150th Anniversary rally concludes state-wide emphasis

WEST PALM BEACH (FBC)–Harkening back 150 years when itinerant preachers traveled the state preaching the Gospel, Florida Baptists have held a series of 14 regional rallies, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Florida Baptist State Convention, culminating March 15 at First Baptist Church, West Palm Beach.

The rallies’ six-week journey across the state, starting with the Convention’s birthplace of Madison, have encouraged Florida Baptists to "Join the Celebration" of the Convention’s heritage and hope. Combined, the rallies drew over 4,000.

Pensacola pastor Ted Traylor, who had led a previous rally in Dade City, gave the series’ closing address, encouraging Florida Baptists to build on their heritage by celebrating their diversity and working together as a family of hope. Traylor is pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola and is serving as the president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastor’s Conference for 2004.

Basing his message on Eph. 2:19-20, Traylor said that differences in the family of God–such as background and language–can be positive if they work together for the common purpose of spreading the Gospel.

"While we are different, our ecclesiastology calls for us to be fitted together, and that makes us strong," he said.

Becoming part of a family isn’t always easy, Traylor said, because it means making a transition and being willing to adjust.

When a person makes a profession of faith and enters into the family of

God, he said, they bring along baggage such as prejudices and thought processes that can only be changed through the process of sanctification.

"When we enter into the family of God, we are to become like Him," Traylor said. "We must understand the church as the family of God."

Traylor outlined four building blocks of the family of God-a doctrinal foundation, a Christological focus, an ecclesiastical function and a pentecostal fire.

Churches must hold fast to Scriptural truths, he said. "Unless the church of the living God builds its foundation on the apostles and prophets of the Word of God, we will lose our way."

Churches also must maintain a singular focus on Christ, Traylor said. "Christ isn’t one god among many, He is the only God. Jesus is our focus. We are to have eyes for no other."

Thirdly, churches must function as the household of God, he said. Traylor said to work as a family, churches must fit together through their willingness to cooperate with each other, accept change to grow, be consecrated by living a holy lifestyle, and be confessional by sharing the gospel message.

"Some say that people don’t like change," Traylor said. "But if you don’t change in life, you die. People don’t mind change. They just don’t like loss."

Traylor encouraged positive change that advances Kingdom principles, rather than frivolous change that throws things away indiscriminately.

Lastly, he said, churches must exhibit a pentecostal fire by being totally dedicated to God.

"Churches shouldn’t be dead, dry or dull places," he said. "We should have a fire within us."

"People will leave deadness to go somewhere they think has life," Traylor said. Churches should be fruitful places, he said, but some churches instead have:

–fruit consumers: they partake but never give back,

–fruit inspectors: they inspect but never participate,

–fruit flies: "they never show up ‘til there’s a stink," Traylor said, such as a controversial business meeting,

–"fruit loops": "they are there to challenge you; you are there to love them," he said.

Traylor said the goal of churches should be to produce fruit bearers-those who are overflowing with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, such as love, peace, understanding and self-control.

Someone who is filled with the fire of God always illuminates and always purifies, he said.

Churches from across the state will have an opportunity to celebrate together and mark the 150th anniversary of the Florida Baptist State Convention during its annual meeting Nov. 8-9 in Jacksonville.