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Each Day I'll Stand
As part of our focus in 2014 on daily discipleship, the elders have challenged us to say, “each day I’ll stand.” In this age, that has to be done on a daily basis.
You can hardly open the paper or watch the news without the Bible coming under fire or someone’s faith being called into question. If a person stands up for what they believe in, they are labeled “homophobic” or even a “hater.” If the Scriptures are cited to answer some current trend, they are viewed as of touch or no longer relevant. This can easily cause us to go into hiding for fear of being misrepresented. We might reason that it is better to say nothing than to speak and stir the pot.
Perhaps more than ever, the people of God need to stand up and say, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (Romans 1:16). Instead of worrying about what is politically correct, we need to concern ourselves with what is right with God. Rather than letting someone trample on the Bible, it’s time to take the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17) and fight the good fight of faith. Not to defend our personal reputation but the name of Christ we wear. Or, according to the lyric in our theme song this year, A Beautiful Life, “and so for God I’ll take my stand.”
To that end, the 35th annual Southside Lectures are being planned on the theme “I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel.” These will be timely sermons considering the current path of our culture. They should embolden us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). And they will hopefully motivate others to “be saved from this perverse generation” (Acts 2:40).
The dates for the lectures are June 16-19. Please mark your calendar now. Based on your support of the past lectureships, I don’t even need to say that. We have people who plan their work schedules and vacations around the lectures. I know everyone can’t take off to be here for the morning sessions, but please make every effort to be here as often as you can. And it may very well be that you need a little time out of the world to better equip yourself to face the world.
The speakers are David Banning, Lawrence Kelley, Buddy Payne, and Gerry Sandusky. These men are effective communicators of the gospel in their own right. Together, they make for a powerful lineup of preachers in whom you will not be ashamed. They are men who believe in the power of the word of God and who put it to work in their lives. And you can be certain that they will be ready to preach the gospel to us.
David Banning currently works with the Vestavia church in Birmingham, Alabama. He grew up in Houston and preached for many years at the Dowlen Road congregation in Beaumont. You may recognize his name from a popular series of Bible class workbooks for teenagers called Get Them Talking. Brother Banning has a passion for preaching the gospel and for reaching lost souls. We look forward to hearing him for the first time on the lectures.
Lawrence Kelley is one of our own. From 1990-1992, he and his wife, Janice, lived here while Lawrence was in the preacher-training program. Their influence remains in the hearts of our people. After working with the Stonegate church in Port Arthur, Lawrence is now preaching for the Lost River congregation in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He has a sincerity and humility about him that will make this homecoming all the more sweet.
Buddy Payne has been a frequent participant on the lectures through the years. He is well-known for his work in the creation vs. evolution debate. This time, he is coming to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. His preaching is powerful and practical. His sermons are crafted not in the wisdom of men but in the wisdom of God. We welcome Buddy back.
Gerry (pronounced Gary) Sandusky has preached for the North Madison church in Indiana for the past 37 years. He has the ability to connect with all kinds of people because of his genuine love for the souls of men. Gerry has endeared himself to the Southside congregation first as a visitor and later as a preacher on the lectures. We highly anticipate hearing him again.
And Tim Stevens will be here for the third year in a row to lead congregational singing. Since October of 2013, Southside has provided partial support to Tim in his new work of conducting gospel meetings and singing schools for churches on a full-time basis. Tim will help us focus not just on singing the right notes but on worshiping our God in song. He will be a welcome presence once again.
The 35th Southside Lectures are still three months away. That’s a lot of days left to pray, plan, and think about who you can invite to come. While you’re doing that each day, don’t be ashamed to take your stand.
