McKissic encourages witness without barriers

MCALLEN—Preaching the gospel should transcend all barriers, Pastor Dwight McKissic of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington told Texas Baptists’ Family Gathering.

Preaching from Acts 8:26-39, McKissic painted a picture of an Ethiopian man who became a believer in Jesus. The Ethiopian eunuch became a follower of Christ after Philip was obedient to God’s call, taking the desert road to Gaza, not knowing the mission God had in mind.

“This man from Ethiopia, Luke doesn’t identify him by name but by his country. The idea is that God used a Greek man to reach an African man and change a nation,” McKissic said.

“That means God wants those that know Christ to share with those that don’t know Christ, without respect to their color or background.”

McKissic pointed out the Ethiopian man was a descendant of Noah’s son Ham, one of several that appear “at major points in the Bible where redemption is on the line.”

Although the encounter only occupies a few verses of Scripture, McKissic noted several worthy mentions about the man.

First, he was a sable man, or one of darker complexion. McKissic noted the Ethiopians did not give themselves that name but named themselves Cushites, because they were descendants of Ham’s son Cush, which means “dark.”

He also noted because the Bible called him a eunuch, that meant he was a single and celibate man.

McKissic said the man also was salient or prominent, as shown by his high position riding in a chariot, comparable in today’s culture of riding in a limousine. And since he was reading Isaiah, he likely would not have been driving the chariot but had a driver.

Spiritual but still seeking

The Ethiopian was spiritual, on his way to worship, and scriptural, reading from the writings of Isaiah. But McKissic noted he was not yet a believer in Jesus, although he was pursuing God.

“Philip asked if he understood what he was reading. He asked Philip to come up in the chariot and explain. Philip began to preach about Jesus, and he accepted Jesus,” McKissic said. “That’s when he became a saved man.”

In closing, McKissic said the Ethiopian was a shouting man, moved to excitement after his conversion experience.

“He went on his way shouting and rejoicing, literally leaping for joy,” he said. “When I see the splendor and the glory of God in this place, I have been shouting and praising since I got here.”

Search committee offers update

The Tuesday evening service at Texas Baptists’ Family Gathering also included an update from the executive director search committee, with member Pete Pawelek serving as spokesperson.

He thanked Texas Baptists for their ongoing prayers and support for the process and the people who comprise the committee, which Pawelek noted is a diverse group.

Pawelek said the committee has been meeting regularly and utilized the listening guide feedback to identify qualified candidates. He noted each person nominated met qualifications and submitted themselves to the process humbly.

After extensive meetings and dialogue, with a spirit of unity Pawelek said was crucial, the group said they are continuing with “a small handful of candidates.”

The committee hopes to have a single candidate chosen soon to present to the Executive Board.

“We celebrate the reality that Texas Baptists have so many great people … and the unity that is evident across our state and in our committee,” he said in closing.

The program also included an introduction of fellowship presidents: Sergio Ramos, president of Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas; Henry Batson III, president of African American Fellowship; Joseph Huang, pastor of the Chinese Baptist Fellowship; John Nguyen, president of Vietnamese Fellowship of Texas; and Dillard Fisher, president of the Texas Baptist Bivocational Fellowship, along with Jesse Rincones, executive director of Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas.