This week in Baptist Press Trevin Wax wrote an article about finger-pointing in the SBC. His idea revolved around the new statistics in Baptist life seemingly indicating that our membership as a denomination has declined. Baptismal numbers have been on a slide for a few years. Now our membership numbers are showing a dip. Some have said that our fat rolls are being purged by some and that has led to decline. No one for certain knows all the reasons for this current downturn. Obviously we are not in good health as a denomination. Trevin warned that we should not point fingers at others as we search for the cure to the decline. Rather he called us to love one another and build our lives around Jesus and the Gospel.
 
Trevin is currently the Minister of Education at FBC Shelbyville, TN. I first met this young man in Romania where he was a student at Emanuel University. When I spoke at the graduation there three years ago Trevin was the valedictorian of the class. He is a native of Tennessee. While in Romania he met and married his wife. He speaks the language fluently. I have encouraged him to return and teach if the opportunity presents itself.
 
What encouraged me about Trevin’s article is simply that he wrote it. Here is a young man who is burdened about his denomination. There are young men with whom I speak who say they have no place at the SBC table. Neither does Wax. Still he is getting involved by leading in his church and using his pen to state his convictions. Thank God for a young man who is stepping up to the plate. Some believe that the coming generation will walk off from the SBC and leave it to die. While that could happen I am optimistic when I see young men like Trevin with the desire to be involved with the issues right now.
 
I was once a young pastor with no seat at the SBC table. Now I am 54 and see the issues outlined in the finger-pointing article by another young man. Baptists really do not have a table or chairs. Instead we have a field for world mission in which we all must be vigorously active. With intentional cooperation we must link together in our denomination. If one young or old wants to be involved in the SBC he should get out of his chair and go to work for the Gospel. 
 
At Olive we have a large group of young adults who must be trained and turned loose with the Gospel. Praise the Lord for the coming generation! Excitement fills my soul as I see them live the Gospel.

This Sunday at Olive is our Ministry Village Commitment Sunday. The under-30 crowd is with us. What we do Sunday will pour a foundation for ministry for years to come.

This is not the time to point fingers. Hand-in-hand let’s all work for the Gospel until Jesus comes.

Pastor Ted Traylor