Month: May 2023

Iglesia de Brownsville inicia servicios en inglés y español para conectar brecha generacional

Amedida que crece la población hispana en los Estados Unidos, surgen nuevos retos. Por ejemplo, cada vez más niños y adolescentes de hogares hispanos mejoran sus conocimientos de inglés, pero no desarrollan o incluso pierden sus conocimientos nativos de español.

Como resultado, en muchos hogares hispanos de EE.UU., los padres hablan poco inglés y sus hijos hablan poco o nada de español. Esta realidad ha creado un entorno en dónde muchos padres—y la iglesia—luchan por conectar con la generación más joven.

Estos retos son los que impulsaron a Manuel Martínez, pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Logos en Brownsville, a iniciar un ministerio hispano en inglés.

“A los jóvenes hispanos de segunda y tercera generación les cuesta conectar con las iglesias de habla hispana porque no dominan el español. Por eso muchos abandonan la iglesia justo después de la Escuela Superior,” dice Martínez, quien ha sido formado por la subcultura hispanoamericana.

Nacido en Matamoros (México), Martínez se trasladó a Carolina del Norte cuando tenía 6 años. Cuando empezó a ir a la escuela, el inglés se convirtió en su lengua materna, pero mantuvo su capacidad para hablar español porque era el idioma que se hablaba en casa. Comenzó a trabajar a los 15 años para ayudar a mantener a su familia, que incluía a su madre y dos hermanas pequeñas. Su padre llegó a Estados Unidos para vivir con la familia, pero los padres de Martínez se separaron cuando él tenía 17 años.

Siguieron años de dificultades. Tras la separación, su padre fue deportado y su madre se volvió a casar y regresó a México, dejando a Martínez con sus dos hermanas, que ahora dependían de él. El abandono, la presión económica, problemas en pasadas relaciones y su situación migratoria le llevaron a una época muy oscura en dónde sufrió con una depresión y pensamientos suicidas.

Durante esta temporada de la vida de Martínez, un hombre llamado Carlos, quien es el encargado del mantenimiento de la iglesia de su abuela, Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville, vino a visitarlo. Él compartió el evangelio con Martínez, de 18 años, quien entregó su vida a Cristo. En West Brownsville, Martínez fue discipulado por el pastor Carlos Navarro y comenzó a sentir que el Señor lo llamaba al ministerio.

“Sentí en mi corazón que Dios me iba a usar como pastor, aunque no sabía lo que eso significaba,” dijo Martínez.

“A los jóvenes hispanos de segunda y tercera generación les cuesta conectar con las iglesias de habla hispana porque no dominan el español."

—Manuel Martinez Tweet

Con el tiempo, Martínez comenzó a servir en el ministerio juvenil, donde conoció a su esposa y ayuda idónea, Karla. Participó activamente en la evangelización de su comunidad y dirigió la adoración en la iglesia. También sirvió como maestro de Biblia para jóvenes y evangelista de jóvenes, predicando en varios eventos.

Debido a que estuvo muy involucrado con los jóvenes, Martínez vio repetidamente que las generaciones más jóvenes de hispanos se desconectaban de la iglesia después de dejar el grupo de jóvenes. Parte del problema, reconoció, era que las generaciones más jóvenes se encontraban en medio de dos culturas, sin pertenecer plenamente a ninguna de ellas. No podían identificarse con la cultura estadounidense y, al mismo tiempo, les resultaba difícil conectar con la cultura hispana porque no hablaban el idioma con fluidez.

“Vi a muchas familias rotas como la mía y a muchos jóvenes sufriendo como yo,” afirma Martínez.

Con la inquietud de cerrar esa brecha que vio entre los hispanos más jóvenes creciendo alrededor de él, Martínez pasó cinco años apoyando los comienzos de plantación de la Iglesia Bautista Jericó, ayudando en el área evangelismo, adoración y discipulado mientras continuaba trabajando con los jóvenes de West Brownsville. En el 2018, Navarro bendijo el deseo de Martínez de comenzar un nuevo ministerio para alcanzar a las generaciones hispanas más jóvenes. Martínez y su esposa comenzaron abriendo su casa para estudios bíblicos a los que asistían estudiantes de secundaria y universitarios. También comenzaron una práctica que continúan hoy: evangelizar a la gente en parques públicos cada semana. Después de un año, el grupo comenzó a celebrar servicios de adoración una vez al mes en un área proporcionada por West Brownsville.

A medida que el grupo continuaba creciendo, comenzaron a orar por un lugar permanente para reunirse. En el 2020, Dios proveyó ese lugar a través de una generosa mujer que les dio las llaves de un pequeño edificio con capacidad para unas 40 personas. Los preparativos para utilizar el edificio estaban en marcha cuando COVID golpeó, reduciendo el número de personas que se estaban preparando para poner en marcha lo que se convertiría en la Iglesia Bautista Logos de 20 personas a seis. Los que quedaban estaban decididos a continuar con el lanzamiento y, tras la cuarentena, reanudaron las reuniones en persona.

Una vez se reanudaron, Martínez y la iglesia descubrieron que algunos de los jóvenes que estaban llegando traían a sus padres y a otros miembros de la familia. Aunque acogieron este hecho con entusiasmo, esto trajo un reto con el que Martínez se había familiarizado: ahora tenían una generación mayor de hispanos a los que les costaba conectar porque los servicios eran en inglés. Eso llevó a Logos a iniciar un servicio adicional en español. Martínez dijo que alrededor de 45 personas asisten regularmente a los servicios.

“La historia de Logos ha sido una de Dios haciendo abundantemente más de lo que pedimos o esperamos.”

—Manuel Martinez Tweet

Logos es una iglesia apasionada por las misiones. El año pasado destinó el 18% de su presupuesto anual a las misiones, lo que incluyó el apoyo a dos misioneros en España y el envío de estudiantes universitarios a viajes misioneros. Uno de esos viajes fue a Dallas, donde atendieron a una comunidad de inmigrantes de Afganistán. Como resultado, varios inmigrantes renunciaron al islam y entregaron sus vidas a Cristo. La iglesia también ministra en el campus de la Universidad de Texas Rio Grande Valley en Brownsville, donde los miembros llevan a cabo estudios bíblicos que han llevado a tres estudiantes a aceptar a Cristo y ser bautizados.

También se han unido a Navarro para ministrar a los inmigrantes que llegan al centro de Brownsville, alimentándoles, dándoles mantas y predicando el Evangelio.

Martínez, que sirve y trabaja bivocacionalmente, sigue orando por más obreros que ayuden a discipular a las personas que están alcanzando. La iglesia también está pidiendo en oración a Dios que provea un nuevo edificio que pueda sostener el crecimiento que está experimentando. Aunque Logos está situada en uno de los condados más pobres de Texas, y con una ofrenda semanal media de 130 dólares, la iglesia sigue confiando en que Dios proveerá a sus necesidades para que puedan expandir Su reino.

“La historia de Logos ha sido una de Dios haciendo abundantemente más de lo que pedimos o esperamos,” dijo Martínez. “Su bondad derramada sobre nuestras vidas nos impulsa hacia adelante mientras buscamos conocer a Jesús y darlo a conocer. Por la gracia de Dios, continuaremos haciendo eso en el Valle del Río Grande, en Texas y en el mundo.”

Brownsville church plant starts services in English, Spanish to bridge generation gap

As the Hispanic population in the U.S. grows, new challenges are emerging. For example, more children and teenagers from Hispanic households are improving their English language skills but not developing or even losing their native Spanish language skills.

As a result, in many Hispanic households in the U.S., parents speak little English and their children speak little or no Spanish. This reality has created an environment where many parents—and churches—struggle to connect with the younger generation.

These challenges are what prompted Manuel Martinez, pastor of Logos Baptist Church in Brownsville, to start an English-language Hispanic ministry.

“Second- and third-generation Hispanic youth have a hard time connecting with Spanish-speaking churches because they are not fluent in Spanish. That’s why many drop out of church right after high school,” said Martinez, who himself has been shaped by a Hispanic-American subculture.

Born in Matamoros, Mexico, Martinez moved to North Carolina when he was 6 years old. Once he started school, English became his primary language, but he maintained his ability to speak Spanish because it was the language spoken at home. He began working at age 15 to help support his household, which included his mother and two young sisters. His father eventually came to the U.S. to live with the family, but Martinez’s parents separated when he was 17.

Years of difficulty followed. After his parents separated, his father was deported and his mother remarried and went back to Mexico, leaving Martinez with two sisters who were now dependent on him. Abandonment, financial pressure, relationship struggles, and his immigration status led him into a very dark season where he suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts.

During this time of Martinez’s life, a man named Carlos—a handyman from his grandmother’s church, West Brownsville Baptist Church—came to visit. Carlos shared the gospel with the 18-year-old Martinez, who gave his life to Christ. At West Brownsville, Martinez was discipled by Pastor Carlos Navarro and began to sense the Lord calling him into ministry.

“I felt in my heart that God was going to use me as a pastor even though I didn’t know what that meant,” Martinez said.

“Second- and third-generation Hispanic youth have a hard time connecting with Spanish-speaking churches because they are not fluent in Spanish.”

—Manuel Martinez Tweet

Martinez eventually began serving in youth ministry, where he met his wife, Karla. He became active in evangelizing his community and leading worship at church. He also served as a youth Bible teacher and youth evangelist, preaching at various events.

Because of his involvement with young people, Martinez repeatedly saw younger generations of Hispanics disconnecting from the church after they left the youth group. Part of the problem, he recognized, was that the younger generations found themselves in the middle of two cultures, not fully belonging to either. They could not identify with American culture and, at the same time, found it difficult to connect with Hispanic culture because they could not speak the language fluently.

“I saw many broken families like mine and many young people suffering like me,” Martinez said.

With a growing hunger to bridge the gap he saw among younger Hispanics, Martinez spent five years helping Jericho Baptist Church, a church plant, with evangelism, worship, and discipleship while continuing to work with the youth at West Brownsville. In 2018, Navarro blessed Martinez’s desire to start a new ministry to reach younger Hispanic generations. Martinez and his wife began by opening their home for Bible studies attended by high school and college students. They also began a practice they continue today—evangelizing people in public parks every week. After a year, the group began worshiping once a month in a room provided by West Brownsville.

As the group continued to grow, they began to pray for a permanent place to meet. In 2020, God provided that place through a generous woman who gave them the keys to a small building that could accommodate about 40 people. Preparations to use the building were underway when COVID hit, reducing the number of people who were preparing to launch what would become Logos Baptist Church from 20 people to six. Those remaining were determined to continue with the launch and, after the quarantine, resumed in-person meetings.

Once they resumed, Martinez and the church found that some of the young people they were reaching were bringing their parents and other family members. While welcoming this fact with excitement, it brought the challenge with which Martinez had become familiar—an older generation of Hispanics who struggled to connect because services were in English. That led Logos to start an additional service in Spanish. Martinez said about 45 people are regularly attending the services.

Logos is a church with a passion for missions. Last year, it gave 18% of its annual budget to missions, which included supporting two missionaries in Spain and sending college students on mission trips. One of those trips was to Dallas, where they ministered to a migrant community from Afghanistan. As a result, several migrants renounced Islam and gave their lives to Christ. The church ministers on the campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville, where members conduct Bible studies that have led three students to accept Christ and be baptized.

“The story of Logos has been one of God doing abundantly more than we ask or expect.”

—Manuel Martinez Tweet

It also teamed up with Navarro to minister to migrants arriving in downtown Brownsville, feeding them, giving them blankets, and preaching the gospel.

Martinez, who works bivo-cationally, continues to pray for more workers to help disciple the people they are reaching. The church is also prayerfully asking God to provide a new building that will support the growth it is experiencing. Though Logos is located in one of the poorest counties in Texas, and with an average weekly offering of $130, the church continues to trust that God will provide for its needs so it can expand His kingdom.

“The story of Logos has been one of God doing abundantly more than we ask or expect,” Martinez said. “His outpouring of goodness over our lives propels us forward as we seek to know Jesus and make Him known. By God’s grace, we will continue to do that in the Rio Grande Valley, in Texas, and the world.”

Valedictorian speech based on the gospel goes viral

HUMBLE—Before Friday, May 26, the largest group Campbell Lino had spoken to about Jesus was the 75 or so at her church during a prayer meeting.

Ascending the stage as valedictorian for Atascocita High School, she was going to once again talk about the gospel. This time, it would be to a graduating class of 905 from a high school of almost 4,000 in front of a crowd of 10,000 in the building where the Houston Texans play on Sundays.

Since her earliest days of attendance in the Humble Independent School District, Lino had the goal of becoming valedictorian. The motivation to get there had nothing to do with pointing to herself, however; it was about pointing others to Christ.

Her speech (1:34:00 mark) began with an ever-so-Texan “Hi, ya’ll” and congratulations to the salutatorian and rest of the top 10 graduates in her class.

“Now I want to talk to you all about the most important person in my life—Jesus Christ—and how He has changed my life,” she said.

The seconds that followed came as a surprise to Lino and her parents, Nathan and Nicole.

Lino found out in early May she was valedictorian. With the opportunity to share the gospel with her entire class before her, she turned in her planned speech (as required) a few weeks later. It brought an invitation to the principal’s office.

“He told me I could not give that speech and there were certain things he didn’t want me to say,” Lino told Baptist Press. “We spent about 30 minutes combing through my speech and talking about phrases.

“The idea was that I shouldn’t offend people with what I said. But the parts he wanted to cut out were very important parts of the gospel presentation.”

She went to her parents to talk it all over.

Eyes on the goal

Lino’s senior year has been unconventional. Her father founded Northeast Houston Baptist Church, but June 1 will mark the one-year anniversary of his accepting a call as pastor at First Baptist in Forney, 240 miles away near Dallas. Her goal of earning valedictorian in sight, Lino and her parents agreed on her completing her senior year at AHS while living with a couple from the Houston church.

“Campbell had grown up in the same neighborhood her whole life—attended the same church, went to the same local schools from elementary up through middle and into high school. All she’s ever known is a very stable life in that area,” Nathan Lino said.

Wanting to honor her desire to share the gospel while respecting authority, Lino and her parents worked through a rewrite of the speech.

“We talked about different ways to give the gospel presentation,” she said. “A week after that, the speech was approved.”

The graduation program contained a disclaimer distancing the school district from the content of student speeches. It’s unclear if this was in response to Lino’s planned speech or a disclaimer that isn’t uncommon for graduation ceremonies.

Part of Lino’s preparation for delivering her speech—which ended up “about 90 percent” of the approved version—was the reaction of the crowd. What if classmates jeered or stood up and walked out? What if the crowd tried to talk her down?

One wouldn’t think these to be concerns in Texas, but “it was an intense moment,” her dad said.

“It was very emotional and stressful and adrenaline-pumping because we didn’t know what was going to happen. There is a very liberal element to her school and so we had covered those scenarios in advance.

“We are super proud of her courage at 17 years old”

‘… across the street from Iguana Joe’s”

Upon her saying, “… Jesus Christ, and how He has changed my life” the crowd responded with cheers.

“I didn’t know how they would react,” Lino said. “I just assumed it would not be warm. Walking up to the podium, I was very nervous and praying like crazy.

“When they started clapping, I was shocked. It was good to know the crowd supported me.”

Life was confusing before she really understood what Jesus meant to her, she shared. She was gifted in learning other languages and academics. She had a great family and friends. Yet she struggled to find happiness in what she saw in the world while battling her own self-centeredness.

“But then I learned that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the true king of the human race,” she said into the microphone, followed by clapping and growing cheers.

Where Jesus and His Lordship are acknowledged, she said, thriving follows. Where He isn’t, there is brokenness. But His love for all mankind is exemplified in His death on the cross and resurrection three days later.

Understanding all of this, she said, “completely changed me.”

Her testimony concluded with an explanation and invitation to all who would welcome such a change. She and others at Northeast Houston Baptist Church would be happy to have those discussions.

“It’s right by our school across the street from Iguana Joe’s,” she specified.

Several videos of her speech charged across social media, with one on Facebook garnering more than 91,000 views as of May 30.

This Fall, Lino will join her older brother, Colton, at Cedarville University. There, her major in linguistics and minor in Bible will serve toward her plans on becoming a missionary and Bible translator.

“I was still shocked at how the crowd responded,” she told BP of her descent from the stage last Friday. “I could feel the presence of the Lord.”

This article originally appeared on Baptist Press.

Lone Star Scoop • June 2023

Oldest active Baptist church in Texas marks 185th anniversary

NACOGDOCHES

Old North Baptist Church, the oldest active Baptist church in Texas, marked its 185th anniversary on May 7 with a celebration service that included worship, the preaching of God’s Word, and a recitation of its history.

John McGuire, a field representative for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention—whose father, Pete, once pastored Old North—presented a plaque to the church to mark the occasion. The plaque included an inscription of 2 Corinthians 9:12: “For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”

According to the Texas State Historical Association, the church was officially organized on May 6, 1838.

“You know, I was just thinking—this little house is about 185 years old,” said Ottis Byers, a longtime East Texas businessman who preached the anniversary service. “Aren’t you glad He still dwells in it? … It’s a sweet presence in here.”

—Texan Staff

Dance’s ‘Start to Finish’ to be released this month

NASHVILLE

Start to Finish: The Pastor’s Guide to Leading a Resilient Life and Ministry, the latest book by Guidestone Director of Pastoral Wellness Mark Dance, is scheduled to be released in June by B&H Publishing.

In the book, Dance addresses the challenging task pastors face and offers steps they can take to serve, lead, and end their ministries well—whether they are many years into their ministry or about to begin. In its promotion of the book, B&H writes, “As pastors begin to lead their churches, they recognize quickly that their calling comes with special expectations. Many come to feel they can no longer live up to those expectations. Burnout is rampant. Pastors are stepping down in order to protect the well-being of themselves and their families. … Mark Dance addresses this frustration in his book ….”

“I am praying that this book will be used as a mentoring tool for seasoned ministers to use with younger ones in their most formative years,” Dance said. “I am hoping that God will use it to prepare pastors for a resilient life and ministry, as well as prevent them from causing collateral damage along the way.”

Start to Finish will be available through most major book retailers.

—Texan Staff

Ultrasound machine funded by SBTC grant dedicated in Waxahachie

WAXAHACHIE—The dedication of the fourth of six ultrasound machines funded by a Southern Baptists of Texas Convention grant was held in April at FirstLook Sexual Health and Pregnancy Center.

The SBTC Executive Board in April 2022 approved a grant of $228,000 to provide the machines and training. “We are so grateful for the partnership with the SBTC on multiple machine placements in Texas,” said Rachel Wiles of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission’s Psalm 139 Project, which facilitated the ultrasound placements.

Added FirstLook CEO Donna Young: “This ultrasound machine from the Psalm 139 Project to FirstLook is such a wonderful blessing. God is faithful to provide exactly what is needed to further His work here at exactly the right time.”

—Jane Rodgers

SBTC en Español hosts retreats for senior adults, pastor wives

CEDAR HILL

The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s en Español department marked a pair of firsts in April when it hosted retreats for senior adults and the wives of Hispanic pastors.

“We have a vision to support the development of Hispanic churches in Texas in a healthy and effective way, so we are constantly looking for ways we can impact the different segments of leadership in these churches,” said Chuy Ávila, SBTC en Español lead associate. “We decided to do these events because [senior adults and pastors’ wives] are two of the most neglected groups, yet they are valuable to the body of Christ.”

The senior adult retreat included speakers who spoke on topics such as managing their spiritual lives and preparing well for retirement. The retreat for the wives of pastors offered encouragement and tools to help them face the challenges of serving in ministry.

—Arlene Sanabria

In a world of distractions, pastor urges congregation to prioritize its commitment to the local church

Keeping the first things first

One of the most challenging obstacles pastors face is the same in congregations large and small: getting people to prioritize local church commitment over the activities constantly competing to fill up their weekly schedules.

“People are so busy with different things like sports, school, and other activities. They get pulled in 80 different directions, and they don’t prioritize being in church,” Mikey Pesqueda, pastor of First Baptist Church in Archer City, said.

“The body of Christ is meant to be there for each other. We need every person that is a believer here because we’re supposed to sanctify each other and grow and hold each other accountable,” he said. “We’re supposed to worship God together, encourage one another, and mourn together.

“If we’re not [at church with one another], then there’s always a part that’s missing that’s absolutely essential.”

Pesqueda has been reading a book by pastor and author J.T. English that says disciple-makers are taking the wrong approach when they ask what disciples want. Instead, they should be asking what they need.

“I think the same is true for our families,” Pesqueda said. “We don’t need to be asking what our kids want but what they need. What they need is to be involved in the body of Christ.”

FBC Archer City has seen a couple of families “really take hold of that” and pull their kids out of some activities, the pastor said, “and they’re here consistently.”

“If you were to ask them, they would say there’s a peace now of not feeling so pressured going in 80 different directions.”

“We need you to be here just as much as you need to be here.”

—Mikey Pesqueda Tweet

Pesqueda was working a plumbing job with his father, attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and had married about four years earlier when he asked some mentors to keep their eyes open for where he might serve in ministry full time. With only internships on his resume, Pesqueda expected to start as an associate pastor and was surprised when FBC Archer City, a century-old congregation outside Wichita Falls, called him as their pastor.

Archer City is a town of about 1,700 people, including ranchers, teachers, and people who work in Wichita Falls. The church has had a lot of good, faithful pastors, Pesqueda said, and they were ready to love and accept a 26-year-old as their shepherd.

“Pastoring here has been one of the best blessings of my life,” Pesqueda said. “Coming in and being younger, I wondered if people were going to listen to me and follow the lead of someone who’s 20, 30, 40 years younger than them. I’ve never really felt like people have seen me as a pastor-in-training, and I’m thankful for that.”

Since the beginning, Pesqueda wanted to focus on discipleship and making sure the church knows why it holds specific beliefs. Recently, he started a “Doctrine and Discipline” series on Sunday nights.

“We’re trying to show people that head knowledge should grow our hearts for the Lord,” he said. “Head knowledge shouldn’t puff us up, but should grow our hearts to love Him more by seeing how complex God is and how much He has done for us.”

“Our schedules really shouldn’t revolve around all the other things that we do. Our schedules should revolve around Christ.”

—Mikey Pesqueda Tweet

To support the doctrinal study, the pastor taught some Bible reading basics. “We walked through passages together and talked about interpreting it the right way compared to interpreting it the way we would like to interpret it,” he said.

The only remaining Baptist church in town, FBC Archer City has about 120 people attending on Sundays. The church has a strong children’s ministry and a growing student ministry. Attention is being given to women’s ministry, including a periodic mom’s night out on Wednesday nights.

Missions has been a significant focus of the church, the pastor said, and its missions team works to ensure members aren’t just giving money, but partnering through prayer and directly serving with other ministries.

For three years, the church has participated in the Secret Church Bible study and prayer emphasis started by pastor and author David Platt. An FBC Archer member had listened to Platt and asked if the church could get involved. Pesqueda was unsure anyone would attend something outside the scope of Sunday and Wednesday, but 25 people showed up the first time.

As more young couples join the church, Pesqueda tries to show them he doesn’t just want them there; he needs them there.

“We need you to be here just as much as you need to be here,” he tells them.

“Our schedules really shouldn’t revolve around all the other things that we do. Our schedules should revolve around Christ. When our schedules revolve around Christ and going to church and being involved in a local body, then all the other things will find the right balance.”

God’s not done with you!

I’ve discovered amazing things about the greatest men and women of Scripture. In reading their stories, I see a common theme. Because of their actions, circumstances, or age, they believed God was done with them.

In their lives, I saw dead-ends, horrific mistakes, valleys of discouragement, and seasons of doubt. Their stories, despite the hopeless situations they faced, have encouraging and surprising conclusions. Their final testimony was, “God’s not done with me!”

Let me personalize this—God’s not done with you, either!

At times, it certainly seems like God is finished with us. I’ve been in seasons where I wondered if God even knew where I was. As a pastor, I’ve walked with many who’ve pondered, “Where are you, God? How will you meet me in this mess?”

Let me encourage you with this: The God who intervened in the lives of those Bible characters can do the same for yours. Their stories are recorded so that you might experience God in your own life.

Remember Elijah? This great prophet went from supernatural victory on Mount Carmel to a dark valley of discouragement in just hours—a stunning reversal. Elijah was so weary, discouraged, and empty that he prayed, “It is enough … take my life.” This is what I call the dark night of the soul. So many have been there.

God shines light into Elijah’s dark season with a personal encounter on a mountain. In that encounter, God changed Elijah’s perspective and gave him the next step he needed to get up and finish strong. God was not done with Elijah. Elijah’s greatest fear was an embarrassing death at the hands of Jezebel, but in the end, he doesn’t die. How’s that for an amazing comeback?

"The God who intervened in the lives of those Bible characters can do the same for yours. Their stories are recorded so that you might experience God in your own life."

John Meador Tweet

When my wife and I walked through a similar time of discouragement and depression, we learned that the God of Elijah still meets with men and women and gives them hope. He did that for us. Decades later, we still remember those great moments where God intervened.

Many may wonder, “How does God orchestrate these kinds of comebacks in life?” Then we remember that He is God, and if you’ll pay attention, He sends reminders to us all through history:

Elijah was discouraged.
Moses was angry.
David was in sin.
Esther faced a hopeless situation.
Abigail stood between two angry men.
Peter became disillusioned with Jesus.

Each could have concluded, “God’s done with me.” Each would have been wrong. God brought each of them through difficult seasons and let them experience incredible things on the other side.

“God’s not done with you” is a way of thinking—a perspective of life. If you’re still here, God’s not done with you. It is just like God to cause the latter chapters of your life to be much greater than former ones. Believe that He has a plan for you.

Remember Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13-14: Forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead. God’s not done with you!

Salvation on mission trip provides catalyst for spiritual movement at an East Texas university

God's Moving on Campus

Fredonia Hill Baptist Church has baptized at least 17 students who attend Stephen F. Austin State University since spring break.

What John James, the church’s college/associate pastor, is calling “a movement of God” started with a 30-person spring break collegiate mission trip to New York City.

“God’s moving on campus,” James said. “It’s just cool to see what God is doing at SFA.”

One of Fredonia Hill’s college students who went on the spring break mission trip—consisting of community outreach and an evening vacation Bible school—confessed to leaders she went because she wanted to see New York City, James said. Then the Lord began to move personally in her life.

“During our time in New York City, she wrestled with questions about God’s goodness and finally gave her life to Jesus on our trip,” James said. “The following week she went back to her small group and shared what God had done in her life. Two people responded by placing their faith in Jesus. That same night, one of the guys was texting a friend he’d met [at an outreach event] and led him to the Lord over text.”

“We’re training our students on campus to be missionaries, to know how to have gospel conversations, and how to live intentionally in their spheres of influence.”

—John James, college/associate pastor Tweet

Since then, James said he has seen the fruit of the relational style of ministry he, his co-director wife, Meleena, and the collegiate leadership team advocate. The 150 Fredonia Hill attendees who are part of the collegiate ministry learn to make friends with the people they encounter on campus and elsewhere and learn how to navigate conversations about spiritual matters, anxiety, stress, and other issues.

“We transitioned out of being a program-based ministry to a relationship-based ministry over the last few years,” James said. “We’re training our students on campus to be missionaries, to know how to have gospel conversations, and how to live intentionally in their spheres of influence.”

Said Fredonia Hill Senior Pastor Kendall McDonald: “We are thrilled with what we are seeing God do and are certainly happy to tell the story so that He receives the glory. I think in our current cultural climate, relationship-building and prayer are essential in leading people to Christ, and we are seeing that play out right in front of us.”

James tells the story of a student who invited her sister to an impromptu prayer and worship time being held at his home. Impressed with what she heard, the sister asked Jesus to take over her life. Another student told his 12-year-old brother the difference Jesus has made in his life, and the brother said he’d been talking to the Lord, asking how to get into heaven.

“What we’re seeing is God drawing a lot of people to Him on campus. I pray He’s not done. I don’t think it’s anything we’ve changed from a ministry or strategic standpoint. I think God is just drawing people to Him.”

—John James Tweet

“We’ve been praying for people by name, sending out prayer lists,” James said. “We’ve seen people respond at worship night, one at a baptism. One student sat me down one afternoon and said, ‘I’ve told people I’ve been saved since I was a little kid, but really I didn’t get saved until a couple months ago. I need to be baptized.’”

Students have been responding to “the sharing of stories and the offering of an invitation” to make Jesus the Lord of their lives, James said. He referenced Psalm 34 when asked why students in today’s culture would be interested in God.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good,” James said. “So many students have seen so much of what the world can offer, and they’ve found that it’s not good. They long for something deeper. They long for what is good. When they come to us and engage in conversation, we’re able to talk about brokenness and the whole purpose of the gospel—God redeeming a broken world.

“What we’re seeing is God drawing a lot of people to Him on campus. I pray He’s not done. I don’t think it’s anything we’ve changed from a ministry or strategic standpoint. I think God is just drawing people to Him.”

Creekstone’s Branch to be nominated for SBC 2VP

BROWNSBORO, Texas (BP)—Texas pastor Michael Criner announced Monday (May 22) that he intends to nominate fellow Texas pastor Kason Branch for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention at the upcoming SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

Branch serves as senior pastor at Creekstone Church in North Richland Hills.

“Kason is a snapshot of who we are as Southern Baptists,” Criner said in a statement. “He faithfully loves the Lord, his family, and his church. When given the opportunity to serve our state convention (Southern Baptists of Texas Convention) or the SBC, Kason has exercised wisdom and discernment. His leadership is exceptional and his relationships broad.

“Kason has the ability to see the best in others which enables him to become a peacemaker among other pastors. His work as a church planting catalyst for the SEND Network has helped launch and strengthen many churches in the Fort Worth region. Kason exemplifies what a partnership in the Great Commission looks like and I am thrilled to nominate him for this role.”

Branch served on the 2022 SBC Committee on Committees and is a part-time church planting catalyst for Send Network SBTC covering the Fort Worth region.

According to Annual Church Profile information, Creekstone Church reported 11 baptisms in 2022 and averaged 110 in weekly worship. The church collected $250,000 total undesignated receipts, with $6,000 (2.4 percent) given through the Cooperative Program.

Branch holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with a concentration in marketing along with a master’s degree in Christian leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in leadership at Anderson University in South Carolina. Kason and his wife, Shanea, a first grade teacher, will celebrate 20 years together this July. The couple has two teenagers, Owen and Kayden Grace.

The real solution for transforming our communities

Each month in the Texan, we publish a column written by the current president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, who this year happens to be Todd Kaunitz, lead pastor at New Beginnings Baptist Church in Longview. As I began to edit his article for this month’s issue, I quickly noticed he wrote about something he’s written about quite a bit over the past year or so—prayer and revival.

“Revival in the church,” he writes, “will lead to spiritual awakening in our communities.”

Kaunitz has seen this happening in his own church. We’ve previously told a tiny portion of that story in the pages of the Texan, but the gist of it is that a season of personal distress and discouragement a couple of years ago led him to cry out to the Lord and, subsequently, to lead his church to do the same. What they’ve seen since can only be described as a God thing, with hundreds coming to Christ, being baptized, and experiencing personal renewal.

You’ll also find in this issue a Q&A with Bart Barber, pastor of First Baptist Church in Farmersville and president of the Southern Baptist Convention. When I interviewed him a couple of weeks ago, I asked him how Southern Baptists might amplify their collective voice in a country that seems to stray further from God. His response: “I think the best way we amplify our voice is to share the gospel with people in our community who are lost and to help them see Jesus is the answer.”

In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

jayson larson Tweet

The words of each of these men, speaking about the ways communities can be transformed, collided in my mind with the fresh memory of the events of May 6, when a 33-year-old man shot and killed eight people at an outlet mall in Allen—a location I had driven past only a month before. Before we even knew the name of a single victim, the airwaves began to be filled with, frankly, what they’re always filled with: speculations, accusations, opportunistic political maneuverings, and the like.

But none of those things will ever fix any of this. Only Jesus can fix broken people born into a broken world who live in broken communities. I wondered if the Allen shooter had ever heard or had a chance to respond to the gospel. I wondered what would happen if, as Christians, we would pour the entire weight of our devotion into prayer and sharing the gospel with one more person rather than pouring ourselves into worldly conversations about things that have exclusively spiritual solutions.

We wring our hands about the brokenness in this world and wonder aloud about what can be done. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Though it seems an unlikely solution to those who don’t know Jesus, these battles—which are truly for our hearts and minds—are fought on our knees. In this world, we will undoubtedly face more tribulation. But for our tribe, we can take heart. We serve a Lord who has overcome the world.

IMB trustees appoint 92 missionaries, stay focused on gospel advance

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)—International Mission Board trustees approved 92 fully funded missionaries for appointment during their May 17-18 meeting in Richmond. Missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration on Tuesday, June 13, at 9:50 a.m. CDT in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans, La. The event will be livestreamed atsbcannualmeeting.net.

Trustees gave a warm welcome to IMB President Emeritus Jerry Rankin, who was president for 17 years and served a total of 40 years with the IMB. Having traveled to 157 countries, Rankin said that his most notable impression was watching the “awesome providence of God moving to fulfill His mission.”

He challenged trustees by asking, “For what purpose are you a part of this group?” Noting the significant advances to sharing the Gospel seen in present times, he urged trustees to lead with vision, focus and passion.

“Don’t be diverted. Don’t be distracted. Never lose that passion,” Rankin said. “Lead Southern Baptists to fulfill the Great Commission.”

President’s report

IMB President Paul Chitwood began his report by noting the “good days” that the IMB is experiencing as it prepares to send new missionaries while celebrating the 1,244 combined years of service of recently retired missionaries.

Chitwood, who is halfway through his fifth year as IMB president, reported advances in many systems such as communications, donor relations, church connections, alumni relations and protection against abuse and abusers. He noted that these advancements are leading toward IMB’s strategic objectives. He shared the following updates:

The candidate pipeline is now at 1,200 and has the IMB positioned to see growth in missionary headcount.

The number of global missionary partners serving on IMB teams is expected to surpass 100 in the next few weeks.

The objective for a comprehensive strategy to engage 75 global cities is ahead of schedule. Fifty global cities will have strategies in place by the end of the year.

The IMB is expecting another strong financial year, that will likely come second only to last year’s all-time high.

Missionary personnel have contacted 85 percent of Southern Baptist churches and, along with the mobilization team, are strengthening relationships with churches that are supporting the IMB.

Chitwood drew attention to the 2022 Annual Statistical Report that is available to the public.

“We celebrate the ongoing impact of Southern Baptists upon the nations,” he said, “rejoicing that 728,000 people heard the gospel, 178,000 responded by trusting Christ for salvation, and 102,000 followed through with believer’s baptism.”

He added, “This is the beauty of our cooperative missions model and a legacy of 178 years. Every church that gives through the Cooperative Program can celebrate being a part of seeing hundreds of new churches planted in North America and 21,000 new churches around the world.”

“My prayer is that every Southern Baptist church would count every IMB missionary as their own and celebrate their church’s role in the advance of the gospel around the world,” he concluded.

Continuing business

Standing committees provided reports regarding administration, global engagement, human resources, LFTT (logistics, finance, technology, travel), mobilization and training.

Trustee chairman Chuck Pourciau from Louisiana led the election of officers for the coming year. The board elected Keith Evans of Washington and the Northwest Baptist Convention as the incoming trustee chairman. Evans is pastor of Resonate Church based in Pullman, Wash., and pastor ambassador for the North American Mission Board for six western states.

Trustees also elected: Nate Bishop of Kentucky, first vice chair; Carol Pfeiffer of Texas, second vice chair; and Trudy Crittendon of South Carolina, recording secretary.

Chitwood thanked trustees completing their terms of service and affirmed their continuing advocacy in the Great Commission task. Trustees recognized included: (2019-2023) Jim Barnhart – Missouri; (2019-2023) Glenn Steen – South Carolina; (2015-2023) Deron Biles – Texas; (2015-2023) Ken Gross – California; (2015-2023) Morgan Kerr – Georgia; (2015-2023) Lisa Lovell – Arkansas; (2015-2023) Ron Phillips – Texas; (2015-2023) John Waters – Georgia; (2014-2023) Andy Davis – North Carolina; and (2014-2023) Chuck Pourciau – Louisiana.

Reflecting on his time as an IMB trustee and as chairman of the presidential search committee who presented Paul Chitwood as the presidential candidate in 2018, Pourciau urged trustees to follow current leadership and guard the focus of the IMB.

“Take care of him,” Pourciau said, motioning to Chitwood. “Love your missionaries. Love the staff. Enable the work that God wants to do.”

Keith Evans adjourned the meeting with prayer. The next IMB board of trustees meeting will be Sept. 25 in Richmond, Va.