Why Dr. Ted Traylor will get my vote

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Jun 8, 2010 by Randy Chestnut | 0 Comments

For some reading this post, the whole Southern Baptist Convention experience is relatively new.  In one sense, the Southern Baptist Convention exists only two days a year. This year's SBC Annual Meeting is in Orlando, FL, June 15-16. During those two days, the messengers elected by cooperating churches meet to pray, worship and conduct business.  A major topic of this year's convention is "The Great Commission Resurgence" (see http://www.pray4gcr.com/what-is-gcr/  for more details).  While it is not the intent of this post to give a detailed analysis of the GCR, I will say I am personally very excited about the GCR and am giving it my full support.

    Another important part of the Southern Baptist Convention is the election of the Convention President.  The Convention President serves as the Moderator of the Annual Meeting the following year.  He also is an ex-efficio member of all SBC committees and trustees boards.  He will select the individuals who will serve on the Convention's, Committee on Committees.  This Committee is given the task of electing the trustees for the convention's various agencies, boards and seminaries.  The SBC Convention President is much, much more than a ceremonial position.  These guys put in lots of hours and hard work.

   This year, four names have already surfaced as candidates for SBC President.  While I believe all four of these men would serve the SBC well, for me, one of them embodies what Southern Baptists are all about, Dr. Ted Traylor, Pastor of the Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL.

   I had known of Dr. Traylor ministry for several years, having heard him preach at the SBC Pastor's Conferences.  I was impressed with his passion for souls, his commitment to the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture, but, more than anything, his love for the Lord Jesus and his love for the local church.  Six years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Traylor in person.  Dr. Traylor and one his deacons, Travis Fryman, (former Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers third baseman), were coming to Cleveland to participate in a regional meeting of North American Romanian Baptist Churches.  A mutual friend was able to set up a meeting for some local leaders with Dr. Traylor and Travis Fryman.  At that time, Dr. Traylor served as a trustee for the North American Mission Board (NAMB).  Cleveland had been selected as a sight for NAMB's Strategic Focus City emphasis for 2005-2007. Dr. Traylor wanted to hear first hand about our work in Cleveland.  He had very encouraging words for us, prayed for us and committed to do what he could to help us.

    Several weeks later, Dr. Traylor was invited to speak at the Greater Cleveland Baptist Association's Annual Meeting, which would be held in October of 2004, an invitation he graciously excepted.  We were excited to have this wonderful man of God officially help us kick-off our new year.  But then, in the early hours of September 16, 2004, Hurricane Ivan made land-fall in the Gulf Coast.  Pensacola was hit hard and Olive Baptist Church suffered extensive damage.  It took a couple of days before I was able to talk to Dr. Traylor.  We were glad that Olive was doing well and we were prepared to tell Dr. Traylor we understood that he would not be able to attend our annual meeting, which was only a little over a month away.  However, Dr. Traylor surprised us all by saying, "Lord willing, I am still planning on coming."

   Dr. Traylor's presence at our meeting was such a blessing.  He preached an anointed message, and then, topped it all off by saying, "And I want to go on record tonight by saying, we want to help you all plant a church here in Cleveland."  Even in the midst of recovering from their own devastation, he still had his eyes on the fields, white for harvest.

   I have had the honor of pastoring that church plant, Church of the Hills, for the past two and a half years.  Dr. Traylor has been a personal encourager and Olive has been a wonderful partner, praying for us, sending mission teams and financially supporting us.  One of their members, Gail Powell, even moved to Cleveland and lived here for two years to help us get started.  Dr. Traylor doesn't just talk and preach about Acts 1:8, he lives it in his personal life and leads the church he serves as pastor to flesh it out.  He is a strong supporter of the Cooperative Program and a great encourager to young pastors.  He will serve our Convention well.