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Today: An Interview |
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| Submitted: Monday, February 15, 2010; 7:42 p.m. print this page ● feedback ● main ALSBOM site |
Most Baptists do not believe that foot washing is an ordinance.
Yet it is a biblical concept. The vivid description of Jesus
washing the feet of His disciples is one of the best depictions
of servanthood anyone can imagine. The scene must have shocked
Peter and the other disciples, but this did not stop Jesus from
taking a towel and washing the feet of these ordinary men who
had become His followers.
Recently, Bobby Welch, former president of the SBC, led a brief
devotional for a meeting of executive directors from state
conventions all over North America. This veteran
pastoral/missions leader read the words of Scripture, "How
beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news." Then
he challenged us to group together in twos and pray over each
other's feet.
My prayer partner was Bob White, executive director of our
neighbor state convention in Georgia. I kneeled down and placed
my hands over his feet (shoes) and asked the Lord to use the
influence of Bob White to continue to "bring the good news" to
people. When I concluded, Bob then kneeled down and prayed a
similar prayer over my feet.
Afterward, Bob and I spontaneously hugged each other in an act
of Christian love. Few times in my life has such a simple act
meant so much to me. I was moved to tears, and I glanced around
the room and I saw so many Christian leaders kneeling down and
praying for each other. I wish I had taken a picture of the
scene. Well, in one way I did take a picture. It was a mental
one, tucked away in the archives of meaningful moments in my
ministry.
We may not believe that foot washing is an ordinance, but we do
believe in praying for each other. When you pray over the feet
of Christian leaders, you are making a commitment to pray for
these brothers more than just at that particular moment. For
years to come, Bob White will be uppermost in my prayers. I am
praying that his feet will become even more beautiful in
"bringing the good news" to others.
Thank you, Bobby Welch, for helping me, and I am sure many
others, to learn to pray in this profoundly simple way for my
brothers in the ministry. This moment is etched in my memory for
the rest of my life. I now have an even more special bonding
with my friend, Bob White. May his ministry be blessed as his
"beautiful feet" are used to serve the Lord.
| Submitted: Friday, February 5, 2010; 9:34 a.m. print this page ● feedback ● main ALSBOM site |
God's
Plan for Sharing is a decade-long strategic emphasis on the part
of Southern Baptists. Across Alabama is the first phase of this
crucial effort of reaching people for Christ. Across Alabama
points to a celebration of harvest on Easter Sunday. I look
forward to participating in one of these Easter celebrations at
Heritage Baptist Church in Montgomery.
Beyond
Easter, there is another tremendous opportunity to reach people
in a time-tested and practically proven way. It is Vacation
Bible School. Alabama Baptists lead the SBC in VBS outreach
efforts. More than 10,000 leaders were trained for VBS ministry
assignments last year in our state. Approximately 250,000 people
were enrolled in VBS. Literally thousands of decisions for
Christ were made during the hundreds of VBS experiences in
Alabama Baptist churches.
Personally my own conversion experience was related to a
Vacation Bible School when ,as a young child, I heard the Gospel
message and responded publicly the following Sunday. For this
reason and many others, I am an advocate for VBS. I wish every
church would somehow participate in hosting a VBS. Smaller
churches can unite their efforts and share leadership and
combine their energies to reach people during VBS.
VBS can be a missions experience too. Churches can commission
leaders to go across the state and assist other churches in
effectively providing a healthy VBS experience. VBS is an "Acts
1:8, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth"-kind
of strategy which is the very essence of GPS, God's Plan for
Sharing!
The reason I am emphasizing VBS now is obvious. It needs to be
an intentional act of training for VBS leaders. VBS is one way
to share Christ in this Decade to make a Difference before us.
May this be our best VBS year ever for Alabama Baptists and all
Southern Baptists.
(For important information about VBS, please contact State
Missionary James Blakeney at 1-800-264-1225, ext. 286, or
jblakeney@alsbom.org.)
