Sunday evening I was in Birmingham for the installation service of Dr. Stan Lewis at First Baptist. That evening Liz and I stayed with our former church members, Paul and Karen Bowers. He has just been named the CFO of the Southern Company. We had a delightful visit. Liz returned to Pensacola with the Gillilands and I drove to Atlanta for the board meeting of the NAMB trustees.

My assignment places me on the Church Planting Committee. Our group heard from our new team leader, Dr. David Meacham and his staff. They are getting the new team in order. Sowing down America with gospel-preaching churches is their goal. A fresh focus is placed on the urban centers of America. We are at 300 million people and counting. We have much work to do in reaching America. This is why we are involved at Olive with helping plant (I like to call it “mothering”) churches in Cleveland and San Diego. Your giving, going and praying are essential in these new works.

Southern Baptists are a long way from doing all we should or can. At NAMB the hope is to stir up our 45,000 SBC churches to be on mission. After all, churches plant churches. Our convention can’t do it. Trustees have no money other than what churches give. NAMB is not a fountain; it is conduit. The work of churches can flow together through this able agency.
 
On Wednesday, I drove from Atlanta to Tuscaloosa, Alabama where I met Dr. Day and we led the Tuscaloosa Association in worship with an emphasis on evangelism and spiritual renewal. It was a great service. We arrived home late Wednesday night.
 
Today I am off to Dallas for a meeting of the trustee board of Emanuel University. Dr. Negrut is in the states from Romania for our annual meeting. I will return early in the morning. Saturday begins our 24-Hours of Prayer emphasis at Olive for the coming Harvest Weekend. I am grateful to the over 400 who signed up to pray at different times from 7 p.m. Saturday until we end at 7 p.m. Sunday night at the church altar.
 
Not every week is like this one. But I want to thank you for allowing me to serve our denomination and mission partners around the world. I am always enriched during the time spent in these meetings. I look forward to seeing you Sunday with Matthew 7 burning in my soul.

Pastor Ted Traylor

Posted on Friday, February 8th, 2008 at 10:54 am.
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