By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
PINEVILLE – In a world that is increasingly evil with each passing day, Steven Smith believes Christians must be on their knees, praying with boldness and persistence.
“Prayer is asking that God’s goodness would be directed toward us until His will is made clear to us,” said Smith, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, Ark., during the E4 Preaching Conference Sept. 19.
Smith said Christ presented a template of how to pray in Luke 11:1-13, with an emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
“Why does He say the ultimate thing He gives us is the Holy Spirit?” Smith said. “Because the Holy Spirit is the presence of God in our lives. He’s saying God can’t give us anything better than God. It’s the greatest thing He can give.”
In another message, Smith encouraged pastors not to fixate on the style of preaching or the right topic, but, instead, to allow Scripture to guide them.
“We don’t have to explain God to anyone,” Smith said. “Just get people to Jesus, who gets them to the Father.
“The Father and Jesus are invisible,” he continued. “How do we get people to see the invisible Christ who leads them to the invisible Father? Through the Word!
“Is the way I am doing what I am doing leading people to the Word or away from the Word?” he asked. “To lead people to the Word is leading people to Jesus. To lead people away from the Word is to lead them away from Jesus.”
With sessions held at First Baptist Church in Pineville and Louisiana College, the E4 Conference presented a program intended to “exemplify, encourage, equip and empower our pastors to preach expositional sermons.”
Past speakers have included Steve Gaines, SBC president and pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., Don Wilton, pastor of First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC; Fred Lowery, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Bossier City; and David Uth, pastor of First Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla.
The conference also featured music by the Voices of LC and breakout sessions led by professors from Louisiana College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Conference organizer Stewart Holloway told the Baptist Message that the E4 Conference, now in its ninth year, began with a desire to sharpen and encourage pastors.
“It’s always good to build relationships and equip pastors with some great messages,” said Holloway, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pineville. “We are thankful this conference allowed pastors the chance to come together and take away helpful tools they can use in their own messages.”
Many of the pastors attending this year were repeat participants, taking advantage each year of encouragement and tools intended to equip them for ministry.
“I come here because of the information I take away that helps me with ministry,” said John Elliott, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Natchitoches. “As pastors, our calling is not just about preaching but serving. We are called to serve and to do so you have to be equipped at conferences like this one.”
Mike Hawkins, pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Stonewall, echoed the thought.
“As a pastor, I am always looking for ways to learn and grow,” Hawkins said. “We pastors need to hear from others in these conferences that also set an example for our congregations to do the same.”
