Ronnie Floyd

Archive for the 'America' Category

February 1st, 2016

Remember These Five Things During This Presidential Election Season

America, Join the Movement, Southern Baptist Convention

During this pivotal year of electing the next President of the United States, we need to be wise with our words and actions. There is much passion rising in America during this season.

These are serious times. It is in the air. We sense it, feel it, and know it in our heart. Much is at stake. This is unquestionable and undeniable.

Yet, it may do well for each of us to remember these things during the election season:

1. Keep everything in perspective.

God is sovereign over all human affairs. Regardless of who wins the nomination of your preferred party or who wins the election, God is ultimately in charge. Keep everything in perspective.

I am not advocating passivism. I am calling for each of us to keep perspective. Our hope and trust is ultimately in the Lord.

2. Be involved in the process.

I am deeply convicted that each Christ-follower needs to be involved in the processes of electing our next president. We need to know about the candidates, understand what they believe, measure it by the Word of God, and vote as we believe God is leading us. Yes, we need to vote not only in the general election, but also in the primary of our choice.

It is incumbent upon us to be involved in the process at whatever level afforded to us. If you get a chance to meet a candidate, meet them. If you get a chance to speak into their lives and platform, step up and represent the Lord and His Word honorably. If you are never afforded this privilege, learn what you can by listening, watching, and reading.

I say it again; it is incumbent upon us to be involved. Quite honestly, America cannot afford for us to stay at home. Please be involved in the process of electing our next President.

3. Watch what you say and how you say it.

Passion is rising over these matters. In our respective places and positions, each of us will be asked our opinions. Therefore, we need to be deliberate about what we say and how we say it.

People are watching and listening to us. We represent our Lord everywhere, so we need to live up to this wisely. This does not keep us from providing insights and speaking up when appropriate, but it does call us to weigh every word we say and the way we say it.

Do not lose your testimony and influence with others for the sake of pontificating, as if you are trying to win an argument or promote your preferred persuasion. This is difficult for each of us, but we must be wise with our words and gentle in our spirit.

In our congregations, we have people from all backgrounds with all kinds of opinions. This should not call us to silence or intimidate us into fearfulness. Yet, it does call us to be wise with our words and clear in every way, exhibiting at all times, the spirit of Christ.

4. Refuse to be categorized.

Election season usually pushes us into categories and labels. Now, it is more than obvious by what we read that even evangelicals are broken into various categories. These categories are labeling different groups and how they will vote with different candidates.

I hope each of us will strive not to be categorized by anyone.

We are one thing ultimately: Followers of Jesus Christ. This is our badge of honor. If we abandon this by our actions or opinions, we will begin to lose our prophetic voice during this critical hour in America.

5. Pray for God to raise up His next leader for our nation.

Daniel 2:21 (NIV) says, “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” God does have a will for our nation and He has the power to raise up whomever He desires to lead our nation.

As followers of Christ, while we work in the processes afforded to us as Americans, we need to also pray for God to raise up His next leader for our nation. May He raise up such a leader where His mercy will extend toward us. And, regardless of this leader, I pray for the mercy of the Lord to be upon us.

When we know we have worked in the processes and prayed for the Lord’s will to be done, when all is concluded, we have the peace to trust the Lord, who is sovereign over all affairs.

Finally, let’s pray for one another to remember these five things during the presidential election season.

Now is the Time to Lead,

Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, Southern Baptist Convention

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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 51,094 churches nationwide.

To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.

Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd

Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

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January 22nd, 2016

Freedom is Never More Than One Generation Away from Extinction

America, Southern Baptist Convention

On March 30, 1961, Ronald Reagan spoke to the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. He spoke these timeless words with great conviction:

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.¹

This champion for freedom was later elected the 40^th President of the United States of America. We should never forget these compelling words. Today, America needs this same kind of vision for freedom.

In America Today

This past Saturday, January 16, President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation: Religious Freedom Day, 2016. In his proclamation, he quotes from the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was adopted on January 16, 1786, and drafted by former President, Thomas Jefferson. These profound words need to be heard today in every village, town, and city in America:

“all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.”²

This proclamation offered by President Obama is worth reading and sharing with others. May the mercy of God continue to grant America religious freedom.

On the Same Day, A Miracle Around the World

Interestingly, it was also this past Saturday that Pastor Saeed Abedini was released from an Iranian prison along with four other Americans. As you may recall, Pastor Saeed was in prison for his commitment to Jesus Christ.

In the past two years, Pastor Saeed’s wife, Nagmeh, has spoken to our Southern Baptist Convention in various settings. During both of these conventions and privately since, we have prayed for Pastor Saeed’s release. Today, we rejoice and praise God for answered prayer. In my communication with Naghmeh on Saturday, she was thankful to God for the prayer support. Please continue to pray for the Saeed family.

Today, Our Nation Honors Another Champion of Freedom

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in America. We celebrate the remarkable achievements of this great American. As a civil rights leader, he stood boldly against segregation, at a great cost. His life was given for racial equality in the United States.

This past November, I spoke in Jackson, Mississippi, with my friend Dr. Jerry Young, President of the National Baptist Convention. After he spoke to this gathering of leaders, I spoke on the subject Now is the Time for the Racial Crisis to End in America.

In the message, I spoke about Dr. King. I referenced the letter he wrote on April 16, 1963, Letter From a Birmingham City Jail. Then I quoted his words from the final paragraph.

Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.³

This champion stood so tall for freedom, it eventually cost him his life. Thank God for Martin Luther King, Jr. We honor him today.

While in Washington D.C.

This past Saturday, I spoke at a Free to Believe event with the Family Research Council, which is led by Southern Baptist, Tony Perkins. They asked me to help honor our great heritage of religious freedom in our nation.

Saturday morning was a convergence of emotions. I was preparing to honor our history regarding religious freedom in our nation’s capital, Pastor Saeed was released, and just before I left the hotel, I received word regarding the death of my friend and Cross Church Ministry Staff member, Richard Cox. While experiencing the grief of losing this brother in Christ to cancer, I was overwhelmed thinking of the freedom he is now experiencing in Heaven.

In This Pivotal Time in Our History

Therefore, in this pivotal time in our history, we need to cherish the freedom we have in our nation. We are in challenging days relating to freedom, not only here, but across the world. Even more specifically, we are in a daily challenge to preserve religious freedom in our country.

May the words of President Ronald Reagan ring in our ears clearly: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”¹ This includes religious freedom and freedom regardless of skin color. We need to rise up as champions for freedom in our nation.

Because of the freedom in our land, my friend and staff member who died this past Saturday was able to hear the gospel, which resulted in radical life change. Richard Cox’s testimony is powerful.

While we may face days where freedom is at stake, we need to look toward the day when all cares of this world are over. The day we exit this world through death or Christ’s second coming, we will experience complete rest and freedom forever.

But until then, we love Jesus. We love one another. We serve Jesus. We cherish and even fight for the freedom we have now, always looking toward the day when we experience freedom forever. Freedom in the presence of Jesus.