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PLANO—In the opening session of the North American Mission Board’s 2013 Send North American Conference, Prestonwood Baptist Church pastor Jack Graham said he has never been more enthusiastic about the future of the church in North America.
“I have never been more encouraged with ‘right now’ than right now,” Graham said. “We are not interested in living history, we want to make history—to live fully for Christ and then exit the stage. I have no interest in leaving a legacy. I want to live a legacy—living for something and someone beyond myself. It is not about me. It is about him.”
Graham, now 63, said he is encouraged by the coming generation. He said God raises up men in every generation to proclaim the gospel. “We must send them out into a generation that we will not know,” he told the audience.
“Church planters, you are on the front lines in cities across this continent and you are taking the gospel into the cities to penetrate lostness here and around the world,” said Graham. He said the church needs a “fresh anointing and a fresh awakening … because all this effort will be in vain unless the spirit of the Holy One comes down. We need the power of God.”
Graham said he is grateful for the work of the North American Mission Board in focusing its efforts and strategy through Send North America.
“Thank God that NAMB is saying, ‘plant churches, make disciples.’ NAMB does a lot of good things, but it is important that they now say, ‘plant churches, make disciples.’ And we support them in it,” said Graham.
Prestonwood hosted more than 4,000 Send North American Conference participants. Graham addressed the gathering’s opening session.
“We have one big idea at Prestonwood,” said Graham. “If you want to see your church grow I can guarantee you that this works. Get Jesus in the house. It works. I tell our people, it doesn’t matter if Jack Graham is in the house. It only matters that Jesus is in the house.”
