Archive for the 'Join the Movement' Category
Moments, Part 1
The rapid pace of life is no longer friendly to moments. Moments can be significant, historical, or brief. In a recent post, I shared 30 Lessons I Have Learned in Leadership Through Leading the Same Organization for 30 Years.
In this article, I shared two lessons about moments:
- Enjoy the special moments.
- Walk slowly through the crowd.
When I presented these lessons at The Summit, I talked about how I wish I had known how to enjoy the special moments of life and ministry more. It is something I intentionally work on, and was privileged to learn the principles personally from men like J.B. Hunt and Jerry Falwell, Sr.
This Brief Season Was Filled With Great Moments
My church just celebrated my 30th anniversary of serving as Senior Pastor. This past Thursday afternoon, our entire staff team surprised me with a very special and touching reception for Jeana and me. It was filled with testimonies from some of our staff team from all walks of life.
They shared:
- How they raised their children by the way we raised our two boys.
- How their lives were shaped from their youngest years to today by what we have taught them.
- How God used our preaching of the Word of God to transform their entire lives and career trajectory.
- How they wanted Jeana and me to sit back and experience the moments of this past weekend and not rush past them.
Then, yesterday morning, my son, Dr. Nick Floyd, preached on legacy. He was outstanding! Our Communications Team put together a powerful video of encouragement. I spoke only briefly at the end of the services.
Last night, as a complete surprise, many of our former preacher guys and staff guys came from across America to be with us. They, along with our Leadership Team and a few other dear church leaders, witnessed the power of ministry multiplication through the years. There were others who were not able to attend. We had video messages from former staff members and church members, from Ryan Blackwell who pastors First Baptist in San Francisco, to our dear friends, Coach Gus and Kristi Malzahn, Head Football Coach, Auburn University. There is nothing like the gospel traveling on the tracks of a relationship. As we drove away, I told Jeana I was exhausted! It was emotional, encouraging, celebrative, and even compelling to continue forward in this journey. We laughed, cried, prayed, and fellowshipped. Oh, my cup is overflowing!
Some of My Favorite Moments
I will not go deep and long into some of my favorite moments, but I will mention a few in order to celebrate the work of the Lord among His people:
My first Sunday as Senior Pastor, October 26, 1986, when from a small gymnasium, the Word of God was proclaimed as the church welcomed this very young pastor and family.
The first Sunday in our Worship Center in the First Baptist Church of Springdale on February 14, 1988. The day was historic in many ways, including then Governor Bill Clinton congratulating the church in this accomplishment. More importantly, when looking back, it literally changed the entire trajectory and influence of our church to this very day.
On Sunday, January 21, 1990, I opened God’s book and informed my beloved church that their young, precious pastor’s wife and my life partner, Jeana, was diagnosed with breast cancer. With tears and emotion, they embraced us, loved us, prayed for us over the next 12-18 months filled with surgeries, tough chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and trips to Houston’s M.D. Anderson Hospital. Through this experience and challenging time, it was when I truly became their pastor not only in the title I received in 1986, but in life in 1990.
On Sunday, June 4, 1995, after I had just completed my first forty-day fast, I shared what God had done in me and was doing in me. God moved in, and when He came to church that day with us, He brought real revival, yes, church revival. The schedule went out the window that day, leading to a two-hour plus morning worship service with at least 3,000 present. 70-80% returned on Sunday night, leading to a service lasting for four hours. This day changed our church because God had changed their pastor, me, for forty ongoing days during a time of fasting.
In June of 1996, I was asked to preach the convention message to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. In those years, thousands attended and the convention message was one of the major highlights. I sensed God wanted me to give a public invitation, which was unprecedented, and literally hundreds responded with a brokenness before God most of us had never witnessed or experienced. Just this past week, on October 21, 2016, this was shared in the SBC This Week podcast in their moments in SBC History (You can find it at about 30 minutes into the podcast). It was humbling to listen as they discussed a Baptist Press Article released October 21, 1996 regarding my sermon.
Learning leadership and leading in the Southern Baptist world in 1996: In 1996, I was acting as a member of the 7-member Program and Structure Subcommittee of the Southern Baptist Convention, which reduced our nineteen SBC entities to eleven entities and the Executive Committee. Simultaneously, I was serving as Chairman of the SBC Executive Committee and was elected to be the President of the SBC Pastors’ Conference, preparing for 1997 Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas, Texas. None of this was sought after, but for some unique reason in this time in my life, God called me to do these things simultaneously, teaching me so much about leadership within and outside of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Saturday, October 4, 1997, I preached to 1.3 million men at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. as part of a ministry movement of men called Promise Keepers. After preparing with forty days of fasting and prayer for my 9-minute message, I preached what I believed was God’s vision for America.
More to Come
When you pastor and lead a church over a long period of time, there will come a time when you do not know when you begin and the church ends or when the church begins and you end. This is what happens with a relationship. Never forget this: The Gospel travels on the tracks of a relationship. This is what pastors do.
More on this subject in Moments, Part 2.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, immediate past President of the Southern Baptist Convention, and founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry.
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.
Fighting the Religious Straw Men of the Moral Majority and the Religious Right
As a local church pastor and leader, I stand amazed, but also burdened over the ongoing attacks that are aimed at what I call “religious straw men.” The term “fighting a straw man” is used when one states a belief in an exaggerated way and then destroys it. Usually someone is attacking the belief and practice of another person, but doing so by creating a different reality of what actually occurred.
These imaginable characters receiving the artillery fire are often referred to as “the religious right” and “moral majority.” The scorn for some of these patriots of the past, who were truly a part of a dynamic movement in America, demonstrates an immaturity and discredits those who make their pseudo-political attacks. Some of these same leaders that influenced America positively also led the largest Protestant denomination in the United States to stop drifting left theologically by returning to a deep belief in the infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture. How soon we forget.
In this political season, accusations are often bizarre and at times outrageous. What is beyond sad is these attacks are being made by professing Christ-followers upon their brothers and sisters in Christ. Unfortunately, believers are also attacking those who do not believe in Christ. Perhaps Christians forget that people who are not Christ-followers often have a different belief system that leads them to act like they do not know Jesus Christ personally. Regrettably, the attacks are mostly over the political challenges of our day.
It is not my goal to pick a fight or point a finger at anyone. I love everyone. My goal is to share truth, nothing else. It grieves me when I sense that generations are being influenced negatively. I ask you to consider these misconceptions.
Misconception #1: The “religious right” and “the moral majority” are alive and thriving
I have recently heard the “religious right” and “moral majority” mentioned. I suppose these terms are referring to the men who formed the religious right and moral majority in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.
Along with some even younger than me, I have been categorized as being part of the religious right and moral majority. This is ridiculous. These movements do not even exist today as they did in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. In the highest moment of these movements, I was a seminary student trying to figure out Greek, Hebrew, and Archeology. I was not engaged in American politics.
For the record: I applaud and am thankful for those who were an active part of the religious right and the moral majority, who loved God supremely and America secondarily. I honor those who have passed and those who are still with us today.
Hands down, I prefer their effectiveness and influence over the voices of those who attack their vigilance and love for the Lord supremely and America secondarily. I personally knew some of these men, and I can assure you, they never held America above the Kingdom of God. Anyone who believes they did is misinformed.
Misconception #2: The Gospel is being jeopardized and its testimony hurt
The political persuasions and actions of today are not jeopardizing the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the power of God to those who believe. It always has been powerful and still is today. Nothing can jeopardize the gospel. The gospel is God’s gospel and it is the eternal good news to all persons in the world.
The testimony of the gospel is serious business. One’s involvement in the political world today does not bring harm to the gospel. We are called by Jesus to be the salt and the light in this darkness. We should do so both wisely and courageously. God will use this kind of testimony.
This I do know: we live in a sinful world. The gospel is the only answer, not politics. Yet, we must still engage and operate in this sinful political climate and in this evil world. Our hope should never be in a politician or a party, but only in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Misconception #3: You must compromise if you vote in this presidential election
According to research, most Americans don’t like their choices. Yet, they are our choices. Therefore, one of only two candidates will be elected as our nation’s next leader. God is Sovereign. Trust Him. Pray. Vote. By the way, voting for a 3rd party candidate or writing in a name will only contribute to the one person whom you may not want for President.
Furthermore, there are numerous local elections occurring on November 8. Do not minimize the importance of the day. Don’t criticize those who choose to participate in the political process and who still believe that “We The People” determine our future as a nation.
In brevity, this entire election cannot be changed and is inescapable. It will set the course for the future and freedom of America. We the people need to show up en masse, acting upon biblical convictions to cast our vote for every election occurring on November 8.
Ignore the Voices of Those Who Continue Their Pseudo-Political Attacks
In this noisy world, ignore the voices of those who may continue their pseudo-political attacks. Punching their straw men may gain you a retweet or two, possibly more from the left or from your personal fan base. But it reveals an immaturity in the understanding of the real issues before us in America.
Resolve now you are responsible to God personally. Refuse to accuse others and judge them. Pray for others. Dialogue with people, do not create division. Practice humility, not moral arrogance.
Be grateful for the contributions others make. Perhaps they are not doing what you would do, but that is okay.
What really matters long-term is our fellowship together in Christ and our common desire for a future America that affords us the privilege to make a difference.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
*******
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, immediate past President of the Southern Baptist Convention, and founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry.
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.