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By now, in his third year pastoring in West Texas, Paul Fisher is used to the mispronunciation—and the unintentional humor.
“Sometimes people say, ‘How is it in ‘Farewell?’” he says with a laugh. “Which is funny, too, because you literally leave the state when you leave our town.”
That is why members of First Baptist Farwell (pronounced “Far-wuhl” by the locals), hard by the New Mexico border, are used to leaving town and crossing Texas to participate in most things that happen in Baptist life. And it’s why Fisher was so excited to learn about the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Equip West Texas conference, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18, at Southcrest Baptist Church in Lubbock.
The Equip Conference has traditionally been held once per year and rotated between the Dallas and Houston metro areas. Phil Todd, the STBC’s spiritual formations team leader, says taking the event on the road is being done to better serve churches in the farther reaches of the state that are not close to Dallas or Houston.
“My hope is Equip West Texas will be well-attended, bring strong value, and maybe lead the way to do other regional [Equip] conferences in other parts of the state,” Todd said. “ … We’ve taken some steps to try to be more proactive in being in the areas where churches are rather than asking churches to come to us.
“I’m very hopeful. So far, we’re getting a very positive response from pastors in the West Texas area about an event like this being in their geographic region.”
Equip conferences are geared for church ministry leaders, with emphasis on volunteer/lay leadership. The theme for Equip in 2025 is “Above and Beyond,” based on Ephesians 3:14-21. The goal of the conference is to help churches accomplish through the Lord “above and beyond” all they can think or imagine in their ministries.
“We’ve taken some steps to try to be more proactive in being in the areas where churches are, rather than asking churches to come to us.”
Planning for Equip West Texas includes 70 breakout sessions by 27 presenters covering 20 critical church ministry areas including apologetics; worship, children’s, student, family, men’s, and women’s ministries; deacons; discipleship; cyber/tech and video/website ministries; evangelism; missions; Sunday school/groups; security; and more. There’s also an En Español track with main sessions and breakouts. The keynote speaker is Anthony Svajda, who oversees the SBTC’s Regenesis church revitalization process.
Brett Hoyle, pastor of First Baptist Friona, has participated in previous Equip conferences and called the training events “amazing,” but admits the distance and expense to take a group to Dallas or Houston is a huge hurdle for many churches in the farther-flung regions of Texas.
“They’re almost too far to get away to in one day for our folks,” says Hoyle, who hopes to bring as many as 20 leaders to Lubbock. “I’m excited for the regional Equip Conference and hope churches attend.”
Fisher says he’s grateful the SBTC will bring Equip to the region.
“They’ve recognized some of the challenges that some of us further out here in the Panhandle or wherever face,” he said. “It shows they care about our churches and equipping them. They’re willing to meet us where we are. It’s just a huge deal.
“If I can load up one of our buses and take a good group of us down there, I will. To go to Lubbock is no big deal.”
