The IMB reports that Christian relief efforts have begun in Haiti after a deadly earthquake. What a privilege to know our monthly Cooperative Program giving, rummage sale fundraiser, and Lottie Moon offering are contributing to this ministry. Let’s pray for all those helping with the relief efforts, and that the name of Jesus will be magnified through this.

Southern Baptists are mobilizing to assess disaster relief needs after the largest earthquake in more than 200 years rocked Haiti the evening of Jan. 12.

The initial Southern Baptist disaster relief effort will be led by Florida Baptists, who have had ministry relationships in Haiti for more than 20 years and currently have six staff members who live and work in the country, said Jim Brown, U.S. director for Baptist Global Response, a Southern Baptist relief and development organization. The International Mission Board does not have long-term personnel stationed in the country.

Initial funding for the relief effort will be provided by the IMB’s disaster relief fund. You can contribute to the relief effort at gobgr.org.

Read  the whole article here.

It’s been a busy and encouraging year in our state and national Southern Baptist Convention. Reprinted below is an article by Baptist TwentyOne, recounting their “top ten” events of the year…

1. Missionary Work Overseas – It’s hard to imagine what it’d be like to grow up amongst a people and die without ever hearing the gospel. Yet, there are large numbers of peoples who still find themselves in this situation. That’s one of the key reasons that Southern Baptists continue to pool their monies and people together in order to reach these peoples and cultures. What’s it like to lead the first person from a completely unreached people group to Christ? Many have never done this. But, by God’s grace and great sacrifice by men and women, many more will have this experience. The nations need Jesus. In order to hear of Jesus, they need missionaries. That’s why their work is so significant to the SBC and the kingdom of Christ.
2. Changing Presidential Leadership – The significance of Southern Baptist entity heads is often under-appreciated. The decisions that these men make impact massive amounts of people for good or for ill. Southern Baptists are at a critical point in time with three key presidencies opening up. The Executive Committee, NAMB, and IMB presidencies are all open or opening soon. B21 is praying and asking you to pray for the men who will fill these positions. Placing the right men at the head of these entities will do much to advance the Great Commission.
3. Dr. Danny Akin’s GCR Sermon – Whether you’re talking about Dr. Danny Akin’s passion, his preaching, or, simply, his love for the Great Commission, it would be misguided not to mention his work in 2009 as one of the most significant stories. Standing behind the pulpit in SEBTS’s chapel, Akin delivered what would become a great rallying point (and point of controversy) in his GCR Axiom sermon. Clearly coming from a heart for nations, Akin set in motion a movement (or gave it a BIG push) that would change 2009 and, by God’s grace, the way SBC approaches the Great Commission.
4. Increased SBC Unity – By almost all accounts, there seems to be a growing unity in the SBC. That is, we are more unified today than we have been in past years. What this means or implies is up for some debate. Yet, B21 thinks that there is a growing unity around the Great Commission. For instance, at the B21 event at the SBC, the panelists came from all kinds of theological and methodological stripes. Yet, these men were unified around the Great Commission and the BF&M. Still more, the lunch for the 600 attendees was provided personally by SBC President, Johnny Hunt (a man that has embodied unity around the Great Commission as much, if not more, than anyone).  Hunt, as many know, would disagree in many ways with the panelists. Yet, because of its Great Commission purposes, he supported the B21 panel. In fact, B21 believes that the unity that Southern Baptists presently enjoy, in large part, is due to the excellent leadership of Johnny Hunt. With men like Hunt leading the way, Southern Baptists have a lot to hope for in the coming days.
5. Union University’s “Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism” – Dr. David Dockery has, amongst other things, turned Union University into one of the leading think tanks for Baptist life. Like in his past conferences, Dockery put together a line up that included the most significant and helpful voices in Baptist life. And they didn’t disappoint. Southern Baptists owe a debt of gratitude to David Dockery for putting this conference together, the effects of which we are still enjoying.
6. Higher Attendance at SBC Louisville – Okay, so it didn’t hurt that the SBC was in a town filled with young people and in the heart of the church-saturated part of the country. But, we’d argue, it is still quite an achievement to get that many people in this kind of economy to attend the SBC. Even if the economy wasn’t in the shape that it was (and is), it’s still hard to get people to spend their time at a convention. Come on, there are Southern Baptist associational meetings that know how difficult it is to get people to participate. The numbers at the 2009 SBC pointed to great life and health. It pointed, perhaps, to a resurgence in Great Commission engagement in the SBC. It will be interesting to see how many show up in Orlando.
7. Cancer Classroom – Several prominent Southern Baptists found out that they had cancer this year. This, of course, is terrible news. But, by God’s grace, these men who have taught the church so excellently in their preaching ministries are now teaching the church in a different way. They’re showing the church how godly men suffer. Johnny Hunt and Matt Chandler, to name a couple, continue to battle cancer. They continue to teach us of Christ. Pray for these men and that their cancer will provide great opportunity to advance the kingdom of Christ.
8. Christmas in August – After the heart wrenching news of the IMB financial shortfall, causing them to stop sending “M’s”, Southern Baptists responded to calls from Hunt, Akin, and others to take a special Lottie Moon Christmas offering in August. Thus, the “Christmas in August” movement was born. It’s this kind of responsiveness in which B21 finds great encouragement.
9. SBTS’s Sesquiencentennial – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary celebrated its 150^th Anniversary. This is even more significant in light of an economic situation that’s included the closing of several schools’ doors. SBTS survived the Great Depression, Liberalism, and is currently thriving under the excellent leadership of Dr. Albert Mohler. Their story is amazing and a testimony to God’s grace. SBTS professor, Greg Wills, masterfully tells the story in Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 1859-2009. We’re praying for at least 150 more!!
10. GCR Task Force – There aren’t many things that you can get 95% of Southern Baptists to agree on. Clothing style? No. Worship style? No. GCR? Yes! When Southern Baptists were given the opportunity to affirm or deny the formulation of a Great Commission Task Force, they overwhelmingly voted for it. Thus, President Hunt put together a 23 member, GCR task force. The task? They are to examine the Southern Baptist entities and structure in order to bring an assessment to the 2010 SBC in Orlando. Everybody is looking forward to this report. They need our prayers. Sign up to pray here.

Here’s an update from Pastor Ronnie Floyd, chairman of the GCR Task Force:

The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force of the Southern Baptist Convention is very committed to communicating our report in the February 22-23 Executive Committee Meeting. It is our goal to communicate as much of our report as possible. We want each Southern Baptist to have time to understand, pray about, and hopefully embrace our recommendations. This is why we are delivering as much of our report as possible by this February meeting.

Our GCR Team has worked very hard. Our meetings have been tedious and long. Our emails and correspondence have been ever consuming. We have listened and listened to Southern Baptists. We have learned so much. Due diligence has been practiced in every way. While all of this is true, it has been an incredible joy to serve in this capacity.

There is an ever-increasing excitement about what we are going to share with our convention. We are very committed to seeing and experiencing this Great Commission Resurgence. Please remember to join us in prayer daily, and encourage others to commit to pray with us at www.pray4gcr.com.

The urgency is upon us. Lostness in the world abounds. The gospel is the answer. The time is now.

Pray for us as we prepare for this February.

Dr. Ronnie Floyd
Chairman, Great Commission Resurgence Task Force

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, here are some thoughts by J.D. Greear on what the SBC may look like 5 years from now…

I serve on the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force for the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Our responsibility is to offer guidance as to how the cooperative efforts of like-minded churches can thrive in the next generation. People often note (correctly) that “denominations” are not in the Bible. That is true, but cooperation is biblical, and “conventions” are a way like-minded Christians can cooperate together. As Jesus taught, we can do much more when all the parts of the body is working together than we can do alone.

I was recently asked, in a discussion panel, what I hope the SBC looks like in 5 years. It was a good question, and here is what my answer is:

• I want to see a Convention where initiative is restored to the local churches. Good parachurch ministries FACILITATE the ministry of the church. BAD parachurch takes ministry from a local church and does it for her. Bad parachurch says, “Give us money and people and we’ll do ministry for you.”

  In my opinion, the SBC has, in many places, descended into a “bad parachurch” model. The perception is that local churches should give, send people, and allow the institutions to do the work.

  Many pastors, particularly younger ones, are no longer content with that model. They believe that the Great Commission was given to them, not to the denomination. They want to use cooperative networks to plant churches, but they don’t want the networks to do the work for them.

• I see a convention that is defined by, and known for, cooperation in international and domestic church planting, not boycotts or politics.

  I also want to see us give our time and energies mostly to things inside our ‘core competencies.’ Our church does not believe that everything we do has to have its genesis in a Southern Baptist church or institution. A lot of the “non-Baptist” body of Christ has produced helpful literature and ministry resource we should use and not attempt to re-invent.

  The one thing that we do best with other “Baptist” churches is plant churches.

  Whenever a “corporation” gets away from its core competencies, it turns into a hairball of inefficiency. Things that don’t propel the mission of the SBC, things that just don’t work, or things that are done just as well by other parts of the body of Christ ought to be carefully examined, and be open to re-engineering or elimination.

  It’s not that any of these things are bad things, it’s just that they keep us from doing efficiently the ‘one’ thing that we come together for.

Obviously, that is not a full and exhaustive description, but these are at the core of what I hope to see in the SBC of the future.

I’m encouraged when I see that members of the GCR Task Force are thinking in these kinds of terms.