Archive for the 'Missions' Category
A Great Move of God Always Leads to a Great Advancement of the Gospel
Gospel advancement cannot be divorced from the power of prayer. Nor should prayer be divorced from the need for gospel advancement regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Let History Teach Us Now
In 1806, there were five college students who began to pray twice a week for a mighty move of God to occur. The second Great Awakening had affected at least one of these five students. College student Samuel Mills’s father had served as pastor of a church that had been touched powerfully by this awakening.
These five students of the Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, had come together on a hot Saturday afternoon in August for their prayer meeting. They were going to discuss William Carey’s missionary manifesto, An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens.
On their way to their prayer meeting, a major rainstorm began, filled with wind, lightning, and thunder. They noticed a large haystack, which would provide an opportunity to seek shelter underneath from the wind, rain, and lightning. It was in that setting, after discussing Carey’s missionary manifesto, they went before God in prayer.
Samuel Mills proposed they would go on mission to India. While three of the five agreed with Mills to focus on reaching Asia, it was Harvey Loomis who believed deeply they must focus on reaching America first.
Dial in closely with me: Beginning with what is now known as the “Haystack Prayer Meeting,” two years later, in 1808, a group who became known as “The Brethren” was formulated. These five young men and others focused on prayer and missions. In 1810, after they graduated, they requested that a group send them to India as missionaries. The General Association of Massachusetts formed the first official missions organization in the United States in June of 1810. It was called The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
By the way, Adoniram Judson and his wife, as well as Luther Rice, were some of the first missionaries commissioned and sent across the ocean by this new mission board. It was Judson who became known as the father of Baptist foreign missions. Just think: It all began in a prayer meeting under a haystack.
After praying under the haystack that afternoon, these five young men sang a hymn together. It was then Samuel Mills said loudly over the rain and the wind, “We can do this, if we will!” That moment changed those men forever. Many historians would tell you that all mission organizations trace their history back to the “Haystack Prayer Meeting” in some way.
Yes, these men turned the world upside down. And it all began in a prayer meeting under a haystack. At the place where this meeting occurred, a monument stands today, commemorating this historic God moment. At the top of the monument is the phrase, “THE FIELD IS THE WORLD.” Underneath those words, it says, “The birthplace of American foreign missions. 1806.” This great gospel advancement all occurred because five college students cried out to God in prayer.
Prayer, Movements, the Power of God, and Great Gospel Advancement
The proper place of prayer is minimized. A spiritual movement is seen as mystical. The power of God is ignored. Then, we wonder why great gospel advancement is not occurring.
Integrating these things is imperative. In fact, it is biblical. Think of this familiar verse found in Acts 4:31. It says, “When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness.”
- Prayer prioritized?
- Spiritual movement occurring?
- Power of God evident?
- Gospel advancement occurring?
With the condition of things today, we need to return to the biblical and historical model now.
Six in 10 Protestant Churches are Plateaued or Declining
On March 6, 2019, LifeWay Research released a new study from Exponential. It revealed “Six in 10 Protestant churches are plateaued or declining in attendance.” It further said that more than half saw fewer than 10 people become new Christians in the past 12 months.
While growth is happening in some churches across America, it is more than evident that churches and the denominations many of them are connected to are not healthy and growing.
Unquestionably, we need to learn what we can from other churches, but more importantly, it is time that we get ourselves under the nearest haystack, study gospel advancement, and cry out to God over the challenges we are facing today.
Then, we can leave this unique place declaring what Samuel Mills declared over 200 years ago, “We can do this, if we will.”
We need to see what Samuel Mills saw.
THE FIELD IS THE WORLD.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, National Day of Prayer
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, President of the National Day of Prayer, 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.
4 Reasons I Believe Churches Should Give Through the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention
I believe Jesus died for every person in the world. I believe each follower of Christ, the Church, is commanded to make disciples of all the nations of the world.
None of us can do this alone, and no church can do this alone. Jesus’ call to each of us is overwhelming, but not impossible.
Each of us must answer the question: How will we accomplish what Jesus calls us to do?
How to Get This Done
I believe giving through the Cooperative Program is the most effective way to accomplish the unfinished task given to us by Jesus. For the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Program is our unified strategy to be part of finishing the task of reaching the world for Jesus Christ.
In 1925, our churches came together and adopted a strategy that would eliminate the need for ministry leaders and missionaries to make endless financial appeals to keep them on the field and their gospel ministry going. Since the Cooperative Program became our unified strategy, each church has the opportunity to make a monthly gift through this avenue to take the gospel to every person in the world.
While the Cooperative Program may not be perfect, it is effective. It is much more effective than any way I know to accomplish the big picture and overwhelming call Jesus gave to us: Making disciples of all the nations.
While leaders or ministries may disappoint you or your church periodically, our calling to take the gospel to the world is more important than all of us. Rise above the fray, keep your eyes on Jesus, and the convictional call of Jesus as your goal: Making disciples of all the nations.
4 Reasons I Believe
There are four reasons I believe churches should give through the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention:
1. It is more about mission than money.
The compelling mission of Jesus Christ to be His witnesses regionally, statewide, nationally, and internationally is what the Cooperative Program has been built upon, is built upon, and must be built upon in the future. Mission, not money, is the end goal. An SBC leader, pastor, layperson, national entity, state convention, association, or church that forgets this will soon reap a result that is not going to forward our common call and mission together.
2. It is more about unifying us than dividing us.
Keeping the convictional call before our churches to take the gospel to every person in our communities, states, nation, and the world will unify each church within their own fellowship. This is the very same way churches must work together in their own association or state convention and ultimately through the 51,000 churches and congregations in our convention.
When mission does not precede men and ministries, unity is impossible. We will never agree with everyone and everything in our church, state convention, and national Southern Baptist Convention.
3. It is more about working together than working alone.
Working together is more difficult than working alone. Working alone may allow you to feel better about yourself personally, but it will never complete our mission. Working within your own church may get you somewhere faster, but it will never take you further.
Your ministry and mission are not about you. It is to be about Jesus and His name and message being taken to the world.
4. It is more about your church than our convention.
Giving through the Cooperative Program is not to sustain our state conventions and convention work nationally and internationally. God has not called a convention to take the gospel to the world. God has called each of us personally and the church we call family to finish this task.
It is about our church cooperating with other churches to reach the world for Christ.
We Can Do It
Yes, Jesus died for the entire world. Because He did, we must now tell the entire world what He has done for them.
We can do this together. The urgency is upon us.
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.