CHATTANOOGA — Preachers at the Tennessee Baptist Pastors Conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center Nov. 13 addressed the theme “When You Have Had Enough.”
Ternae Jordan Sr., pastor of Mount Canaan Baptist Church in Chattanooga, was president for this year’s conference and selected the theme, based on Elijah’s struggles in I Kings 19. He said pastoral ministry can often be difficult and depressing.
“But God has brought us to this place on this day when we’re going to be motivated,” Jordan said. “We’re going to be inspired. When we shall leave this place today, we pray that you’re going to be fired up to go back to the vineyards that God has us in and carry His word to those that are lost.”
Alan Stewart, senior pastor of Rehoboth Baptist Church in Soddy Daisy opened the conference, preaching from Acts 20:22-24 about the pressure pastors face. He used the example of Paul to show that pressure demands composure and courage.
“Pressure is a necessary ingredient for God to build credibility and conviction in our messages,” Stewart said. “While the man is preparing the message, God is preparing the man, and sometimes He uses pressure in order to build the kind of man that He can use.”
Pressure also demands a cause and continuance, Stewart told pastors, reminding them that as they persist in preaching the Bible, they pose a threat to Satan’s kingdom. Despite the demonic assaults they will face for following their calling, pastors must remain faithful.
“God has you there for a time and a season and for a purpose,” he said.
Kevin Smith, pastor of Family Church Village in West Palm Beach, Fla., told pastors that when times get difficult and when they have had enough, they need to continue doing all things through Christ.
“Whether on the mountain or whether in the valley, God is the same, your calling is the same, Scripture is still true,” Smith said.
Philippians 4:13, the text for Smith’s address, says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Smith said people often misuse the verse and apply it incorrectly to their lives when they want to perform some type of monumental task.
Instead, Smith said the verse “is an anchor to stabilize you in an unstable world.
“It’s not some kind of pep rally pill,” he continued. “It’s not some kind of entrepreneurial juice. … It’s God saying, ‘The world is going to be up and down, up and down, up and down. I don’t want you as flaky as the world, so I’m going to stabilize you because you are full of Christ, you represent Christ, you are empowered by Christ and you can do all things through Christ.’ ”
JaMichael Jordan, pastor of the Village Church in Chattanooga, used the story of Joseph in Genesis 45 as the basis for his message of encouragement to pastors to “dream again.”
Jordan cited statistics from the Barna Group indicating that only 52 percent of pastors in 2022 reported being satisfied with their ministry. Because of the challenges pastors often face, Jordan said it’s important for them to remember that God isn’t finished with them – and as Joseph dealt with traumatic experiences but was still used by God, so pastors can do the same.
“I want you to remember all of the hell that you went through, all of the highs and all of the lows,” Jordan said. “It is because you survived all of those things that you have the story, you have the power to do whatever God has called you to do.”
Grant Gaines, pastor of Belle Aire Baptist Church in Murfreesboro preached from Romans 14:1-12 about the importance of unity in the church and the danger of divisions over secondary doctrinal issues. Gaines said some of the greatest challenges in ministry come not from devious people in the world but from divisive people in the church.
That’s why Gaines said it’s important for pastors to teach faithfully from the Bible, which is the greatest weapon they have available to them, and model what it looks like to have differences without divisions. He pointed to 62 different Baptist denominations in the nation as an example of the tendency for churches to split rather than working for unity.
“The tendency to divide over secondary issues is wrong,” Gaines said. “Churches are doing that today. Our denomination, our convention, is on the verge of doing that today, and it hinders our mission.”
Roc Collins, strategic objectives director for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, used Jeremiah as an example for pastors dealing with difficulties. The prophet preached a difficult message and found himself continually under duress, Collins said, but Jeremiah continued with his message of judgment because he had no other option.
“His situation was not in doubt, because God had called him, and God had put His word in His mouth,” Collins said. “His situation doesn’t include making a decision of whether or not to speak God’s word.
“Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that are uncomfortable because we haven’t nailed down the call of God on our life,” Collins continued. “Because if God has called you, it’s not my decision to say, ‘What shall I preach?’ It’s His decision.”
Collins further encouraged pastors to preach the gospel. No matter what text is preached, Collins said the sermon should always include the message that Jesus saves.
Anthony Payton, pastor of Come As You Are Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind., used Philippians 1 to show how Paul was an example to pastors dealing with difficulties in ministry. Paul made disciples of others, giving him a community to support him in challenging times.
Paul was also a man of clarity and concentration, Payton said, willing to say goodbye to people who weren’t helpful to him and staying focused on his mission.
Finally, Payton said, Paul was effective because Christ was his highest priority.
“Wherever the enemy brings me, I have one agenda,” Payton said. “If God takes me home, I’m going to be with Christ. If he leaves me here, I’m still going to serve Christ. I have no other agenda because I know that my life is all about His will. I know He loves me, and I love Him.”
Gaines, the president-elect for this year’s conference, will serve as the president for the 2024 conference in Murfreesboro. In officer elections, Matt Brown, senior pastor of Germantown Baptist Church, was chosen as president-elect for 2025. No nominations were made for secretary-treasurer, so the conference authorized Gaines to select someone to fill that role. See related story on officers HERE. B&R