Beeson Podcast, Episode 627 Dr. Ted Traylor Nov. 8, 2022 >>Announcer: Welcome to the Beeson podcast, coming to you from Beeson Divinity School on the campus of Samford University. Now your hosts, Doug Sweeney and Kristen Padilla. >>Doug Sweeney: Welcome to the Beeson Podcast. I’m your host, Doug Sweeney, here with my co-host, Kristen Padilla. We are thankful you’ve decided to spend some time with us today. As we get into the month of November, a month of gratitude, I want to tell you about something for which I am grateful these days. As many of you know, Beeson believes in life together, incarnational theological education, we value community and relationships. With the help of the Lily Endowment and our Thriving Pastors Initiative, we established this semester three new alumni fellowships – here in Birmingham, in Nashville, and in Atlanta. Each fellowship has now hosted an inaugural gathering of alumni in their regions. The day this episode airs we’ll also be wrapping up our second annual alumni conference here at Beeson. The next week we’re in Denver for the Evangelical Theological Society’s annual meeting. And we’ll host an alumni dinner there for those involved in that conference. We are committed more than ever to doing life together with alumni. So, if you are an alum listening to me right now, we hope you’ll join us at one of our upcoming gatherings and reach out to us here in Birmingham when you can. We would love to stay in touch. Today’s guest on the podcast preached in chapel earlier today. He is a beloved senior pastor serving in Pensacola, Florida. He is a prominent Southern Baptist and a friend of Beeson Divinity School. We want to let you know a little bit about his life and ministry. So, Kristen, would you please introduce him to us? >>Kristen Padilla: Sure will. Thank you, Doug. Hello, listeners. Today we have on the show the Reverend Dr. Ted Traylor. He is the Senior Pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. We’re going to ask him some questions about his ministry in this church. But first, let me just say a word of welcome to you, Dr. Traylor. Welcome to the podcast. >>Dr. Traylor: Thank you. My honor and joy to be here. >>Kristen Padilla: Well, it’s so nice to meet you and to make a new friend. We always like to begin these shows by allowing our guests to introduce themselves more personally and fully. So, I wonder if you could tell us where you are from? Any word about your family and your journey to faith in Jesus Christ? >>Dr. Traylor: Certainly. I was born in Detroit, Michigan. You can tell by my accent. (laughter) But my dad had gotten out of World War II married and he and mother moved to get jobs in Detroit. I was born there in ’53 but as a second grader we moved back to rural northeast Alabama, which was home for both of them. And was then for me; a little town called [inaudible 00:02:57], Alabama. And so I grew up there an only child. I came to faith in Christ in vacation bible school on a Thursday when my dear Pastor Nolen Ford spoke to me about the gospel presented and then afterwards he talked to me a little bit. And I went home, thought it through, talked to my parents. And then the next day I was the first of 16 to go forward at the time of appeal. And gave my heart and life unto Christ. I grew up there. My mom and dad ran a grocery store. Everything I know about pastoring a church I learned it in a grocery store. And if you can run a grocery store you can pastor a Baptist church. (laughs) That’s what I’ve jokingly told people. My mother was my first seminary professor and she trained me up, she and dad, in a lot of ways. So, that is my family. I met my wife here at Samford and we married in 1976. We have two children. My daughter, Rachel, she’s married to Brad and she and Brad have our two grandchildren: Catherine and Elizabeth. They’re nine and seven. And then my son is single, lives in Pensacola and works for the State Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor in the first district in Pensacola. And so that’s kind of our family. And where we are right now in Pensacola. I’ve been at Olive Church 32 years as the pastor. >>Doug Sweeney: Wonderful. Dr. Traylor, you’ve already mentioned that you’re a Samford alumnus. I happen to know after Samford you also attended Southwestern Seminary, did a Master of Divinity and a Doctorate there. But by the time you did that, you’d been active in ministry for some time. Can you tell our audience just a little bit about your call into pastoral ministry and your early history as a minister of the gospel? >>Dr. Traylor: Well, I grew up late ‘60’s, early ‘70’s, the Jesus Movement was really rolling across America, coming from California, the Kentucky Appalachia and down. And we had a move of God in our area in north Alabama. I remember the day my high school basketball coach stopped in class, he taught Civics, and he closed his Civics book and he got out his Bible and he said, “We’ll get to Civics in a moment, but we’ve got to talk about what God’s doing on this campus.” If he did that today they’d put him under the jail. But this was 1970-1971. God was just dealing with my soul about I was going to be a basketball coach. That’s all I ever studied. I played two years in junior college and it’s what I wanted to do. But the Lord began to deal with me. I had a gentleman ask me, “Have you ever thought about that God might be calling you?” And I said, “Well, yeah, I’ve thought about it, but I’ve ignored it. I don’t want it. I stay away from that.” But finally in a little country revival meeting one night I just went forward and knelt down and I said, “Lord, I’m yours. And if you want me.” So, I started at 17. And little country churches, just started. As a matter of fact, in two weeks, the week from this Sunday I will preach at a homecoming service where I gave my first sermon ever I preached. I’ll be back on the mountain, as I call it, in north Alabama. And preaching there to honor their pastor and their pastor appreciation month and homecoming kind of day. So, I just started preaching. They just throw you to the fire. I mean, nobody taught me. And I just did it. That’s the way you did where I was from in the rural area. And my pastor put me in the back of his car, bull horn on either side out the window and a microphone sitting in the back, and he’d ride out through the country. And he’d say, “Just preach.” And so I’d just preach. And (laughs) I told him one day, “Brother, Patton, there’s nobody out here but cows.” He said, “Son, when you’re ready for people I’ll take you to town.” (laughter) And he was a man of his word. Finally, he let me preach at home. So, that was the start and the call to ministry in my life. I went home and told me dad. I said, “God’s called me to ministry.” And he said ... I often say the greatest words I’ve ever received. Dad looked at me and he said, “Well, son, if you know what God’s got for you to do, you better get about doing it.” I’ve been trying to get about doing it ever since. And that’s what dad ... that’s how I started. Then two years of junior college basketball, then here to Samford as a junior student, and then, man, I cannot thank this institution enough for the H Day program, it was called then, I think it’s called Samford Days now, if I’ve got it right. I can’t remember. But the H Day was for Howard College and they’d send us out to these rural associations, out and they’d say, “You, you, you, and you go here, here, and here, and there.” You’d go to Ebenezer, New Home, New Hope, wherever. And you’d preach. And they’d bring you back. But I preached for a year and a half all over Alabama. And if I have any skill, that’s where I honed it. >>Doug Sweeney: What a great way to practice. >>Dr. Traylor: Oh yes. >>Doug Sweeney: We don’t do it as much anymore as we used to. We still do it, of course, but it used to be a really big deal. >>Dr. Traylor” I went every Sunday. I mean, I just signed up. I said that’s what I want to do, I loved it. And if I’m going to learn, let’s go. >>Doug Sweeney: In my experience, some of the older people, particularly in smaller churches out in the country, they love it when they have a young boy come and preach for them. And they get to cheer him on and encourage him in the faith and the practice of the ministry. >>Dr. Traylor: That’s right. Yeah. No doubt about it. Amen. >>Kristen Padilla: Well, the Lord took you from a small town in Alabama, eventually out to Fort Worth, Texas, and then at some point to Pensacola, Florida where you’ve been for the last 32 years at this church. How did the Lord bring you to Pensacola to Olive Baptist? And what’s your secret to longevity in ministry? >>Dr. Traylor: My wife and I, I have to remember, we moved to Fort Worth, went to school, and then the First Baptist Church, Henrietta, Texas called me. I was there seven years. It was a county seat town, church run about 300-350 on Sunday. I never pastored a doctor or a lawyer. There were white collars. I was a rural kid. And so I learned some things there that ... those were gracious people to me. And so people are people, but there’s a little difference in people making money and not and different things of that nature, and education background. And from there I went to Garland, Texas, which is the largest suburb of Dallas, stayed three years in a wonderful suburban church and learned some things about life ... I’d never lived in the city before. But then Pensacola came calling in 1990. And I turned them down twice. And just said, “No, it’s not time to go.” But God gave me Isaiah 41, was the passage I went to Pensacola on, and I can take you through that passage and show you the promises that God made to me. And in that passage he talks about that he will be strength if you will be a worm. And I said, Lord, I’m really not into wormology. I don’t want to be a worm. But God broke me. 1997. I talked about it in chapel a little bit this morning. But we answered the call. I told them no and the phone ... I told my wife, what would we do if they called us again? And the phone rang. I mean, immediately. And they said, “We’d like to talk again.” And I said, “Okay.” And so we wound up going. So, we arrived there with two little children in tow. And pulled into town on Halloween of 1990. That’s my anniversary date coming up in two weeks here that will be 32 years. And if you’re going to pastor a church for a long time, you’ve got to change. I don’t mean the church has to change. It’ll change, but you’ve got to change. And so when you arrive and add 32 years to your life, you have different seasons yourself. Your children grow up and then they get married. And then you have grandchildren. And you move from first quarter, second quarter, to third quarter. And through. And so you have to change. But then you have to lead the church to change. As I have said, longevity is a great thing but it’s not all honey and no bees. I mean, there’s some tough things there. A lot of guys get in trouble and they leave. They go somewhere else. Well, if you don’t leave, you’re going to have to deal with whatever that guy was probably leaving. And I tell people I probably pastored three, maybe four, churches since I’ve been there. It’s changed. Hurricanes changed us a lot. And it was a very blue collar church when I came. And then in our ministry village we’ve reached to the poverty stricken, to the down and out, and people with nothing. And then at the same time we’ve reached up and out. When I arrived, if I said, “All the lawyers meet me in the vestibule,” one guy would have showed up. Well, my son went to law school. I asked the lawyers to come and taken them for dinner and 18 guys showed up. And a couple of ladies. So, there were 18 of these. So, all of a sudden there was more white collar. At the same time poverty, but that great middle was still there. And so if the church is not changing, it’s going to die. But if the preacher is not changing, he’s going to die. And so I found both of those things are ... if they’re secrets, I don’t know if that’s the right word, but I think they’re keys at least to longevity. >>Doug Sweeney: I’d love for our listeners to know a little bit about what you’re most excited about at Olive Baptist Church these days. What’s going on? What are the ministries like? Kristen and I know, you have a significant television and radio ministry. Some of our Beeson alums who’ve always wondered what that’s like may enjoy hearing a little bit from you about what it’s like pastoring a church that has that sort of ministry as well. >>Dr. Traylor: Well, television has been a big part of Olive. I inherited it when I came there. It was the old Acts Network what Southern Baptists had when Olive started and then I came and Acts went away after awhile and so we’ve stayed on the cable across northwest Florida. And then our radio ministry reaches with the networking in a lot of different places up in Iowa and south Florida, different folks of that nature. Television is now really legacy people watch television. We do 5:00 on Saturday afternoons and 11:00 on Sunday morning. Week delayed. But we were always doing the internet broadcast kind of thing. But then COVID just blew all that up. And so we ramped that up and these guys, I mean, I don’t even think about these wires and buttons and stuff. I just preach the message and they take care of it. And I hire good people. And they take good care of me in that way and they tell me, “Pastor, we’ve got to do this, this, and this.” But I hear it from the folks. I get mail. It really broadens your horizon and gives you a greater reach. But I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a television preacher. It’s the hardest thing for me to do is get my mind outside that room that somebody else is listening. And I had to do that during COVID. But I like this face to face. I like you to grin or something. You know? Cuss! But respond to me, man. >>Doug Sweeney: Give me something! >>Dr. Traylor: That was the hardest preaching during COVID when it was an empty room and a camera. And I did that for a few weeks and I mean I’d like to have died. But I got through it. And we all did. But that has really expanded our ministry in the social side of what we do that we really had never done before. And all of that came out of some of the hurricanes and storms and started our Charis House ministry, 200 ladies have gone through in the last 15 years, our residential program. 18 months with us. As a matter of fact, this Sunday is our graduation for the next group that go through. And that excites me. >>Doug Sweeney: Is that something you set out with a mind to do? I mean, we’re just getting to know each other. I want to claim I know you better than I do, but you seem to me to be very much a gospel man, a bible preacher, sort of man. >>Dr. Traylor: Yes. >>Doug Sweeney: Did you fall into this? What was it like pastoring a church where you were going through all these sorts of ministry changes? >>Dr. Traylor: I can scratching and screaming. Because I’d been taught at Southwestern Seminary the social gospel side of things was really more liberal and it didn’t have a gospel in it. And so stay away from that. And a lot of that is true. And you have to drag social ministry back to the gospel. Because it will drift to just to good and doing good is good. (laughs) I mean, Jesus said that. But I had a lady who came and sat in my office, Jean Ray is her name, she’s in Heaven now, I think. She’s my dear, dear friend and I kidded her a lot. But Jean would come every year and she’d say, “Pastor, we need a social worker on this staff. We have too many hurting.” I said, “Okay.” I wasn’t going to do that. But she finally, she looked at me one day and she said, “Have you ever read Matthew 25?” I said, “I’ve read the whole bible.” She said, “You don’t act like you’ve read Matthew 25.” (laughter) She said, “Jesus said, ‘Do to the least of these.’” That’s the only person I ever asked to leave my office. Never before. She left, but the Holy Ghost didn’t. And he dealt with me about that. And so that’s where Charis House came from was just God’s conviction through my sweet friend, Jean Ray, that was kinda mean with me one day. But the Lord roughed me up about it and so I said, “Okay, we’ll start.” And boy, when those girls come and they get saved and man, they live for God. It thrills this preacher, it really does. >>Kristen Padilla: You’ve been with a lot of young men and women preparing for ministry today here on campus. And so I have them in mind, but what would you say to a young person who is preparing for pastoral ministry, for a preaching ministry? What have you learned from your experience in ministry that you would want to say to the upcoming pastors, preachers, ministers of the gospel? >>Dr. Traylor: Lionel Patton, my pastor, told me a call to preach is a call to prepare. A call to preach is a call to prepare. He said it a thousand times. And because where I’m from in rural northeast Alabama, there are some people who believe education is the antithesis of spirituality. But I tell them you need to get your learning and your burning. I mean, you’ve got to put both of those things together. The anointing of God’s got to come, but you need to have a razor sharp mind, too. But it’s a balance of that. So, if you’ve been called to preach, called to ministry, it’s a call to prepare. So, let’s go, let’s get with it. If you have an opportunity. But don’t wait till you have a degree until you start. Because you learn some things by doing. I remember at Southwestern Seminary some of the poor chaps that were in that ... they preached their first sermon in preaching lab. I mean, in front of the Sanhedrin. I mean, we were the worst crowd you could ever preach to. I mean, you talk about a bunch of legalists. I mean, (laughs), we were awful. So, it’s do and learn. I have 12 young preachers in my church right now. One of them is a freshman student here, he was in chapel with us today. Sam. Just a fine, he’s going to be a good man and a good preacher. And I tell him, “Just do it, Sam.” And so he’s here learning. And all of a sudden I’ve got these guys and I meet with them on an ongoing basis, and we challenge each other. And probably the best thing I ever did with them. I had a real tough death that had come to a younger person. The family was coming to see me. And it was at the same time I’d already planned for these guys to be ... and I asked the family, I said, “Can I just let these guys sit in the corner and let them watch me deal with you about this funeral?” And they were thrilled to let them do it. So, they just sat there quietly. And, but man, they learned things. I mean, first time I was ever asked to do a funeral I’d never seen that before. So, you asked about what ... this is what lights this older preacher’s fire now, is pouring that Psalm 71 into them. Psalm 71, “Lord, don’t let me die till I see this generation and generation coming to see your strength in power.” And I want to teach them Your strength in power. >>Doug Sweeney: Dr. Traylor, some of our listeners will know that you have been involved, participating in leadership at the state level and even the national level in the Southern Baptist Convention. How has that been for you? What have you learned by participating in leadership in those ways? And of course we all know Southern Baptists are in the news a lot these days. Anything that you want to say by way of edifying our listeners with respect to how the Lord is engaging and leading and guiding the Southern Baptists? >>Dr. Traylor: Well, I am one and I have been one and will be one. So, I’m in for the long haul. Southern Baptist have been good to me. They educated me on this campus here at Samford University. Their money from the tithe plate paid part of my tuition while I was here at Samford through Baptist Life. Southwestern, the same. And so we’ve always been involved. I like it. I believe in it. Perfect? Goodness no, we have a lot of things we have to deal with. Some of which we’re dealing with right now. But it’s always something that you’ve got to get better. But when it comes to home missions, international missions; when it comes to disaster relief, just show me somebody who is doing it better. And you can take that as pride or whatever you want to. I just think we are doing a good job with what’s been given us to take the gospel to the world and then you add seminary education with that, with our six southern Baptist seminaries that I believe in and have preached in all of their chapels. And love those guys. And to be back here today at my alma mater and on the campus for the first time at Beeson, I love what I see going on here in the training the same way that’s happening and it’s not Southern Baptist through the cooperative program but there’s still, it’s heart deep with Baptist life that’s here. So, man, I’m pro SBC. I’m just for it. As you said, I’ve been the president of our Florida Baptist Convention and president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastor’s Conference, and the first vice president, and Bryant Wright who was here last week, defeated me when we ran against each other for president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He finished first and I finished second. I went to his party and we’ve been friends ever since. I told him he did me the greatest favor he’d ever done by taking that and letting me go home. I’m willing to serve, but I don’t have to. I’ve got plenty to do in Pensacola, Florida. But I do love my denomination. I’m for it. We support it big time through our giving. We lead Florida giving money to our cooperative effort. So, we’re in it. And believe in it. >>Kristen Padilla: We’ve already mentioned that you’ve preached in chapel and we want you listeners to go to our You Tube Channel, Beeson Divinity, and listen to his sermon. You’ll find it there in our Fall 2022 Chapel Playlist. But, before they leave the podcast to go to the You Tube Channel, I wonder if you can give a summary or a teaser of your sermon so they know what to expect? >>Dr. Traylor: Well, chapel is preaching through the life of David right now. And so my assignment was 2 Samuel 5. When David comes to establish Jerusalem as the capital and he is anointed for the third time. My message is entitled The Third Anointing of David. And I talk about the anointed man David was. And I gave three characteristics of this man who was anointed. He was a man of unity, a man of victory, and a man of humility. And then I give a closing illustration that is the best illustration I have, and I’ve used it more than any other. And it fit into the life of David from 2 Samuel today. So, I used that, and I think they’ll enjoy ... if you need a word of encouragement or know some preacher that needs a word of encouragement, that message might help them today. >>Doug Sweeney: I know a lot of pastors out there who would love to have three lay men like you had in that story. >>Dr. Traylor: Yes, sir. >>Doug Sweeney: That’s a great reason to tune in and listen to this sermon online. >>Dr. Traylor: I preached it the other day and a young preacher came to me, opened his bible, and he had a note in there where I’d preached this sermon years ago and a guy wrote him and he said, “Pastor, I will be one of your three men.” And he had that taped in front of his bible. And I tell you, that’s been repeated over and over and over again as I’ve preached this particular message. And used this illustration, how God really saved my ministry. >>Doug Sweeney: I’m not surprised. Well, Dr. Traylor, Kristen and I always like to conclude our podcast interviews with guests by asking them what the Lord’s doing in their lives these days. Is God teaching you something even now that we might conclude with by way of edifying our listeners? >>Dr. Traylor: Well, there’s a couple of things. I guess I already eluded to one of them. And that’s with these young men. And God is teaching me that I’m not a young man anymore. And I’ll be 69 here in a few weeks. And so I’m learning what it means to be the older guy in the room with these younger men. And you don’t have to like it to do it. I mean, I don’t like it. I still kind of feel like I can go, but I’ve got good sense enough to know where I am. But it really thrills me to be able to pour into these folks. But I’ll tell you one other thing I’m learning. I’m an only child of a 91 year old mother in memory care. And I’m dealing with a generation ... not only these young men coming behind me, but there’s a generation older than I am. Alzheimer’s, dementia ... and I’m learning some things about loving some people I’ve never known how to love before. And so to take a walk with my 91 year old mother and just hold her hand and tell her I love her. And she can’t remember a whole lot of things. God is teaching this old preacher some patience. Love your mother. She poured into you. Now, pour into her. And so I’ve got it on both sides with the young preachers and then an elderly mother that my soul ... she changed my life. And I’ll love her forever. She listens to me every Sunday in the memory care unit. They have a big television. And they come and they tell me she lights up when I come on. And but the nurse told me the other day, “I came to get your mother for the 9:30 service and said, ‘Miss Jean, let’s go, Brother Ted’s about to preach.’” And she’s late, eating breakfast, and said mother looked up and said, “I’ve heard him before.” (laughter) And she went ahead and finished the breakfast that day. A little late to church. But you have to laugh to keep from crying your heart out. But, oh, that lady. So, those are the things I’m learning. Down the line to the young, up the ladder to my dear mother. I love it with all my soul. >>Doug Sweeney: Wonderful and a great way to conclude this podcast recording. Listeners, you have been paying attention to the Reverend Dr. Ted Traylor, or Brother Ted, Brother Traylor, as he refers to himself. He is the Senior Pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He preached with us today. Please go online and listen to his marvelous sermon. Dr. Traylor, thank you for your investment today in Beeson Divinity School. You’re a wonderful alumnus of Samford and a great representative. So grateful for you and your ministry and this gift of time. >>Dr. Traylor: Thanks to both of you for letting me sit in and be here today. >>Doug Sweeney: And listeners, thank you for tuning in. As ever, we want you to know we love you and we’re praying for you. We ask you to pray for us and the Lord’s work here at Beeson Divinity School. Goodbye for now. >>Kristen Padilla: You’ve been listening to the Beeson podcast. Our theme music is written and performed by Advent Birmingham of the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama. Our engineer is Rob Willis. Our announcer is Mike Pasquarello. Our co-hosts are Doug Sweeney and, myself, Kristen Padilla. Please subscribe to the Beeson podcast at www.BeesonDivinity.com/podcast or on iTunes.