ORLANDO–At the 2024 Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting, Stephen Rummage, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention, delivered a call to action rooted in the conviction to “make Jesus known.”
In his first sermon to messengers since his election to his new Florida Baptist role,
Rummage outlined a mission-oriented framework inspired by the Apostle Paul’s ministry in Athens, drawn from Acts 17:16-34. He urged Florida Baptists to adopt a similar zeal and strategy in spreading the gospel.
Rummage began with the story of a man traveling through a desert who, after discovering his dates were infested with worms, opted to eat the last date without checking for worms. “Some things we are better off not knowing,” Rummage noted, emphasizing, “But dear friends, there are some things that people must absolutely know.” Chief among these is the message of Jesus Christ. He affirmed, “God has placed you where you are that you may know Jesus and that you may make Jesus known.”
Through Paul’s example, Rummage shared six key principles for fulfilling this mission.
Rummage encouraged Florida Baptists to live with a constant mission. He highlighted Paul’s time in Athens, noting that while Paul was initially waiting, he remained mission-focused. “A lot of people come to Florida to see the sights,” he stated, “but we are not here to sightsee; we are here to win souls to Christ.” For many, he emphasized, Florida might be “the closest to heaven they’ll ever be,” so Florida Baptists must be serious about making Jesus known.
He also urged those gathered to “cultivate burdened hearts.” In verse 16, Paul’s spirit was “provoked” by the idolatry saturating Athens. Rummage challenged the audience to examine their own hearts. “Do you have a burdened heart?” he asked, suggesting that modern-day idols—anything people fear or trust more than God—are equally as pervasive.
Share a strategic witness, advised Rummage, detailing Paul’s approach to sharing the gospel strategically in the synagogues and marketplaces, going to where the people were rather than waiting for them to come to him. He related this to campus ministries that engage students directly. “This fall, 53 students made professions of faith in Jesus Christ,” he shared, encouraging Baptists not to shy away from speaking about Jesus in secular spaces.
“Proclaim an unwavering message,” Rummage said. He observed that Paul’s message remained firm despite encountering opposition from the leading philosophies of his day, which were proclaimed by the Epicureans and Stoics. “There comes a time when we must proclaim Jesus and Jesus alone,” he stated, encouraging an unwavering commitment to the gospel despite challenges.
Citing Acts 17:22-31, Rummage called Florida Baptists to cultivate an evangelistic passion and zeal that drive believers to engage with those who don’t yet know God.
Rummage closed, asking Florida Baptists to “be confident and trust in God’s use of us.” Closing his principles with the importance of trust, Rummage reminded the audience of their callings and prayed that God would use Florida Baptists to make Jesus known across the state, just as Paul did in Athens.
Rummage concluded with a prayer, inviting Florida Baptists to trust in God’s guidance and respond to the call to “make Jesus known” in every corner of their communities, wherever He may lead them.