SBC Pastors’ meeting: ‘Jesus Came Preaching’

PENSACOLA (FBW) - Ted Traylor is burdened about the need for biblical preaching in America’s pulpits. That burden drove his planning and preparation for this year’s Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference to be held in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis.

The June 13-14 meeting at the Indianapolis Convention Center, will mark the second time in three years that a Floridian has led the conference. Ken Whitten, pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa, was the president of the group for the 2002 annual meeting. The Florida flavor of the 2004 meeting is also enhanced by Hal Kitchings, pastor of First Baptist Church, Eustis, who is serving the group as secretary - just as he did for last year’s meeting in Phoenix.

In an exclusive interview with Florida Baptist Witness, Traylor, senior pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, said, "It is my aim to highlight biblical preaching in this year’s conference. My prayer is to raise the awareness of the validity and need for biblical preaching week-by-week in our churches’ pulpits."

In light of Traylor’s burden and goal for the pastors’ conference, the theme of the meeting is, "Jesus Came Preaching," taken from Mark 1:14.

The conference will explore the theme through four sessions with each session emphasizing one aspect of Jesus’ preaching: the Gospel, the Kingdom, repentance and the Word.

In addition to First Baptist Church of Jacksonville’s Jerry Vines, other notable speakers will include Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga.; Stephen Olford, president of Encounter Ministries in Memphis, Tenn.; Adrian Rogers, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn.; and Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Explaining his decision-making in choosing the conference speakers, Traylor said, "I looked for those men who model biblical preaching and have a great track record in this discipline."

One of the unique features of this year’s pastors’ meeting will be the involvement of a "reclaimed, redeemed" former homosexual, Mike Haley. Traylor noted that the Focus on the Family staffer may be the first "major speaking slot given to one with this testimony." Haley is a leader of Focus’ "Love Won Out" conferences addressing the issue of reaching homosexuals with the Gospel.

Haley’s "story is one that needs to be highlighted," Traylor added.

Noting the pivotal role the pastors’ conference has played in his own commitment to preaching and the Southern Baptist Convention, Traylor said, "We are in a critical period in the life of our Southern Baptist Convention. We have the need to raise a new level of awareness of the denomination with the coming generation of preachers."

"It is my hope that this will be a positive influence for all who attend," he added.

The Indy Pastors’ Conference will be an Olive Baptist Church family affair, Traylor said, noting that the church has warmly embraced its pastor’s role in the conference, taking pride in his leadership of the meeting. In addition to the participation of the choir, other members of the church family will provide assistance at the meeting as greeters and ushers, as well as helping with hospitality and security.

"These people are making a financial sacrifice and giving of their time to be a part of the conference," Traylor said. "I am deeply grateful and elated at the way they have responded to help me in this endeavor."

Noting that the process of planning the conference has given him a "behind the scenes" look at the work that it takes to present the conference, Traylor said serving as president this year has been "hard work," but he has been "encouraged by many friends across the Convention and prayed for on a regular basis."

Serving as president "has been a joy and an honor," Traylor said.

The complete schedule for the meeting is as follows:

Sunday, June 13: Jesus Came Preaching the Gospel – Paul Negrut, pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Oradea, Romania; Ronnie Floyd, pastor, First Baptist Church, Springdale, Ark.; Paige Patterson, president, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas.

Monday, June 14, Morning Session: Jesus Came Preaching the Kingdom – Bryan Smith, pastor, First Baptist Church, Van Buren, Ark.; Fred Luter, pastor, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, La.; Ergun Caner, professor, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.; Adrian Rogers, pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, Tenn.

Monday, June 14, Afternoon Session: Jesus Came Preaching Repentance – Don Wilton, pastor, First Baptist Church, Spartanburg, S.C.; Ed Hindson, professor, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.; Mike Haley, Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, Co.; Jerry Vines, pastor, First Baptist Church, Jacksonville.

Monday, June 14, Evening Session: Jesus Came Preaching the Word – Voddie Baucham, Voddie Baucham Ministries, Spring, Texas; Stephen Olford, Encounter Ministries, Memphis, Tenn.; Johnny Hunt, pastor, First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga.