Problems can lead to divine opportunities

Posted: 9/15/06

TOGETHER:
Problems can lead to divine opportunities

Problems can lead to special, unexpected moments. Rosemary broke her arm the other day; and, as we were getting this taken care of, a woman eyed Rosemary’s cast and said, “Oh, you broke your arm, too. I just got two casts off my arms. I broke them both this summer.”

We had a conversation with this woman and her husband that genuinely blessed us, and in a few moments, we discovered they were members of one of our Texas Baptist churches.

Executive Director BGCT Executive Board

They told us how much they were enjoying their intentional interim minister and the blessing his preaching and wise counsel were bringing to their fractured fellowship.

The husband is on the transition team charged by the church with helping them process their way to a new future for their congregation.

“It’s hard work, but it’s worth it,” he said.

With tears in her eyes, the woman reported that a mother and daughter sat in front of her one Sunday recently and after church told her that they almost had not come back.

“We came twice, and it seemed that no one in this church liked each other. But we feel a sense of love and fellowship today, and we will be back.” And they have attended the last two Sundays.

Two quick truths: First, it’s as important to love each other in a church as it is to love those who are visitors. People know somehow when they are in the presence of people who care about each other. Most people want to be part of that kind of fellowship.

Second, the intentional interim ministry sponsored by the BGCT Congregational Leadership Team is making a quiet but profound difference in churches across our state.

“I never thought I would see the day that the people in our church would agree on anything important,” the man said. “But I have!”

And, of course, you know what I said. “That ministry is your Cooperative Program dollars at work.” Our cooperative giving helps us to bless others and makes us open to receive blessing when we need it.

He replied, “You know, I don’t think I really understood that until what we are going through now.”

On another front, I was in a meeting the other day and a pastor from West Texas told of the blessing his young people received this summer on a mission trip to Mexico. They had spent the week building a house and helping with activities for the teenagers. The Mexican Baptist pastor showed the Jesus video and extended an invitation for people to receive Christ as their Savior and Lord. Several of the Mexican youth stepped forward to give their lives to Christ.

“Our kids were blown away,” my friend said. “They had never seen anything quite like that. They are different because now they see that they had a big part in helping some other young people be saved.”

Experiences like that happen when churches get involved in missions. The BGCT’s Texas Partnerships office, Texas Baptist Men, Woman’s Missionary Union and WorldconneX can help churches find strategic places to serve. These groups can help open doors for hands-on, participative mission ministries.

When we go where people are broken and lost, we see the “proof of the pudding” that Jesus saves. As we share our faith, we become part of first-hand testimonies of these people from around the world. We are loved.

Charles Wade is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.