Reyes and Curley, III, point to kingdom of wholeness and clarity of gospel agenda in opening worship session

Kicking off the first worship session of the Texas Baptists Annual Meeting on Nov. 10 in Waco, Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Buckner International, told attendees that the kingdom we are offering the world is “a kingdom of wholeness” that “offers peace, healing and justice.”

Referencing John 14:27, Reyes said Jesus is the Prince of Peace who gives peace “not like the world gives.”

“The world gives you peace in the absence of conflict, in the absence of difficulty, in the absence of problems,” said Reyes. “[Jesus] gives you peace in the presence of conflict, in the presence of animosity and the presence of difficulty… that's when the Prince of Peace steps up when it doesn't make sense and so he gives you the peace that passes all understanding.” 

Reyes encouraged attendees that the healing that Jesus offers is a gradual, therapeutic type of healing.

“The healing that Jesus is talking about is not the immediate, on-the-spot healing. It’s not the same because the [Greek] word for healing in Luke 9:10 is ‘therapeuō.’ It’s where we get the word ‘therapy’ from,” said Reyes. “It’s a Samaritan investment that says, ‘We're going to help you now and I'm coming back for whatever's needed to get you to the point [where] you have wholeness and healing and restoration.’”

Reyes challenged attendees that the kingdom of God offers justice and that “when the kingdom comes near, things change.”

“When we invade the space of people who need hope, we take the King and the kingdom with us, and when we see things that are wrong, we start to ask, ‘What would the King want done in this situation?’ And then we get to work,” said Reyes. 

Reyes concluded his message by encouraging attendees that “the church is the sign and the agent of the kingdom of God” 

“I think that the [Great Commandment and Great Commission] coupled together is actually how we bring the kingdom near to people who need it… and offer a kingdom of wholeness,” said Reyes. 

Following Reyes, Noe Treviño, director of the Center for Missional Engagement at Texas Baptists, shared about Texas Baptists Worldwide, a missions giving opportunity for churches and individuals to support missions and ministry from the heart of Texas to the ends of the earth. An offering was collected for Texas Baptists Worldwide. 

The Gospel is Clear 

Al Curley, III, executive pastor of Cornerstone Church in Arlington, concluded the night with a message on “the clarity of the gospel’s agenda.” He told attendees that five things are clear about the gospel: the source, the system, the strategy, the subject and the significance. 

Referencing one of the Annual Meeting’s theme verses, Luke 4:18, Curley said the clear source of the gospel is the spirit of the Lord upon us. 

“Without the Spirit, we are at most successful in the eyes of man, but not in the eyes of God,” said Curley. “When the Spirit of the Lord is on you, the spirit should be able to do some work in you and through you because the gospel has an agenda.”

He said the system of the gospel is clear: “to preach the good news to the poor and to proclaim release to the captives” (Luke 4:18).

“Beautiful feet are sticky feet; feet that seek to get in and get on and get around those they encounter with the gospel,” said Curley. 

Curley said the strategy and the subject of the gospel are clear; “to preach the good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed” (Luke 4:18). 

“But the gospel imposes on all humanity the need for a chain-breaking Christ to provide grace to the oppressed, mercy to the oppressor, forgiveness for the sinner that they might have freedom in new life,” said Curley.

Curley closed his message by pointing to the significance of the gospel, which is that “scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). 

“The significance of the gospel is found in the sufficiency of Christ, that God has already done the work,” said Curley.

René Maciel, missions pastor at First Woodway Baptist Church in Woodway, concluded the session in prayer. 

Worship was led by Art Wellborn, worship pastor at First Woodway Baptist Church in Woodway, and the Waco Area Combined Choirs.