August 21, 2000
East Texas evangelism conference highlights unity and lay witness
___By Orville Scott
___Texas Baptist Communications
___TYLER--It is time for God's family to come together and reclaim the power, unity and fellowship that was given at Pentecost and show the world "we are Christians by our love," Dwight McKissic said at the East Texas Regional Evangelism Conference.
___McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, admonished Christians to rediscover the power and principles of Pentecost.
___"We gather today as Southern Baptists and Texas Baptists, but tomorrow we scatter as moderates and conservatives and as blacks and whites. If the world always sees us as fractured, they will question the authenticity of Jesus Christ," McKissic said.
___"We may have come to America--some on slave ships and some on immigrant ships--but we are all in the same boat now," he asserted. "Our problem in America is we really don't have a skin problem. We have a sin problem. God has told us to love one another."
___God comes in power when his people are one, said McKissic, noting that "in the 21st century we're going to see churches we won't be able to put a racial tag on."
___On the other hand, he warned, "If the church doesn't take the lead in racial problems, we may find ourselves in a racial war."
___"I have a dream that the family of God in Texas will come together--not as blacks, Hispanics, Asians and whites nor as Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Pentecostals and Baptists--but as Christians to show the world a picture of our love, to pray for spiritual awakening and celebrate unity and diversity in Christ."
___Frank Harber, professor of evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, urged Christians to enhance their evangelism by presenting simple facts that back up the truth of Jesus:
___First century historians such as Josephus confirmed the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
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___"Thirteen years ago, I was an atheist," Harber said. "Becoming a Christian is one of the most intelligent things you can do."
___Another speaker, Bobby Welch, pastor of First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach, Fla., said that as he travels nationwide teaching FAITH evangelism courses, he has encountered "the largest searching for the Lord I've ever seen.
___"But they're not coming to the church to search," he said, adding that the solution is involving laity in personal evangelism. "Lay people are willing to do anything to share the gospel if leadership will lead them to do it."
___Clinton Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church of Mount Pleasant, urged pastors not to lose heart "when people don't walk the aisle when we preach or when we are chided by antagonists."
___Planting of the gospel seed may lead to the redemption of a congregation, he said, recalling that the Bible says, "Through sharing of our faith and living out of our faith, in due time we will reap."
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