Praising the Lord, making a difference

This year, I had the pleasure of attending the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting for the first time.

I have to admit—prior to the convention, most of my exposure to the annual meeting had been influenced by the negative attention it sometimes gets. But I’m thankful God has placed men in my life over the years who helped dispel some of my preconceptions.

The late Mike Smith once said to me, “It’s like a big family reunion where I get to see all of my brothers and sisters in Christ,” and I was pleasantly surprised to see he was right. This reunion included my former youth minister and current executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Nathan Lorick, and my favorite Bible teacher on the planet, John Yates from Faith Bible Institute.

The scope of how large this event is hit me like a train when I first entered the auditorium of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas and praised the Lord alongside 18,000 other Southern Baptists. Just the sound of so many voices lifting up the name of Jesus in unison is an experience that left me in awe of how majestic a Savior we praise.

The exhibit hall was packed with booths and representatives from colleges, businesses, and ministries—all of which had tons of helpful information. I received materials, books, bags (thanks North American Mission Board!), pens, cards, and perhaps most importantly, ideas for some improvements I can try while ministering at my own church.

Clint Pressley, a North Carolina pastor who was elected to a second term as SBC president, gave an outstanding message and moderated the business incredibly well. He was humorous, bold, and emphasized the importance of the SBC and the work we participate in together.

The reports from NAMB and the International Mission Board were not only a joy to hear, but a reminder of the importance of our cooperative giving. Introductions via video from more than 50 missionaries were played for us to see. Many of those missionaries’ identities were hidden, providing a sobering reminder that some risk their lives to deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.

While the business conducted at this meeting is an important part of the convention, I was surprised at how much more I enjoyed the worship and fellowship aspects, which were edifying and refreshing to me. I found it as true at SBC as my wife and I do at the SBTC’s annual Equip and Empower conferences that we try to attend each year—times we use to get away and be refreshed, renewed, and, most importantly to us, to spend some extra, deliberate time focusing on God.

While much of what I voted for at SBC turned out differently than I would have hoped, I still participated in the business of the convention and was glad to do so. While it could have been potentially disheartening for me to see votes not go my way, it wasn’t—the fellowship and brotherly love I experienced over those few short days overshadowed everything else.

This was a good lesson for me as our SBTC Annual Meeting nears in October. Here’s what I’ve learned: We all play a major part, and the future direction of our state and national conventions depends heavily on participation from each and every one of us.