Manley Beasley preached his last message to the Southern Baptist Convention in June of 1990 in New Orleans. In that powerful and prophetic message he made this statement: "Long before we have a funeral, death sets in. We seem to have the idea that death only occurs when we have a funeral." Manley was right; we miss the fact that death is a long-term process in the life of an individual, a church or a denomination.How can we as Southern Baptists make needed corrections if we keep missing this point? Our denomination is in a state of death and decay. Must we, as some suggest, ignore the signs of dying in the Southern Baptist family? Must we wait until the funeral to admit we are in the throes of death? Please do not say that our problem need only be solved with money. Our deepest need cannot be fixed by money. Money is one of the leading symptoms of our dying. Other symptoms are disunity, character assassination of brothers who don't toe the line, control and cynicism, to name a few. Dying is our process but revival is the sovereign work of God. Who among us will believe God for revival?
Ed Litton
5 comments:
On target my brother.
Ed, thank you for this piece on Manley Beasley. It brings back some very special memories of relationship, fellowship and spiritual growth in traveling with Manley.
I met him in March 1983 at s Prayer for Spiritual Awakening Seminar in Kosciusko, MS. I had been praying about an invitation to join the PSAs with the former HMB, SBC, Atlanta, GA. Manley was an encourager. "If God is in it, do it!" I did.
From September '83 I traveled with Manley on a number of PSA conferences across America. I was with Manley on a number of occasions when he was taking his portable medical treatments on the road. I have never seen a man so determined, against extreme difficulty, to do what his God had called him to do. He was an encourager to all of us on the team.
Manley was ahead of his time. Unique unto God's call. He was one of a kind. A "John the Baptist" issuing a call: Come! He was an "Elijah" on Mt. Carmel requesting God to send an answer by fire. Again, thanks for the memories. c.
Prayer Time Ministries
Union, MS 39365
I miss your blogs they kept me going at times I didnt want to keep going!
love you brother
I hope you are well. Miss your blog.
I, too, am concerned about the subsequent death of the church. The ways of the church are looking remarkably more like that of the world. We can't stand by and blame the wicked for the state of affairs in our world and nation when we are complacent as Christians. What will it take for us to wake up?
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