He that endures to the end will be saved. How one finishes is very important.
The college football world heard breaking news on Memorial Day. Ohio State football coach Jim Tressell resigned under pressure. The highly popular and wildly successful coach walked into trouble at the conclusion of last season. Some of his players were accused of selling rings and jerseys. Coach Tressell became aware of the issues but dealt with it in-house, hiding it when dealing with the NCAA. As usual, the cover up issue is worse than the original accusations. This was a tough day for a good man. He will be remembered for how he finished, not all the good things he did.
This is not the first time the Buckeyes has seen this. Coach Woody Hayes was the gold standard at OSU, who popularized the “three yards and a cloud of dust” run-heavy offense. The grand old man was a winner and great individual. His stories of writing letters to young men in Vietnam are legendary. Yet, he is remembered for the way he finished. During a contest he punched a Clemson player and the end had come. He did not finish well.
As you live today, do it with fervor but keep an eye on the finish line. Do not be careful. Be a champion in work and deed.
Pastor Ted Traylor
Many of us memorized In Flanders Fields for English class assignments but may not know the story behind this famous poem. Canadian poet John McCrae served as a field surgeon in Belgium during World War I. Among the thousands of recently dug graves he noticed beautiful red poppies beginning to spring up. McCrae had recently lost a close friend in the battlefield and was moved to pay tribute to him and the memory of the warriors who gave their lives for freedom.
So, on this Memorial Day weekend, I ask that you take a few moments to revisit this classic poem. Freedom has come at a great cost. May we never forget.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Pastor Ted Traylor
John Maxwell has an article on leadership in the June issue of Success. This morning I used a couple of his definitions quoted from the magazine to challenge the Olive team.
COOPERATION= working together agreeably
COLLABORATION= working together aggressively
Cooperation finds us being nice and agreeable, which is good. Collaboration finds us being aggressive and having skin in the game, which is best. For Southern Baptists we need a collaborative program to go along side of the Cooperative Program. We need action and team work that builds a team focus.
When we view others as collaborators and not competitors, we will build team. As Will Rogers said, “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.”
I watch very little NBA until the playoffs begin. It is then individualism takes a backseat to teamwork. They even play some defense in the playoffs. Collaboration is a must if you going to be NBA champions. If a church and a denomination are going to fulfill the Great Commission, cooperation and collaboration are a must.
Pastor Ted Traylor
In less than one month the Southern Baptist Convention will meet in Phoenix. It has been a year of change in regard to leadership. We have a new SBC President in Bryant Wright. We also have new leaders at the Executive Committee (Frank Page), the International Mission Board (Tom Elliff) and the North American Mission Board (Kevin Ezell). Dr. Wright will be reelected and these three new entity leaders will bring reports and march off to serve our churches in their first full year.
All four of these men are friends of mine. They are in my prayer book. Wednesday is the day I pray for them the most. I hope you intercede for them as well. The names on the doors have changed. Now the question will be asked in the next few months: has anything changed? There are signs that some things are going to be different. Will we impact the world with the Gospel? Will budgets move more resources to penetrate lostness? Will churches make sacrifices to go into all the world and make disciples?
Last year the SBC adopted the Great Commission Resurgence report. Change takes time in a convention. I am looking for and hoping for it. If we arrive in New Orleans in 2012 for the annual meeting without significant shifting of resources to the unreached and underserved areas of the world, many are going to sigh and say nothing has changed.
Pastor Ted Traylor
Dr. James Pleitz went home to be with the Lord on Sunday evening. He was pastor of First Baptist Church in Pensacola for twenty years. During that time I first heard his television spots Thought for the Day in Birmingham.
In 1977 he left Pensacola to pastor Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, TX. During his seventeen years of Dallas leadership, I came to pastor in Garland, TX. For a brief time we served on an associational committee together. And when Olive called me to consider a move to Pensacola, I called on him for some insight to the Gulf Coast. He told me it was a great place to live and that he would return here one day to retire. And that he did a few years ago.
Dr. Pleitz loved sports. He was founder of the Challenger Award. This is presented annually to the football player on each local high school team who best exemplifies the spirit of Christ to his teammates. I often attend the meeting at the Civic Center, where teams gather from across the Panhandle to fill the building and hear college players speak of their faith. I was thrilled when my son Bennett had his named called to receive this award from Tate High School. This is just one of the many legacies this preacher leaves behind.
Dr. Pleitz was my friend. From time to time he would drop a note in the mail to encourage me. He was a winner. Pensacola is richer because the Lord sent Jim to our city.
Pastor Ted Traylor
Can a church grow and thrive in the summer? Days are longer, temperatures rise on the coast, and many take vacations. The “summer slump” is too often seen as the norm in the church. I believe June, July and August are going to be exciting days at Olive.
Why would I say that?
OUTREACH-These are great days to invite friends to church. This year we have placed Bring Friend Day right in the middle of summer. Jay Lowder and Harvest Ministries will be with us on Sunday, July 17. Make your schedule and be investing in a friend you will invite.
CHILDREN- In just 37 days we will kick off VBS. This is a summer highlight. There is also children’s camp and summer fun days planned.
YOUTH- Many great things happen with teens in the summer. There are mission and discipleship opportunities.
MEN-I have planned three men’s rallies this summer. They are on the last Thursday evening of each month at 7:30pm. Special guests will join us and the music will be soul-stirring.
GIVING-Can a church arrive at Labor Day and look back at a summer of faithful giving? Sure it can! Members must prioritize the local church in their budgets. Remember to give God the tithe even in the summer.
I am working now on my summer preaching schedule. Be praying. Be inviting. And believe God for a GREAT summer at a place called Olive.
Pastor Ted Traylor
In 2009, I was invited to serve on the board of directors for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at the University of Alabama. Our director is Dr. Gary Cramer. This former pastor does a great job on the campus and with schools in west Alabama.
FCA is a ministry that makes a difference in the lives of young people on high school and college campuses. I am honored to be a part of the team.
Summer is no easy time for non-profit ministry organizations. Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a ministry which depends on funds coming from supporters of the work. Many do that on a consistent basis with monthly gifts. However, when schools are not in session, this work is often away from our minds. It is essential to keep the funds flowing.
Tonight in Passmore Hall I am hosting a dessert fellowship for FCA at Alabama. Gary Cramer will be on hand to speak about FCA and give a report on the recovery efforts in Tuscaloosa. Also, Alabama running back Trent Richardson will be our special guest. The Escambia High School product is a big part of the football team and an active member of FCA. He will share a testimony and be on hand to sign some autographs.
The gathering is open to anyone who would like to join us for a fun fund raiser. Bring a check book!
Pastor Ted Traylor
It was my joy to pray the invocation for the Florida House this morning in Tallahassee. first-term representative and my good friend, Clay Ingram, asked me to come. He is a winner!
Several people have asked me to share a copy of the prayer I delivered this morning:
Heavenly Father, we stand on the shoulders of our forefathers and confess, IN YOU, God, the Eternal King we trust. We trust in You with all of our hearts. We lean not on our own understanding. We acknowledge You as Lord and ask You to make our paths straight in Florida.
Lord, forgive us when, in our houses of worship, we reject Your law and do not keep Your statutes. Forgive us as a people when we turn aside from humility and profane Your Holy Name. Lord, we need spiritual awakening in our land.
Thank You for each elected official who serves the Sunshine State. Thank You for their courage to run for office and their commitment to serve Floridians and combat injustice, violence and degradation.
I ask You to lead this body in pressing budgetary matters. I ask for Your blessing on our state with economic recovery. I plead for Your favor and protection on our state in the coming hurricane season. And we intercede this morning on behalf of friends to our north who are struggling today with recovery from devastating tornadoes.
Lord, as these men and women go to work today, give them persistence in doing right, resistance when pressed to do wrong and the ability to preserve and protect the constitution.
I make my prayer in the name of the one whom I serve, even Jesus my Lord. AMEN.
We are blessed to live in Florida. Visiting this morning’s session reminded me of the importance to pray regularly for our representives. Their task is large and often thankless. I would encourage you to lift them up to the Father. Ask for discernment and selfless representation of their constiuents as they serve our great state.
Pastor Ted Traylor
