BY DR. JOHN SULLIVAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-TREASURER
FLORIDA BAPTIST CONVENTION

A Challenge to Pastors - Part 2

In the past week’s column, I issued a challenge to our Florida Baptist pastors as they preach and lead their congregations. This week, I have a few more things to add. My desire is that strength will come to your ministry and joy will supersede all disappointments. When you preach:

1. Jog your memories of the priority of love. Love acts in self-sacrificing fashion when called upon. Love enables us to enjoy the abundant life. We can best demonstrate our love for God by loving man. Love must become the significant as well as sufficient expression of our life.
   
2. Lead us to look like Jesus to the world through biblical preaching and a Christ honoring life-style. Assist us in making the life of Christ our controlling motive for life and ministry. Continue to instruct us in the life of Christ when we “sputter” in making Jesus the perfect example of moral influence and positive fellowship in our relationships with others.
   
3. Encourage us to reclaim the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit in our churches. The displacement of the Spirit life is obvious in many churches. Baptists must become advocates for the personal ministry and power of the Holy Spirit. When we miss this mark much of what we do will be tilted, warped and dull. Now please understand, I’m not advocating for just emotional “hoopla.” My desire is for you to preach in such a way that dull inconsistencies are overcome by the critical and crucial evidence that the “Lord is in this place.”

I do not advocate speaking in tongues as an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. However, I do advocate the Holy Spirit as the only one who can teach you to control the tongue you have.

1. Help us with our families. This is a tough day for family life. This very basic unit of God’s society is under the harshest attack in my lifetime. Please, I plead, help us to be responsible parents. This one fact may do more to curb the disintegration of the home than any other factor.
   
2. Live and preach a view of sex and marriage that challenges the commercial interest of the media. Set the standard by the Cross, not by opinion polls.
   
3. Continue to apply pressure to produce results in the flock that will demand all of us to accept the role of priest and prophet in a troubled world.

Pastors, be assured of my support as you develop a clear vision for your ministry and congregation. Christian commitment poses a heavy duty in warning and serving. We love you for it.

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You may contact Dr. John Sullivan at 1-800-226-8584, ext. 3015, or by e-mail.