Encourage: Layers of accountability
I am writing this article the day after our Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) Board of Directors meeting at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center. What a beautiful time to be in that special place. The creek runs full of water; the sights, sounds and smells refresh the soul. I thank our Lord for the women and men who serve as our Board of Directors. They selflessly give of their time, expertise and energy to help Oklahoma...
Encourage: Propagation revitalization
As I read Oklahoma Baptist history, I find a certain word used repeatedly. This is a word that has fallen out of favor. My hope is that we do not use this word because we no longer understand it, but I fear we might also no longer value it. Propagation. The Random House dictionary that I received as a high school graduation gift reads as follows: Propagation, n. 1. The act of propagating. 2. The state of being propagated. 3....
Encourage: Reaching broken people
We all work together to advance the Gospel. When Baptists in Indian Territory first began to work together in 1883, they declared their desire to “give the Gospel to destitute places.” They opened their eyes to the fields of Indian Territory and saw people and places that were dark and waiting for the Gospel light. If we open our eyes, we would still see people who are dark and destitute. Think in terms of sociology instead of...
Encourage: The excuse of ‘not me’
Most of the people reading this sentence have never led another person to faith in Jesus Christ. More than half have never even tried. That truth hurts. The New Testament calls Philip “the Evangelist.” He is always leading people to Jesus. We admire the consistency of his obedience. Everywhere he goes, with everyone he meets, Philip shares the Good News of Jesus Christ. He challenges our excuses—Not them, Not now. When we read the...
Encourage: Never a better time
Not them. Not now. Not me. We all know that we are called to share the Good News, but we resist that call with the common excuses listed above. In last week’s article, Philip the Evangelist challenged each excuse, having taught us to cross barriers and boundaries with the Gospel. The people whom the Church tended to ignore or to write off as beyond reach, those are the people Philip pursued. Lord, forgive us for excluding people with...
Encourage: Share even with ‘them’
When Luke tells the story of Paul’s final trip to Jerusalem, he includes an interesting tidbit. “On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven…” (Acts 21:8) There is only one man in the Bible who is given that descriptive title of “evangelist,” and that man is Philip. If we want to learn about sharing the Good News of Jesus, Philip has something to teach us. We...
