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Bowman bids farewell to Hyde Park Baptist Church, Richards to interim
AUSTIN—Kie Bowman was honored for a quarter-century of faithful service to Hyde Park Baptist Church during a ceremony held March 19. He announced his intention to retire last fall.
“I have loved every minute of this journey, and I still love it today,” Bowman said in a press release issued by the church last fall.
Bowman served Hyde Park for nearly 26 years. During that time, he also served as president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (2019-2021). In 2018, he preached the keynote sermon at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Dallas. Bowman has authored six books, including City of Prayer: Transform Your Community through Praying Churches, which he co-wrote with Trey Kent.
The church has named Jim Richards, SBTC’s executive director emeritus, as its interim pastor. Richards served as the SBTC’s first executive director when the convention was formed in 1998.
—Texan Staff
Statewide ‘Who’s Your One?’ trainings to be held in April
The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, in partnership with the North American Mission Board, will host statewide Who’s Your One? Advancing the Movement trainings throughout the month of April.
The trainings are scheduled for April 15 at Lamar Baptist Church in Arlington; April 22 at Calvary Baptist Church in Beaumont; and April 29 at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin. The aim of the trainings is to assist churches with building an evangelistic culture. Helpful resources for pastors and church members will be provided during the trainings. Related information will also be mailed to all affiliated churches.
For more information, or to register, visit sbtexas.com/advancing.
—Texan Staff
SWBTS marks Founder’s Day with Carroll, Scarborough awards
FORT WORTH—Encouraging the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary community to recover the “three necessary strands” of its identity, including evangelical faith, soul-winning in all areas of ministry, and “Baptist family ways,” Research Professor of Theology Malcolm B. Yarnell III recalled the foundations of the institution during his Founder’s Day address on March 9.
The Founder’s Day chapel service, which is commemorated annually nearest to the anniversary of the seminary’s March 14, 1908, charter, was followed by a luncheon honoring Louie and MeiFeng Lu and David and Marcia McQuitty as recipients of the B.H. Carroll Award and L.R. Scarborough Award, respectively. The awards annually honor persons who have provided significant financial support for Southwestern.
“We offer thanks to God for every person who has influenced this place, who has invested in this place, who has shaped this wonderful institution that we now have the wonderful privilege of being a part of on this day,” said SWBTS Interim President David S. Dockery.
—SWBTS
SBTC DR teams share gospel, help Austin area residents following ice storms
TRAVIS COUNTY—Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief volunteers deployed to Central Texas in early February following a destructive ice storm.
Multiple SBTC DR chainsaw teams rotated in and out, completing more than 150 jobs in Pflugerville, Hutto, Round Rock, and Northwest Austin, said Scottie Stice, SBTC DR director. Teams from Missouri and Oklahoma assisted, including incident management personnel from Oklahoma, he added.
Chainsaw and incident management volunteers, chaplains, and assessors also deployed to Central Texas, along with feeding and shower/laundry crews to support volunteers. SBTC DR teams were first housed at First Baptist Pflugerville, then Crosswalk Church in Round Rock, before moving to Anderson Mill Baptist Church the week of Feb. 19.
Larry, a Vietnam veteran who hadn’t eaten in two days after an ice storm hit Central Texas in February, accepted Christ as his Savior after assistance from SBTC DR. Larry is pictured with DR volunteer Debby Nichols. Submitted photo
Among the survivors assisted by SBTC DR was Larry, an elderly Vietnam veteran whose refrigerator broke during the storm. Food provided by DR volunteers was Larry’s first meal in two days, said Mike Jansen, SBTC DR incident management leader.
Finding Larry was a divine appointment, said Debby Nichols, SBTC DR chaplain from DeKalb. Nichols and fellow chaplain/assessor Linda Mitter of Rockwall had completed their daily assignments and were driving around Round Rock neighborhoods to see if they had missed anything.
An enormous tree, split in half, caught their attention, so they drove down the adjacent cul de sac.
“That tree was God’s sign to us,” Nichols said. “We found Larry’s house, with branches [hangers] above his front door.” The ladies knocked, explained who they were, and asked if Larry needed help.
“I am not worthy,” he replied. Nichols and Mitter learned he had quit a college teaching job to care for his wife, who later died of cancer.
A day after the interaction, Larry accepted Christ as his Savior.
—Jane Rodgers
