October 29, 2001
Glazener says Texas Baptists must 'shine and serve'
___By Dan Martin
___Texas Baptist Communications
___DALLAS--Texas Baptists must "shine and serve," Clyde Glazener told messengers to the 116th annual Baptist General Convention of Texas in his president's message.
___Glazener, pastor of Gambrell Street Baptist Church in Fort Worth, referenced the theme of the annual meeting when he said: "Our wonderful theme that challenges Texas Baptists to 'be the presence of Christ in the world' speaks to us of the Lordship of Christ Jesus in our lives. It challenges us to be the hands and feet and voice of the Savior to a world in need of his healing and helping and redeeming presence."
___As disciples of Christ, Texas Baptists are challenged to go forth with a towel and a light, he said. "The towel says we're ready to serve humankind, and the light is from the Spirit living in us.
___"Our light shines brightest when the darkness is flooding around us and we are using the towel we have been given to serve and we're telling the great news of Jesus that can bring light and new life."
___Glazener, who concluded his second and final term as president, said he has a towel with his name on it, and he has the light of God's presence in his heart.
___"As I join hand and heart with hundreds and thousands (of Texas Baptists) I must go look for feet that need washing and darkness that must be conquered by light," he said.
___The former seminary professor added: "God does not send us ou
___"Of course, we believe the Bible is the word of God and has truth without any mixture of error for its matter. But we are not instructed to go forth armed with a creed to combat brothers and sisters whose belief system is almost the same as ours.
___Instead, he said, God "sends us forth with a towel and the light."
___Ministering to people means that Texas Baptists "support institutions of learning to dispel the darkness of ignorance," Glazener added. "We provide child-care ministries to bless the lives of children exploited by circumstances not of their making. We give bread to the hungry and love to the unloved and the seemingly unlovely. And in dozens of ways, we work to meet the needs of the needy.
___"In many kinds of ways in every corner of Texas and all over the world, we're punching holes in the awful darkness the absence of Christ's light brings. We tell them the Jesus story. He serves through us, and he shines through us as we tell about the cross and resurrection."
___Glazener said men and women, boys and girls "from the slums to the silk-stocking lanes grope through life searching for meaning in their darkness. With all the siren voices of a sensate pleasure-seeking world, the false trumpets of psuedo-religions lying to them about the light, they cry out in anguish, 'Why doesn't God say something? Let God speak so that I can understand!'"
___Glazener said Texas Baptists are attempting to do that.
___"We're trying to let the message of God be heard and seen through Texas Baptists. God loves you just as you are, and he loves you way too much to leave you as you are. He wants you to know forgiveness and wholeness and meaning and purpose and joy and fulfillment through Jesus Christ, who died to buy your pardon," Glazener said.
___He added that God "intends to dispel the darkness by shining through us. He invites every Christian who is a part of the family of Texas Baptists to shine all over Texas with the presence of Christ.
___"God does not judge us by the buildings we build or the number of heretics we've defrocked.
___"But it may be that God will tell every one of his redeemed women and men, 'I gave you a towel with your name on it, and I sent my Holy Spirit to live in you.' … Then he may ask, 'Whose feet did you wash, and where did you punch holes in the darkness?'"
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