June 17, 2002

Fireworks fly at SBC Pastors' Conference
___By Stella Prather
___& Jennifer Bryant
___Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine
___ST. LOUIS--It wasn't yet the Fourth of July, but a group of Southern Baptists celebrated America with a patriotic, flag-flying worship service June 10 at the America's Center in St. Louis.

The 2002 Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference was a patriotic affair. Richard McCormack photo/BP

___"We will persevere, not because of our airmen and soldiers fighting, ... but because we have a country that is turning back to God and turning to prayer," exclaimed Lt. Col. Oliver North to participants in the 2002 Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference.
___North was the featured speaker at the closing session of the June 9-10 event held in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.
___As flags flew, patriotic songs rang out from a 200-voice choir and cheers streamed from the crowd. The host of Baptists attending the patriotic event stood to their feet in celebration of their country. Tears streamed from faces as the audience viewed a video of America's armed forces fighting in past wars. Participants joined in singing the anthems of each branch of the U.S. military.
___The salute climaxed as an oversized American flag was lowered from the rafters, soldiers rappelled from above the crowd and a small fireworks show brightly blazed.

Jerry Vines Sandy King photo/BP

___Fireworks of another kind flew in response to one of the sermons delivered at the conference, however. Jerry Vines, pastor of First Church of Jacksonville, Fla., drew national media attention for his sermon on Judges 17, in which he warned the Christian church not to succumb to religious materialism, humanism and pragmatism.
___Americans today often hear that all religions are the same, he noted.
___"They would have you believe Islam is as good as Christianity," Vines said. "I am here to tell you Islam is not as good as Christianity. Christianity was founded by the virgin-born Jesus Christ.
___"Islam was founded by Mohammed, a demon-possessed pedophile who had 12 wives, and his last one was a 9-year-old girl," Vines said to applause.
___"Allah is not Jehovah, either," Vines said. "Jehovah is not going to turn anyone into a terrorist that will try to bomb people and take the lives of thousands and thousands of people."
___Besides Vines and North, other conference speakers included well-known Southern Baptist pastors Fred Luter, Jack Graham and Mac Brunson, as well as Kentucky pastor Kevin Cosby, Florida Baptist Convention executive John Sullivan and evangelists Junior Hill and Jay Strack.
___The conference theme was "Lest We Forget," based on Proverbs 22:28.
___During the conference business session, Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, was elected president of the 2003 Pastors' Conference. He was nominated by Vines.

Oliver North Kent Harville photo/BP

___Robert Pitman, pastor of Kirby Woods Baptist Church of Memphis, Tenn., nominated his son, Vance Pitman, pastor of Hope Baptist Church of Las Vegas, Nev., for vice president. Hal Kitchings, pastor of Morrison Heights Baptist Church of Clinton, Miss., was elected to serve as secretary. He was nominated by Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church of Pensacola, Fla.
___In his address, North took messengers back to Sept. 11, the day America was changed forever. He said he, too, was aboard an airliner on that tragic morning. Like many, he turned to prayer and asked God to look down upon America.
___Now, more than 200 days later, North told the audience they should not be fearful of terrorism because the United States is in good hands.
___"Despite what the media reports, ... America ought not be afraid," he declared. "They say we should be afraid to gather in large crowds like we are tonight. But I've got news for the media. If you know where you are going, you should never be afraid to gather with fellow believers."
___Speaking of a recent visit to Kandahar, Afghanistan, North told the Baptist pastors that God is at work among the troops fighting in the Middle East. Many of the troops are taking part in prayer times and seeking the counsel of chaplains, he reported.
___Noting that many in the Middle East hate America, North said the United States will persevere. He reminded the pastors that Jesus also was hated by many, yet Jesus died and was raised again for the sins of all.
___North urged the audience to continue to pray for the troops fighting overseas and for America's leaders, as well as to be faithful in sharing the gospel message.

Mac Brunson Gibbs Frazeur photo/BP

___"I pray this nation will be the godly nation it is intended to be," he said. "There is no other place on this planet with the opportunities we have, ... and it deserves our prayer."
___Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, spoke on the "call of the pastor."
___He recalled his own calling into the ministry as a teen visiting a camp near Fort Worth and declared: "God is calling us to a call of greatness. God is calling us to be great under his glory."
___Like Abraham who faithfully followed God's call with no questions asked, "we need to make sure we get rid of everything that would hinder us from doing the will of God. Get rid of any distractions," Graham said.
___Believers may not always understand God's plan for their lives, but they always can trust in God's promises, he added.
___"Faith is an incredible adventure," Graham said. "It is something we get to do. We get to live the legacy of great people. Life and ministry are not a dress rehearsal. We get one chance to build a legacy for the generations to come."
___A highlight of the Monday evening session was a tribute to deceased SBC pastors. Among those recognized was the legendary pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, W.A. Criswell, who died this spring.
___Brunson, current pastor of the church, spoke from Acts 3:1 and warned that churches can save themselves but lose their cities.
___"We've tried to be everything we don't need to be, except that which Jesus called us to be," Brunson said. "If we are to be more than little islands in this sea of sin, then we are going to have to recover a passion to be the church, under his lordship, filled with his spirit and under the authority of his word."
___Recovering a New Testament passion can be accomplished by recapturing a dedication to relationships, illustrated in the close association of Peter and John, he said.
___"There should be a bond between us. The world should be able to look at us and say, 'See how they love each other,' A bond that is so strong that the fury of hell itself can't tear it apart, instead of a spiritualist elitist attitude. We are for each other."
___With additional reporting from Baptist Press
___

The Baptist Standard



News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

---

Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook