Wicker: ‘Verbal communication of Gospel necessary’

JACKSONVILLE—(FBC) Sharing the Gospel of Christ in word is a “non-negotiable” in the Christian life, Florida Baptist State Convention president Hayes Wicker told Convention employees April 13.“One thing that is not negotiable is evangelism and missions. Christianity is essentially a missionary religion.”

Citing Acts 14:24-28, Hayes explained that when the apostles arrived in Perga at the conclusion of the first missionary journey, “they spoke the Word.” Continuing, he said, one cannot share the Gospel without verbally communicating the message. It is not enough, he added, to just “live by example.”

Why are Christians reluctant to share the Gospel, he asked. Some have a “specialization syndrome,” which he called a “come here” instead of a “go tell” mentality.

Others have a “superstar syndrome” that thinks witnessing is for persons with outgoing personalities. And still others have a “stressed out syndrome” that believes other issues including time and their own problems preclude them from sharing.

Sharing the Gospel verbally cannot be accidental, but must be intentional, said the pastor of First Baptist Church of Naples.

Admitting that witnessing is “not easy” in “sophisticated and affluent Naples,” Wicker explained that in 2004, the church baptized 300-plus persons, nearly 100 over the previous year.

He offered three things that give him strength when sharing his faith—knowing he had grace for trials, “My grace is sufficient,” he quoted; the authority of God over all things; and power in all circumstances.

Wicker explained that he had challenged Florida Baptists to baptize 100,000 new converts in 2005, a tall order considering the state reported 34,534 baptisms in 2004. But he added, “If God broke loose in revival we could see 100,000 people saved. We can do more than 35,000 if we do more and believe and do in the power of God.

“Our state is crying out, ‘Give us God,’ and we don’t know how to articulate the message.”