Baptist Preaching: A Global Anthology

Acknowledgments

xiii a b ACknowLeDgmentS The Baptist World Alliance invited me to join its Commission on Worship and Spirituality for the quinquennium 2010–2015. In consultation with the chair of the commission, D. Leslie Hollon, it was decided to pursue a collection of global Baptist sermons representative of that period. The first report from this project was at the annual BWA gathering in Kuala Lumpur in 2011. At that time twenty-four sermons were presented to the commission along with analyses. The collection and annotation process continued through the 2013 annual gathering in Jamaica, where a further topical paper was presented to the commission reflecting on the role of the Holy Spirit in the sermons then collected. Early in this process Baylor University Press, through Carey Newman, its director, agreed to publish the completed collection along with comments and analyses. He has been encouraging throughout this project, and the publication would not have been possible without his strong endorsement and the work of the staff at Baylor University Press. In consultation with Fausto A. Vasconcelos of the BWA, we requested suggestions from each of the regional representatives of the six BWA defined areas. Kojo Amo, Bonny Resu, Everton Jackson, Anthony Peck, and George Bullard responded with suggestions from their respective regions. Raquel Contreras, the publisher of Casa Bautista de Publicaciones, also recommended both preachers in Latin America and translators. In addition to their recommendations, I also consulted Mike Stroope, associate professor of missions at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, along with Pam Durso, executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry. From these advisers we organized a list of preachers to be contacted. These regional and international Baptist leaders gave helpful suggestions for those to be included on the basis of their own observations of the various regions. xiv Acknowledgments We have tried to present the sermons in their original voice and format. The sermons were not regimented, standardized, or made to be uniform— other than minor stylistic modifications. We attempted to represent the sermons as the individual homiletic creations they are. If the preacher included the biblical text in print with the message, then we present the sermon that way. If the preacher indicated formal compositional elements—for example, “Proposition”—we retained that presentation. The purpose of this collection is to demonstrate not only the content but also the craft of the sermons. We believe the translated sermons likewise preserve the voice of the preacher. This collection faced the challenge that any collection of sermons inherently faces. Who could possibly decide on a few Baptist preachers to represent world Baptist preaching? Invariably some will ask why this or that preacher was not included. First, none of the preachers featured in this collection nor I would maintain that this is the only possible anthology of sermons. Trusted persons who know the preaching life among global Baptists suggested these preachers as well as others, who, for various good reasons, were unable to respond in time. It is hoped that this collection will be representative of Baptist preaching for the period. It does not claim to be a collection of the best Baptist preachers but does hope to be typical in the voices that are heard. Everyone would nominate someone who is not in this collection who could and should be given the time and opportunity. I want to thank the institutions and persons who helped with this project . Dean David E. Garland and Associate Dean Dennis Tucker of George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University provided both encouragement and resources for this project. The project has taken place in two stages. The first twenty-four messages were prepared for the formal presentation in Malaysia. William Crouch, emeritus president of Georgetown College, supplied significant support before the Malaysian presentation. Truett graduate Ben Mangrum afforded noteworthy organizational and editorial help in this project at the beginning, before the presentations at Kuala Lumpur. Baylor University doctoral student Scott Rushing offered early help with solicitation and secondary resources as well as proofing and citation logistics before the Kuala Lumpur presentation. Fran Lowe of Fort Worth, Texas, contributed her usual expertise in editing and proofing. Truett graduate Sergio Bezerra contributed his insightful abilities , as did Raquel Contreras, Jahngo Jo, and Ivette Herryman Rodríguez. The second stage of the project represents the manuscript for final publication . Jordan Rowan Fannin of Baylor University Press has overseen the editorial process with adroit insights and professional expertise. David Cramer, a doctoral student at Baylor University, added significantly to the details...