October 30, 2000

TOGETHER:
Whatever happens, love for Jesus compels Baptists
___A Texas Baptist pastor was the guest preacher in a revival service at a church this past week. One evening, he sat near a 10-year-old boy and began to visit with him.
___"Who is your daddy?" the preacher asked.
___"I don't know."
___"Where is your mommy?"
___"In jail."
___"Oh, I've visited people in jails before," the pastor said.
___"Did you ever go visit your mother or daddy in jail?" the boy asked.
___"No. I guess that's really hard to do. What's the hardest part for you?"

CHARLES WADE Executive Director BGCT Executive Board

___"I can't sit in her lap and give her a kiss. She has to stay behind a glass."
___As the visiting preacher gently told the boy about Jesus, the little fellow listened attentively. He gave his life to Jesus that evening, and the church family came by to welcome him. Later that night, the foster father asked him how he felt as all the people came by to hug and welcome him into the church.
___"I had a lump in my throat."
___"Was it a happy or a sad lump?"
___"It was sad. I don't remember old women hugging me before. I wish my mother could have been here."
___That church will love him. That foster family loves him. Perhaps someday his mother will be out of prison and able to hold and love him again.
___Dear people, this is the Christian way--to love children and make places for them in your life.
___God, bless our Texas Baptist families who are foster care families. God, bless our churches who make time for events where children, teens and adults can have a focused opportunity to hear the gospel and respond. God, bless our pastors who love to tell the good news of Jesus to everyone they can. God, bless our Baptist child care ministries in Texas that help to connect children with caring adults. God, bless our restorative justice ministries in Texas where Baptist people are involved personally in being redemptive in some of the most difficult places in our state.
___Some of you will read this before the convention meets in Corpus Christi. Some of you will see it after the convention.
___Whatever happens or has happened in our meeting, I know this: God can use us all to put our arms around boys and girls and hug them up close to God.
___The issues we face in our convention life are difficult and important matters, worthy of careful attention and discussion. It has never been easy to be an informed and thoughtful Baptist. In local church, association and convention life, it is always easier to let others make decisions for you. As long as leaders are worthy of trust, it works pretty well.
___But Baptists can lose their freedom in Christ if they are unwilling to take the time to study and pray so that they are fully invested in decisions that must be made. Discussion, debate and even sharp dispute can happen among men and women of good will.
___And we still can go forward united around our love of the Lord Jesus, our passion to share his love with lost people, our faithfulness to Scripture and our obedience to God's call and commands.
___Every Texas Baptist, every Texas Baptist church, is important to me.
___God, bless us all as, together, we go forward in glad obedience to your call.
___We are loved.
___

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