Connections

I suppose that everyone who attends the Southern Baptist Convention has a different priority for going. It was my privilege to attend such a meeting last month. In fact, it was as I reflected upon this trip that I was inspired to begin to blog. I wanted a venue to share my “connections” story and other similar ones. As a pastor, I had face time weekly, if not many times during the week, to share with my congregation. As an Associational Missionary, I had face time, or at least a newsletter, to share thoughts along the way. Now I have a blog for this purpose.
I go to the convention for the networking or “connections”. I don’t wish to demean the importance of what goes on during the sessions, conferences, etc. However, it seems that I always get more done in the halls, at restaurants, and in the exhibit areas while renewing old acquaintances and listening and sharing thoughts through conversations. This year was no exception. I had opportunities to spend quality time with elected leaders of our convention, agency heads, fellow NAMB and IMB missionaries. I even had a great conversation with many pastors with whom I have served throughout the past thirty-eight years in various parts of the United States. I even had some wonderful conversations with pastors from my own home county (Cullman, Alabama). In fact, I will be privileged to speak at one of those churches in a few weeks while on vacation there.
But, by far and away, the best “connection” of my 2009 convention experience was, strangely enough in the men’s room at the Expo Center. While washing my hands at the lavatory, I noticed a young man cleaning nearby. I was led of the Holy Spirit to speak to him. I asked him how he thought a person could get to go to heaven. He honestly said he did not know. I asked him if he’d ever thought much about the question. He replied that he had thought about it. I proceeded to share with him what the Bible says on the subject and within about three minutes, he prayed to receive Christ as his personal Savior. After directing him to go to a local church with whom he was already familiar, I did what any good networker would do, I gave him my business card. I told him that he should go and tell the pastor what had happened to him today and he would guide him in the next steps to take. In closing, I told him if God called him to preach and he felt led to plant churches, contact me we need you in New York.
I would not be at all surprised to get a call from a young African American man in a few years who says he is ready to come to do church planting in New York. Dion just may be one of the ways the Lord of the harvest answers my Luke 10:2 prayer, “The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers.”