February 3, 1999
GRACE & PEACE:
Participate in the World Day
of Prayer for all Baptists
___"Praise the Lord, all you nations: extol him, all you peoples" (Psalm 117:1).
___The Bible calls on us to pray. The disciples requested the Lord Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus not only gave us the model prayer but the model for a person of prayer.
___Because Texas Baptists have as their authority the living word--Jesus--and the written word--the Holy Bible, we emphasize the priority of prayer. Prayer for spiritual awakening has been a major focus for years among us. Churches, associations and institutions related to the Baptist General Convention ofTexas maintain prayer ministries as does the staff of the convention.
___A part of the Texas 2000 vision includes prayer: "Seek fresh new direction and power from the Holy Spirit through Scripture and prayer." In a multitude of ways, Baptists in Texas are seeking to fulfill this vision as a praying people.
___Texas Baptists pray for the world, not just for our churches, associations and state. Therefore, we rejoice in the opportunity to join with Baptist brothers and sisters throughout the world in a special day of prayer on Sunday, Feb. 7.
___The Baptist World Alliance has initiated this prayer emphasis. Once a year, the Baptist World Alliance invites Baptists to come together in a great orchestra of prayer to enhance the family of Baptists and our witness and ministry. The Baptist World Alliance requests that we focus on these matters: "For the gospel to be spread around the world, for liberty and freedom for persecuted Baptists, for an end to racial and ethnic conflict, and for those who suffer from wars, national disasters and poverty."
___Each of these issues stirs our concern. As an evangelistic and missionary people, Texas Baptists pray constantly for the spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ to all the people of the world. We are committed to developing healthy Great Commission churches, churches with a world on their hearts.
___Liberty and freedom for those who suffer persecution strike a chord of response among us also, because Baptists in Texas have known lack of liberty and have suffered persecution for our faith. Only after the establishment of the Republic of Texas, an effort in which Baptists in Texas took the lead, was there freedom of religion and freedom from religious persecution in Texas.
___Racial and ethnic conflict has plagued our state, and we pray for an end to this tragic condition. We have come far regarding love and justice for all people, but we have far yet to go as evidenced by tragic events during recent months.
___The people of Texas have suffered wars, disasters and poverty. Thus we have some understanding of what many in the world suffer, yet many endure these conditions on a far greater scale than we ever have.
___Nilson Fanini, the president of the Baptist World Alliance, and Denton Lotz, its general secretary, encourage Texas Baptists and others to gain more information about this world day of prayer through e-mail contact: BWA@-bwanet.org or through the BWA website: www.bwanet.org.
___Please join me and a host of others in Texas as we join millions of Baptists around the world in this special prayer emphasis on Feb. 7.Frontpage / Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!