Revivalist and pastor Vance Havner, who served as pastor at First Baptist Church, Charleston, from 1934-39, once said, “The tragedy of our times is that the situation is desperate, but the saints are not.”
On Thursday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., South Carolina Baptists will gather at White Oak Conference Center for a “Day of Prayer for South Carolina Baptists.” Ron Barker, evangelism and prayer strategist with the evangelism team of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, is coordinating the event.
“Vance Havner was right,” Barker said. “What we need is a passion among South Carolina Baptists to pray, and pray together. We are not gathering at White Oak Conference Center to pray about South Carolina Baptist structural problems or personnel issues or strategies. We are gathering behind Psalm 66:19-20: ‘God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer, Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!’ “
“We are gathering to pray for ourselves, for one another, for our churches, for our convention, and for our nation,” Barker said. “We want to remember, repent, and return as Revelation 2:1-5 calls us to do.”
Jimmy Draper, retired president and chief operating officer, LifeWay Christian Resources, and Jim Henry, retired pastor, First Baptist Church of Orlando, Fla., will lead the day-long prayer time. Both men are former Southern Baptist Convention presidents.
“This is not a preaching time,” Barker said. “These two great men will lead us in prayer throughout the day.” Lunch will be served; there is no cost for those attending.
Several South Carolina Baptist pastors have lined up in support of the event:
– “The mechanics and language of mission are changing, rapidly. We must learn them quickly and speak them fluently. The mechanics and language of prayer are not changing. We must implement them instinctively and utter them in harmony. That’s why I’m attending the Day of Prayer on Oct. 28, so I can learn to pray with one voice with our fellow Baptists.” (Sonny Holmes, pastor, Northwood Baptist Church, North Charleston)
– “At a time when ministry strategies are innumerable, our most effective strategy for unifying believers, reaching the lost, and experiencing a powerful movement of God is not a strategy at all – it’s prayer. Like never before, the spiritual leaders of our state need to pray for God to move in us first, because then and only then will we be used by him to lead our people and reach our state.” (D.J. Horton, Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church, Moore)
– “This is a time of great challenge and opportunity for our state convention. We can do all God wants us to do if we will but seek his plan. This Day of Prayer gives us the opportunity to come together as a people committed to fulfilling the Great Commission.” (Mike Hamlet, pastor, North Spartanburg First Baptist Church)
– “Someone once said: ‘If we promote, we get what promotion can do; if we plan, we get what planning can do; if we organize, we get what organization can do, but if we pray, we get what God can do.’ Join concerned South Carolina Baptists for a Day of Prayer and let’s see what God can do.” (Mike Moody, First Baptist Church, Honea Path)
– “The Day of Prayer will be led by two of the most respected men in SBC life over the past 30 years. Their faithfulness as humble leaders makes them ideal choices to lead our state convention in a 2 Chronicles 7:14 call to prayer: ‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray?-?.’ ” (Fred Stone, First Baptist Church, Pickens, and 2010 SCBC president)
– “It is no secret what God will do, because he has told us what to do. In humility we have to come before the throne of God’s amazing grace in prayer. Our Savior will hear our cry if we meet him on his terms. One thing we can all do together is pray. Let’s do it.” (Don Wilton, pastor, First Baptist Church, Spartanburg)
Registration and fellowship begins at 9 a.m. on Oct. 28 at White Oak. For more information and online registration for A Day of Prayer for South Carolina Baptists, visit www.scbaptist.org/evangelism. – SCBC