I was just thinking...

...about the irony of what the next few days hold for me. Today I'll experience the culmination of a tremendous week of VBS. Our whole staff acts and play like kids because we are playing with kids - hundreds of them. Check out the crazy pictures on Mark's Blog. It's been a great week. So far, at least 42 children have asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior this week. I'm praying for a great harvest tonight. Precious young lives are being changed right in front of our eyes. Some will never be the same - only time will tell. It is up to us as a church family to make sure that McGregor is always a fun and safe place for kids so that, when they're older, they'll remember their church experience fondly and long for their children to experience the same.

This Sunday night's VBS Family night is huge. Many families, many who would normally NEVER go to any church will be here. I LIVE for these moments. We have a real chance to introduce them to Christ and our church - and some will be drawn to both. THAT is what I am so excited about. I'm more than praying for this; I'm begging God to show up, touch hearts, bless as only He can. Lives are on the line.

Then, Monday I leave for the Southern Baptist Convention. I love my convention. Sometimes, as a Christian at my age, I feel very alone in my love for this great old convention. So many are bolting for less bureaucratic lines of church development and Kingdom growth. The convention grows........old. Every year. I pray that the SBC's influence isn't diminished among younger believers in the future.

There are numerous Baptist distinctives that I believe are very important guidelines for applying our theology and doctrine, as well as church polity (the practice and governance of "church"). Additionally, the SBC has what I believe to be the most extensive network of missionaries and mission endeavors of any other evangelical organization -- all supported by Cooperative Program gifts of our church and the 42,000 other member churches. Read more about what we believe in the Baptist Faith & Message. It's an incredible story of God's faithfulness, where we, as Southern Baptists, have come from and where we're going.

All of that being said, I was just thinking about how I absolutely love these young, innocent, growing, maturing VBS kids and their families. And, I also love our old, somewhat tiring, somewhat outdated Convention. I think BOTH are absolutely crucial to the advancement of the Kingdom. Yet, they are so.......different.

I love both the kids and the Convention. They seem sometimes to have so little in common and so little respect for each other.

I was just thinking...

dRP