One hundred and five teenagers from across the nation are already in Indianapolis, working hard on housing projects in needy areas with our North American Mission Board’s “World Changers.” Sharing hope. We had dinner with their leaders last night.

There are TV ads and newspaper ads titled: “WE ARE SOUTHERN BAPTISTS. SHARING HOPE EVERY SINGLE DAY.”

And that’s just the beginning. 

Hundreds of Christians from across our nation will come in this weekend, working on thirty exciting CrossOver evangelistic events in Indy. Sharing hope. Sharing Jesus.

And THAT’s just the prelude.

Thousands will arrive at the Indianapolis Convention Center for Sunday and Monday’s Pastors’ Conference, WMU Missions Celebration, and a myriad of other wonderful pre-convention events. Every event is about sharing hope. Sharing Jesus.

And after all that,

the Southern Baptist Convention begins, with somewhere between ten and twenty thousand attenders. (I’ll let you know the final number next week!) Tuesday and Wednesday are packed full of reports and praise and presentations and special events–all telling the story of what’s going on across our nation and world with the SBC denomination.  42,000 churches in the U.S. with 16 million church members! In our state (Indiana), there are 430 Southern Baptist churches and missions. Every one of those churches are all about sharing hope. Sharing Jesus.

The amazing thing is that each church is totally autonomous, but voluntarily join together for our Cooperative Program, sending 5,000+ home missionaries and 5000+ foreign missionaries in 153 countries. There’s much more (check out  www.sbc.net, www.wearesouthernbaptists.org, www.namb.net, www.imb.org). Southern Baptists share a commitment to biblical truth and a commitment to sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with everyone everywhere. (Did you enjoy that Southern Baptist 101 lesson?)

Please pray for those leading our SBC convention. Pray for the hundreds of Indiana Baptists who are volunteering behind the scenes to make the details happen. Pray that each person coming from around the country will be encouraged and inspired as a Christian, and will take opportunities as they visit to share Jesus with the masses of people around downtown Indy who don’t know Him. 

That’s what it’s all about!  Sharing hope. Sharing Jesus.

P.S. Even if you’re not a Baptist, you’re welcome to come and enjoy the convention. The schedule is on the sbc.net website, and there’s no cost.  You’ll enjoy the crowds. You’ll learn a lot. And, if you don’t have a personal relationship with God, you’ll learn how to do that! See you there?

I’m heading up to Lake Placid, near Muncie Indiana, for a weekend ladies retreat with the East Central Baptist Association churches.  Can’t wait!

The retreat theme, “The Aroma of Christ,” intrigues me.  I found a new table game called P.U.! It has scratch and sniff cards with smells, such as roses and skunks, etc.  Of course I bought the game, and I’ll use it as a fun illustration…

Interesting, though, that all smells aren’t sweet.  And the “aroma of Christ”–the scent of a Christian–smells differently to those who are being saved and those who are perishing…

…to one it’s the fragrance of life

…to the other it’s the scent of death.

      And it’s right there in the Scripture:  WE are the aroma of God. 

       Please pray for a blessed weekend with my “sisters” in Christ.  I hope the scratch-n-sniff cards hold out!

 ——–

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 states: 

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.  And who is equal to such a task?”

The harvest is ripe.

Great sermons were preached by Darin Garton, Johnny Hunt, Chuch Lawless, Ed Setzer, Charles Wilson, Steve Davis and Bobby Welch. 

The entire conference was fabulous, but a simple Q&A time during the pastors luncheon was the most challenging and inspiring event I’ve attended. (more…)

We spent a wonderful day in Fort Worth, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Steve was honored to be on the program (photo above), and we loved visiting with old friends and new students and denominational leaders alike.  (more…)

Hi Friends -

Thought you might enjoy seeing a few Fresh Ideas articles printed this month. Click below:

Facts & Trends Magazine  Page 28

The Indiana Baptist   The Indiana Baptist

Hawaii Baptist

The Florida Baptist 

The Iowa Baptist

South Carolina Courier 

Texas Baptist Crossroads Magazine

Texas Baptist

The Illinois Baptist

The Western Recorder (book review)

Minnesota Wisconsin Baptist

Utah Idaho Southern Baptist Witness

Deacon Magazine page 8

Let’s Worship Magazine  page 72