By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
PINEVILLE – Pastors in vibrant and successful ministries must guard against becoming prideful, or risk the fate of Nebuchadnezzar, Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines told attendees of the Louisiana Baptist Convention E4 Preaching Conference.
“God will humble the proud either in this life or in the next,” Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., told the crowd gathered at First Baptist Church, Pineville, Sept. 20. “It might be in this life, in eternity, or in both – but ‘God will humble those who walk in pride.’
“Some of you are too proud for God to keep blessing you,” he emphasized at the annual event. “He’s about to cut you down. Don’t think He can’t, and don’t think He won’t.
Citing Daniel 4:1-37, Gaines recounted how Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon, the most powerful nation in the sixth century. Yet, despite warnings from God, the king became so selfishly proud of his nation he eventually was struck down with insanity. For seven years, Nebuchadnezzar lived outdoors like a beast of the fields, his hair uncut and fingernails and toenails grown out like talons.
Fortunately, Nebuchadnezzar finally looked up to God in repentance and admitted all his success was due to the Lord, Gaines pointed out. As a result, God forgave Nebuchadnezzar and restored him to his throne.
Gaines said the account of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride is a reminder that God’s warning confronts our pride, God’s discipline corrects our pride and God’s glory conquers our pride.
God cautions his people not to fall prey to pride, alerting them to confront this sin, Gaines said. God loves His children too much to let them walk in pride.
“Am I addressing a modern-day Nebuchadnezzar today?” Gaines said. “Has God given you a measure of success? Maybe you’ve done well vocationally, and thus, financially. Your peers and colleagues have given you recognition, but you think you’re the one who has amassed your wealth.
“Have you grown into a tree taller than all the others?” he continued. “Let me warn you – walk in pride and God will chop you down. You can’t walk in pride and please God.”
LC CHAPEL
Later that morning, Gaines and pastors attending the E4 Conference joined Louisiana College students on campus for chapel services, during which Gaines offered an encouraging message on soul-winning and spiritual leadership, exhorting the undergraduates to exert their influence on campus, in the city of Pineville, and beyond.
Gaines told the young scholars one day they will have to give an account to Christ and urged them to live a life that pleases God.
“Don’t just be a man,” he said. “Be a man of God. Don’t just be a woman. Be a woman of God.”
E4 CONFERENCE
Before and after the LC chapel services, the conference held breakout sessions at First Pineville – led by professors from Louisiana College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The First Pineville Praise Team led worship by song during general sessions.
Many of those in attendance for this yearly conference were repeat participants, taking advantage of the encouragement and tools that help to equip them for ministry.
“You get to learn new stuff and further your education, which is important for pastors,” said T.J. Boyd, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Natchitoches. “I always pick up new ideas on church leadership and how to be a better preacher from the pulpit.”
Scott Breland, pastor of Plainview Baptist Church in Bogalusa, echoed the thought.
“As pastors, we are charged with encouragement and discipleship of our members,” he said. “Sometimes our tank gets empty and we really need a conference like this to refill.”
The E4 Conference began in 2009 with a vision to exemplify, encourage, equip and empower our pastors to preach expositional sermons. Past speakers have included Don Wilton, pastor of First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, SC; Fred Lowery, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Bossier City; and David Uth, pastor of First Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla.
