By Chris Watkins - Student Minister
Monday and Tuesday this week, Oklahoma Baptists are meeting here in Mustang for our annual meeting. This time for pastors, ministers and Baptist messengers is full of fellowship with those around our great state, reports from our various entities and committees (because we are Baptists and have several committees), and hearing Biblical messages during the pastors conference and meeting. Church family, I want to let you know that we are blessed to be connected to so many great sister churches through our involvement with our Oklahoma Baptist Convention. Our convention is here to support, equip, and challenge us to be better.
Though there were many great messages given on Monday, I wanted to share a couple of the messages that are great reminders for us as we pursue Christ as Lord of our life. First, was the final message at the Pastor’s conference which was delivered by Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. The simple reminder is that “It is worth it.” If we are truly wanting to take a stand for Christ in today’s world we are going to be met with different challenges, we will face persecution, we will have days that we are tired, and some days just asking the question why am I fighting an uphill battle? At the end of the day we must remember that, IT IS WORTH IT! Keep persevering and fighting the good fight.
The last presentation and message shared on Monday evening was from our Oklahoma Baptist Executive Director, Todd Fisher. If you remember we invited Brother Todd to share in our pulpit earlier this fall. He spoke to the theme of the annual meeting which is "Anchored", based on the theme verse Hebrews 6:19, “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain”. He gave a great word for those in attendance to hear. The message I wanted to share is he let us know that Oklahoma Baptists will be anchored to two truths. We will be anchored to the Truth of God’s Word and to the mission Christ has called us to. Can I get an amen? I am hopeful for the days ahead for our churches. He also shared about the use of the anchor. He used a lot of bigger terms but to summarize, he shared that when a bigger boat is unable to drop the anchor closer to shore due to a sandbar, the bigger ship will lower the anchor on to a smaller boat that will carry it ahead and then allow for the anchor to drop on the other side of the sandbar closer to the shore. He discussed how when this process has taken place that the bigger ship does not need to worry if a storm comes about because they are anchored where they needed to be. He shared how once the high tide finally would come and it was time for the ship to cross over the sandbar that they previously were unable to, because the smaller boat was a forerunner for the bigger boat, the ship was now able to cross and be held where the forerunner had secured their anchor, and how in Hebrews 6:20, that Jesus has gone before us as a forerunner to Heaven for us. What a hope we have in Jesus!
These charges to the messengers at the Annual Meeting should not be just for the entity called Oklahoma Baptists nor the collective of messengers only but are charges that we need to take personally as those He calls His children. As we go through each day let us remain anchored to God’s Word, God’s Mission and when we face troubles or storms in life remember to persevere. Keep your hand to the plow, and know that it is worth it because in Christ we have an anchor in hope.