The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force gave its preliminary report to the SBC Executive Committee this week. Chairman Ronnie Floyd did an outstanding job with the presentation. You can hear it and read it at www.pray4gcr.com. I encourage you to take a look. And if you have not yet done so, sign up to be a prayer partner for the next several months until the Orlando convention.

Recently I was asked what I saw as the three key issues facing Southern Baptists in the next few years. My response was the following:

1. Stagnation-The Southern Baptist Convention is comprised of 50,000 churches. Of that number, 71% of them have plateaued or are in decline. We are in need of awakening. Southern Baptists need to pray for revival. We must repent of our lukewarm spirits and call out to God for a blaze of renewal.

2. Unity-We need to come together for the common task of taking the Gospel to the world and making disciples. Our entities are doing some very good things. However, we need to unify and march as one to the ends of the earth with the Gospel. That will call for many of us to lay aside ego and find influence in our humility with the touch of God upon us.

3. Funding-For several years now the percentage given by churches to the Cooperative Program has been decreasing. If this is not reversed, it will be a major issue in coming years. It all begins in the pew and in the pastor’s study. Men of God must teach, model and challenge Baptists to Biblical stewardship. The tithe is the Lord’s and we need to give it. As the church budget grows, so must the mission giving.

Southern Baptists face some important challenges. We are searching for new leaders at IMB, NAMB, the Executive Committee, and this summer we will elect a new convention president. Leaders are essential. Pray for God to raise up the right men for these tasks. When GCR is adopted, we need godly leaders to step forward for implementation. There is hard work to be done. HE IS ABLE!

Pastor Ted Traylor