Don WiltonI trust this letter finds you well, happy and rejoicing in the Lord Jesus. Please know you are not only loved and appreciated, but prayed for. I want to encourage your heart today. I do not know the things you are dealing with, but our Heavenly Father most certainly does. He wants us to talk to Him, even when, at times, our pain renders us useless and speechless. Our South Carolina Baptists have been faithful to the word of God and to the work of God, and you are no exception. Keep on keeping on, and keep the main thing the main thing as you keep on keeping on! Phew!
It was so good to see so many of our wonderful people at the State Evangelism Conference. Our evangelism director, Marshall Fagg, is helping all of us to truly re-focus our attention on the things that matter most. Let’s make this one of the most unforgettable years in the history of our convention. Let’s rally the troops and pray for one another like never before. Let’s encourage every congregation to baptize at least one precious convert into the fellowship of God’s people. And, of course, many more. Let’s resolve to pray like never before and celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ in everything we do and say.
I was so blessed to be able to attend the Southern Baptist Executive Committee meetings in Nashville as your president this year. Did you know that we gave more than $12.4 million to the victims of Hurricane Katrina? This came directly from your giving to the Cooperative Program! And this was over and above what each individual church did financially and in practical expressions too numerous to mention!
Our united method of giving in support of missions is a magnificent hallmark of who we are as autonomous congregations of believers. What we can do together far outweighs even the wonderful work we do on our own.
After careful review, our church in Spartanburg realized we were not keeping up. And so, our precious people have increased our giving to the Cooperative Program by 2 percent this year and have significantly increased our giving to our association.
Would you join with us? Together we can do it!