By Shawn Parker
Executive Director-Treasurer
Miss. Baptist Convention Board
If you’ve been following Southern Baptist Convention news, you know that next week’s Annual Meeting in Nashville has the potential to impact Southern Baptist life for generations. While there will be some wonderful times of worship and celebration of God’s work, I also anticipate some intense discussions during reports and business sessions.
Therefore, I’d like to encourage you to pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as delicate matters are addressed by one of the largest contingencies of messengers we’ve seen in decades. Let me share a few thoughts on how you can focus your prayers:
— Pray for 64 missionaries who will be commissioned by our International Mission Board during their Sending Celebration on Monday evening. This may be the most significant event that will happen.
— Pray for J.D. Greear, our SBC president, and the convention parliamentarians to ensure that matters are handled decently and orderly.
— Pray for the leaders of SBC institutions and entities to report with integrity, humility, and clarity — in that order, I’d say.
— Pray for God to guide messengers in the election of a new president to lead the SBC over the next year.
— Pray for Ronnie Floyd, president of the SBC executive Committee, to have wisdom and courage in addressing matters both on and off the platform.
— Pray that the Exhibit Hall would be a place of healthy fellowship rather than debate and conspiring. (Warm cookies and strong coffee might help.)
— Pray that first-time messengers will be encouraged and challenged by the unity and Kingdom work of Southern Baptists.
— Pray that the presentation of Vision 2025 will be well-received and become a point of rally for local churches.
— Pray that secular media representatives will be filled with a spirit of integrity in all they report.
— Several from the Baptist Building will be in Nashville, so pray for travel safety for them.
At the end of the day, I’m thankful to be a Southern Baptist, but I’m especially thankful to be a Mississippi Baptist. Regardless of what happens in Nashville, Mississippi Baptists will keep our sleeves rolled up and hands ready to assist our churches in making disciples!
Editor’s Note: Opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, The Baptist Record, nor the publication’s Advisory Committee. The author may be contacted at simpletruth@mbcb.org.
