I wish that I could convince every pastor to take time to come to a GIBF meeting in the future. For their own sake, not for that of the GIBF. The GIBF is not an end in itself, but a means in order to encourage and strengthen pastors. Every pastor understands that one reason folks need to come to church is because, even if they are disciplined enough to study the Bible for themselves, they will benefit from a third party simply opening the scripture and preaching what is there. Those doing their own Bible study are definitely doing right, but it seems a local church helps free them from tunnel vision or even their own hidden assumptions or blind spots by providing preaching that the individuals did not themselves choose but still need.

I am adamant that pastors are in a similar predicament. I choose the books I read, the texts I preach, even the friends that I allow to influence me. Yet, I have been strengthened and sharpened immensely by going to meetings where I didn’t get to pick the messages or even all the people I would hang around with. It is a safe environment doctrinally, even philosophically, but the fact that I get messages that I wouldn’t have necessarily picked and meet incredible people that I would not have otherwise met has provided countless blessings.

I was helped by the messages at the GIBF meeting in St. Joseph, Missouri. The preaching was passionate, yet balanced at the same time. One of the young preachers admitted in his message that he didn’t start setting aside time and resources for meetings early enough in his ministry and is just now seeing the benefit. So many people excel me in so many areas, and I love coming to a meeting like this where I leave the choice of content and encounters in the sovereign Lord’s hands. I haven’t regretted it yet. The message of the week for me was from Bro. David Hetzer, pastor in Caldwell, Idaho. He encouraged every person in the room not to only trust the power of God, but to trust the love of God, as illustrated by the woman with the issue of blood.

GIBM offering exceeded. One area of focus for the September GIBF meeting is to receive an offering for the Global Independent Baptist Missions office. The goal was $30,000, and the commitment to date has already exceeded $35,000. This is in addition to the monthly support that many churches contribute in order to enable provision of the resources to do such a great job of serving the missionaries who use the GIBM. Presently, GIBM is serving 40 missionary families and handling over $2,000,000 a year.

New Baptist Times Coordinator. Shortly after accepting responsibility as editor for the Baptist Times, I hired a young Heartland Baptist Bible College graduate who seemed to have a knack for graphics, but hadn’t tackled anything significant yet, certainly not of this magnitude. Kristen King quickly grew into the position and helped establish the look of the magazine as it stands today. She left to start her own graphics company last year, though continuing to help produce the magazine until we found the right person to replace her. The Lord blessed and has provided Amanda Noyes to pick up where Kristen left off. Amanda has her roots in Cleveland Baptist Church, where Kevin Folger pastors, and she recently graduated from Pensacola Christian College with a graphics degree. She has jumped in and is doing a wonderful job. She has already become a huge asset in preparing several improvements we will introduce throughout 2016.

Reformed Theology series. Over the last couple years, I have talked to a few pastors about writing a series of articles to shed light on the growing resurgence of reformed theology. I am looking forward to the fruit of this effort from the pen of Bro. Josh Merrell, pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Weatherford, Texas, and a regular contributor to the Baptist Times. Pastor Merrell will approach the subject from a perspective that I share and am excited about, though different from what is normally presented. A growing number of young men seem to buy into this theology, and I have long felt that we needed to address it. Obviously, there is some risk in addressing this subject. I doubt there is very polarizing disagreement among those who fellowship together under the umbrella of the GIBF. The risk comes, instead, from knowing that some will find it too passionate while others will find it not passionate enough.

If you are going to assume the position of editor for an independent Baptist publication like this, that risk comes with the territory and I’ve learned to still sleep pretty well at night after learning that another preacher disagrees with something in the Baptist Times. So, I will warn you up front that I do not have a reformed bone in my body (physiologically or theologically), but neither am I caustic toward all those who do. The priority of influence in my life has been, first and foremost, the scripture.

Second come the men (and ladies—thanks, Mom) that God sovereignly placed in my life. Third, though, have been many others by way of authors that I have various disagreements with, but that excel me in areas where I still need help. I have found it helpful to live with the priority of what is right before who is right, while realizing that both matter. When the who is placed before the what, it often becomes a different argument with a different tone. It has been my experience that many young men go down the Reformation Road, not because it offered better theology, but because of the attitude some antagonist used in arguing against it.

I cringe when positions I care so deeply about are marred by the spirit of the presentation, especially when I was the one doing the presenting. It is my desire that the Baptist Times models an approach towards the issues of the day that is focused on the truth, unapologetic in its stance, but patient and gracious in its presentation.