Author: Russell Lightner

25 years of answered prayer with George Harris

In November, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention will mark 25 years of answered prayer at its annual meeting at Cross City Church in Euless. Each month until then, the Texan will feature a brief conversation with past SBTC presidents about how they have seen God answer their prayers for the convention over the past quarter century and how they are praying God will bless the convention moving forward. This month, we feature past SBTC President George Harris (2001-2003).

What were some of your earliest prayers for the SBTC?

I remember praying for our first executive director and God leading us to Jim Richards. He was an unheard of preacher in Arkansas. I had serious reservations at the time, but those were all eradicated as I prayed.

Our church was divided down the middle [about being] part of the new convention. I was strongly in favor of the new convention but had to get our church unified first. My greatest prayer was [that God would] keep our church from splitting over the issue. Prayer was our only hope. There was a group of men who joined a doctor and myself in a covenant to pray for unity and the right time to push for a vote to make the change. We were given the go-ahead after the convention had its first anniversary. The church voted without a dissenting vote to become part of the SBTC. All of our mission churches followed behind us and the rest is history. Prayer is the only thing that kept us together.

When I look back, it is with deep gratitude to God for leading in that direction and letting me have a small part in such a colossal movement. It was the single most important thing I had a part in over my nearly 30 years at Castle Hills First Baptist Church.

“I have seen God answer those early prayers by doing more than I ever asked Him to do.”

—George Harris Tweet

During your service as president, how were you praying for our convention?

I saw God adding to the convention numerous churches of a small size. I wanted to see more large churches that were conservative come into the convention, and that began to happen in the third year. Larger churches began to attract others of like size. That is when we began to be noticed as an organization worth paying attention to. A group of people with a purpose and a vision, not just a bunch of disgruntled people.

How else have you seen God answer some of your prayers regarding the convention?

I have seen God answer those early prayers by doing more than I ever asked Him to do. The outreach in missions, Cooperative Program gifts, and Christian education affiliations crowned our efforts and brought respect nationwide.

What is your prayer for the next 25 years of the SBTC?

My prayer for the future is that we will not lose our missional vision and our zeal for winning people to Christ and that we never compromise our stand on the Holy Scriptures. These are the things that have brought us where we are. We must not lose them.

The 5: Fasting can help our weaknesses find strength as we focus on Jesus

Over the last few months, I’ve written about spiritual disciplines like Bible study and prayer. This month, I’m tackling the topic of fasting. Here are some reasons we should be fasting, followed by a simple way to get started with this discipline.

1

The Bible assumes believers will fast.
Jesus expected His disciples to fast after He returned to the Father (Matthew 9:14-15), just as much as He expected them to pray (Matthew 6:5-7, 16-17). The early church fasted before sending out missionaries (Acts 13:1-3) and before appointing elders (Acts 14:23). We fast while we wait and long for Jesus to return for His church.

2

Fasting leads to us to slow down and reflect.
The task of church leadership usually brings with it busyness. There is always something else to complete, somebody to visit, or a meeting to conduct or attend. In fact, we sometimes equate busyness with faithfulness and leave behind our intimate walk with God. Fasting is a means to redirect our attention to Him by pushing away from our table to feast at God’s table.

3

Fasting reveals who we really are.
Fasting exposes whether we believe encountering the Eternal One is more significant than getting temporary satisfaction from food. At the same time, fasting brings our true self to light. When our hunger while fasting leads us to be grumpy, short-tempered, anxious, or faithless, we can instead use those opportunities to focus on God. Fasting often leads to repentance and renewal.

4

Fasting can be an honest expression of desperation for God.
Jehoshaphat and his people fasted and cried out to God when three armies rallied against them (2 Chronicles 20:3). The people of God mourned, prayed, fasted, and sought God after Ezra read them the law (Nehemiah 9:1). We, likewise, have desperate moments that call us to fast because we long for Him.

5

Fasting is a reminder we are not as strong as we think we are.
Leaders are often tough, persistent, and resilient. We push hard, replenish our strength through food, and then push hard again. Fasting, however, quickly reveals our limitations—we are finite people who need food. Even a short fast uncovers our struggle to deny self. The self-denial of fasting is seldom the direction we lean, but we must.

Need a way to start? Perhaps fast for one meal this week and focus on God during that time. You can later extend the time, but fasting even once can be a great starting point as you develop the habit. During your fasting time, read the Word more, pray more, and focus on Him more than anything. You won’t regret it.

Chuck Lawless is dean of doctoral studies and vice president of spiritual formation and ministry centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. For more from Lawless, visit chucklawless.com.

Health scare leaves East Texas pastor ‘grateful’ for how the Lord changed him through it

A setback, followed by a God-inspired

comeback

In February 2022, Michael Criner—lead pastor at Rock Hill Baptist Church in Brownsboro—experienced an episode of stress-induced Bell’s palsy that caused temporary paralysis on the left side of his face. In the months following the diagnosis, Criner sought the Lord as he recovered and re-evaluated his work and life habits. Through prayerful adjustments, he was able to make a full comeback to his church and shares his story with the Texan in hopes that it will be an encouragement to pastors.

What was happening in your life and ministry leading up to your health scare?

MC: Coming out of COVID, we had several guys on our staff who felt called to be a senior pastor … and others who were ready to retire. So as 2020 was winding down, we just had a number of what felt like gut punches—even though a lot of it was healthy—leaving us asking what we were going to do. At home, our family was in the midst of foster care as well, and it was difficult. It was all just overwhelming.

So in the midst of trying to search for a worship pastor, trying to figure out students, trying to figure out pastoral care, and then having all that was pent up during COVID, it accumulated into this snowball effect in my personal life. I was not getting the rest I needed physically because I wasn’t getting the rest I needed spiritually and I was unwilling to ask for help from our team. My body was shutting down and I wasn’t listening. All that just kind of piled up and my body broke.

I had had a string of about 10 days when I had a migraine in the back of my head behind my left ear. My wife, Abby, was coming back from being out of town and called to ask how things were going, and as I was responding to her, I started noticeably slurring my words. We went to the emergency room that night and they said I was having left facial paralysis—basically, Bell’s palsy. It wasn’t life-threatening, but my neurologist said it was stress-induced and told me, “If you don’t take this seriously, this could become permanent. Because your job includes public speaking, you may not be able to pronounce words the way you need to. So figure out what’s causing the stress, stop doing it, and adjust your schedule.”

“I was not getting the rest I needed physically because I wasn’t getting the rest I needed spiritually and I was unwilling to ask for help from our team.”

—Michael Criner Tweet

How did you communicate this to your church and what was the response?

MC: I met with all our leadership, and I was making pronouncements that I would be back in the pulpit the next week and that they didn’t need to worry, that I was going to tackle this. And a lay leader in our church said, “Man, I don’t care what you just said. … You’re not going to be back in this pulpit for at least five or six weeks until you get healthy. You’ve led us well through COVID and all the changes happening at the church, but it has had an impact on your body. If you don’t do what your neurologist told you to do, we won’t have a pastor.” So they gave me time away, and I’m so grateful for that.

What did you do during that time off?

MC: I slept. I changed my diet. I began to evaluate the pace I was going and realized it wasn’t sustainable. During that time I went on a little retreat to this place in Big Sandy, and while there, the Lord just really ministered to my heart. He was very clear to me that some things needed to change. In 1 Kings 19, you see that Elijah’s just burned out. He gets word that Jezebel is going to kill him, so he flees. The Lord doesn’t rebuke him for fleeing. The Lord tells him to eat and sleep.

How did the Lord specifically speak to your heart through this season?

MC: The Lord really taught me three things. The first was that I needed physical rest. I was not sleeping well, and it was evident, so I had to change my sleeping habits. Also, I was eating like a preteen boy at camp. It just wasn’t good, so I had to change my eating habits. I needed physical rest. I had to prioritize it.

The second was soul rest. My soul needed rest. I was dishing out of a bucket that had a hole in it. There was nothing going in. I needed not just a few minutes in the day, not just an hour in the day—I needed periodic, extended time when I was doing nothing other than just sitting with the Lord.

One of the other things was I had to realize my limits. At a smaller church, I could do more. But navigating a church of our size, I needed help. I think what this momentary setback did for me was it helped me hear the Lord say to me, “You can’t make it at this rate that you’re going. You’re limited, and you need to figure out what kind of help you need and go get it.”

So I began asking myself, “What are the things I need help with at the church? What are my deficiencies where I need somebody else to step in?” And since then, God’s been so kind. I’m so grateful that God has allowed me to walk through this season.

What are some of the practical adjustments you’ve made in your ministry and your personal life as a result of this season?

MC: I now have a new rhythm of doing my sermon prep at home. I’m able to get more done in four or five hours at home than I was in 12 hours at the office. The book Deep Work has been really influential to me in terms of blocking out time for the things in my life I need to get done. I now have a time block when I’m going to do counseling, when I’m going to do one-on-one meetings …. Having all of that planned out for me has really helped me know when I need to say “no” and when I need to say “yes.”

Personally, when I look back on those who modeled ministry for me, they all had an outlet, something they did for fun. Whether that was bow hunting, exercise, or whatever. I think for me, my ambition and desire to prove that I am a worthy minister called by God … made me think I couldn’t have fun. So since then, I’ve engaged in ultra-marathons and trail runs, and God has used that to get me to the health that I have today.

“I would encourage [pastors] to think about three buckets. The first bucket would center around how their physical life is going. ... The second bucket would center around their spiritual life. ... The third bucket would center around the need for help.”

—Michael Criner Tweet

If given the opportunity to speak to a group of pastors about your experience, what would you say to them?

MC: I would encourage them to think about three buckets. The first bucket would center around how their physical life is going. Are they exercising, even if it’s a 20-minutes walk?? Are they getting enough rest? What are they eating? When I eat like junk, I feel like junk. The second bucket would center around their spiritual life. Are they really spending time with the Lord, or are they just doing sermon preparation? Are they in a rush to get to the next thing, or are they genuinely pausing in large blocks of time in prayer and study of God’s Word? The third bucket would center around the need for help. Are they asking for help? Are they doing things they shouldn’t be doing that somebody else could do and maybe even do better? Most bottlenecks in my church are my fault. Ask for help!

We may not fully know for another 10 years the effect the last two years have had on pastors. I mean, just look around—a lot of pastors are worn out and weary. But please don’t forget what a privilege it is to pastor a church. Steward what you have been given now so that more of those who are far from God might become followers of Jesus.

Biblical literacy and the need for a comeback

Speaking to a group of young pastors at a dinner held during the recent Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Empower Conference, Colorado pastor and author J.T. English told a brief story about serving in a church that aimed to teach adults on an eighth grade reading level.

The strategy made sense, considering the average American adult reads on an eighth grade level. However …

“An eighth grade reading level is actually good,” English said, “but if all you’re teaching at is an eighth grade level, you’re going to have an eighth grade [biblical] literacy level in your church 20, 30, 40 years from now. So it’s really important that [churches] develop a sequence of education to help people move from those more elementary environments to a more graduated, challenging environment.”

Put another way, English is challenging churches—filled with members who often feel nauseatingly busy and constantly crunched for time—to raise, rather than lower, the bar when it comes to teaching theology.

The need to raise the bar is greater than ever. English cited findings from last year’s The State of Theology study conducted by Lifeway Research. While studies like these frequently provide many discouraging revelations, they don’t seem to be providing the wake-up call needed to turn the tide.

"A sampling of the study reveals the worldviews of American evangelicals are becoming harder to discern from non-evangelical American adults."

jayson larson referencing
the State of Theology study by Lifeway Research Tweet

A sampling of the study reveals the worldviews of American evangelicals are becoming harder to discern from non-evangelical American adults. When asked if God changes and adapts to different circumstances, 51% of non-evangelicals and 48% of evangelicals agreed. When presented with the statement, “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God,” 71% of non-evangelicals and 65% of evangelicals agreed.

And then there was this disturbing nugget: 56% of evangelicals agreed with the statement, “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.”

While he offered a number of strategies for raising the bar, here are a couple of concepts English mentioned that may be worth considering in your context:

Consider concentric circles of discipleship

English noted the gospels show Jesus pouring His life into thousands of people, but also to a group of 72, a group of 12, a group of three, and even ministering in one-on-one situations. It’s a model that can be replicated in the modern church, he said. “I think it’s important for us to think about the concentric circles of people we are giving our best investment to,” he said. “[For example], who are the … people you’re really trying to pour yourself into?”

Active models of learning

Passive models of learning are commonly formed when a single speaker lectures to a group of people whose job is to listen. Active learning models require the listener to interact with the information being provided. English said studies have shown those who engage in passive models of learning typically retain only 5% of the information with which they’re presented. That number jumps to 20% if the learner takes notes, but skyrockets to 80% when the learner speaks about the information with someone else. He wasn’t advocating eliminating passive models of learning, but rather, challenging churches to incorporate multiple models of learning in their contexts.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see a comeback, of sorts, in a “state of” survey like this one and see numbers that measure godliness and doctrinal purity on the rise? To get there, we’re going to have to look for worthwhile places to invest our time and resources and continually invite followers of Christ to stretch themselves to take whatever next step God has set before them.

FBC Dean experiencing an injection of life through a few strategic shifts

‘Sometimes it’s the

little things'

The small town of Dean—with a population just shy of 500—sits slightly northwest of Wichita Falls. It’s a place where neighbors know and care about one another and where going to church is a good thing.

First Baptist Church of Dean—founded in 1909 as MableDean Missionary Baptist Church—sits on a long stretch of State Highway 79 North, about four miles from the town’s city limits sign. The church has long been a bulwark of the community, but with four pastors over the past decade, not to mention a pandemic, times have been challenging.

Yet FBC Dean is on the cusp of a huge comeback, said Pastor Wayne Miller, who came to the church in September 2022. Miller accepted the call to FBC Dean after his name kept coming up as the church went through a lengthy pastor search process.

Miller came to the church with an unusual resume. He is a cartoonist who illustrated the Christian apologetics book Stand Firm and, at another time, helped lead the successful merger of La Junta Baptist and Midway Baptist into GracePointe Church in La Junta.

Miller and his wife, Betsy, moved into the FBC Dean parsonage following an interim position at Pipeline Church in Hurst. The local paper, the Clay County Leader, featured him on the front page with the headline: “Big city pastor goes country.” At FBC Dean, the Millers found a predominantly older congregation with longtime Royal Ambassadors (RA) and Girls in Action (GA) programs run by an experienced leader.

They also found folks ready for a challenge. What the church has done in only a few months could be emulated by many congregations hoping to preserve important traditions while undergoing a rejuvenation.

“Sometimes it’s the little things,” Miller said.

Some of those little things are opening new doors for FBC Dean. They include:

Enhancing the physical environment.

Miller said among the first things the church did after his arrival was raise the window shades to let in more light, and to remove artificial flower arrangements, embracing a sleeker, more modern look. “Less is more” became the church’s informal motto.

Members were also encouraged during services to move up a pew or two, closer to the front of the sanctuary, even when that meant giving up their familiar places. This encourages a welcoming feeling within the congregation.

“We want to have community in our church, but we are also reaching out to the community to let them know we want to be their church.”

—Wayne Miller Tweet

Engaging the larger community.

“We want to have community in our church, but we are also reaching out to the community to let them know we want to be their church,” Miller said.

Building on the success of its RA and GA programs, the church continues to send a van to pick up kids and take them home. Most of the children and teens are from families outside the church. Recently, a pinewood derby held for RA groups from FBC Dean and several other churches created excitement. Even more exciting, a boy recently made a profession of faith at the church.

Connections with Petrolia ISD, which serves Dean, are growing stronger. Miller will be speaking at baccalaureate services for Petrolia High School this May. The church has also started allowing community groups to use its half-court gym and playground.

Rethinking church with intentional evangelism.

“We have moved the focus from church growth to kingdom growth,” Miller said. “You can’t go to church. It’s impossible. A church is not a building. A church is people. People make up the church. We’ve come to worship, study, learn, and grow.”

Intentional evangelism is part of FBC Dean’s kingdom focus. Miller said he often preaches on evangelism and is mentoring deacons, leaders, and members how to start gospel conversations. He recommends a simple two-question evangelistic approach that involves first asking, “Can I ask you a question?” Very few say no. If the person agrees, the second question, he said, should be, “When you go to church, where do you go?”

Everyone will answer that, Miller said. “They will tell you a place they go or they will say they don’t go anywhere. They may say they are not religious.” Regardless of how they answer, the question opens the door for a gospel conversation, Miller said.

“If someone says, ‘I really don’t believe in all that religion stuff,’ you can ask, ‘Why?’ and boom, you’ve got a conversation,” he explained. “People are having success. We are starting to see the overflow.”

Praying and memorizing Scripture together.

FBC Dean spends time in prayer, as does the pastor. They also memorize Scripture together. Each week, Miller gives the congregation Scripture to memorize, and he does the work, too.

On a more personal level, members have also been encouraged to talk to and pray for their neighbors. Neighbors may know one another in Dean, but situations change and sometimes it can be a long amount of time between meaningful visits. Even so, people need the encouragement of prayer.

“[Miller’s] passion and the church’s desire to reach their community for Jesus has allowed the church to thrive,” said Anthony Svajda, SBTC pastoral ministries associate. “God is doing great things.”

Nacido bajo la dura cúpula del comunismo, pastor nunca renunció a Jesús en su camino de Cuba

Un largo viaje, pavimentado con pasos de fe

Años después de comprometerse a seguir a Cristo en su niñez, plantar iglesias y fundar institutos bíblicos bajo el duro régimen de Fidel Castro en Cuba, Misael Rodríguez se encontró lavando ollas y sartenes en un restaurante de comida rápida en el área de Dallas sin todavía tener alguna propuesta de regresar a cumplir con el llamado para el cual fue creado.

En una ocasión comencé a llorar y le dije al Señor: “‘Estaré aquí todo el tiempo que tú quieras para mantener a mi familia,’” recuerda Rodríguez que le dijo a Dios un día mientras lavaba los platos en el restaurante, “’pero anhelo servirte en el ministerio’. De repente, todo a mi alrededor quedó en silencio y me invadió una enorme paz. Mientras lloraba, Dios sanó mi alma.”

El Señor no sólo lo sanó, también le abrió una puerta.

Al día siguiente, Rodríguez recibió una invitación de Lakepointe Church en Rockwall para ayudar a plantar un campus hispano en Mesquite. En el 2014, alrededor de un año después de ayudar a iniciar el campus de Lakepointe en Mesquite—que había crecido a 85 asistentes regulares—Rodríguez fue llamado a servir como pastor del ministerio hispano para Hillcrest Baptist Church en Cedar Hill, a unas 20 millas al suroeste de Dallas.

El camino hasta allí fue fructífero, aunque difícil.

“Cada vez que empezaba el curso escolar, recibía burlas, ataques e intimidación por el mero hecho de ser cristiano.”

—Misael Rodríguez Tweet

‘No renuncié a mi fe’

Rodríguez nació y creció en Cuba en la década de 1970, cuando el régimen comunista de Castro era fuerte. Los cristianos eran duramente hostigados, incluidos los niños en las escuelas.

“Cada vez que empezaba el curso escolar, recibía burlas, ataques e intimidación por el mero hecho de ser cristiano,” cuenta Rodríguez.

Rodríguez recuerda que cada primer día del año escolar, la directora de la escuela pasaba por cada salón para identificar a los niños religiosos y les pedía que se levantaran para que sus compañeros pudieran mofarse de ellos. “Recuerdo que una vez nos pusieron delante de los 500 alumnos del campus [para que pudieran] abuchear a todos los niños religiosos,” recuerda, “pero no renuncié a mi fe.”

Rodríguez, animado por el predicador de una cruzada evangelística, empezó a seguir a Cristo a los seis años y respondió al llamado al ministerio en el 1980 durante un retiro de preadolescentes. Tras graduarse en una escuela técnica donde aprendió a ser electricista, empezó el seminario teológico y al terminar sus estudios se casó con Mayra Góngora, con quien tiene tres hijos. Una vez terminado el seminario, fue destinado a su primer pastorado en un pequeño pueblo cubano llamado Taguayabón, en la provincia de Villa Clara. Muchas vidas fueron impactadas por el ministerio que Dios puso en sus manos. Se involucró activamente en la evangelización personal y, junto con un grupo de jóvenes pastores, fundó un instituto bíblico que sigue formando a líderes laicos en la actualidad.

Después de seis años en Taguayabón, Rodríguez trasladó a su familia y comenzó a servir en la Iglesia Bautista Betania en una ciudad más grande de la provincia de La Habana llamada El Cotorro. Dios les bendijo duplicando el número de miembros de su iglesia, e iniciaron una escuela para formar líderes de alabanza en cooperación con la Convención Bautista de Cuba Occidental y la Junta de Misiones Internacionales (IMB).

Su familia hizo una parada más antes de venir a los, siendo llamados a servir como pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Cristo Reina en Alamar, La Habana. La ciudad, construida por Castro para los trabajadores de la región, prohibía la práctica de cualquier religión. Así que los residentes que vivían allí tomaban el transporte público para ir a una iglesia en otra ciudad, pero con el tiempo, dicho transporte dejó de estar disponible.

En respuesta a esta necesidad, Rodríguez cuenta que su futura suegra y su esposa empezaron a celebrar un culto familiar en su casa. El culto creció rápidamente y no sólo los vecinos, sino gente de toda la ciudad, empezaron a asistir para adorar a Dios allí. De su iglesia casera nacieron cinco iglesias bautistas, y hoy hay unas 30 iglesias cristianas de diferentes denominaciones en Alamar gracias a la iniciativa de estas mujeres de fe, dijo Rodríguez.

Mientras pastoreaba en Alamar, Rodríguez recibió en dos ocasiones a grupos misioneros de la Academia Cristiana Prestonwood de Plano. El director de la academia en ese momento y su esposa, ofrecieron hospedar a la familia de Rodríguez en su casa si alguna vez decidían emigrar a los EE.UU. Aceptaron la invitación poco después de que la suegra de Rodríguez falleciera, y Rodríguez tomó un puesto para trabajar en el servicio de comida en Prestonwood.

En los meses que siguieron, comenzó a trabajar en el restaurante de comida rápida donde recibió una paz de Dios que finalmente lo llevó a Hillcrest.

Una iglesia que se siente como en familia

Hillcrest es una iglesia multicultural que ofrece servicios en tres idiomas: inglés, español y chino. Aunque la verdad de Dios se presenta en tres idiomas, cada grupo tiene las mismas declaraciones de misión y visión: “Amar y servir a Dios, y amar y servir a los demás.”

El ministerio hispano de Hillcrest se formó después de que un grupo de hermanos hispanos se mudara a la iglesia y preguntara a su pastor, Mike Simmons, si podía proporcionarles servicios de traducción, cosa que hizo. Unos meses más tarde, se añadió un culto completo en español y Bruno Molina—que ahora trabaja como asociado de evangelismo entre creencias e idiomas para la Convención de los Bautistas del Sur de Texas—fue llamado a servir como pastor interino. La asistencia al culto en español aumentó a unas 95 personas cuando Molina terminó su interinato, aproximadamente un año después, Rodríguez respondió al llamado para unirse a la iglesia como su próximo pastor.

Rodríguez describe a los líderes de Hillcrest en español como servidores con “pasión y extraordinario compromiso.” Estos líderes ayudan a establecer el ambiente para que la congregación sea una iglesia acogedora que hace que los asistentes “se sientan como en familia.” La iglesia cuenta con algunas 90 personas los domingos y, durante la semana, las familias se reúnen en hogares ubicados en diversas ciudades de la región para estudiar materiales de discipulado.

Además de ser una congregación creciente y acogedora, Rodríguez dijo que Hillcrest en español es una iglesia en donde la oración es fundamental.

“Hemos visto muchos milagros a través de la oración: personas secuestradas en otros países milagrosamente liberadas, enfermos sanados, medicinas costosas provistas, milagros en la provisión de viviendas y otras necesidades financieras,” dijo. “Todo gracias a la oración y a la generosidad de la iglesia.”

Born under a hard-shell dome of communism, pastor never gave up on Jesus en route from Cuba to U.S.

A long journey, paved with steps of faith

Years after making a boyhood commitment to follow Christ, planting churches, and founding Bible institutes under the heavy-handed regime of Fidel Castro in Cuba, Misael Rodríguez found himself washing pots and pans at a fast food restaurant in the Dallas area with no prospects of returning to the lifelong calling for which he was created.

“I started crying and said to the Lord, ‘I’ll be here as long as You want me to be here to provide for my family,’” Rodríguez recalls praying one day as he washed dishes, “‘but I long to serve You in the ministry.’ Suddenly everything around me was silent and a peace came over me. As I wept, God healed my soul.”

Not only did the Lord heal him, but He opened a door.

The next day, Rodríguez received an invitation from Lakepointe Church in Rockwall to help plant a Hispanic campus in nearby Mesquite. In 2014, about a year after helping start Lakepointe’s Mesquite campus—which had grown to 85 regular attenders—Rodríguez was called to serve as pastor of Hispanic ministry for Hillcrest Baptist Church in Cedar Hill, about 20 miles southwest of Dallas.

The road to Hillcrest was fruitful, yet difficult.

“Every time I started the school year, I was met with taunts, attacks, and intimidation just for being a Christian.”

—Misael Rodríguez speaking of growing up in cuba Tweet

‘I didn’t give up my faith’

Rodríguez was born and raised in Cuba in the 1970s, when Castro’s communist regime was strong. Christians were heavily harassed, including children in schools.

“Every time I started the school year, I was met with taunts, attacks, and intimidation just for being a Christian,” Rodríguez said.

He recalls that on the first day of every school year, the principal would walk past each classroom to identify the religious children and ask them to stand up so their classmates could taunt them. “I remember one time we were put in front of the 500 students on campus [so they could] boo all the religious kids,” he said, “but I didn’t give up my faith.”

Rodríguez, encouraged by the preacher of an evangelistic crusade, began following Christ at age six and answered a call to ministry in 1980 during a retreat for pre-teens. After graduating from a technical school where he learned to be an electrician, he entered seminary and, upon graduation, married Mayra Góngora, with whom he has three children. Once his seminary degree was completed, he was assigned to his first pastorate in a small Cuban town called Taguayabón, in the province of Villa Clara. Many lives were impacted by the ministry God placed in his hands. He became actively involved in personal evangelism and, together with a group of young pastors, founded a Bible institute that continues to train lay leaders.

After six years in Taguayabón, Rodríguez moved his family and began serving at Iglesia Bautista Betania in a larger city in the province of Havana called El Cotorro. God blessed them by doubling the membership of their church, and they started a school to train worship leaders in cooperation with the Baptist Convention of Western Cuba and the International Mission Board (IMB).

His family made one more stop before coming to the U.S., when he was called to serve as pastor of Iglesia Bautista Cristo Reina in Alamar, Havana. The city, built by Castro for workers in the region, prohibited the practice of any religion. So residents who lived there would take public transportation to a church in another city, but eventually, such transportation became unavailable.

In response to this need, Rodríguez said his future mother-in-law and his wife began to hold a family worship service in their home. That service rapidly grew as not only neighbors, but people from all over town, began to attend. Five Baptist churches were born out of their house church, and today there are about 30 Christian churches of different denominations in Alamar because of the initiative of these women of faith, Rodríguez said.

While pastoring in Alamar, Rodríguez twice hosted missionary groups from Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano. The director of the academy at the time and his wife offered to host Rodríguez’s family in their home if they ever decided to emigrate to the U.S. They took the director up on the offer shortly after Rodríguez’s mother-in-law passed away, and Rodríguez took a position in food service at Prestonwood.

In the months that followed, he would ultimately be led to work at the fast food restaurant where he received a peace from God that ultimately led him to Hillcrest.

A church that feels like family

Hillcrest is a multicultural church that offers services in three languages: English, Spanish, and Chinese. Though God’s truth is presented in three languages, each group has the same mission and vision statements: “To love and serve God, and to love and serve others.”

Hillcrest’s Hispanic ministry was formed after a group of brothers moved to the church and asked its pastor, Mike Simmons, if he could provide translation services for them, which he did. A few months later, a full Hispanic worship service was added and Bruno Molina—who now serves as the language and interfaith evangelism associate for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention—was called to serve as its interim pastor. Attendance at the Hispanic service grew to about 95 people by the time Molina completed his interim about a year later, when Rodríguez answered the call to join the church as its next pastor.

Rodríguez describes Hillcrest en Español’s leaders as servants with “passion and extraordinary commitment.” Those leaders help set the tone for the congregation to be a welcoming church that makes newcomers “feel like family.” The church averages 90 people on Sundays and, during the week, families meet in homes across the region to study discipleship materials.

In addition to being a growing and welcoming congregation, Rodríguez said Hillcrest en Español is a church where prayer is foundational.

“We have seen many miracles through prayer: people kidnapped in other countries miraculously released, sick people healed, expensive medicines provided, miracles in providing housing and other financial needs,” he said. “All because of prayer and the generosity of the church.”

Lone Star Scoop • April 2023

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

Diverse newcomers are Tomball plant’s focus, but pastor has an even bigger vision

Pastor Steven Staten said there was not an African American church in this suburb of Houston until he planted The Fellowship at Tomball last fall. Once a predominantly Anglo area, Tomball—a city of about 12,000 residents—is seeing more African Americans and Hispanics moving in.

Staten, a third-generation minister, was pastoring Jenkins Chapel Baptist Church in Amarillo when God began to work on his heart about the segregated nature of his community. During that time, he became friends with an Anglo pastor.

“He and I started doing things in the community in order to bring harmony to the whole area,” Staten said. “God kept impressing on me to do more, so he and I got together and we planted a church there in Amarillo with a multicultural intention.”

The church plant grew, Staten said, and after a few years, “the Lord sent me back home to Houston.”

He was interviewed for another pastorate where he believed God was sending him, but it didn’t work out. “So I said, ‘OK, God. I’m back. What’s next?’” Staten was living in Cypress and was occupied with chaplaincy work at a hospice care organization, but he soon moved to Tomball and felt the Lord speaking to him about planting a church.

“It’s very family-oriented, a wonderful place to live. God has really been doing some major things here.”

—Steven Staten, pastor of The Fellowship at Tomball Tweet

“This area was ripe for a church that was African American in its focus because there were none,” he said. “So we planted The Fellowship at Tomball last September, and the Lord has been blessing us.”

The church launched with about 10 people, beginning with friends and family they had started reaching out to, Staten said. They now have 40 to 50 each Sunday.

“We started having vision-casting meetings and sharing with them what the Lord was laying on our hearts to do,” Staten said. As a result, many of them began to connect and wanted to be a part of what God was doing.

A church for all people

Staten describes Tomball as a small community that is bursting at the seams. The jobs in Tomball, he said, are mostly service-oriented, and those who work for major industries commute to nearby Cypress or Houston.

“It’s very family-oriented, a wonderful place to live,” he said. “God has really been doing some major things here.”

Even though his church is predominantly African American, Staten said he believes God has strategically located The Fellowship at Tomball to reach the world.

“We don’t want to just reach the African American population that’s coming in. We want to be a church that’s able to reach all people, minister to all of their needs, and share the gospel with them,” Staten said. “If we’re all going to heaven, it’s not going to be a segregated one, so we should worship together.”

“We don’t want to just reach the African American population that’s coming in. We want to be a church that’s able to reach all people, minister to all of their needs, and share the gospel with them.”

—Steven Staten Tweet

Staten said the church, which is meeting in a strip mall on the outskirts of town, is praying for a meeting space closer to the heart of the city so it can be more visible in the community. Connecting with more people could open the door for the church to meet one of the chief needs people have—building relationships.

“I think more than anything else, [we want to have] a genuine fellowship where people can learn and grow in the things of God because there’s so much that is out there that is contradictory to what the Word of God is stating,” Staten said. “[People] need to be able to find a place where they can fellowship and have authentic relationships with fellow Christians and an authentic relationship with Christ.”

Make the most of every moment

Afew months ago, my sons came to me asking questions about starting a business. After doing some research, my wife and I helped them start an inflatable rental business. While their dream is to have a business of their own while in school, my dream is to use opportunities like this to pour into their lives.

We often consider discipleship a formal gathering in which we walk through Scripture in a systematic way or discuss a book we have been reading. I love doing both of those things. However, for our family, discipleship can happen in every moment we spend together. This is why I love helping my boys work on their business so much. We get to have robust conversations about Scripture, faith, life, and many other things.

As I was riding with one of my sons the other day and thinking through this crazy way God is creating margin for me to disciple them, three thoughts about discipleship came to mind:

1. Every moment counts.

Every moment we spend with others counts right now, but also for eternity. My sons and I can dive into all kinds of topics as we work together on their business, yet we always come back to the teachings of Jesus. These moments are precious, and I am constantly reminded that I won’t get these moments back.

2. Every word matters.

What I say to my children carries weight in their lives. God has bestowed upon me the responsibility to lead them in the ways of His righteousness. As I speak to my sons, I must speak the words of life. I must constantly bring them back to the truths of the Bible, teaching them that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I must carefully choose my words because they will ultimately infiltrate my kids’ minds and hearts.

3. Every interaction requires intentionality.

Discipleship rarely happens without intentionality. We don’t just happen to help someone grow in their faith. It is hard work and requires patience. When I am with my sons, I must choose to lead the conversation to spiritual truths. We could talk about other things, like football or barbecue. However, because every moment counts and every word matters, I choose to take these moments as a gift from God to lead and disciple those He has put closest to my heart.

"As you go throughout life, I pray you find unique ways to walk alongside someone God has put in your life who needs to be discipled."

Nathan Lorick Tweet

I love our church. I love our small group. I love walking people through Scripture as they grow in their relationship with Christ. However, these days my heart longs for every moment I spend driving down those back roads delivering inflatables with my boys. These are the discipleship moments I look forward to most. I thank God for their crazy dreams and ideas. I thank God that He has created this unique season I get to share with my boys. I thank God that I get to deposit something in them that I pray lasts a lifetime.

As you go throughout life, I pray you find unique ways to walk alongside someone God has put in your life who needs to be discipled. I pray you soak up every moment as it happens and trust God to use your life and words to make an impact in the life of someone else for His glory! I love you and am honored to serve you.