God's movement brings fresh stirrings throughout state

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FORT MYERS (FBW)-Citing a renewed commitment to prayer and a focus on the importance of baptism, two Florida pastors and a director of missions shared their testimonies Nov. 13-14 at the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting in Fort Myers.

 

After hurricane discouragement, 'Fresh Focus' brings 'glory' to God

Bob Greene, director of missions of the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association, told messengers and guests the churches of his association are experiencing a new awakening because of extended, directed prayer.

During a May meeting of directors of missions, Greene was asked to speak on "What's Working for You," he said. Truthfully, he had to report that his Panhandle association was declining. Many small congregations were still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Ivan in 2004, several churches were being priced out of property insurance and, since the storm, baptisms had declined by 400. An intentional church start had not succeeded in 30 years, with most churches preferring the motto, "Each one split one," he said.

Greene sought the advice of Rick Shepherd, director of the Prayer and Spiritual Awakening Department of the Florida Baptist Convention, who suggested a prayer effort, Forty Days of Fresh Focus. During the 40 days of the prayer emphasis, each church of the association prays during a 24-hour period.

Most of the 75 churches volunteered to spend a day in prayer during the emphasis that began Oct. 14, and their director of missions reported an almost immediate "stirring of God." He said "attitudes changed" and church leaders have begun talking about church planting. Along with reports of "intense spiritual warfare," pastors told Greene of new experiences in praying with their church members.

"God is bringing us to a place where we are putting our focus on Him," Greene said. "We know that whatever God is doing, He will bring glory to Himself."

Mega-baptism takes 'real staff effort'

Raul Palacios, associate pastor of Flamingo Road Church in Fort Lauderdale, told Convention messengers the church baptized more than 300 in the congregation's fourth beach baptism Sept. 17. The Gulf Stream Baptist Association church has baptized 534 new believers in the past year.

"It is amazing to see what God is doing," Palacios said.

Palacios, standing in for his ailing 39-year-old pastor, Troy Gramling, said the popularity of the beach venue for the ordinance results in a "real staff effort" in managing the logistics of the bi-annual event.

During a video of the massive observance, baptism candidates, including a mother and 12-year-old son, told what the baptism meant to them. Among their comments were these:

"I started coming to church three months ago, I heard the message, and I decided to 'take the plunge;'"

"I'm Catholic," said a member of the church who was speaking of her upbringing, Palacios later told the Witness. "When I was baptized as an infant, I didn't have a chance to say 'yes' for myself. Today, I'm saying 'yes.'

Step-by-step strategy leads to 104 consecutive weeks of prayer

Travis Hudson, pastor of Hardeetown Baptist Church in Chiefland, shared the testimony of Harmony Baptist Association, which committed to a strategy of prayer beginning in 1996.

It was a step-by-step process, Hudson said. The association committed to 21 days of prayer, and then 21 weeks, Hudson added.

"After the 21 weeks of prayer we realized what God was doing," Hudson said. "In a little old association with 21 churches God began to move."

The association's ministry reached from the Baptist College of Florida in Graceville, to hurricane relief on the Gulf Coast, and then expanded to Montana and the "outermost parts of the world" as they continued to give through the Cooperative Program, Hudson said. As the ministry expanded, God showed new ways to work in their own association, Hudson added.

The outflow of ministry inspired the association to commit to 52 weeks of prayer in 2005-2006, Hudson said. The association put together a tract that said one year, one heart, seven ways to pray. Harmony began to pray for individuals by name in their churches.

"We began to see God move in a tremendous way," Hudson said.

Baptisms, fellowship, and finances all increased, Hudson said. The association planned four events to promote the prayer ministry including an annual prayer rally or conference and training for intercessory prayer leaders, Hudson added. At the end of the 52 weeks, the association committed to 52 more, so by September of 2007 the association will have concluded 104 consecutive weeks of committed prayer, Hudson said.

"We believe that [God] has placed before us a tremendous challenge," Hudson said. "It is our responsibility then that we name names and we have prayer lists Ö and we share the Gospel with them but we also believe that it is important to talk to God about people. In doing that, we are convinced that the Holy Spirit of God will do a lot more than we can if we try to do it in the flesh."