Last week, the poignant letter written by IMB president Tom Elliff was shared with you through “Clarity.”  I share, as many of you do, Tom’s burdened heart.

One sentence in Dr. Elliff’s letter served as a great warning:  “…we have drifted into a dangerous and prideful state of independence and isolation.”  Then, his clarion call was issued:  “So I’m calling on you, our IMB mission personnel, and on any churches, entities, and state conventions of the Southern Baptist Convention who are committed to aggressively living out The Great Commission to rise up with us in restoring the lost sense of cooperation, urgency and zeal for missions that must attend these days.”

How can this incredible appeal so passionately made be realized?

Through a spiritual awakening birthed in earnestly seeking the Lord through prayer, fasting, repentance, and selfless Christ-focused personal and corporate worship.

Out of this revival, a keen awareness of and brokenness over the lostness of men and the reality of an eternal hell as a consequence of being without Christ.

Through a unity around the Master and His Great Commission that lays aside pettiness, pride, and insignificant divisive issues in order to give ourselves forcefully and completely to reaching these lost people in our neighborhoods and the nations.

By making the sacrificial giving of our resources to Great Commission causes through the Cooperative Program the priority that God has used to build some of the greatest missions and ministry delivery vehicles known since Pentecost.

I would ask you to take a moment to read Ephesians 3: 20 and 21 and make those two powerful verses of Scripture a passionate prayer.

It is a joy to be with you on this journey as we watch God do some remarkable things through his people in the years ahead.

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