“We have got to start making disciples who make a difference,” was the motto at this year’s Senior Adult Convention. If we heard it one time, we heard it a hundred. “We want to see people’s lives changed,” expressed D.J. Horton, speaker at this year’s South Carolina Baptist Convention Senior Adult Convention. “Senior adults are the perfect generation to set examples for being a disciple and furthering God’s kingdom.”
Over 450 senior adults, representing 42 churches from across the state of South Carolina, gathered in Charleston to celebrate life and learn how to make a difference. “The Great Commission says nothing about age. Nobody has the right to remove themselves from the disciple making process,” preaches Rev. Horton. “We have a wealth of knowledge from this generation and we need to be connecting them with the younger people in our congregation.”
Senior adults arrived Monday afternoon, March 16, for registration and began their retreat with worship and music provided by The Singing Churchmen, The Good News Trio, and The Marathon Singers. The following morning began with music and a session of study with Dr. Jerry Pounds, assistant to the president, Broodmoor Chair of Discipleship, and Director of Spiritual Formation Program at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Pounds used the model of Jesus and His disciples, teaching adults five spiritual principles to live by. “We need to pass on the faith. Senior adults possess the greatest opportunity to become the most effective disciple makers because of their wisdom, faith in times of need, and ability to persevere.” At the end of his session, Dr. Pounds challenged adults “to be like Christ now, not when we get to heaven.” He spoke about how the church is growing an unregenerate congregation and the fact that we all need to look within ourselves and ask the question, “Do we have a passion to become a disciple?”
Later that morning, adults heard a sermon from D.J. Horton, senior pastor of Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church in Moore, SC. Rev. Horton testified to his experience in becoming a pastor. “I was 25 years old, straight out of seminary, and Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church took a chance on me. I have been their senior pastor for five and a half years. We have a truly blended congregation and our passion is seeing lives be changed,” expresses Horton. “It is my experience that the most joyous and fulfilled group in the church are the ones who are serving and giving their life away. Age has no factor in that joy.”
Rev. Horton preached from Hebrews chapters 12 and 13 speaking about the difference an adult can make in someone’s life by their example and how they face their struggles and handle conflict and sin. The question to be answered is, “Do you struggle faithfully?” He said sometimes we as Christians “take ourselves way too seriously and don’t take God seriously enough.”
In closing the morning session, senior adults were treated to a presentation by Mike Lewis, known as The Jesus Painter. Mr. Lewis shared with the group that “he has not always had a love for ‘art’, but he loves what he ‘does’ and it is a way of worshipping God.” Mr. Lewis began his presentation with a white canvas and started telling the story of Jesus’ life by painting with only four or five colors. After the final stroke, Jesus’ face was the final creation of artwork. “This represents our life. We start out as nothing; and through our walk with Him, people begin to see God reflected in our lives,” explains Lewis.
Senior adults experienced a three day conference filled with opportunities to worship God and a heartfelt challenge to look within their hearts and decide if they are going to now take on the task to make disciples who make a difference. The conference ended with a time of commitment led by Rev. D.J. Horton. Participants completed a commitment card and were instructed to share their card with their local church pastor.
