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It is hard to believe that we have just concluded the seventh annual meeting of our convention. God has blessed us. We have seen churches affiliate at an exponential rate, averaging about one church every two days for the last three years. Total gifts for missions and ministry will approach $30 million when we conclude 2004. The churches that have affiliated give with confidence in the integrity of the SBTC.
More than 200 new churches have been funded and assisted through SBTC. Hundreds of churches have been facilitated and literally millions of people have been impacted by those churches. All of this is possible because of you and your involvement. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is churches together reaching Texas and touching the world.
Cooperation is a hallmark of Southern Baptists. Article 14 of the Baptist Faith and Message sets out a plan for collaborative efforts. While each church is autonomous, most Southern Baptist churches choose to work with an association, a state convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. These relationships are voluntary and desirable. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is churches together reaching Texas and touching the world.
The theme of this year’s annual meeting at Prestonwoodwas “Stronger Together.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 uses the object lesson of a sturdy rope to illustrate cooperation. The Lone Ranger Baptist is not a new phenomenon. “Doing our own thing” has been around a long time. We have learned better. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is churches together reaching Texas and touching the world.
Our core values have not changed in these seven years. We are still committed to theological agreement. We are keeping missions and evangelism the priority while servicing churches without building a large in-house staff. We continue to encourage churches to fund state, national and international ministry through the Cooperative Program. The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is churches together reaching Texas and touching the world.
Pray for revival. Pray for people to come to Jesus. Pray for our work together that we may truly reach Texas and touch the world.
Your servant in Christ,
Jim Richards
