January 6, 1999

GRACE & PEACE:
Start New Year with a focus
on reaching others for Christ
___"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" --2 Corinthians 5:17
___A New Year ... a time for reflections and resolutions ... that brings not just happiness, but joy.
___Reflecting on the past year brings joy because of the evidence of God's presence, power and love. 1998 was one of the best years ever in the history of the Baptist General Convention of Texas as God brought forth victory after victory and record after record in the life of our convention.
___Remembering the lives changed and the families strengthened by God through ministries of Baptist churches, associations and Baptist General Convention of Texas entities in Texas ought to fill us with rejoicing.
___The beginning of a New Year also brings forth resolutions of various kinds for many people.
___Some of these relate to health. For example, resolutions to eat healthier and to exercise more.
___Some relate to family, such as pray together more and spend greater amounts of time as a family.
___Some resolutions have to do with daily work or schools, such as those to plan thoroughly, to organize better, to be more disciplined.
___Others focus on interpersonal relations, such as being more thoughtful, positive or compassionate.
___However, a key to the best New Year deals with spiritual matters, with our relationship with God. Every other aspect in life rests on the foundation of our relation to God through Christ.
___The only way to a truly "Happy New Year" is through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and a life of discipleship in him.
___For a multitude, this calls for a profession of faith in Christ that ushers in a new life--a true new being.
___For others who already have committed their lives to Christ, there may be the need of a closer walk with him through worship, prayer, Bible study and ministry.
___For all followers of Jesus Christ, the New Year brings us an opportunity to share the Good News--the gospel--with people who have not made a faith commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior.
___A major emphasis of Texas Baptists always has been on "Good News sharing," that is, on evangelism.
___Thus, the Baptist General Convention of Texas begins each year with the Evangelism Conference, a time to review our commitment to bear witness to the fact that the only way to heaven is through faith in the Christ who declared: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
___Please join thousands of followers of Christ as we gather in Fort Worth Jan. 11-12 at the Tarrant County Convention Center for the Evangelism Conference to reflect on the wonder of God's power and love and to resolve to share that love with a lost world more consistently in the year to come.
___Pray for the Evangelism Conference.
___Pray for churches that they will make evangelism top priority.
___Also, please pray for all to be effective witnesses in the coming year.

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