Greenway calls for cooperation in evangelism at SBTC annual meeting

“If there was ever a time where we must come together for the sake of reaching Texas and America and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is now,” said Adam W. Greenway, president of The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, during his sermon address at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention in Odessa, Texas.

Speaking during the Tuesday morning session, Oct. 29, Greenway preached Luke 5:17-26, wherein the friends of a paralyzed man go to great lengths to bring him to Jesus. Incorporating the convention theme of “Who’s Your One?” Greenway stressed the importance of cooperation in bringing others to Jesus.

“Cooperation and evangelism, I believe, are inextricably linked given the God-sized task that is set before us,” Greenway said. “…That’s why I’m drawn to this passage. Because here we see an example of cooperation at its best, of these who found their one and what it meant to bring him to Jesus.”

Greenway explained that even when the friends were initially unable to bring their friend to Jesus, they did not give up, but rather tried even harder.

“They were so determined to bring their one to Jesus, it didn’t matter what the obstacle or the opposition was; they were going to get him there,” Greenway said. “And they noticed that even the challenge was an opportunity to get creative.”

“Dear friends, do we have that kind of faith?” Greenway asked. “… How many of us have given up on evangelism because we have allowed all the satanic schemes of the enemy to tell us it doesn’t work anymore…?

“Could I just remind you, 100 percent of those we do not share Christ with will not respond. One-hundred percent of the people you do not invite to your church on Sunday are not going to come. Now, does that mean everyone that you do share Christ with and that you do invite is going to come? No. But guess what? More than you would imagine will respond. And so what would happen if we had the kind of faith that these friends had?”

As Greenway continued working through the text, he noted that the scribes and Pharisees were quick to criticize Jesus for forgiving the sins of the paralyzed man.

“One of the most discouraging realities of ministry today is that sometimes our greatest wounds come not from the enemy, but from people who claim to be our friends,” Greenway said. “Let me just encourage you, before you talk about somebody, talk to somebody. Before you’re tempted to fire off that drive-by tweet, think to yourself, ‘Would I say that to that brother or sister if he or she were standing right here in front of me?’”

Greenway declared that it is time “we repent of the ways that we have slandered and libeled our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. These things ought not to characterize the New Testament people of God. And we ought to be working to find ways to cooperate rather than to separate, to not give the enemy the pleasure of seeing us go after each other rather than go after him.”

One of his prayers for the SBTC as well as all the Baptist state conventions, Greenway said, is “that the Lord will continue to raise up men and women committed to doing everything we can to connecting all people to Jesus Christ right here in Texas and going to the nations.”

“But for us to reach Texas, we have to do it together,” he continued, “because the task is greater than any one individual, or any one church, can do. Baptists have recognized this from the beginning: we are better together.”

Greenway said this is why Southwestern Seminary exists. “We were founded by a local church pastor, B.H. Carroll, here in Texas, to provide for a ministry—an educated, faithful ministry—that would help transform Texas with the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” he explained. “That’s why … when we talk about Southwestern, it’s not just a seminary or the seminary; it’s ‘our seminary.’ And I want you to know Southwestern Seminary is ‘our seminary’ as the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.”

“I believe that the best days of Southwestern Seminary are ahead, not behind it,” Greenway concluded. “But that can only happen as we keep the main thing, the main thing, and that is doing everything we can to equip God-called men and women to be found faithful in the task God has given to us and be fruitful in His Kingdom service. We want to be the best partner we can be with all of our state Baptist conventions, but especially with you.

“I am thankful for our Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. I am thankful we are partners together in the mission. I am thankful for what God has done. I believe the best is yet to come.”