Archive for June, 2015
Countdown to Columbus
One week from today, Columbus, Ohio, will begin to teem with the people called Southern Baptists. Thousands of us will gather from across the country and some from across the world. Our convention is always a joyful time to reunite with friends as well as a time to make new friends.
Allocate Time This Week to Pray
Whether you are able to join us in Columbus or not, allocate some time this week to pray for our time together. There is so much at stake in this year’s convention. With all that is going on across America and the world, the significance of our 2015 Southern Baptist Convention is great.
Therefore, we call upon each person as well as our churches to allocate time to pray for our Columbus Convention. What Southern Baptists will do in Columbus matters; not only to us, but to other evangelicals, America, and the world. This is why we must pray.
Prepare to Participate in What is Most Important
As you prepare to come to Columbus, prepare to participate in what is most important. Not for yourself, but for the Kingdom of God. While attending the Southern Baptist Convention is always a great time of exploring new places in a different city, is this the most important thing?
Absolutely not! We need to prepare to participate in what helps forward the work of the gospel through Southern Baptists. Hearing what God is doing through our work together is always a great experience. These reports will be shared by the leaders of our Southern Baptists entities and executive committee.
Four Key Moments in Our 2015 Convention
There are four key moments that can help shape the outcome of our 2015 Southern Baptist Convention:
1. The Presidential Address at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 16.
The Presidential Address has always been a significant time in in each annual convention. This year, we have returned the scheduled time of the address to the morning session. Please pray for me as I prepare and deliver this address.
2. The National Call to Prayer at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16.
This will be one of our greatest moments this year in the Southern Baptist Convention meeting. As eleven pastors and many more join me in leading us in this important night of prayer, you will not want to miss any of it. I urge you to adjust your schedule in order to be part of this significant experience.
3. Church and Mission Sending Celebration: Joint Commissioning Service at 9:40 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17
This experience will be highly impactful to each of us as we celebrate what God is doing through the work of our two mission boards. It will be a tremendous time to meet some of our future missionaries, sending them out to the mission fields in North America and the world. Dr. David Platt, President of the International Mission Board, will bring the main message during this gathering.
4. The Supreme Court and Same Sex Marriage: Preparing Our Churches for the Future at 3:35 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17
With the expectancy of the final ruling of the Supreme Court regarding same sex marriage, we are allocating 40 minutes for a dynamic panel discussion on what this issue means for each of us personally, for our churches, and our nation. Our convention will conclude by 5:15 p.m.
Stream it Live Anywhere at sbc.net
If you are not able to join us, a live stream of the convention is available during each session at sbc.net. Join us via the Internet on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 16-17.
The Time is Now
Many have worked toward this week over the last year. I do pray and hope everyone will come with great anticipation of what God is going to do among us.
Praying for Columbus,
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 46,000 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.
This Week at Cross Church | This is a Critical Week
This will be a critical Sunday at Cross Church. We will continue our WE BELIEVE series and I am convinced God is going to use this Sunday at Cross Church in a major way. Unquestionably, this is a critical week for our church.
The Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting formally begins Tuesday, June 16 and concludes at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17. Your church is right there in the middle of all God is doing in Columbus, Ohio. What Southern Baptists do together matters much to our country and world. This is why I ask you to pray for me as I serve in this role as President of the Southern Baptist Convention.
I have updated this prayer list from our Cross Church Circle. As you read through this list, you will know how to pray for us while we are involved in the Southern Baptist Convention. Thank you for praying for us.
Fill, anoint, and supernaturally and miraculously empower our Pastor as he leads as President of the Southern Baptist Convention.
“Please let there be a double-portion of Your Spirit on me.” 2 Kings 2:9
- Give Pastor Floyd Your message to proclaim in his Presidential Address on June 16, 9:30 a.m. EST/8:30 a.m. CST.
- Grant him special time to prepare, in every way needed, for this significant moment.
- Anoint him with a double-portion of Your Spirit when he preaches this Presidential Address, doing so miraculously and supernaturally.
- Grant wisdom and power to Pastor Floyd as he prepares and presides as President over the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention, June 16-17.
- Give Pastor Floyd the words to say, filling him with God’s wisdom and insight continually as he deals with media pre-SBC, during the SBC, and post-SBC.
- Grant Pastor Floyd special insight and God’s power supernaturally as he will have to speak to the media relating to the forthcoming decision of the Supreme Court relating to same sex marriage.
- Give Pastor Floyd your grace, power, and anointing as he speaks and prepares for matters prior to the SBC:
- Safe and timely travel for Pastor and Jeana to Columbus and their return to NWA
- June 10-13 Crossover Columbus appearances as he encourages participants
- June 11, 11:00 a.m. EST Ohio 7:14 Solemn Assembly on the steps of the State Capitol Bldg.
- June 11, 2:00 p.m. EST Ohio 7:14 Luncheon for Senior Pastors
- June 13, 7:00 p.m. EST ForColumbus: speaking to 1,000 college students & others
- June 14, 9:15 a.m. EST Preaching at Genoa Baptist Church, Westerville, Ohio, in Metropolitan Columbus
- June 14, 1:00 p.m. EST President’s Luncheon with officers and leaders of all SBC Committees, plus preparation meetings following the luncheon
- June 14, 5:35 p.m. EST Speaking to AVANCE Hispanic Gathering of national leaders
- June 15, 12:00 p.m. EST Parliamentarian Luncheon
- June 15, 2:15 p.m. EST Executive Committee Meeting, word of greeting
- June 15, 3:30 p.m. EST NAMB Board Meeting, word of greeting
- June 15, 5:30 p.m. EST Past President’s Dinner
- June 15, 8:05 p.m. EST Speaking at the Pastor’s Conference
- June 16, 11:50 a.m. EST Baptist21 Luncheon prayer
- June 16, 12:15 p.m. EST Ministers’ Wives Luncheon
- June 16-17, Preach and Preside as President of the SBC
- June 16 6:45 p.m. EST/5:45 p.m. CST Speak and Lead The National Call for Prayer to All Southern Baptists for the Next Great Awakening and to Reach the World for Christ
- June 16, 8:50 p.m; Many Faces Reception, word of greeting
- Give Jeana special grace in this season and during these days, as the demands upon her are many.
- Fill and anoint Jeana as she interviews Naghmeh Abedini in the Pastors’ Wives Gathering Monday morning, June 15.
- Grant the Lord’s blessing and power upon Jeana as she is a part of the 2015 Ministers’ Wives Luncheon on Tuesday, June 16.
- Bless Jeana greatly on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 16-17, as she has many expectations upon her from early morning to late night.
Thank You Church,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.