By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee Interim President and CEO Willie McLaurin urged Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board members to remain unified around the Great Commission.
“I’m convinced we are created in the image of God in order that we might be on mission with God,” McLaurin said during the board meeting, Sept. 27, at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. “Whenever we walk together in unity we can accomplish so much more for the glory of God. God’s Word reminds us that we are called to walk together in unity.”
Preaching from Acts 2, McLaurin said the early church made a difference because they were unified in their mission to share the Gospel locally and beyond. Furthermore, he said, they experienced God’s blessings because they exalted the Savior, explained Scripture, edified the saints, embraced the Holy Spirit and saw sinners evangelized.
“All of this happened because they were unified together under the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “They did not resist the Spirit. But they allowed the Holy Spirit to be their leader, to be their guide. And they were obedient to the purpose and the plan of the almighty God.
“I believe If we would continue to model what we see in Acts 2, we too in our churches, in our state conventions, in our Southern Baptist Convention and across the world will see a harvest of people who are on the road to Hell and will be on the road to Heaven,” he continued. “And men and women, boys and girls, would be saved and baptized and set on the road to discipleship.”
McLaurin said he has strived to bring about unity in his current role at the Executive Committee.
“My ministry has been to provide a ministry of unity and ministry of stability in a time when there is disunity,” he said. “I believe God in different places and times raises up called men of God to lead us to bring back unity. And when there is instability the Lord calls men to help bring back stability.”
He thanked Louisiana Baptists for their steadfast commitment of giving to the Cooperative Program and proclaiming His Word. McLaurin also praised Louisiana Baptists for their evangelism and baptism efforts.
“In the most recent reporting year, churches that are part of the Louisiana Baptist Convention baptized almost 6,000, which represents people who are saved, baptized and set on the road to discipleship,” he said. “And If the Lord Jesus were to come back today, every one of those individuals would have eternity in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
