This Sunday I’ll be in Orlando for the Southern Baptist Convention.  Filling the FBC pulpit will be Dr. Jeff Ginn, Senior Ambassador for the US and Global Relations for the IMB.

Jeff has been a dear friend for more than two decades now.  We served together as Virginia pastors, together on the SBCV Executive Board, and together as IMB Trustees.  Later I was an IMB Trustee once again when Jeff assumed the job of leading our work in South and Central America and later became our Vice-President for Mobilization.  In his current role, Jeff is traveling and preaching all over the world as a catalyst and encourager of Great Commission work.

Appropriately, that will be his message this Sunday – “The Great Commission.”  Matthew 28:18-20 gives us our marching orders from our Lord…let us be about his business until He returns!  You’ll be wonderfully encouraged by Dr. Ginn this Sunday.  Be praying toward Sunday, and for the annual meeting of our SBC family in Orlando.

I’ll be back on the 14^th as we continue in Colossians.  My prayer for you today is this: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). 

By His Grace, For His Glory, To The Nations,

Dr. Thurman Hayes, Jr.