Ted Traylor

Lots of Blessings on Roundup Sunday

Dr. Traylor — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:06:36 +0000

WOW! Roundup Sunday was a great day. We had over 3,500 in worship and that did top the 3,400+ the week before. Tropical Storm Fay left us alone during the weekend and Olive folks came to church and brought friends with them. Praise the Lord for the wonderful attendance in Sunday School Connection Groups. And the education building never smelled better due to all the potluck lunches going on after church services. People were saved, joined the church and were baptized during the day. Thank you, church family, for responding with faithfulness. We are off and running for the fall.

Our drama group did a marvelous job on Sunday evening as they challenged us through several scriptures on wisdom from the book of Proverbs. The example of the ant is a favorite proverb of mine but never had I heard it like I did on Sunday evening. The father and son ant duo hung out with me after church. Here is a photo I will long cherish.

On Sunday afternoon just before deacons meeting I stopped in for the Library Summer Reading Club party. I was honored to meet the winners from the various grades. Our Media Library is a dynamic ministry to our church family. If you have not been in, stop and visit Joan Hoyt and her team.

Library Summer Reading Club Party

The major political parties of America meet in convention settings the next two weeks. Then we will be entering the home stretch toward the Presidential election. Do not forget that the Marriage Amendment is on the ballot in Florida. A YES vote will define marriage as being only between a man and a woman. Be in prayer for the coming election. Visit Ivotevalues.com for some great information on how to pray for 40 days prior to the November voting day.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Roundup - What Is It?

Dr. Traylor — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:11:48 +0000

The weekend is upon us and it is time for Roundup Sunday at Olive. On Tuesday evening of this week our staff endeavored to call every member of the Olive family. We did not reach everyone but we did make connection with a few thousand people as we manned the phones.

Several people I called asked me, “What is Roundup?” This is the time after summer vacations when we seek to get the church family back to a faithful routine of Sunday School and church attendance. We want to have some fun with it so feel free to come dressed in your western duds this Sunday. I’ll be dusting off my boots and may even wear my jeans. Liz and I have just moved into our new house and I am still trying to find all of my belongings.

Make every effort to be in your place on Sunday. I’ll be looking for you at the Roundup.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Truth in Humor

Dr. Traylor — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:16:40 +0000

School is in full swing. Teachers and students are up early getting the rooms ready, catching the bus and preparing lessons. Be much in prayer for the people involved in this school year.

A few days ago I ran across the account of the plight of a teacher. Enjoy…

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching prospect said,

“Let me see if I’ve got this right: You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning. You want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride.

You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job. You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of antisocial be behavior, and make sure that they all pass the state exams.

You want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents by letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card.

You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps.

You want me to do all this, and then you tell me……….I CAN’T PRAY?”

Pastor Ted Traylor

Heading Back Today

Dr. Traylor — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:02:30 +0000

Greetings from South Carolina. I have just finished five great days of camp meeting with 11 rural churches. My time in South Carolina has reminded me again of the importance of the thousands of small churches in the SBC. These fellowships are in every small town and crossroads of America. The Gospel faithfully goes forward from these great churches week by week. It has been an honor to be with camp meeting president, Ron Culbertson, and the great people of the Hones Path, South Carolina area. They were a blessing to me.

The next two Sundays at Olive should be wonderful. This Sunday evening we highlight our Most Excellent Way ministry. Don’t miss it!

Then the 24th is Roundup Sunday. Be there and bring a friend.

My plane leaves early and I should be in Pensacola midmorning today if all goes well with the flights. I am looking forward to being home at Olive this Sunday. Lord willing, I will see you there.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Hello from South Carolina

Dr. Traylor — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:31:00 +0000

I am having a great time preaching at the Tri-County Camp Meeting being held here in South Carolina. There are ten rural churches who come together each year to host this week of evangelism and revival. I am speaking every night and we have had around 800-900 in attendance each service. There is a great spirit here as the Gospel is going out.

I want to remind you of a very special event happening this Sunday night at Olive. In our evening service we will be celebrating the 15^th anniversary of our Most Excellent Way ministry. Countless lives and families have been impacted through this ministry designed to be a Christ-centered recovery program for those dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. We will be hearing testimonies from some of the people whose lives have been changed. Don’t miss this time of blessing.

I will post more this Friday about my time here in South Carolina. I am praying for you.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Let the Games Begin

Dr. Traylor — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:14:02 +0000

The opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics will be center stage tonight. This event always produces moments of spectacular victory and devastating defeat. And we get political lessons and sometimes statements by groups and individuals trying to grab the stage to make their point. But when the dust settles we find young men and women competing for gold, silver and bronze.

In I Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul writes with the Isthmian Games in the background. He exhorts us to run that we might win. He goes on to say that participants in the races must exercise self-control in all things. And they do it to win a perishable crown. However, the believer is running for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore Paul says he will do whatever it takes to run the race. We must likewise understand the Christian faith race is not for the faint-hearted. Our goal is not a life of ease but of accomplishment for the cause of Christ.

As you watch the Games over the next several days remember all the hard work that was put in by these athletes over the past many years. Then ask Jesus to give you self-discipline for the task in front of you. One day we shall all appear before the judgment seat. Crowns will be given. Run like a winner!

Pastor Ted Traylor

Giving Honor to Whom Honor Is Due

Dr. Traylor — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:06:42 +0000

Today we bury one of our friends and staff members at Olive. Eddie Echarri was saved from a life of crime and drugs on June 7, 1994. He quickly became a voice for the Lord. In months to come he was added to the staff at Olive. He was a leader in our Most Excellent Way Ministry. Those with chemical dependency problems found a friend and mentor in Eddie. He also led our jail ministry by visiting those who were incarcerated. He was a master at sitting with those behind bars and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Eddie Echarri & Dr. Ted Traylor

EE- that is how I always wrote to him-was my friend. He remembered my birthday and other special occasions with a card. He loved my children and prayed for them. Deep respect was always in his voice when he spoke of “Miss Liz” to me. I can never remember him ever addressing me with any other word than PASTOR. It was a special joy to be his shepherd.

We will never replace Eddie at Olive. He was one of a kind. But we must find someone to carry on and build the ministry he established at Olive and in Pensacola. Jesus was a Friend of Sinners. EE was like that. My prayer this morning is that Jesus would teach me to love as Eddie did.*

Pastor Ted Traylor

*Go to olivebaptist.org to see more about Eddie and his ministry and also to view his memorial service live at 2pm today

Examples of the Need for Spiritual Revival

Dr. Traylor — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:55:07 +0000

There were two news items that recently caught my attention and reminded me of the need for spiritual awakening in America. The first came out of Miami, Florida. A federal judge ruled that Okeechobee High School must allow and provide for a Gay-Straight Alliance club to meet on campus.

The second court case in the news had to do with praying in Jesus’ name. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Reverend Hashmel Turner’s lawsuit challenging a nonsectarian prayer policy adopted by the Fredericksburg City Council in 2005. The policy prohibits a prayer that mentions Jesus’ name.

These news items remind us again of the need for spiritual revival in America. Prayer in Jesus’ name in our churches and our prayer rooms is sorely needed. I want to encourage you to join the Southern Baptist effort of prayer for 40 days this fall. It begins September 27 and goes until November 4. You can read more about this at www.ilivevalues.com/prayer. Check out the website and get ready to pray.

I am looking forward to Sunday and another great day at Olive.

Pastor Ted Traylor

A Letter from Cleveland, Ohio

Dr. Traylor — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:15:23 +0000

Today I wanted to share with you a letter from Randy Chestnut, lead pastor at Church of the Hills in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. We have partnered with them and helped to sponsor this new church plant. They are a part of our mission triangle emphasis this year. We sent a team up there just a few days ago to help conduct a baseball camp and share the Gospel. This is a great example of how the Lord blessed through the partnership of our church and COTH. Here’s the letter:

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers for the Church of the Hills Baseball Camp at Ledgeview Elementary, July 21-24! A team of 10 volunteers from Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida, led by Scooter Tucker, OBC Minister of Missions, conducted the camp with the assistance of local volunteers from COTH. The OBC team spent their mornings working at the local YMCA, painting and cleaning a newly acquired home.

We had 75 kids in attendance on Monday night and 91 on Tuesday night. The weather was bad all day on Wednesday, and we had to cancel because of rain. But we were back at it on Thursday night, and we had 70+ children in attendance. Scooter shared his testimony (Scooter played for the Cleveland Indians in 1995) with a group of 9-12 year olds. Seven children indicated they had prayed to receive Christ as their Savior! Many parents came to the camp each evening and our staff/volunteers had many opportunities to spend some time getting to know them and answering questions about Church of the Hills. Many parents expressed their gratitude for the camp. Some even tried to give us money. What a joy it was to say the camp was a gift to the community that we could give because of the generosity of our partners like OBC!

Please continue to pray for us as we begin the follow-up process with these families. We could not do what we are doing without God’s power and anointing and the prayer, personnel and financial support of wonderful partners like you. God bless you all!

In His Service,

Randy Chestnut

A Word on the Marriage Protection Amendment

Dr. Traylor — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:20:40 +0000

The Presidential race is heating up. Barak Obama and John McCain are moving quickly and running hard toward the national political conventions. On November 4, America will elect a new President. I encourage everyone to go to the polls and vote. Be involved in the process. There is much at stake.

Other items will be on the ballot on November 4. Florida has the Marriage Protection Amendment on the ballot. It is Amendment 2. A YES vote for Amendment 2 preserves the definition of marriage between one man and one woman and prevents activist judges from legalizing same-sex marriage in Florida as they did in Massachusetts and California. Passing this amendment is a challenge because under new state law the amendment must have a 60% majority to win. Surveys show this to be a tight vote. As we already know in Florida, every vote in the Panhandle makes a big difference. I plan to vote YES and encourage you to do the same.

You cannot vote unless you are registered. The deadline to sign up and be eligible for the fall election is October 6. Make sure you have everything in order to vote.

For more information on this important issue visit www.yes2marriage.org

Pastor Ted Traylor