Be a “difference maker,” preached Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, during his Oct. 25 chapel message at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College.

In his introduction of Lance, interim president David S. Dockery said “it is a joy to have Rick Lance here,” noting he was formerly pastor of the “historic” First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa. Dockery called Lance “a dear friend for nearly 40 years” and said Lance was his parents’ pastor. Lance has served as executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions since 1998.

In his introduction of the message, Lance said he was once in charge of creating the theme for a work meeting. He decided on making the theme “difference makers” and began thinking about people in the Bible that made a difference. The main verse for the message was Acts 4:13, and Lance explained that “the book of Acts gives us a story of the growth of the early church.”

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This article was originally published at TheAlabamaBaptist.org.