As Southern Baptists meeting in Philadelphia, a city of historic significance in the beginning of our nation and in the beginning of Baptist life in North America, we are keenly aware that God has richly blessed us across many years.
As we look back upon our rich heritage, and humbly thank God for his mercies to us in the past, we are made to realize that there is much happening among us in these days for which we must give thanks in this Convention.
We are grateful for the evidence of a new interest in evangelism that is spreading among us, and for the increased harvest of souls won to the Lord.
We are grateful for the renewed response to the Lordship of Christ among the youth in our churches and for the fresh enthusiasm and challenge which they bring to all of us.
We are blessed by a renewed sense of mission that is developing among our people as it is manifested in a broader and deeper spiritual concern for the whole man, who needs the reconciling work of Jesus Christ in every phase of his life.
We are grateful for the evidences of the blessing of God upon this Convention, its boards, institutions and agencies. We are conscious that even as God is at work in a renewed way in our churches, so we also are seeing his hand at work in our beloved Convention.
We are thankful for the spirit of this annual meeting and are conscious that God has answered the prayers of his people as they have expressed deep concern for our denomination.
In this one hundred-fifteenth session of the Southern Baptist Convention, we pledge ourselves to seeking greater sensitivity to the leadership of God, realizing that we are his to command. We commit ourselves to strengthening the ties that bind us in Christ Jesus, realizing that love for each other is the fundamental mark of identification of God’s people.
Let us seek to lead all the people of our churches to maturity in Christ and the enjoyment of the genuine fruits of the Holy Spirit in their lives such as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith . . .” (Galatians 5:22).
Let us go from this Convention with renewed dedication to the triple task of (1) winning men to Christ, (2) leading them to maturity as Christians, and (3) helping them to be active as servants of God in trying to bring about his will in our world.
Let us return to our churches with a commitment to send more of our money and, if God leads, more of our young men and young women into channels of missionary service even as we increase our efforts to spread the gospel in our local communities that we may see a concerted advance in these days.
Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Henceforth shall we walk with him.