
The headquarters of the SBC is not Nashville, Richmond or Atlanta. The HQ of the SBC is the 45k plus local churches. Our heroes are pastors. Professors are needed and presidents of entities essential but the office of pastor is the highest call in the land. #SBC #SBCPC19
Malachi O’Brien
Former VP of SBC
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal … but sometimes on earth, there is pain that is lifelong. We need to be okay with the tension that everything is not healed or restored on earth … but God is absolutely present and at work.
Katherine Wolf
SBC Pastors Conference
Once again I’m encouraged by how many younger faces are attending the SBC annual meeting. They are excited about the trajectory towards international missions, Send City church planting and tangible expressions of love through Send Relief. The future is looking great!
Pastor Clay Smith
FBC Matthews, Charlotte, N.C.
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From the Twitterverse
@Wade_Burleson
Two instantly observable differences in this SBC Pastor’s Conference. First, the professionalism of the worship teams, original videos, and speakers is next level superb. Second, I’ve never seen such free expressions of worship among Southern Baptists. #Beautiful #SBCPC19 #SBC19
@ashlynportero
There is no stronger example of female leadership than a sexual abuse survivor proclaiming Christ’s victory over evil and calling the Church to action. Thank you @R_Denhollander, @BethMooreLPM, @SusanCodone. #SBC19 @ERLC
@ricky_stark
“You may say, ‘Pastor, I’m not a racist!’ But are you indifferent? The opposite of love is not hate; it’s indifference.” —@EdLitton #SBC19 #SBCPC19
@haines_matt
At #SBCPC19 @plattdavid is faithfully modeling the very beatitude he is expositing and delivering a prophetic message that our convention needs to hear — calmly and joyfully trust in our Judge.
@davemiller7
I have been attending SBC Conventions and Pastors Conferences since 1979 … yeah that one. @EdLitton preached a sermon that stands among the best. Bold. Prophetic. Biblical. Direct. #SBCPC19
@alldredgejess
Speaking of multi-generational this year there are three generations of my family present representing three churches at this year’s #SBC19
@SBCthisWeek
A SBC that doesn’t have a place for @BethMooreLPM, doesn’t have a place for a lot of people. To suggest that the problem we have is that women are speaking too much is crazy to me. — @drmoore #SBC19
@PaulMCooper
“You can’t have justice without reconciliation. Justice without re-conciliation is what the Bible calls hell.” — @dhati #SBCPC19
@DrRobertSmithJr
“The Beatitudes are oversized clothing. We don’t fit them yet. We are growing up into them … one day in glory we will fit in them and they will fit us.” @DrRobertSmithJr #SBCPC19
@BriantheLion
It’s pretty unanimous that @jdgreear is killing it right now, right? Attacking that SBC idol of politics. We cannot allow politics to take a higher precedent than the gospel. #sbc19
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