It is election day in Florida. If you have not already cast your ballot I encourage you to go to the polls today. I was in the early voting crowd. Florida always makes a difference in the election of a President and the Panhandle is extremely important in the tight races. Your ballot certainly counts.

Work continues on Charis House II. Early each morning the place is like an anthill with workers doing a multitude of things. In a few days carpet goes down. While I was there today, I saw scripture that had been written on all the floors that will soon be covered with the carpet. Every inch of the place is being prayed over as it is built for the glory of God and the transformation of lives.

This Saturday, February 2 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. you have an opportunity to be involved. Clean up crews and painters will be at work on the outside. If you want to be a part then show up and the superintendent will put you to work. We have just a little over 20 days on the timeline to get the job done. It is looking good!

Sunday I preached about the two accounts we all need in storing up treasures in heaven. These accounts include the “good works account” and the “Gospel account.” We accumulate these riches by investing in the people going to heaven. The Charis House lends us opportunity for both. Helping the hurting and sharing the Gospel goes on simultaneously in this heaven’s treasures ministry.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Things have been changing on the staff at Olive. Troy Bush took off for Baltimore a few weeks ago to lead Embrace Baltimore. This is a connection with NAMB and the Baptists of Maryland and surrounding area. Scooter Tucker has stepped in to lead our missions effort. This Sunday we say good-bye to Stan Lewis. He is off to Birmingham, Alabama’s First Baptist Church to serve as pastor beginning February 3. And on the last day of 2007, Vic Galloway stepped away from the leadership role with 55+ Ministry. After praying and thinking, I spoke with the personnel team a few days ago and brought a new title and person to the role. This week Kim Waters begins as Interim Director of Activities for 65+ Ministries. One of our 61-year-old deacons hugged me a few days ago and thanked me for making the age change. Guess it made him feel younger! 

As we prepared for the transition, I had the membership rolls checked and found we have 1,111 members 65 and older. The first name that came up was “Able” and the last was “Young.” That led the secretary to enlighten me with the statement, “This group is young and able.” Amen! 

On this Friday morning, you will find several of those in this age group working on the Charis House #2 project. They have 30 days to get the house finished and they will tell you that it will be done on time and under budget. Check out the kitchen on Wednesday evenings for supper and you will see many of these great servants working as volunteers. In fact, you will find them working in most every area of ministry at Olive. This generation leads the way. 

Yesterday I received an e-mail from one of our former members who now lives in Birmingham. This young man in his 20s told me he was working with inner-city people and sharing Jesus. I was thrilled to hear of his work for the Gospel. Then at 11:30 yesterday I had lunch with a young pastor from Tallahassee. He started a new church there just six months ago. They meet in Godby High School. They already have over 225 in attendance with 35 waiting to be baptized. I am grateful for the scores of people in our own college ministry and young adult ministries who are stepping out for Christ. 

The church is not about one generation or style. It is about all of us living for Jesus with a transformed life. How about you? Are you counting for Jesus? 

Pastor Ted Traylor 

Last night at 9 p.m. began the kickoff for our local emphasis known as 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting for Pensacola. I want to encourage you to be a part of this prayer effort. Find what works for you and pray fervently for our area. For really good information and help go to www.prayforpensacola.com. 

In the middle of these 40 days I want our church to have a 24 hour day of prayer. On Sunday, February 10 we will pray around the clock. During our services this Sunday I will share the plan with you. We will have a sign up board and you can choose a time. We will begin on Saturday, February 9 at 7 p.m. and conclude at the close of worship on Sunday night. 

Have a great day of prayer TODAY. 

Pastor Ted Traylor 

As we enter this weekend it is a long weekend with Monday as a holiday commemorating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At 33, King was pressing the case of civil rights with President Kennedy. At 34, he galvanized the nation with his “I Have a Dream” speech. At 35, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. At 39, he was dead.
 
Dr. King was many things but he was first a pastor. He came to Montgomery and the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church with a 34-point plan. One of those was to purchase a new pulpit – and he knew how to use it. The man known for a famous speech was a preacher first and foremost. He called on everyone to be a servant. In his address, “The Drum Major Instinct” he is quoted as saying,
 
    ”Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to have your subject and verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don’t have to know Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to serve. You don’t have to know the second Theory of Thermal Dynamics in Physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love, and you can be that servant.”
 
Dr. King’s call to service is a good word to the church today. There is plenty to do. As you find the banks closed and the mail not running on Monday, I suggest you reflect on the message of service and social justice. We can all find someone to lift up.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Last weekend Liz and I enjoyed a couple of days in Oklahoma at a family wedding. Her cousin, Susan Fain, named one of her daughters Elizabeth after my wife. Liz and Susan are dear cousins to one another. Little Lizzy, now a beautiful young woman married Aaron Aldape. We flew out on Thursday and returned Saturday evening. It was a couple of days of family reunion in the midst of wedding furor.

On Friday while the ladies had a bridal lunch I jumped in the car and drove two hours south down on I-44 to Henrietta, Texas. After seminary Liz and I lived there for seven years while I pastored the First Baptist Church. It was a joy to see many old friends around town. One of the men there had arranged for lunch at a local eatery and I met with several men for a meal. Included in the group was the mayor, high school principal, judge, insurance agent, lawyer, several morticians, banker and educator. There are several stories behind each of those relationships. It had been twenty years since I left the town and those ties were still intact. The laughter around the table did me good. Friends are precious treasures in our world. We all need them and must work to keep them.

Today is January 15. Count your friends. Look around you and see if you are being a friend. Remember what was said of Jesus. He was a friend of sinners. If we are not careful we will spend all of our friendship time on people like ourselves.

Be grateful for those who are friends to you. Pick up the phone and reconnect with someone from years gone by.

Pastor Ted Traylor

While I was cleaning up and getting dressed on Thursday, Liz had music playing in the room. I liked it so I asked her what she was listening to. She informed me it was the brand new choir specials for 2008. Wow, there is some great music coming our way. I have ripped the music to my new ZUNE for listening while traveling.

Praise the Lord for the good work our worship leaders are doing. If you are one that should be in choir or orchestra, I encourage you to be a part of the rehearsals on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. There are some marvelous Sundays ahead but it will take work and commitment. Leo and the music team welcome you to take a test drive with them at rehearsal to see if the choir or orchestra is for you.

Worship is not just about the choir and orchestra. It should involve everyone’s participation. Congregational praise, prayer, giving, greeting others, preaching and much more are all part of corporate worship. Keep in mind your worship will be at its best if you prepare your heart before the Lord preceding the service.

So, come ready for a great Sunday this weekend!

Just a quick note: Today has been declared “Mickey Lindsey Day” in Santa Rosa County. Mickey is one of ours and a great Christian witness to those who know him. And congratulations to the Pace Patriots football team for their undefeated regular football season this past year.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Many of you have asked about Stan Lewis. I announced Sunday evening that Stan has accepted the position of pastor at First Baptist Church in Birmingham. He will begin his duties as pastor on February 3. He will preach at Olive on Sunday evening, January 27. Following the service we will have a reception for Stan, Kristen and their girls. In his 12 years at Olive Stan has had almost every job on staff except minister of music and pastor. As minister of music he truly is not qualified and the pastoral role is filled!

At the news of Stan’s departure there have been several tear-filled eyes around the church office these past few days. He is greatly loved by our team. Person after person in the church family has expressed the same feelings. “We are going to miss Stan,” is the word I hear from so many – and I concur.
 
Not every man could serve alongside me in the capacity of associate pastor. This relationship is an extremely special bond. It has been heaven-made for Stan and me the past few years. However, the time has come for one of our own to move on. We wish him God’s best and pray for the favor of heaven to rest on his ministry in Birmingham.
 
Whenever a staff member leaves people will ask me, “What are you going to do?” During this interim period please continue to pray as we must reassign tasks. Many have stepped forward to say, “Pastor, you can count on me.”   Amen!  Olive is filled with servants.

We will find God’s man to step in and become part of our team. For now, we look back and give thanks for the good years we have had with Dr. Lewis. Former Olive interim pastor and past president of NOBTS, Dr. Landrum Leavell used to say, “I knew Stan even before he was a registered nurse!”

Pastor Ted Traylor

Presidential politics moved on to the center stage last night with the Iowa caucuses. Barack Obama and Mike Huckebee were the big winners. I was speaking with a friend about all of this yesterday and he used the phrase “style over substance” in evaluating this coming election. It seems style is the issue and substance lags behind.

I am no expert on politics but it seems style over substance dominates much of our landscape today. If we are not careful the church falls into this trap. The style of a big name with bright lights seems to attract a crowd to church no matter the substance of the message. C.S. Lewis said we were “men without chests” when we fall into this trap. An “empty suit” is another way to say it. Jesus spoke about white-washed tombs full of dead men’s bones. It is essential we have truth at the heart of all we do.

Let me be clear, I am not against style. To present truth in a boring fashion helps no one if the listener is asleep as one presents the message. But we must never allow style to trump the substance.As you navigate through the presidential primary season, be on the look for substance and do not just be caught up in style.

Not everyone who says they should be president is capable. Not everyone who says to Jesus, “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of God. Let’s look for and expect to find style and substance together.

Pastor Ted Traylor

I am excited about the future. God is at work in the Olive family helping us get a vision to be a Global Kingdom Church. What will it take for this vision to become reality? Here are a few things to ponder as we launch into a new year.

1. Great souls are needed. By that I mean we need spiritual leaders who believe Christ alone is able to equip us for the work and provide the way.

2. The children need a healthy church. Students of every age must be a part of our vision. Building great souls will best be done when we begin early. Dads, you must be a force in this process.

3. We must see the local and global vision at the same time. Bob Roberts calls this going GLOCAL. It is a funny word but it says what we must do. Some want to wait to touch the globe until we have taken care of Pensacola. That is not an Acts 1:8 strategy. Both are to be done at the same time.

4. New leaders will be welcomed to Olive this year. Staff changes are being made as some move on to follow the call of God elsewhere. Our family must find the new team members and then be willing to follow and support them.

5. The 2020 Implementation Team will roll out plans for review in a few weeks. Those plans will call for change, restructuring of the team, new ministries, old buildings going away and new ones being built. There will be a price to be paid for the new ministries and the doing of them. All of this will demand vision and prayerful work.

On New Years’ Day we always see people wearing goofy glasses. Olive must put on a pair that allows us to see the future from God’s perspective. It is going to be a year for vision, change, and transformation. Excitement fills my soul as I think about what God is up to among us.

Pastor Ted Traylor