Author: Russell Lightner

A desperate call for prayer from Thailand

Fort Worth couple serving with IMB says Buddhist culture is a major obstacle, but God is moving

ISAAN, Thailand—Noei was a housekeeper for an International Mission Board worker in Bangkok, Thailand, for many years when she accepted Christ as her Savior.

She became a trusted assistant in ministry, not just a housekeeper, but when she retired and moved back to her home in rural Isaan, she lost touch with Christianity.

Less than 1% of Isaan is Christian, and Noei and her husband, Seri, prayed for God to send a shepherd to look after them. That was 10 years ago. They forgot about the prayer and became entrenched in Buddhist culture again.

God didn’t forget the prayer, though. He arranged for a Korean-born man to meet a Korean born woman in the U.S. and travel to Isaan as IMB workers in 2021. When Joshua and Sarah Jung found Noei and Seri, they had Buddhist statues in their home and were wearing Buddhist necklaces.

“We told her, ‘God still loves you. God is still waiting for you. He wants you to come back,’” Joshua recounted. Noei wasn’t ready to live for Jesus again, but she was willing to attend Bible study with the young missionaries.

One day, she was in a motorcycle accident but was unharmed. That was enough to convince her God still had plans for her, and soon both Noei and Seri were serving the Lord again, now with a shepherd in Isaan.

The Jungs were sent to serve through the IMB in Thailand by Hanmaum International Baptist Church, a Korean congregation in Fort Worth. The church prays for them at weekly prayer gatherings and individual members provide financial support and encouragement.

Joshua was himself involved in a motorcycle accident in Korea when he was 5 years old, and he was seriously injured. His mother, a nominal Christian at the time, prayed God would spare her son. If He would, she would offer him as a missionary someday. She didn’t share that prayer with Joshua until he was preparing for ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

“She hid that prayer from me for many years,” Joshua said. “Also, she probably forgot about it. After that day, she told God she wanted me to become a rich person who could support missionaries. That was her second prayer. I guess God listened to the first prayer. God called me to the mission field.”

Isaan, where the Jungs serve, covers about one-third of Thailand—about 21 million people. The population is largely uneducated and very poor.

“There is a saying that to be a Thai is to be a Buddhist,” Joshua said.

Missionaries can freely share the gospel there, he said, but hearts are hard toward Jesus.

“They turn their backs and get very harsh with their family who want to become a Christian,” he said. “We teach children English and Bible stories, and some of the kids want to become a Christian. Once they become a Christian, their grandparents stop sending the children. That happened to us many times.”

It’s the grandparents in charge of the children, he said, because the parents often have left for Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or another country in search of work. That makes the population of Isaan very old and very young.

“Isaan is a very, very hard place. When we share the gospel and ask if they’ve heard about Jesus Christ, they’ve never heard the name of Jesus.”

—joshua jung Tweet

One way the IMB team makes inroads in the unreached, unengaged people group there is through a sewing ministry founded many years ago in Bangkok. Now in the rural regions, the missionaries teach women to sew dolls at home to earn a small income. Each person who is taught to sew also is taught the Bible.

Another way of gaining access is through an eyeglasses ministry. The missionaries travel to villages handing out eyeglasses, and each person who receives glasses hears the gospel. “Through that we make connections,” Joshua said.

Because Buddhism is so prevalent in Thailand, holidays are Buddhist holidays, funerals are held at Buddhist temples, and ceremonies are Buddhist ceremonies, he said. Helping people leave that culture and follow Christ is a monumental task, and churches are key in grouping believers together for support.

The Jungs focus on church planting, and on Sundays he preaches in a small group in Isaan. Sarah, who recently underwent radiation therapy in Bangkok for early-stage breast cancer, takes turns with other members of their team leading Bible study with the sewing ministry.

“Isaan is a very, very hard place,” Joshua said. “When we share the gospel and ask if they’ve heard about Jesus Christ, they’ve never heard the name of Jesus. A lot of missionaries who come here have a very hard time. Pray for the Isaan people so whenever they hear the gospel their hearts will be open.

“Pray for our team. It’s a large area, the largest in Thailand, and we only have [a small number of workers]. Pray that God will send workers and raise up local leaders.”

Inaugural recipients announced for Richards Endowment for Kingdom Advance

HOUSTON—The Jim and June Richards Endowment for Kingdom Advance, established by the Southern Baptists of Texas Foundation (SBTF) in 2021, has designated its first allocations to ministries in Texas. The announcement was made during the November board meeting of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) Executive Board by the convention’s executive director, Nathan Lorick.

The endowment’s purpose is to support “individuals or organizations which promote kingdom causes through religious ministry consistent with the doctrinal statement of The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention” according to the endowment’s establishing documents. The initial funding for the endowment came from SBTF’s reserves.

“SBTF formed the Richards ministry endowment to acknowledge the continuing legacy of Jim and June Richards and to honor their years of service to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention,” SBTF Executive Director Bart McDonald said. “I am excited to oversee distributions that will continue Dr. Richards’ legacy.”

In addition to allocations to Reach Texas, the SBTC’s state missions offering, the endowment provided funds to the SBTF Jubilee Fund, an effort to preserve the properties of churches in crisis or disbanding. A further gift was made to Austin church planting resident Brock Braxton.

Jim Richards said of Braxton, “I watched Brock grow up and answer a call to ministry, and he has strong connections to the SBTC. June and I are happy to be able to facilitate this investment in the next generation of pastoral leaders.”

Jim is executive director emeritus for the SBTC and is well-known as the convention’s founding executive director. He served in that role from 1998 through 2021. The convention grew from 120 churches to more than 2,600 churches during his tenure. Prior to coming to Texas, he pastored for 21 years in Louisiana and then served as an associational executive director in Northwest Arkansas.

June is a faithful pastor’s wife, mother, and grandmother who assisted Jim through decades of ministry. She has been widely known among SBTC staff members and church leaders as a constant prayer warrior and encourager.

Jim and June have three grown children and six grandchildren. They have retired to East Texas, though Jim still serves as a consultant to the convention while maintaining a busy preaching schedule.

SIDE BY SIDE: SBTC churches gather to pray, celebrate what God has done over the past year

Messengers to the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting will gather for a powerful time of prayer, worship, and fellowship at Sagemont Church in Houston on Nov. 11-12.

Giving that grows

Hays Hills goes above and beyond to see the gospel delivered around the world

Hays Hills Baptist Church strives to “bring life-changing hope to an ever-changing people through the unchanging gospel.”

To make that mission statement a reality, the church is setting an example of what it looks like to engage in ever-increasing generosity.

When Aaron Kahler transitioned from a staff position to serving as lead pastor in 2017, he felt led to challenge Hays Hills to give 20% of its annual budget through the Cooperative Program by 2030.
That effort, which the church refers to as “Neighbors & The Nations,” describes the commitment the congregation has made to support those working to bring the gospel to unreached and unengaged people locally and around the world.

The plan was for the church to increase giving by 1% annually until it reached its 20% goal. But that’s not what happened.

“In God’s grace, He did far more abundantly than we could have imagined and we went all the way over to 21% given in year one,” Kahler said. “The church just bought in wholeheartedly to giving to the cause ….”

Kahler said Hays Hills recognizes the potential to multiply its impact through CP giving, “not only in our church being effective today, but for our church and other Southern Baptist Convention churches to be effective 100 years from now.” Giving through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which Kahler said has increased substantially, is one of the main ways Hays Hills seeks to have a global, cooperative impact.

On a more local level, Kahler said the impact is evident in the support provided to missionaries from Hays Hills who have served with the International Mission Board, in guidance provided to church leaders on multiple occasions by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and even in how he has been personally equipped to preach by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. All are entities supported by CP giving.

Though the gospel work never seems to be accomplished as fast as he’d like, Kahler said he is more encouraged now than he has been in his 13 years serving at the church because of God’s faithfulness. Planted in one of the fastest-growing suburbs of Austin, the church has seen Buda’s population more than double to over 15,000 residents over the past decade. Hays Hills has advocacy groups for each of its missionary partners, which has strengthened the missions culture within the church in an effort to reach the growing population.

Additionally, Hays Hills is beginning to see more evangelistic fruit through its college and career ministry and through its young couples ministry.

“All of those areas of ministry that the Lord is blessing are areas I do not touch at all,” he said. “It is ministry our people are engaged in because of their love for Jesus, His church, and the lost.”

The greatest kind of legacy

Family passes on legacy of faith to reach multiple communities in need

Many years ago, the gospel changed the Gameros family. It started with Javier Gameros, who grew up in a Mexican Catholic family that, as he says, taught him the rites and practices of religion without helping him understand that God wanted a personal relationship with him. Over time, God used a series of people and circumstances to help Javier come to know that truth. He heard the plan of salvation for the first time at age 8 from a Baptist pastor hosting a Bible club in his neighborhood. At age 19, Javier accepted Christ after hearing the gospel again from his sister, Susana.

Javier later met and married Margarita, and soon they answered a call to vocational ministry. While Javier and Margarita committed to serve the Lord with all their hearts, they knew their greatest influence would happen at home among their five children.

“Ministry was something I saw and learned every day,” said Vidreael Gameros, one of the family’s three sons. “My parents taught us how to love and serve the Lord through a life of obedience and sacrifice. … The same leader I saw [from my father] in the pulpit was the same leader I saw in the home, and that impacted my life in a big way.”

Javier eventually was called to pastor a church in Manvel known today as Un Nuevo Comienzo Venciendo Con Dios, which means, “A new beginning, overcoming with God.” It’s a fitting name, Javier says, noting a severe economic and moral decline has caused what he calls “spiritual poverty” in parts of the city.

Even as he served his own community, Javier was burdened by other nearby communities suffering in similar ways—one of which was Holiday Lakes, a predominantly Hispanic community located about 30 miles south of Manvel. At the time, Holiday Lakes had no Hispanic Southern Baptist church.

“I saw the urgent need to not stop, but to expand the gospel and see more souls saved since society, the family, and the church are being attacked and their precepts are being erased,” Javier said.

But who would be willing to plant a church in Holiday Lakes? He looked no further than his son, Vidreael, who had sensed a calling to ministry since childhood. Vidraeal began a church planting residency training program through Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston and also received training through Send Network SBTC, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s church planting partnership with the North American Mission Board.

After working with his father, Vidraeal was sent to plant Iglesia Bautista Holiday Lakes about three years ago. The church officially launched about a year ago and is seeing fruit despite many challenges, including natural disasters, a large drug trade, and the presence of witchcraft.

The work is challenging, but Vidreael said he feels like he is never alone because of his family and the connections and equipping offered through the SBTC.

“It is a blessing to have access to a family that is running the same race,” he said. “[The SBTC] has helped us find connections we need to facilitate challenges in ministry, and it has connected us to other brothers and sisters who love the work of the Lord. … We are celebrating the transformation God is doing in the families in Holiday Lakes.”

In other words, the same gospel that once changed the Gameros family is now changing families across the region.

One mission, many hands

Churches from near and far are pitching in to assist Celina plant at the center of a population boom

As Robert Welch looks around the middle school where Legacy Hills Church meets each Sunday, he sees the faces of people who otherwise might not be there if it weren’t for the churches across Texas that have worked alongside his.

Over the past year, Legacy Hills members have deeply invested in the community, hosting kids camps, community events, and outreaches to build relationships in one of the fastest-growing regions in the state. But when you’ve planted a church in a city that has more than tripled in population over the past five years, you can never have too much help.

To date, 17 Southern Baptists of Texas Convention churches and two associations have in some way helped Legacy Hills solidify its gospel footing in the city. Some of those churches have sent volunteers to Celina, sending missions teams and financial support. Others have taken up offerings at their own vacation Bible schools and sent the proceeds to Legacy Hills so it could host its own outreaches to kids. Still others have committed to pray weekly, asking God to bless the gospel work happening there.

The results have been tangible.

“The majority of families that are now deeply involved with Legacy Hills have come through community events, camps, and outreaches that our partners have helped with,” Welch said. “Our partners were the first to share the gospel with their children. Many of our families are literally the result of the opportunities that our partners helped us create.”

New Beginnings Baptist Church in Longview is Legacy Hills’ sending church. George Willis, NBBC’s pastor of missions, said the relationship has been mutually beneficial to the kingdom.

“We believe in equipping and empowering members of our congregation,” Willis said. “We want them to understand their kingdom platform, their giftings. So when we partner with other church planters, they get the opportunity to see what it looks like to be part of kingdom growth all over. If we just stayed here in East Texas, it would be a disservice to the church to not be utilizing our people to be sent out and serve all over the world.”

Added Todd Kaunitz, New Beginnings’ lead pastor/elder: “We believe the church is the number one vehicle God is using to take the gospel to the world … so everything we do with our missions ministry is aimed toward either partnering to strengthen [existing] churches or to plant churches—whether that’s in East Texas, East Africa, or in Celina. … This is about the kingdom of God, so whatever we can do to expand the kingdom, we want to be all in.”

That mindset, Welch said, reaffirms what he believes the SBTC is all about.

“It’s not just about one church or one kind of church,” Welch said. “The mission that God has called us to cannot be done by one church. The mission Jesus has called His church to is accomplished by churches of every shape and size working side by side to accomplish one singular mission.”

Fostering strong partners

Churches forge special relationship that benefits residents in two areas

When an established church partners with a plant, conventional wisdom says the younger church reaps most of the benefits. Old River Baptist Church in Dayton and Cross Community Church in Houston are working together to show that the benefits can flow both directions.

The relationship between the two churches originated in the friendship between their pastors. Old River’s Wes Hinote said he and Cross Community planter Del Traffanstedt have known each other for years—“through pastor circles”—dating back to when Traffanstedt served an Odessa congregation.

“We knew each other through Southern Baptists of Texas Convention pastor retreats, and today, our two congregations are within an hour of each other,” Traffanstedt noted.

When Hinote came to Old River seven years ago, he found a loving congregation primed to adopt a missional focus. He recognized an opportunity when he learned of Cross Community.

“When Del planted Cross Community in an underserved area of Houston, I was able to speak with my congregation about the needs,” Hinote recalled.

Old River began financially supporting Cross Community. When the urban church’s vibrant English as a Second Language program encountered problems through the loss of its curriculum provider, Old River stepped in to assist.

“They were caught off guard,” Hinote said. “I got wind that they were having problems and told Del, ‘Hey, this is what we are here for. What do we need to do to make sure ESL doesn’t take a step back?’”

Cross Community’s ESL outreach (pictured below) is a vital part of its ministry. The program was started only six months after the church launched. The ESL ministry attracted more students than anticipated to its multi-semester Wednesday evening program which incorporates Bible stories and prayer. Now more than 70 participate. Nearly half attend the church and several have joined.

But the loss of their curriculum provider threatened to disrupt all that. Students pay a nominal fee for the course, affirming dignity but not covering the $180 per person cost.

“We count on our church partners to subsidize that cost. Our students cannot afford the whole amount. Our church plant in an urban area cannot afford it. We need churches like Old River to come alongside us,” Traffanstedt said. “Wes and his church pray for us and help fund ESL.”

Recently, Cross Community began playing an important role in its sister church’s new family ministry.

It began when a church family, who had both fostered and adopted children, came to Hinote about starting FAM, or Family Advocacy Ministry, at ORBC. Hinote immediately thought of Traffanstedt, who also had fostered and adopted children.

“We have fostered 10 children and adopted three,” Traffanstedt said, adding that he had started family ministries at two previous churches in addition to Cross Community.

“We were able to coach the family and Old River’s lead volunteers,” Traffanstedt said. “We prayed for them and recommended resources from the North American Mission Board.”

“The first call I made was to Del and [wife] Charmaine to pick their brains,” Hinote recalled when the family in his church approached him. “Cross Community was a big help. It’s all part of the blessing of being part of a mission that is not your own. Our SBTC churches have a lot to offer one another. Size doesn’t matter. Location doesn’t matter. Mission matters.”

Giving their best in the worst of times

Spring Baptist Church has become a ‘go-to’ when it comes to helping others following disasters

When Hurricane Beryl slammed into Southeast Texas in early July, Spring Baptist Church was already prepared to work side by side with Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief and its partners to serve survivors.

This wasn’t the church’s first hurricane.

“Hurricane Harvey [in 2017] was terrible, but Beryl was in some ways worse, with extensive tree damage,” said Spring Baptist Church Pastor Mark Estep. “Because of Harvey, we were ready to help.”

In Harvey’s immediate aftermath, the church converted an unused building into a laundry facility through a chain of events that saw God’s provision of skilled workers and materials. An electrician and plumber “happened by” to offer their services free of charge, and then seven washers and dryers were donated.

“God provided a laundromat within a few hours,” Estep said. Soon after, the church added four RV slips with electricity and sewer hookups to serve DR trailers, bunkhouses, and mobile command posts.

Church members were trained, as well. Spring Baptist has 50 credentialed SBTC DR volunteers among its members. Just about all of them pitched in during Beryl.

Like many SBTC churches, Spring Baptist is a “go-to” church when disaster strikes nearby, SBTC DR Director Scottie Stice said.

“During Beryl, they housed teams, provided a kitchen, made their laundry facility available,” Stice said, adding that Spring Baptist maintains a quick-response unit mobile kitchen and a recovery unit which are “very active.” Southern Baptist DR teams are housed in the church’s renovated youth building, to which showers and bathrooms were added after Harvey.

“It’s not like home, but we want to make volunteers comfortable,” Estep said. The church even erected a new pole barn to store SBTC DR trailers and equipment plus a church bus.

During the six weeks after Beryl, Spring Baptist received over 380 requests for help with downed trees, said Jason Mayfield, the church’s associate pastor. “SBTC DR responded with SBDR cleanup and recovery teams from Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee.” Teams completed 121 jobs, with the remaining requests handled by others. Five salvations occurred among survivors and many gospel conversations ensued.

“SBTC DR is not only a blessing to our whole church, but to our whole community,” Mayfield said.

“I don’t know what we would do without the SBDR teams coming here. They minister in such a powerful way. They are the hands and feet of Jesus,” Estep said. “It’s not just talk with them.”

Estep explained that he, too, has been a beneficiary of DR ministry.

As Beryl’s winds raged, Estep and his young grandson sat in a recliner, watching a tree in the yard whipping back and forth until a huge branch broke off and burst through a large plate glass living room window.

“It sounded like a shotgun,” Estep said. DR crews helped secure the window, temporarily sealing the void where the glass had been.

That assistance “meant the world to us,” Estep said. “When you are victimized during a disaster, you realize how important DR is.”

Several hurricanes and serious storms have pummeled the Spring area since Estep arrived as pastor in 1997. Working with SBTC DR, Estep’s staff and congregation embrace the opportunity to minister to survivors.

“God knows we are a church that is going to help,” Estep said. “It’s in our DNA.”

I’ll see you in Houston

One of my favorite events of the year is our Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting. It is such a joy to be with pastors and leaders from across Texas. Every year, we have an incredible time of prayer, worship, preaching, and a little business. I love our annual meeting.

This year’s meeting is being held at Sagemont Church in Houston on Nov. 11-12. Our theme is “Side by Side,” from Philippians 1:27. As you know, ministry can be challenging. Events like our annual meeting remind us we don’t have to do it alone. We have a network of churches serving alongside one another to see Texas changed by the power of the gospel.

I want to encourage you to set these two days aside and make it a priority to attend. You will be refreshed and encouraged as you worship with other pastors and leaders. There will be plenty of networking opportunities around meals or coffee to connect with friends new and old. You will also hear great stories of how God is moving across our state. I will continue to expand on our vision of mobilizing churches to multiply disciple-making movements in Texas and around the world. You don’t want to miss it!

As we gather, I would ask you to pray the Lord would use these two days as a catalyst for the gospel’s advancement in Texas. Lostness in our state is rampant, and we have the answer in Jesus. Pray the Lord would capture our hearts and minds as we come together to give us a fresh sense of urgency and unity in our mission as a network of churches.

You can register on our website at sbtexas.com/am24. I hope to see you there and be a source of encouragement to you. I love you and am honored to serve you. I look forward to seeing you in Houston.

Sagemont experiences growth surge amid emphasis on gospel invitations, evangelism

Come one, come all

People are responding to the gospel in a way Bob Crites has not seen in the nearly 30 years he has been at Sagemont Church.

“It’s almost like a revival mentality,” said Crites, the church’s chairman of deacons. “We expect to see people saved every time we go to church.”

Sagemont is a historic congregation located in Houston, the fourth-largest city in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, that is also one of the nation’s most diverse metro areas. The church’s attendance has increased by about 800 people since March, and so far this year it has baptized more than 260 and tallied at least 450 professions of faith—not counting the 400 recorded on Easter Sunday alone.

“We’ve been very intentional at encouraging the church to pray for lost people by name and to learn how to share the gospel,” said Levi Skipper, Sagemont’s senior pastor. He added that church leaders have sought to cultivate a welcoming culture so people will want to invite their friends, coworkers, and neighbors to church.

“My commitment to them is that I’m going to preach Jesus every single Sunday,” Skipper said. “You will not come in and hear me preach and not give an invitation to accept Christ.”

Skipper, who most recently served as a vice president at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, preaches verse by verse through books of the Bible and always ends up at the cross, he said. “I share the gospel, I encourage people to pray to receive Jesus, and then I encourage them to come forward.”

An average of 20 people have been going forward each Sunday to signify a commitment to Christ, and Sagemont has been ushering them onto a disciple’s pathway defined by four steps: worship, connect, grow, and go.

“We’ve been very intentional at encouraging the church to pray for lost people by name and to learn how to share the gospel.”

—Levi Skipper Tweet

On Easter, each person who entered the worship center received a card with three options to indicate a level of commitment. During the sermon, Skipper asked everyone to take out their cards and respond. Some indicated they were already members of Sagemont, others noted they had prayed to receive Christ that day, and others wanted more information.

Everyone dropped their cards in buckets on the way out of the service, and Sagemont began following up on those that needed to take the next step.

Sagemont also has been intentional about leveraging events to move people along the disciple’s pathway, Skipper said. In July, 300 volunteers were trained to share the gospel with thousands of people at a patriotic event on campus.

“You train them how to do it, but then you have to give them an opportunity to do it,” he said of evangelism. At the patriotic event, the pastor and volunteers walked around sharing the gospel conversationally.

Another way Skipper teaches the congregation to share Christ is by using a similarly worded invitation during the sermon each week. “I do that on purpose because in doing that, I’m actually training believers how to share Jesus. They probably don’t even realize they’re being trained.”

“I’m always in the service ... asking the Holy Spirit to move in our midst and seek out people who are lost.”

—Bob Crites Tweet

Some older men in the congregation have told the pastor they pray every Sunday specifically for the invitation. “I would not want to underestimate the fact that the Lord could just be answering one of those guys’ prayers,” Skipper said. “Their prayers mean more than they would ever imagine.”

Crites is among those praying.

“I’m always in the service—before the invitation and while the pastor is preaching—asking the Holy Spirit to move in our midst and seek out people who are lost or those who are stagnant in their faith and convict their hearts and move them to more fellowship in Jesus,” Crites said.

Ken Heibner responded to the invitation earlier this year. “If you could see the change in Ken, it’s pretty remarkable,” Skipper said. “ … It’s amazing what the Lord has done.”

Heibner’s children, ages 12 and 8, had accepted Christ at Sagemont, and the youngest was being baptized on Skipper’s first Sunday as pastor. Though his wife usually took the children to church, Heibner was there that day for the baptism.

Skipper soon took Heibner to lunch and shared Christ, but he wasn’t ready to commit. The pastor then invited Heibner to a small discipleship group with other men. Eventually, Heibner decided to follow Jesus.

“The reason why I liked Levi is there wasn’t any kind of pressure to accept things,” Heibner said, noting that it took time for his eyes to open to what he had been missing. The group of men encouraged him by telling their stories of coming to Christ and by helping him feel like he could ask questions, he said.

Before he was saved, what seemed like hypocrisy from churchgoers had kept him away, Heibner said. “My experience with Sagemont hasn’t been that way. It’s like everybody that I’ve met is pretty genuine, and they’re all there for the same reason.”

Crites—and the entire congregation—is excited to see the changed lives.

“Only the Holy Spirit can do that, and we’re so thankful that He’s moving in our midst right now,” Crites said. “It’s been fun.”

3 reasons to take soul care seriously

Soul care is a very popular subject among pastors and their advocates, but what does it actually mean? The soul is often used as a synonym for the individual person and commonly translated as “life” (104 times) and “person” (38 times) in the Christian Standard Bible. Basically, soul care is self-care. So why should pastors and church leaders should take soul care seriously?

1. Soul care is a scriptural issue

The most important reason to take soul care seriously is because God told us to. In Acts 20:28, Paul says, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.”
In 1 Timothy 4:16, Paul tells Timothy, “Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Pastors who pay attention to their teaching and flock while neglecting their own lives (souls) are ignoring God’s plainspoken Word. It was Jesus who told us the most important things we will do today and for the rest of our lives is love Him, our neighbors, and ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).

2. Soul care is a stewardship issue

A minister’s job description found in 1 Timothy 3–4 compels us to lead our lives, homes, and ministries intentionally. Scriptural soul care is stewarding our limited time and energy instead of always reacting to others’ emergencies and priorities. We are stewards, not saviors, of our churches. Unless Jesus is the true hero of your church, you may be neglecting yourself by over-reaching ministerially.

For example, if you consistently skip the Sabbath because you are afraid your church will fall apart without you, you have become an enabler instead of an equipper. Instead, deputize your deacons to lead in the care of senior adults. Help the dads in your church embrace their role in discipling their own kids.

Since Jesus is our king, we need to make sure He alone is the hero of His local church and our homes. At the height of his popularity, John the Baptist made it crystal clear to the crowd: “I am not the Christ” (John 1:20). Is that the message you are giving your church?

3. Soul care is a strategic issue

You are likely familiar with the following instructions offered by flight attendants before a plane takes off: “Should the cabin lose pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the overhead area. Please place the mask over your own mouth and nose before assisting others.” Those instructions are important because you cannot help anyone on an airplane if you have passed out in your seat. Pastor, you can’t help anyone from the pulpit if you are passed out in the parsonage.

It is crucial for us as pastors to discern the difference between denying ourselves (biblical) and neglecting ourselves (unbiblical). Neglecting ourselves to help others is short-sighted. Pay better attention to your soul so you can pay better attention to your family, ministry, and self.

We practice soul care when we recapture the rhythm of work and rest God strategically put into place on the first day of creation. We practice soul care when we stop stress-pastoring through ministry week after week. We practice soul care by leading our families and ministries as though we are not the hero of either.

Nueva Vida en Dallas continúa haciendo valiosas inversiones del evangelio a través de colaboración en México y más allá

Dando, Yendo y Enviando

DALLAS—Cuando Vicente Acosta habla, la gente de Motho—un pequeño pueblo en el estado de Hidalgo, México—escucha.

Acosta es un líder respetado en Motho, una pequeña ciudad (con una población de unas 350 personas) de mayoría católica. Hubo un tiempo en que utilizó su influencia para impedir que se predicara el evangelio en su pueblo, ya que se oponía firmemente a que los cristianos vinieran a difundir algo que pudiera oponerse a su religión católica.

Pero eso era antes. Las cosas para Acosta—y para Motho—han cambiado.

“Yo me oponía a que vinieran a mi pueblo a predicar el evangelio”, dijo Acosta, “pero ahora que he entregado mi vida a Cristo, tengo la misión de llevar el evangelio en mi pueblo”.

Hace tres años, Acosta unió fuerzas con la Primera Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida de Dallas para dar a conocer el nombre de Jesús en Motho. El verano pasado, Nueva Vida realizó un viaje misionero a Motho, impulsando un avance evangelístico que ha estado sucediendo desde hace varios años.

Nuevo compromiso, Nueva Vida

A la edad de 18 años, Acosta comenzó a viajar a los Estados Unidos para trabajar durante la temporada de calor antes de regresar a casa con su familia en México. Muchas personas compartieron el evangelio con él durante esos años, lo que poco a poco fue ablandando su corazón y le llevó a aceptar a Cristo. Era algo por lo que su esposa, Marisela, había estado orando desde que se casaron.

Acosta empezó a asistir a una pequeña iglesia que se reunía en una casa cada vez que venía a Estados Unidos, pero en el 1999, esa iglesia dejó de existir. Ese mismo año, estaba trabajando en una casa cuando un vecino hispano le invitó a la Iglesia Nueva Vida de Dallas. Allí, Acosta volvió a dedicar su vida al Señor, fue bautizado y se comprometió a hacer todo lo que Dios le llamara a hacer.

Una de las cosas en el corazón de Acosta era llevar el evangelio a su gente en Motho. Así que se acercó a los líderes de Nueva Vida para compartir su corazón por su ciudad natal. Juntos, empezaron a orar sobre la manera de hacer trabajo misionero en Motho.

Una de las principales formas en que se sintieron guiados a hacerlo fue a través de la plantación de una iglesia, Misión Bautista Nueva Vida, llamada así en honor al apoyo y la asociación con Nueva Vida de Dallas. El verano pasado marcó el tercer año en que Nueva Vida de Dallas ha enviado un equipo a México para ayudar a la misión a extender el alcance del evangelio en Motho.

Nueva Vida se unió a esta misión para promover el trabajo que ya se está haciendo en Motho a través de la formación, la educación y la evangelización. La misión tiene un pastor interino, Agustín Velásquez, que predica allí una vez a la semana, y la iglesia se reúne en la casa de Acosta hasta que pueda encontrar un lugar permanente.

Irónicamente, no es la primera vez que Velásquez y Acosta se cruzan. Velásquez enseñó durante un tiempo en un seminario local y enviaba estudiantes a evangelizar a Motho, esfuerzos que a menudo se veían frustrados por Acosta.

Ahora Acosta aprovecha cualquier oportunidad para difundir el evangelio. Durante el viaje misionero, organizó una fiesta de cumpleaños para su nieta, alquilando una carpa, proporcionando comida e invitando a la comunidad. Se presentaron unas 200 personas y, en medio de la celebración, escucharon el evangelio.

No sólo dar, sino enviar

El pastor principal de Nueva Vida de Dallas, Nelson Fonseca, predicó varias veces durante el viaje misionero y, junto con el líder del viaje, Oscar Sáenz, enseñó a los miembros de la misión en Motho a compartir el evangelio. La iglesia también celebró una escuela bíblica de vacaciones e invitaron a niños y familias de toda la ciudad.

“A diferencia de otros viajes misioneros en los que he tenido la oportunidad de participar, pudimos experimentar un mover de Dios especial en la calle al tener conversaciones espirituales con propósito”, dijo Fonseca, también señalando que los niños estaban especialmente llenos de alegría después de ver decoraciones vibrantes y materiales que les enseñaban acerca de Jesús durante varios eventos. “Se proclamó el evangelio y pudimos compartir el amor de Cristo con los más pequeños”.

Dios está obrando con poder entre los niños de Motho, dijo Sáenz. Un día durante el viaje, dijo que Fonseca preguntó a un grupo de niños si alguno se sentía llamado a servir a Dios o incluso a ser pastor algún día. Un niño se levantó con valentía y dijo que se sentía llamado a servir a Dios.

Nueva Vida de Dallas está haciendo grandes inversiones en el evangelio, no sólo en lugares como Motho, sino también en las personas. La iglesia apoya a misioneros y plantadores de iglesias en lugares como Dallas y Arlington, en países como Nicaragua, y a través de México en lugares como Durango, Actopan, e Ixmiquilpan.

“No sólo creemos en dar”, dijo Fonseca, “sino que también enviamos y oramos por ellos y sus familias todos los días en nuestra oración de la mañana”.

Sáenz, quien dirigió el ministerio de solteros en Nueva Vida, además de servir en funciones de enseñanza y discipulado, dijo que ahora se siente llamado por Dios para servir en la evangelización.

“Hay que ser fieles al llamado de Dios”, dijo Sáenz. “Habrá persecución en muchos lugares, pero no hay que enfocarse en eso, si no en el impacto que Dios va a hacer.”

Nueva Vida Dallas continues to make rich gospel investments in Mexico and beyond

Giving, Going & Sending

DALLAS—When Vicente Acosta speaks, the people of Motho—a small town in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico—listen.

Acosta is a respected leader among the 350 or so residents of Motho, which has a majority Catholic population. Once upon a time, he used his influence to keep the gospel from being preached in his town, as he was strongly opposed to Christians who might come spreading anything that might be opposed to his Catholic religion.

But that was then. Things for Acosta—and for Motho—have changed.

“I was against them coming to my town to preach the gospel,” Acosta said, “but now that I have given my life to Christ, I have a mission to spread the gospel to my people.”

Three years ago, Acosta joined forces with Primera Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida in Dallas to make Jesus’ name known in Motho. This past summer, Nueva Vida went on a mission trip to Motho, furthering an advance of the gospel that started several years ago.

New commitment, new life

At age 18, Acosta began traveling to the U.S. to work during the hot season before returning home to his family in Mexico. Many people shared the gospel with him during those years, which gradually softened his heart and led to him accepting Christ. It was something his wife, Marisela, had been praying for since they got married.

Acosta began attending a house church every time he came to the U.S., but in 1999, that church ceased to exist. That same year, he was working on a house when a Hispanic neighbor invited him to Nueva Vida in Dallas. There, Acosta rededicated his life to the Lord, was baptized, and committed himself to doing whatever God called him to do.

One of the things on Acosta’s heart was to take the gospel back to his people in Motho. So, he approached Nueva Vida’s leadership to share his vision for his hometown. Together, they began to pray about a way to do mission work in Motho.

One of the primary ways they felt led to do that was through planting a church, Misión Bautista Nueva Vida—named in honor of the support and partnership of Nueva Vida Dallas. This past summer marked the third year Nueva Vida Dallas has sent a team to Mexico to help the mission extend the reach of the gospel in Motho.

Nueva Vida Dallas helps the mission church to further the work already being done in Motho through training, education, and evangelism. Misión Bautista Nueva Vida has an interim pastor, Agustín Velasquez, who preaches there once a week, with the church meeting in Acosta’s home until it can find a permanent location.

Ironically, it’s not the first time Velasquez and Acosta have crossed paths. Velasquez once taught at a local seminary and would send students to evangelize Motho—efforts that were often frustrated by Acosta.

Now Acosta uses every opportunity to spread the gospel. During the mission trip, he held a birthday party for his granddaughter, renting a tent, providing food, and inviting the community. About 200 people showed up and, in the middle of the celebration, they heard a gospel presentation.

Not only giving, but sending

Nueva Vida Dallas Senior Pastor Nelson Fonseca preached several times during the mission trip and, with trip leader Oscar Saenz, taught members of the mission church how to share the gospel. The church also held a vacation Bible school and invited children and families from all over town.

“Unlike other mission trips I have had the opportunity to go on, we were able to experience a special move on the streets by having focused spiritual conversations,” Fonseca said, noting that children were especially filled with joy after seeing vibrant decorations and materials teaching them about Jesus during several events. “The gospel was proclaimed, and we were able to share the love of Christ with the little ones.”

God is strongly at work among the children in Motho, Saenz said. One day during the trip, he said Fonseca asked a group of children if any felt called to serve God or even pastor someday. One child boldly stood up and said he felt called to serve God.

Nueva Vida Dallas is making heavy gospel investments not only in places like Motho, but in people. The church supports missionaries and church planters in Dallas and Arlington, in Nicaragua, and across Mexico in places like Durango, Actopan, and Ixmiquilpan.

“Not only do we believe in giving,” Fonseca said, “but we also send and we pray for them and their families every day in our morning prayer.”

Saenz, who led the singles ministry at Nueva Vida Dallas in addition to serving in teaching and discipleship roles, said he now feels called by God to serve in evangelism.

“You have to be faithful to God’s call,” Saenz said. “There will be persecution in many places, but you don’t have to focus on that. You have to focus on the impact God is going to make.”

Jesus is better

I received a text recently from my son-in-law in which he shared a video of our 3-year-old granddaughter, Riley, singing my current favorite song, “Jesus Is Better.” This text blessed me greatly. I am so proud of our children and grandchildren and how they are all loving and pursuing Jesus! If you want to be blessed, search for this video on YouTube and take a few minutes and listen to Cross Church in Springdale, Ark., as they sing this powerful song.

My favorite lyrics are these:

More than my healing, I want the Healer

More than direction, I want the Shepherd

You are the Author, You are the Anchor

You’re every answer … Jesus is better

You may be tempted to ask, “Is Jesus really better?” The enemy of our souls would like nothing more than to make us doubt the power and goodness of God. When the devil comes and attacks my mind, I try to respond the same way Jesus did—by quoting Scripture.

So, in response to the enemy’s question, which is an accusation, “Is Jesus really better?” I think of Hebrews 7:22: “So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.” Eleven times the word “better” is mentioned in the book of Hebrews. Jesus is better, superior, and He is preeminent in all things. Praise His name!

At the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting Nov. 11 at Sagemont Church in Houston, we will open our prayer meeting with this powerful song, “Jesus Is Better.” I am looking forward to seeing you as we gather for a wonderful time of fellowship, prayer, biblical preaching, worship, and conducting of business as a convention of churches. The theme of the annual meeting is “Side by Side,” based on Philippians 1:27, which states, “Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, working side by side for the faith that comes from the gospel.”

I have been praying for months for our meeting in Houston. I am looking forward to all that God will do, but I am especially excited about our prayer and praise service on Monday night. Our worship ministry at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin will lead us in worship. I want everyone who attends, especially pastors, to know they are not alone in ministry. Your presence at the annual meeting will be a blessing to others. I have no doubt you will hear something that will bless and encourage you and your walk with Christ.

It has been an honor to serve as your SBTC president this past year. I pray every day for the national Southern Baptist Convention and for the executive director of the SBTC, Nathan Lorick. We are very blessed to have godly men and women leading us and serving Jesus faithfully and effectively. See you at the annual meeting.

5 minutes with Sharonda Cooper

Sharonda Cooper is a Bible teacher whose passion is evangelism. With degrees in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she is now working toward an M.Div. in apologetics and philosophy from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to her work for a Christian non-profit, Cooper is a workshop leader, fitness instructor, and author who has contributed to Fruitful: Cultivating a Spiritual Harvest That Won’t Leave You Empty and Unto Us: 25 Advent Devotions About the Messiah. She has served on the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee and is currently the convention secretary. Cooper is a wife, mom, and active member of Emmaus Church in Georgetown, where she enjoys serving on the praise team.

What victory has your church been able to celebrate lately?

One huge victory is Sports Camp, which we run every summer. We had a record number of children—185—from the area attend in 2024. Response from the community was positive. Lots of parents want their children to participate in church activities over the summer. At Sports Camp, kids receive a meal, solid Bible training, and select a sport and train in that sport all week. The theme this year was “None Greater,” where we taught kids about the attributes of God. Non-believing parents come to [a wrap-up] event. They get to hear the gospel as a pastor gets up, explains why we do this, and invites them to church. The whole church helps.

As a member of Emmaus Church, what’s one thing your congregation is praying will happen over the next year?

One thing we really desire is an elder who is older. We are a young church … a church plant. We also have young pastors. It’s wonderful. We are asking the Lord to send us a man who has been in ministry for many years with that wisdom and life experience.

Based on your experience as a curriculum writer, what’s the connection between one-on-one Bible study and evangelism?

After I married and moved to Texas … I was teaching a fitness class at an Austin gym and joined a conversation with participants who complained about having to go to church on Easter because they were Catholic. [Eventually] I asked one woman if she would like to start reading the Bible with me. Over the course of the next two years, we met off and on. At the end of the time, she came to faith. Now she is a Bible study leader. Her husband and children are saved. An entire family was transformed simply because God gave me the courage to start reading the Bible with a non-believer. Most people will agree to it if you’ll ask.

What’s one lesson you’ve learned to this point of your life and ministry you know you’ll never forget?

The easiest way to share the gospel with another person is through one-on-one Bible study. People need an encounter with the Word. They need to know the real Jesus, not the one they’ve seen depicted in the media.

How can other SBTC churches be praying for your church?

Pray that we would be mobilized to share the gospel with the lost in Georgetown, where over 60% would check “none” on a questionnaire about religion. Pray that we Christians at Emmaus will have compassion for the lost and find winsome ways to engage people who don’t have Christ on their radar.