CO-CHAIR THOUGHTS FROM BILL BRIAN
Layman, FBC Amarillo
TBC CONVOCATION

The fourth annual convocation of Texas Baptists Committed was a tremendous success in every way. More than 400 members and friends of TBC gathered at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin, August 1-2, for reflection and for the joy of being together with free and faithful fellow Baptists.

The theme was Spiritual Formation. We were lifted and challenged by eight outstanding lay and clergy leaders—each one, Baptists to the core. All brought insights into spiritual formation to lead us to prepare our hearts for Texas 2000, as Texas Baptists strive to share Jesus with every person in Texas by the year 2000; to be a family of loving, joyful, obedient servants of Jesus Christ; to seek fresh, new direction and power from the Holy Spirit through Scripture and prayer; and to develop Great Commission churches for all persons.

On Friday morning, Daniel Vestal, Coordinator of The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, briefed a room full of participants on the latest work of the CBF and the 1998 CBF General Assembly in Houston, June 25-26. Dr. Vestal responded to questions about CBF and received enthusiastic support for next year’s Houston meeting, expected to draw many, many Texas Baptists.

TBC Advisory Board members heard reports from Baylor’s Truett Seminary, the Logsdon School at Hardin-Simmons, other Baptist organizations that educate and minister, and from TBC Director David Currie. David brought encouraging news of increasing membership in and strong financial support for Texas Baptists Committed and challenged participants to be vigilant and to be present for the BGCT annual meeting in Austin, November 10-11.

Dinner on Friday night featured three speakers: Jeanie Miley, George Mason, and Bill Turner and the beautiful music of Cynthia Clawson. Though the banquet hall was literally warm with so many in close quarters, the crowd remained enthusiastic, glad to be together. It was a marvelous evening.

Dr. Vestal brought a message to the large group gathered for breakfast on Saturday, followed by thoughtful words from Bob Ellis, Ken Massey, Doug Tipps and Howard Batson.

Thank you, David, Charlie and Charlotte for making arrangements for an exceptional convocation. Thank you, Bill Ballou, for ordering up the great dinner and breakfast menus. We missed Co-Chair Jerold McBride and his wife Elizabeth who were fulfilling a long-standing commitment to be with friends in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

The convocation was a time to remember what it means to be Baptist to renew friendships and make new friends, to honor voluntary cooperation in doing missions, to affirm the work of our Baptist General Convention of Texas, to express gratitude to God for blessing Texas Baptists with vast resources of people and material, to convict us to keep our focus on bringing the light of Christ Jesus to a dark world.

It is not too early to be making your plans to attend the BGCT meeting Austin, November 10-11. This will be a critical meeting for Texas Baptists. Encourage your church to elect a full complement of messengers.

September 1997