With the report from the Great Commission Task Force in the early stages of implementation, Chuck Lawless urges Southern Baptists to steadfast prayer.
In his “First Person” commentary featured at Baptist Press, Lawless states that now that the Southern Baptist Convention is several months removed from the adoption of the Great Commission Task Force report, prayer should “not decrease; it must only increase.” Lawless is the dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
“To stop praying now is to retreat from the power of God when the hard work for our churches and denomination is really just beginning,” Lawless writes. “Great Commission praying should not be difficult, however. We know that the Word on which we stand resounds with the Great Commission mandate.”
Lawless calls upon Southern Baptists to redeem their time by using their daily activities – such as reading the newspaper, listening to the radio and walking about their neighborhoods – to spur them on to prayer. He writes:
As you go through the day, listen closely. Listen for stories of anguish, and offer prayer for wounded people. If you listen to radio talk shows, pray for callers and hosts who verbalize something less than a Christian worldview. Listen for foreign languages spoken, a clear sign that God is bringing the world to us. Allow the stories and the voices you hear direct you to pray for those who need to know Jesus.
Lawless’ entire commentary, “Great Commission praying,” can be found at the Baptist Press Web site.