Baptist Messenger of Oklahoma » Perspective

PERSPECTIVE: I trust Him

Anthony Jordan — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:38:39 +0000

Each time a racing ambulance passes my vehicle, I whisper a prayer because I know that an individual and a family have had their lives changed in a second. I don’t remember ever having taken a trip in an ambulance—until last Monday. The above conclusion really is true. A trip in an ambulance does change your life.

Sitting here in the hospital at 4 o’clock in the morning, I am thinking about the last couple of days and have some reflections on this experience of ambulance and hospital. As of this moment, we have not fully isolated the problem, but it does not seem to be life threatening. Although while the incident was taking place, I certainly felt the situation was very critical. But praise the Lord, I am in the best physical condition I’ve been in for years due to nutrition and exercise.

I give thanks for first responders who are efficient and effective. They know their business and take charge quickly to ensure the best possible results. I do not recommend ambulance rides, but kudos to all those EMTs who do a difficult job day in and day out with great expertise.

Medical science has made unbelievable strides. I believe that all medical advances are gifts from God. The medicines and treatment options now available boggle the mind. Gifted men and women who expertly serve in the medical field have so much at their disposal today. Doctors and nurses have given me the best possible care.

It was a quick observation as to how blessed I am to have family, friends, fellow workers and fellow servants of the Lord. Five minutes into the State Evangelism Conference, I was in need of medical attention. Those attending the conference and multiple others have prayed for me continually. My staff has done everything necessary to meet every need. Friends have prayed, called, and stood by our side. My church staff and church family have ministered to us as well.

Children of God, how blessed we are! I cannot imagine going through tough times without the people of God to surround me. Yet, people up and down these hospital corridors are alone and have few who are concerned. As followers of Christ, we have a wonderful family who cares and takes action when we are in need.

I discovered something during this little episode. The faces you most want to see are those of your wife and children. When my little Osage Princess walked through the door, I felt so much better. For more than 43 years, she has been my anchor in the storms, my encourager, my nurse and my greatest prayer warrior. To have my children and Polla standing with me and praying meant all the world to me.

These times are opportunities to take big gulps of God’s love and grace. There is a deeper sense of His presence. I am confident that ALL HEALING is of the Lord, although He may choose to use doctors, nurses and medicine. I am very thankful for them. In the end, He is the Great Physician. He is my help in times of trouble. He can be trusted, and He will see us through the trials of this life. When the time comes to move Home, He will carry us there.

Men make plans, but these plans are ultimately in the hands of God. My life is extremely busy with each day filled to capacity. When the Lord allows an event to change the direction of our lives, the number of meetings to attend or tasks to perform doesn’t matter. Surrender to His will and way is the order of the day. And while the show must go on, it does not always have to go on with us. Ultimately, that is just fine—I trust Him.

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

PERSPECTIVE: All are welcome

Anthony Jordan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:50:27 +0000

Asterisk—a symbol used in printed text typically as a reference to an annotation or to stand for omitted matter.

You have seen this little symbol (*) many times. You always look below the text to see the explanation or what is missing.

Kyle Idleman, in his book, Not A Fan, describes a very familiar commercial practice used especially by some car dealerships. The commercial blares forth that anyone can buy a car at their dealership, while on the screen there is an asterisk (*). At the end of the ad, you see the meaning of the asterisk. It reads “With Approved Credit.” So anyone does not really mean anyone! Only the qualified should seek to buy a car at that dealership.

Idleman suggests that this same approach is used in too many churches. The sign outside the church may read, “All are Welcome.” But when one ventures inside, actions speak louder than words. Sometimes the actions are subtle, while at other times not so subtle.

What happens at your church? How do you act toward strangers in your midst? What signals are sent to those who dare walk through the doors? Do you and your church send the signal that only those who are approved need walk through the door? Do we really mean we are open to everyone?

Think of how a stranger feels who is bold enough to venture into your church. Sometimes the act is as simple as a glare because the visitor is not dressed to “our standards.” I have actually watched while newcomers were asked to move because they had sat down in a regular member’s pew. Now there’s a mortal sin if I have ever seen one! Other times, the newcomer is ignored while church members focus on friends and family, leaving the guest to feel all alone.

In smaller towns, where residents know one another quite well, there is a collective gasp when known “sinners” walk through the door. Most egregious of all is when we make people of another race feel out of place.

These are all asterisks that have no place among us. Our welcome sign should match the words of Jesus. “All may come.” “Whosoever will may come.” “Let all who are thirsty come.” There are no asterisks in the Gospel and none should be a part of the church. There is no place for a welcome to only those “who are approved.”

If you, or your church, have an asterisk in your mind or in your actions, I challenge you to remove it. Jesus’ followers welcome all who are hungry and thirsty because Jesus did. The Good News is for all to hear and experience.

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

PERSPECTIVE: Adoption gives life

Anthony Jordan — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:03:59 +0000

On Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down the historic Roe vs. Wade decision, which set in motion the systematic death of more than 55 million unborn children in America—an unthinkable and inconceivable destruction of human life.

But wait . . . the Supreme Court declared that the unborn are sub-human, or in essence, not human at all until live birth. Tragically, the most dangerous place for a child in America is the mother’s womb. Since that declaration, states have passed laws to restrict so-called “late-term abortions.”

The battle waged for the unborn has been difficult. Public opinion has slowly shifted more and more toward the sanctity of human life and protection of the unborn. In Oklahoma, as in other states, we have seen legislative measures that have provided more recognition of the unborn child as being fully human and thus protected. That is why in many states, when someone murders a pregnant woman, the perpetrator can be tried for two murders. Yet, there is a limit to how far those laws can go.

I have long been in this battle for the unborn, and my reasons are simple. Each time my children walk through the door, I am reminded that they could have been among the dead babies ripped from their mother’s wombs by the hands of an abortionist. Both of my children are adopted.

My children are young adults today. Throughout their lives, I have taken each birthday to pray for their biological mothers. I know that somewhere in this world, there are wonderful women who chose life rather than death for their babies. They could have taken the easy route. “Get an abortion and no one will be the wiser,” touts Planned Parenthood. If their biological mothers had listened to the propaganda of Planned Parenthood, they would have considered these children nothing more than pregnancy matter; an abortion would have only removed tissue, not a child.

But their biological mothers didn’t listen to the propaganda; they followed their hearts. They gave birth to their children. My hope is that deep in the hearts of these remarkable women there is a sense that they remember the days they gave birth. I do not know where they are nor do I know if they have other children today. What I do know is that on each of my children’s birthdays, I pray for these women.

Abortion destroys. Adoption gives life. As we reflect on Jan. 22, remember that it marks one of the darkest days in the history of America—a death sentence for the unborn. But also remember the courageous women who give life to their children and give them for adoption so those children can have a chance for full and meaningful lives.

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

PERSPECTIVE: ‘Tebowing’

Anthony Jordan — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:36:41 +0000

I suspect this year a new word will be added to the dictionary—“Tebowing.” It describes the action of Tim Tebow bowing on one knee with head bowed in prayer of thanksgiving any time his team, the Denver Broncos, scores a touchdown. This son of missionary parents has defied political correctness through his consistent and unflinching dedication to his Lord.

Tebow has been unflappable in the face of criticism and a constant barrage of questions about his action. When criticized, he has shown grace. When mocked, he has not retaliated or shot back in anger. Frankly, the media and other players just do not know what to do with him.

He has defied all odds. He has always been seen as having lesser abilities than others, yet he led his college team to a National Championship, and then was considered a second- or third-string quarterback after being drafted by the Broncos. He has taken over the starting position and orchestrated unbelievable finishes on more than one occasion. Say what you will about his ability, he has demonstrated remarkable leadership. Tim Tebow is a winner in more ways than one.

Tebow would be the first to tell you he is not perfect. He does not desire to be placed on a pedestal, but he does want to be a role model. Even his critics admit that he “walks the talk.” He is the real deal.

Therein lies the Tebow mystery in our skeptical and unbelieving world. Sadly, there are so few role models who live what they say they believe. Far too many celebrities have openly confessed Christ only to live in a diametrically opposite way. Their words were applaudable, but their lifestyle abominable.

Our culture has gotten used to posers. We have seen preachers who proclaim holiness and purity only to be exposed for immoral living. The same is true of politicians, teachers and business leaders, or anyone else who talks louder than they live.

So when the public sees someone who is the “real McCoy,” they don’t know how to react. In some ways they want to criticize, hoping the person breaks. The skeptical expect failure and hope to urge it along by condemnation.

I am thankful for Tim Tebow. He inspires us, as Christians, to live up to our declared faith. He is a role model. The bar he sets challenges the rest of us who are followers of Christ to live up to our calling.

For years I have been seeking a professional football team to follow. I think I have found it. Go Broncos! Better still, GO TIM TEBOW! May you have many reasons to bend the knee and bow the head. Thanks for showing the world you can live your faith.

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

PERSPECTIVE: Brag on Jesus

Anthony Jordan — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:12:31 +0000

As the calendar turns from one year to the next, many people make New Year’s resolutions. Within days, those resolutions lie in the dust irreparably broken. Resolutions usually are nothing more than wishful thinking. They rarely have any eternal consequence.

The need of the hour is not for empty resolutions, but heartfelt commitments that will make an eternal difference. Last week, I challenged you to spend this year reading the Bible from cover to cover. Few things have the power to transform your life than the constant flow of the Word of God over your life.

This week, I want to challenge you to do something that far too few of us make a part of our lives. I admonish us to consistently and regularly pray and share our faith.
We hold in our hearts the singular most liberating and eternity changing truth in the world. We have the Good News. This bad news dominated world cannot overcome the Good News. We, on the other hand, can either share it or hide it. Our decision will have eternal impact in the lives of people whom God places in our normal traffic patterns of life.

The challenge is simple. Start a prayer list of lost people you know. Add to that list as you encounter new people. Pray each day for God to open their hearts to the Gospel and to give you sensitivity to the right time to share the Good News. Pray and tell. Another way to say it is to pray passionately for the unsaved and boldly speak the message of Christ to them.

Most of us make witnessing hard. We think we need some unique story or outline in order to share the Gospel. In reality, witnessing can be as simple as telling your story followed by His story. One of my friends used to say that we just need to “brag on Jesus.” He is right.

Would you be willing to make a consistent effort to find someone each week with whom you just “brag on Jesus”? Bragging on Jesus will open the door for the Good News.
I admit to spending a good bit of time in the last week bragging on the Cowboys. I am so proud of their success. I am a fan. But I am more than a fan of Jesus—I am a follower whose life has been radically and permanently changed by Jesus. He deserves to be “ bragged on.”

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

PERSPECTIVE: A fresh insight

Anthony Jordan — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:08:45 +0000

Have you ever read the Bible through? How many times?

The turning of the calendar from one year to the next is a perfect opportunity to begin the process of reading the Bible from cover to cover. I have often taken this column at the beginning of a new year to challenge us to make a decisive choice to journey through the pages of the Bible to capture the grand story of salvation.

Recently, I heard of a woman who has read the Bible through 70 times. I suspect if you were to ask her if she is bored to read the Scripture through one more time, she would be amazed. Why? Because the Word of God is living and active, and every time it is read, new insights are discovered. God uses His Living Word to teach us, train us, inspire us and guide us. His mercies and truth are fresh every day from the pages of Scripture.

All Scripture is inspired and profitable. Yes, even Leviticus! As one reads through the Bible, the grand scheme of the progression of God’s dealing with man is exposed. Insights for living are found on every page. The Word refreshes and renews. As the Psalmist says, it revives us.

Perhaps above all, reading through the Bible places us in intimate encounters with the Almighty; day by day we engage with God and come to know His ways. One cannot read the Bible through without discovering insight into the very character of God Himself. As we read Scripture, the Holy Spirit illumines and communes with us. In the end, Scripture places us into the very presence of Holy God, and we not only learn about Him, but also come to know Him.

Today, there are many ways to read the Bible through. You can find many different Bibles designed with specific readings for each day. Most provide a New and Old Testament reading, a Psalm and a Proverb for each day. The same can be said for reading plans on the Internet—YouVersion Bible can be downloaded and provides a reading plan. There are reading charts that you can keep in your Bible also.

I encourage you to read a new version of the Bible. You may be a King James fan (if it was good enough for Paul, it is good enough for me!). I challenge you to stretch yourself. Try the Holman Christian Standard, English Standard or American Standard. A new version will give you fresh insights through the translation from the original language.

You may be reading this article a few days after the first of January, but you can still get started. Begin your reading plan on the day you choose and go from there. I can guarantee you will grow spiritually and your intimacy with God will grow as well. Happy Reading!

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

Lawton, Cameron offers festive Christmas experience

Dana Williamson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:14:38 +0000

by Dana Williamson
Associate Editor

LAWTON—A candle shop, a bake shop, a clothing boutique, a toy shop, a cafe, a trading post, a post office—11 shops in all, plus a park.

That’s more than a lot of rural Oklahoma towns can boast these days, and this particular Victorian village is encompassed in a church gymnasium.

This is the second year that Lawton, Cameron has transformed its gym into a winter wonderland, where the community can have a Christian Christmas experience.

Goal of the five-night event (this year it was Dec. 6-10) is to make connections with the people in the community and leave a positive impression of Christ and Christians, said Minister of Music Steve Holt.

“Most everyone in our country celebrates Christmas in some form or fashion, and we want to be a part of that for our community,” said Holt. “We want to give something to those who may have a wrong idea of what church is like.”

The gym area is fully decorated “from top to bottom,” to give it a feel of a Victorian park at night, Holt said. “We want it to be a sense of being transported to a simpler time when Christmas was more relationship oriented than commercial.”

Stores are constructed around the perimeter of the gym, with the middle section decorated with trees, benches and lanterns to resemble a park.

The shops are 16- to 20-feet wide, and all store fronts are different designs and all are decorated for Christmas.

There’s a post office where shoppers can collect their mail (Christmas greetings) and have a family photo taken to pick up before they leave.

In the candle shop, they can make and decorate a Christmas candle, and in the bake shop, they can decorate and eat cookies and enjoy a sample of cake, pie or bread.

Then shoppers can stop at the old school house, where they can hear a story and make a craft.

At the chapel, furnished with an altar, tables and pews, people can pray or leave a prayer request.

The trading post features an oversized checker board, other games and a pickle barrel. Here, food is collected for an organization which ministers to people in need during the holidays.

Children can get a toy at the toy shop, and also make a craft. Then they can make a Christmas ornament at Santa’s Workshop.

The boutique, called Victorian Thread, has free clothing in sizes from babies to adults.

When it’s time for a break, shoppers can stop at the Cocoa Cafe for a cup of hot chocolate, coffee or soup.

In the midst of all the shopping, there is music going on during three scheduled times each evening in the adjacent fellowship center, which is also decorated for Christmas. Here, shoppers can take a break to hear elementary, junior high and high school groups, as well as a local barbershop chorus, and various singing and instrumental groups from the area.

“This enhances the atmosphere of Christmas,” said Holt.

Holt said last year was the first for the village, and about 3,000-3,500 people came through.

“We really didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “We did a little advertising, but basically it has been word of mouth.”

This year, the church had a float in the city’s Christmas parade and passed out 2,500 flyers during the event.

Holt said after the Christmas Village, he was eating at a restaurant where one of the waitresses recognized him. She pulled out the picture of her and her children taken at the Village.

“It was in a plastic bag, and she carried it around with her,” Holt said.

Another lady who heard about the free clothing boutique, came to the church during the day for clothing, then brought her children back that night.

“She said she had absolutely no money, and there was no way to give her kids Christmas,” Holt recalled. “She told us she was barely surviving, and this made Christmas for her and her kids.”

Holt said the Christmas Village is not a huge evangelistic, “in-your-face” kind of event.

“We tell our folks the goal is to make connections with people in our community,” he said. “We don’t have any kind of sermon, but we have information in the chapel.”

Holt said a couple of people, after visiting with some of the church members, prayed to receive Christ.

“It’s a great opportunity to connect with the people around us,” Holt reiterated. “It’s a great season, and we want to leave a good impression of Christ through a positive Christmas experience.”

PERSPECTIVE: Merry CHRISTmas

Anthony Jordan — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:11:49 +0000

Whew! You made it through another hectic Christmas season filled with a myriad of activities that has left you exhausted and perhaps even a bit grumpy. You have shopped ’til you dropped (OK, that line is for the ladies). The presents are wrapped and under the tree, and the children are nestled in their beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads.

In a few hours, there will be a pile of trash and the children will have cast aside the expensive gift to play with the box the gift came in. Some will be disappointed and many gifts will be returned because they do not fit, and others will be re-gifted because they just weren’t right. For now, you lie in bed trying to get your heart and head to grasp the true meaning of Christmas.

If this sounds like you, I suggest that you will not be alone. It is our culture; it is the way we celebrate a great secular holiday. For the merchant, this holiday means the difference between another year of business and closing the door. We chaff that some will no longer say “Merry Christmas” at the cash register when you make a purchase, but “happy holiday” really does express the reality of this holiday as it has become in the American experience.

I propose it doesn’t have to be this way. To actually turn this secular holiday into the significant day of worship and praise that it was meant to be will require diligence. To actually celebrate the birth of the Savior on Christmas Day will make you a counter-cultural citizen, but I challenge you to do so.

Before ripping open the gifts, stop and read the simple story of the Christ Child. Take time to pray with your family and give thanks to God for His indescribable gift. Make worship at your church a priority, since Christmas Day is on Sunday. Let the turkey and dressing wait, and make your way to the church house to sing praises to the newborn King and listen to a Christ-honoring sermon. Let lunch be late, but don’t skip worship.

Because of the culture around us, to move through this time of year while ignoring the reason for the season is natural and expected. Christmas is no more than a sentimental journey for many of the American culture. Christmas is truly just a holiday for them. But to be so consumed with the stuff of the holiday and fail to enjoy, worship and celebrate the Savior makes those of us who know Him no better than the non-believers around us.

As for me and my house, I am not excited about the last holiday of the year, but I am fired up to celebrate the Christ Child born in a manger, destined for a cross and empty tomb. So, no “happy holidays” from my lips—I wish you a “Merry CHRISTmas!”

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

PERSPECTIVE: A story to tell

Anthony Jordan — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:06:23 +0000

Southern Baptists have missions in our DNA. Since 1845, Southern Baptists have talked, prayed, given and gone so the Gospel could be taken to the ends of the Earth. We have sent our children to serve in places of which we had no knowledge. The one thing we did know was that they had a call on their lives, and they were going to a place where the Gospel was scarce.

Through the years prior to 1925, we struggled to keep pace with the needs. Money for missions was dependent upon the missionaries who could get to the churches and take an offering. It was an inefficient system. In 1925, Baptists took the single most important step toward exponentially expanding the spread of the Gospel. Our churches adopted a plan to consistently collect and send money to support missions from the front door to the ends of the Earth. The new plan was called the Cooperative Program. Each church decides its commitment to missions beyond the church and sends a percentage of its undesignated gifts through the Cooperative Program to reach their state, nation, and world.

From the outset, Southern Baptist missions made dramatic progress and today is the largest Christian-sending denominational organization in the world. Our international mission efforts count more than 5,000 missionaries. Initially, the focus was on only a few places, with China being one of the great mission fields. Today, Southern Baptists are in every part of the globe because our churches give cooperatively, unselfishly and consistently to support the extension of the Gospel.

Until recently, names of missionaries and the fields where they served were shared. Today, many of the missionaries serve in places we cannot identify, and therefore cannot promote their mission efforts because of security. For this reason, it is all the more important that churches give faithfully through the Cooperative Program to support these missionaries.

In 1888, Southern Baptists established a special offering that individuals could give through to support the work of “foreign” missions. The offering was named after one of the first missionaries, Lottie Moon. A lifelong missionary in China, Lottie Moon died on Dec. 24, 1912, in Japan. Her life and legacy set the bar for mission service and because of this, Southern Baptists chose the Christmas season to receive the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering that is a huge part of the support for our international missionaries.

Today, the national goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is $175 million. Giving to this offering is a great opportunity for each of us to demonstrate our commitment to share the Good News with people who have never heard the Gospel. The need is greater than ever. Our mission board is focused on taking the Gospel to places where the name of Jesus has never been heard. You and your family can personally be a part of the great gospel mission of Southern Baptists by giving a generous gift through your church to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

Each year, I challenge families to give their largest gift to the work of Christ. Involve your children in giving a gift from your family to missions. Explain to them where the money will go and why Southern Baptists give this money during the Christmas season. It is not only important to give, but also to pass a heart for missions on to your children. Make this a part of their giving DNA.

We’ve a story to tell to the nations!

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

PERSPECTIVE: PRAY!

Anthony Jordan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:00:34 +0000

Have you ever tried to imagine what it would be like if you had never heard the name of Jesus or the simple, clear tenets of the Gospel? I suspect for most of us that scenario is so far removed from our sphere of experience that it is literally unimaginable.

What cannot be imagined is reality for 6,426 people groups in our world. These people live in enormous darkness. Generation after generation live and die without ever hearing the sweetest name on earth—Jesus—in their heart language. Stop reading and just whisper His name. Breathe in the essence of that sweet name that means more than the world to you. His name means eternity to you.

During this Christmas season, we in America will battle to keep Christ in Christmas. Those of us who are Christ followers will fight to stop the attempt by secularists to eradicate the name of Jesus from the holiday that bears His name. But for the 6,426 people groups around the globe, Christmas will mean nothing, and the simple yet powerful story of God becoming flesh to save us from our sins will never be told. The Gospel will remain silent.

What should our response be? Feel guilty? Determine we can do nothing because we live thousands of miles away? What can we do? Can an average Oklahoma Baptist and Christ follower do anything about the silence of the Gospel among these 6,426 people groups? Glad you asked!

The answer is simple and for that reason we often overlook it. Jesus, after a preaching mission, told His disciples that what He had seen in the villages were people harassed and downtrodden like sheep without a shepherd. His description is pointed. People who are lost have no guidance, protection or hope. But He did not stop by describing the helplessness of people; He told His disciples what they should do about it. PRAY!

How simple. How powerful! The first step before giving or going is to pray. Pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send out (thrust out) laborers into the harvest. The harvest is plentiful (how true—6,426 people groups without the Gospel), but few laborers.

So how do you pray? I would recommend you go to the website www.bobmayfield.com/6426project and adopt an unreached people group that will become your personal prayer target. If your Sunday School class has not adopted one of these people groups, challenge them to join you in praying for them. Research and seek information about that group.

What should you pray? Jesus told us. Pray for laborers. Pray that God will send someone who is a Christ follower to these people, and pray that He will open the hearts of the people to their witness. Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send both laborers and harvest.

Does this simple plan work? I wish I had the space to tell you stories of how prayer prepared a people to hear the Gospel and how God touched the heart of someone to carry the Gospel to these people. The evidence is clear and the pattern certain. Pray for openness and pray for laborers.

Anthony L. Jordan is executive director-treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.