The Mission of Journeys
August 16, 2024
The Importance of Journeys
Dear Friends,
Around 46 A.D. the Apostle Paul began his missionary journeys, the first two of which started in and returned to Antioch, Syria. His third journey started in Antioch and returned to Jerusalem. During his journeys, Paul endured hardships and traveled through several Roman Empire regions. These regions include Cyprus, Pamphylia, Galatia, Cilicia, Lycia, Achaia, and Macedonia. His primary purpose in each of these regions was to provide a Gentile-focused ministry to both large cities and small towns.
Paul sought people who were willing to listen in synagogues, central squares of the city, marketplaces, workshops, and private houses. Throughout his journeys Paul not only focused on success but also on a desire to reach as many people as possible with the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul’s ministry led to numerous church plants that enabled Christianity to spread to the Gentile world.
The Baptist Church Loan Corporation (BCLC) has also been on a journey. God has led us to churches, both Baptist and those that agree with our Statement of Faith, that are mission-minded, seeking to spread the Gospel to reach the world for Jesus Christ. While the churches that we assist focus on ministry, we provide a financial planning focus with a stewardship mindset. Our goal is that the Church flourishes so that the good news of Jesus Christ can be spread far and wide.
Currently, BCLC has over $180 million in loans in over 30 states. We are grateful for the churches we serve and the churches we will serve in the future. During Fiscal Year 2024, the Lord provided relationships with churches that led to loan fundings of almost $50 million. Thank you, Lord, for the men and women who give their time to serve on the BCLC Board of Directors and for the churches that we are privileged to serve.
To God Be The Glory,
Gerald R. James, Jr. President / CEO
Paul's Three Journeys s
Mission The of Journeys
Journeys abound in the Bible. Abraham left the house of his father to settle a new land. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness. And Jesus chose twelve men to turn his teachings into the religion and ministry at the heart of our mission today.
But soon after the Resurrection, no man journeyed as far and wide to create a new humanity in Christ than a Greek-speaking Jew from a small town in what is now south-central Turkey.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatians
3:28
Really, no one had as much influence over the expansion of the Church than Paul the Apostle. Half the New Testament alone has been attributed to or is about Saint Paul, who is often considered the second founder of Christianity. His missionary journeys, which singled out where people already were and in need of hearing the Gospel, totaled more than 10,000 miles, by some estimates. And by the end of his lifetime, he had founded a total of fourteen churches. This is the spirit of missions: traveling to new places to preach Christ Jesus the Lord. To accomplish this—against danger and obstruction—was a colossal feat.
“Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I su ered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”
Corinthians 11:25-27
Like Paul, the original missionary and the model after which all others would follow, we are no strangers to the tribulations of building the Church in new and far-flung places.
Like Paul, it has been our mission to journey where congregations seek establishment and expansion in the name of faith.
Like Paul, we provide the spiritual guidance and support needed to found and fund new churches.
But despite the hardships, uncertainties, and setbacks, the Baptist Church Loan Corporation persists and prevails in its mission to reach new believers. Just like Paul.
Our Missionary Goals
This year, we focus on our targeted ministry journey throughout the United States. In three distinct geographical regions, we have methodically expanded the construction of the kingdom, taking every opportunity to counsel and empower churches in a world that’s changed so much since the days of Paul.
Since 1952, we have been on a mission to go like Paul and spread the Gospel far and wide wherever we are needed. We’ve endured economic downturns, multiple wars, and even a global pandemic, and still, we’ve persevered—alongside the hundreds of houses of prayer that have sought help with their own missions to spread the good news.
We’ve lent to assemblies for various construction and renovation projects. No project is too small for us, no vision for the glorification of His name too grand. Whether it’s been the financing of new landscaping or the purchase of new land, every project that heralds the possibility of new life in Christ has been worthy.
Beyond the bottom line, every member of our ministry is on their own journey of faith. Together, we are committed to the transformative power of collaboration and cooperation, which ensures that in unity, every church old and new can serve believers.
In this annual report, we’ve highlighted just a few of those churches to which we’ve journeyed, where—like the communities Paul ventured to—hearts are open to the proclamation of His word.
Our Mission
BCLC exists to assist churches in their e orts to spread the Gospel by providing a ordable real estate related loans.
In fulfilling this mission, our priorities are to:
• Focus on the long term spiritual and financial health of each church we consult.
• Provide our churches with straightforward terms, rate options, and underwriting guidelines.
• Serve as many churches as feasible, regardless of their size, longevity, or ethnicity.
Our Leadership
Board of Directors Corporate
Michael Mason
BCLC, Chairman of the Board Dallas, Texas
Bret Hefton Dallas, Texas
Lynne Meers Irving, Texas
Ralph Ramsey Denton, Texas
Jan Cason Woodway, Texas
Philip Price
BCLC, Vice Chairman Irving, Texas
Ryan Gibson Abilene, Texas
Susan Hogan Dallas, Texas
Glenn Gaines Carrolton, Texas
Jamye Cappadonna Helotes, Texas
Barbara Jane Kaplan Dallas, Texas
Kelly McBrayer Richardson, Texas
Gerald James, Jr. President/CEO
Landon Yeager Senior Vice President/CFO
Bob Gage Senior Vice President
Magnolia Church
Dr. Montia Setzler, Pastor
When California Baptist College (now California Baptist University) moved to its present location in 1955, a few students and faculty members felt called to establish a church next to the college, forming what is today known as Magnolia Church. Over the last seven decades, the church has built and maintained numerous facilities that have served its growing multigenerational and multiethnic congregation, which includes a large student ministry.
Dr. Montia Setzler has been the church’s pastor of more than twenty-five years. Proud of what he has witnessed over the last quarter century, he avers that the church “remains committed to being the community’s lodestar for hope, faith, and service. We actively foster a diverse and vibrant local congregation that’s tireless in its work to extend the reach of our ministry as far as it can into the world. Our mission to connect with God and serve others while sharing the Good News has never been stronger, and our future has never felt more secure.”
Under Dr. Setzler’s leadership, Magnolia Church’s outreach e orts, which were duly considered during its loan application process, are impressive in their sweep and impact. In partnership with Feeding America, the church distributes groceries each month to families who are most in need of help. Additionally, it operates a weekly in-house food pantry, and hosts popular annual events, such as an Easter celebration that attracts nearly 3,000 attendees and a living nativity that draws almost 5,000 visitors.
What’s more, it has successfully organized and planted Korean, Spanish, and Arabic language groups, e ectively reaching the heterogeneous “Jerusalem” that is the Inland Empire. And on the global front, the church has previously adopted a people group in South Asia through the International Mission Board, training pastors and leaders to expand the Kingdom wherever they can in the region.
With a steadfast commitment to faith, community, and growth, Magnolia Church continues to thrive. Its new loan with BCLC will do much more than consolidate existing debt; it will empower the church to further expand its mission and outreach, fostering a stronger, more vibrant future for its congregation and the larger community.
Riverside, California
“The church remains committed to being the community’s lodestar for hope, faith, and service. We actively foster a diverse and vibrant local congregation that’s tireless in its work to extend the reach of our ministry as far as it can into the world. Our mission to connect with God and serve others while sharing the Good News has never been stronger, and our future has never felt more secure.”
Sojourn Montrose Church
Reid Squires, Pastor
The mission of Sojourn Montrose Church (SMC) is simple: to connect every man, woman, and child in the Houston neighborhood of Montrose with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is no small feat for what Pastor Reid Squires calls “a post-Christian neighborhood.” Still, he remains committed to reaching everyone who resides in this diverse and dynamic community.
“There is power,” Pastor Squires says, “in community. Lasting transformation is possible when you nurture faith, foster connections, and serve those in need. We believe that that kind of local focus goes on to reverberate throughout His Kingdom.”
Attendees of SMC have been gathering since 2013, with Pastor Squires taking the reins as lead pastor in 2019. Since then, the church has quickly become an integral part of the community, o ering two contemporary Sunday worship services and fostering ten community groups known as “neighborhood parishes,” which meet weekly and provide a welcoming space for non-believers to explore the Gospel.
Beyond home-based community groups, SMC is proud of its partnerships with local organizations that support younger generations, with a special emphasis on nearby schools, youth homelessness, and orphan ministries. SMC is also active in church planting, having successfully planted two congregations in southeast and east Houston as well as in places as far-flung as Costa Rica, France, and Nigeria.
Currently worshiping in its o ce space, SMC is seeking to purchase and renovate a 1950s-era church building one mile west of their present location. The renovation plans include installing new roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical wiring, and insulation, along with various aesthetic changes.
Despite its juvenescence as a community ministry, SMC is poised for sustainable growth and widespread influence. BCLC’s investment will enable the church to create a more inviting space for worship and outreach, supporting its ongoing mission to transform lives and serve the community with compassion and dedication.
“There is power in community. Lasting transformation is possible when you nurture faith, foster connections, and serve those in need. We believe that that kind of local focus goes on to reverberate throughout His Kingdom.”
Tallahassee, Florida
City Church
You may not know it looking at the size of their crowds today, but City Church started at Pastor Dean Inserra’s home with twenty people and, of course, a prayer. Within a year of its founding in 2007, the small bible study group grew into a congregation of 130 that began holding service at a nearby high school. Over the next eight years, City Church worshiped in a warehouse, two gyms, and a shopping mall. Soon after merging with Forest Heights Baptist Church in 2014, the church purchased its first permanent facility later that year. The church completed a seven-month renovation and opened its current campus in May 2016. Today, the church leads nearly 2,100 Christians across its three worship services each Sunday.
City Church’s current campus spans eleven acres and includes a 34,320-square-foot worship facility. With BCLC’s most recent loan, City Church will be able to refinance the debt it has accumulated over the years in order to add a 17,000-square-foot addition to its current worship facility. Along with new classrooms and o modified to seat 375 for overflow.
Beyond its worship services, City Church is deeply committed to serving the surrounding Tallahassee community. The church partners with local organizations to provide housing and healthcare services to families in need. It also hosts two major events on the campus of Florida State University: The Launch at Langford, which draws 500 students for an evening worship service to kick o the fall semester, and Easter at the Civic Center, which draws nearly 5,000 attendees.
City Church’s ambitious renovation and expansion project reflects not only its success but also its unwavering commitment to spreading the Gospel, the central truth on which we build our faith as Christians. As Pastor Inserra puts it, “City Church’s growth from a living room to its current facilities is a testament to what God can do when a community comes together with purpose. We are confident that our most recent buildout will allow us to serve more people, create more connections, and further our ministry of living motivated by the Gospel.”
“City Church’s growth from a living room to its current facilities is a testament to what God can do when a community comes together with purpose. We are confident that our most recent buildout will allow us to serve more people, create more connections, and further our ministry of living motivated by the Gospel.”
15% average growth Over $100 million
in loans funded
BCLC-supported churches had a in fiscal year 2024 in attendance to churches throughout the United States within a two-year period
BCLC's lending philosophy includes directing our
financial resources to churches
that are growing
Growing the Kingdom
In 2012, BCLC modified its bylaws in order to serve churches outside of Texas. Since then, we have expanded our ministry into thirty-four states across the United States.
EAST/SOUTHEAST REGION
MIDWEST REGION
WEST/SOUTHWEST REGION
“People
will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 13:29
