TAMPA (FBW)—Leading four Bible study sessions at the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting at the Sun Dome in Tampa Nov. 10-11, Ted Traylor, pastor, Olive Baptist Church spoke on a number of biblical issues including the inerrancy of the Bible and the sovereignty of God.

Traylor was a last minute fill-in after an unexpected cancellation forced convention planners to scramble days before the start of the annual meeting. Traylor's church was recently honored with the C.H. Spurgeon "preaching" award from the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

Keeping with the convention theme "Pursue Christ," Traylor led four studies: Pursuing People, Pursuing Praise, Pursuing Purity, and Pursuing Purpose.

Pursuing People

Drawing from Matthew 9:35-38, Traylor said three words describe the passage. "Proclaim" identifies Jesus as the one who was "proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom," Traylor said. "We live in a world that’s got enough bad news. We need … Good News of the Kingdom."

"Preacher, it's not a bad thing to be called a preacher or a proclaimer of the Word of God," he told messengers. "Don't forget the message. You have been given the message and it's the Gospel," he added.

The second important word in describing how to pursue people is the word "pastor," Traylor said. Telling how Jesus was moved with "compassion" by the multitudes, Traylor said people in the churches "need to be led — they need a shepherd."

Finally, those in leadership need to "pray" for people. First, they need a "vision" for the harvest, through exposure to peoples outside of the church. Second, pray they hear and heed a call to the harvest.

"When the call of God comes to us, then we must answer that call," Traylor said. When that happens it is important that "moms and dads" give up their children in order that they might serve as a missionary, preacher or teacher.

Pursuing Praise

Citing Psalm 22:3, Traylor said while the pursuit of praise might "conjure" up a discussion over whether to use an organ or a praise band for worship, that misses the point if churches don't recognize there are "all kinds of modes of giving praise unto the Father."

Telling the story of Matt Redmond, whom he called a "marvelous song writer," Traylor said the young man was told by his pastor his church band had strayed from its theological moorings and instead of "theism" they were proclaiming "meism."

Traylor said the pastor told of how every member of the band left the church after the pastor’s talk — except Redmond, who went on to write the now popular, "The Heart of Worship."

Reciting the song, with its first line, "I'm coming back to the heart of worship; It's all about you, it's all about you, Jesus," Traylor said praise is a part of pursuing Christ.

Traylor said three ideas arise out of Psalms 22:3: 1) That Baptists are a monotheistic people, but also trinitarian; 2) That God is holy; and 3) That God is both "among" and "in" those who are believers.

"Don’t forget God also is in us. That is the reason when you preach the Word of God and God is within the people, God responds to the truth of the Word and He stirs the soul of the lost man..," Traylor said. "We praise Him for Who He is, for what He is and for where He is."

Pursuing Purity

Drawing from 1 Peter 1:14-16, Traylor said the Scripture calls for holiness in pursuing Christ. "Obedient children, that is what we are to be," Traylor said. "Walk in purity as the children of God."

Naming four attributes of this kind of holiness from Psalm 24:3, Traylor said this type of person will have "clean hands," "a pure heart," "will not have lifted their soul unto falsehood" and will not have "sworn deceit."

The first two attributes point to everything a believer is involved in, said Traylor. It means that person will consider his occupation and everything he does to be sincere.

"Not lifting your soul unto falsehood" has to do with the inerrancy of Scripture and correct doctrine, Traylor said.

"God speaks and when He speaks that settles the issue," Traylor said of the "infallible" Word of God. He also used as an example the recent flap over those in the Episcopalian church who have moved for the installment of a homosexual bishop.

"We should not lift up our soul unto falsehood," Traylor cautioned. "Our Episcopalian friends of late have been lifting up their souls unto falsehood. I cannot figure out what all of the fuss is about. All of a sudden [this happens] because the man is a bishop. If he was not a bishop that would be okay?

"My dear friend, they’ve already lifted up their soul to falsehood.You must deal with that issue. Right behind that issue, deal with the fornicators and the adulterers sitting in the pew as well," Traylor added.

The same applies to universalists who believe everyone is going to heaven, Traylor said. "You must be born again."

On other issues of falsehood, Traylor said he has a concern about a much recently debated topic among Baptists.

"There’s one other issue and this one comes a little closer to home for Baptists and there is creeping into our thought processes today; this issue of such sovereignty that some believe that Jesus did not die for all," Traylor said. "Now I believe the Word of God when it says those that He foreknew He predestined; those He predestined, He predestined to become conformed to the image of God; those that He predestined, He called and those that He called He justified and those that He justified, He glorified; but I also believe 1 John 2:2 where it says that Jesus is the propitiation for our sin; not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world.

"And I will not lift up my soul to falsehood to believe that I cannot face every man on the street and say, ‘Jesus died for you,’" Traylor added. "We must be very careful as the children of God."

Traylor said "young theologues" who go to Baptist College of Florida in Graceville have asked him whether he is a Calvinist or Arminian.

"I look them right in the eye and say, ‘no, I’m a Baptist,’" Traylor added. "You don’t find the word Calvin in the Bible, you don’t find the word Arminian in the Bible," he asserted. "At least John was the Baptist; that’s who I am."

"Friends, there is a tension there," Traylor said. "But you be very careful that you do not lift up your soul unto falsehood.... [God is] looking for purity ... in our doctrine."

Citing a 50-60% divorce rate, Traylor said not swearing deceit has to do with commitment and said God is looking for purity.

Pursuing Purpose

Sharing Ephesians 2:19-22, Traylor said pursuing purpose is asking, "Why in the world are we here?"

"It is our purpose as believers to go and find other strangers and aliens and to bring them to faith in Christ into the household of faith," Traylor said. "And we press on and we run towards that.

"There are no apostles and there are not prophets today writing Holy Scripture," said Traylor. "The canon is closed. We have the Word of God from Genesis to the Revelation."

"If we are going to reach strangers and aliens, we must preach the Word. ... There is a drought [or] dearth in the land for expository, biblical preaching. ... We need to be opening the Word of God, Sunday by Sunday, week by week, and teaching doctrinal, foundational truth," Traylor said. "[And] we must remember our Christological focus."

On Pentecostal fire, Traylor said, "The fullness of the Holy Spirit is available to any church that is willing to call and pray and see the fire of God come.

"Oh, God, let the fire fall," he added.