Archive for October, 2015
3 Secrets to Pastoral Longevity
Twenty-nine years ago this week, following God’s call to our lives, my very young family and I moved to Northwest Arkansas. I would have never imagined that one day I would be writing about my pastoral longevity here or anywhere else.
This past Sunday, I was preaching at the Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, honoring my dear friend, Dr. Ted Traylor for his twenty-five years of pastoral longevity there. Over dinner, he and Liz remarked to us how fast the years have gone.
Observing and Reflecting
While observing the Traylors this past weekend and hearing them reflect over their ministry, I was reminded of the power of reflection. Obviously, pastors who stay anywhere long enough will reflect on their own journey toward longevity.
Some pastors stay long effectively, while others stay enduringly. The former is much greater than the latter.
3 Secrets to Pastoral Longevity
In my own reflection upon life and ministry, I want to share three secrets to pastoral longevity:
1. Living with the conviction of God’s calling
Staying somewhere a long time can be extremely difficult for a pastor and his family. There are moments when leaving would be much easier than staying. There may be times when you beg God for somewhere to go.
Yet, one of the secrets to pastoral longevity is living with the conviction of God’s calling upon your life and location. This conviction must grip your life and the very essence of who you are. Without it, you will not be able to stay anywhere very long.
2. Learning to surf the seasons of ministry transition
Pastors must understand that ministry is filled with many seasons. Just like a team, there are winning seasons, mediocre seasons, and losing seasons. This is why you cherish the seasons overflowing with fruitfulness and faithfulness.
If you do not cherish the seasons, when the tough times hit, you move to the depth of despair. You get down on ministry as well as the church you are called to serve. This is why it is imperative to learn to surf the seasons of ministry transition. Otherwise, you feel you are drowning. Hang on. Give it time. Keep your head up and soon you will feel the Spirit of God carrying you.
3. Changing your life and ministry practices continually
Pastors promote change within their church, but at times, the greatest need for change is within the pastor himself. Pastors have to experience continual sanctification, becoming more like Jesus continually.
We do this willingly, or the Lord, at times, may do it with us purposefully. This is not always easy to go through for any of us. But if we have a genuine desire to be used of God powerfully, God knows what needs to happen to get us to the point of becoming surrendered and useable.
Therefore, we must be like new wineskins: flexible, filled with elasticity, and conforming to what God is doing within us, through us, and around us. This results in our ministry practices not being something we worship, but something that adjusts to what God is doing at the time.
Cling to 1 Corinthians 15:58
God does not call every pastor to stay somewhere a long time, but He does call every pastor to be faithful and fruitful. What does this mean? Perhaps the following verse will address this question. In fact, if you want pastor longevity, cling to 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Pastor, rise up in this hour. Be willing to give your life to a place God calls you and simultaneously, be willing to leave tomorrow if God so wills. I have and I will. Our allegiance is to God Himself and His calling in our lives.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
A National Conversation on Racial Unity
Dr. Jerry Young, President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, and I will lead A National Conversation on Racial Unity in America in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday, November 4, 2015. Dr. Young and I spoke at a rally recently called Stronger Together, held at the First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. It was an incredible night, one of my most memorable as President of the Southern Baptist Convention.
22 Pastors Will Participate in This Conversation
Dr. Young leads the largest predominantly African-American Christian denomination in the United States. This denomination is comprised of 31,000 congregations and 7.5 million members.
Dr. Young and I are each asking ten local church pastors from across America in our respective conventions to join us in this national conversation on racial unity. We are thankful for every leader or group who is attempting to address this national crisis. Yet, we believe local church pastors and churches can bring a unique perspective on the racial crisis; and in reality, we need to lead the way toward addressing and resolving this crisis.
The ten pastors representing the Southern Baptist Convention who will be joining me are:
Dr. K. Marshall Williams
President, National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention
Senior Pastor, Nazarene Baptist Church
Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Steve Gaines
Senior Pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church
Cordova, TN
Dr. A.B. Vines
Former President, National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention
Senior Pastor, New Seasons Church
Spring Valley, CA
Dr. Ted Traylor
Senior Pastor, Olive Baptist Church
Pensacola, FL
Marshall Blalock
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Charleston
Charleston, SC
Dr. Ed Litton
Redemption Church
North Mobile, AL
Timmy Chavis
Chairman, Multi-Ethnic Advisory Council of the Southern Baptist Convention
Senior Pastor, Bear Swamp Baptist Church
Pembroke, NC
Dr. Paul Kim
Asian American Relations Consultant for the Southern Baptist Convention
Pastor Emeritus, Antioch Baptist Church
Cambridge, MA
Felix Cabrera
Director of Red 1:8 Church Planting Network
Lead Pastor, Iglesia Bautista Central
Oklahoma City, OK
Dr. Gene Henderson
Mississippi Baptist Pastor & Leader
Pinelake Church
Brandon, MS
Please pray for each of these men and their role on November 4. Also pray for the ten pastors from the National Baptist Convention who will be joining Dr. Jerry Young.
Others Can Attend This Conversation
The Conversation on Racial Unity in America will take place on Wednesday, November 4 at 8:30 a.m. The location will be in section A and B of the Ballroom of the Jackson Convention Complex, Jackson, Mississippi. This event is open to everyone, so if you have an interest, I hope you will join us. More information is available here.
Join Us For MISSION MISSISSIPPI’S RACIAL RECONCILIATION LUNCHEON In Jackson
Dr. Neddie Winters is the President of MISSION MISSISSIPPI. Their mission is to encourage and demonstrate grace in the body of Christ across racial lines, so that communities throughout Mississippi can see practical evidence of the Gospel message. Mission Mississippi believes that through Christ, we can find common ground to build strong relationships and communities for the betterment of all Mississippians, regardless of race. Their vision is, “To be the leading resource and catalyst for Christian racial reconciliation and healing for Mississippi and the world.”
The luncheon will take place in sections C, D, and E of the Ballroom of the Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson, Mississippi. If you would like to join us for this luncheon, please go here to learn more. Dr. Young, Dr. Winters, and I would love to meet you.
God is Moving Among His People
In December 2013, I was in a meeting in Atlanta for Prayer and Spiritual Awakening. We were discussing the need for growing and strengthening relationships between all races and ethnicities. Dr. K. Marshall Williams, a dear friend and now President of the National African-American Fellowship of our Southern Baptist Convention, stated to us: “Southern Baptists must reach out and begin having conversations with our brothers with the National Baptist Convention.” I never forgot what he said with great passion and conviction.
When I was elected President, I began praying for open doors. Through prayer gatherings, I began to see God bring down the walls that divide races and ethnicities. Then, sadly through the tragedies of Ferguson and other cities in our nation, the burden and conviction became overwhelming.
In the final half of 2014 when racial tension and violence was increasing exponentially, I released an article entitled, “THE WOUNDS RUN DEEP: RACISM AND INJUSTICE MUST END AND LET GRACE AND LOVE BEGIN”. This article opened doors into several conversations and experiences.
God used this article to open doors that lead us to these two experiences on November 4 in Jackson, Mississippi. Our own National Prayer Meeting at the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention highlighted the need for racial unity and was a catalyst to this opportunity in Jackson. May God use it to His glory. Pray for us. Join us.
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 and congregations 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.