The STAR Fall '22

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Appearance. Honesty. Being what we say we are. This is a challenge even in our world today. We must authenticate our credit card via a text, use a password to access our bank account, and carry a photo ID with us when we enter the airport.

We’re not who we say we are unless we can prove it.

How does the Christian prove that we are who we say we are? What’s our authentication, our password, our photo ID? How can we live a real and honest Christian life that reflects the truth of Jesus living through us.

Matthew 7:15 says to watch out for false prophets. Then, in the next verse, we’re told that “by their fruit you will recognize them.” The Fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness….and along the rewarding paths of goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

In a world that is so quickly spiraling out of control, with road-rage incidents daily, physical brawls in the isles of the grocery store and sadly even in church parking lots or business meetings, we must reflect Jesus. In the 1980s we sang a chorus that said, “Jesus on the inside working on the outside, oh what a change in my life.” I want the authenticity of Jesus apparent to those I encounter. By our love we are known as Christians.

Recently, I had a salesman who shared with me that he refused to do business with a particular church because the office manager was so rude and condescending. While I’m sure there is more to that story, it just saddens me to my core. We must be different than the world! Even if we feel that we’ve been wronged, our response must be one that reflects Jesus. His resurrection power can fill us to overflowing and He will be Jesus inside of us.

Of the eight characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, seven are directed Godward or manward…SELF-CONTROL is directed selfward! No progress occurs in the believer’s life with this quality. SELF-CONTROL is LOVE’S VICTORY! The undisciplined life will be a disaster spiritually and otherwise.

There’s a quote by Williams Shakespeare that says, “If you prick us, do we not bleed?” When the world pricks me, I want to bleed Jesus. I want to be Jesus inside, and when someone cuts me, they get Jesus all over them!

Because He is, I am, Tim R. Barker

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There is probably no greater miracle than the birth of a baby. The many intricate details of human creation is one of the most awesome events we can experience in this life. It takes more faith to NOT believe in the God of creation than to believe. Evidence of intelligent design is literally all around us.

The virgin birth of Jesus defines human creation as it really is, a miracle of God. The Lord is the creator of all things and has set in order the processes for the propagation of Don K. Wiehe life but the virgin birth gets our attention that District Sectretary/ the Creator can do and act as HE desires. It is Truesurer impossible to put the God of creation in a box as to limit His abilities both here and in the heavenlies. Our God truly is the God of the miraculous!

The miracle of resurrection as exhibited with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was another one of the Lord’s miracles proving that He was Lord not only of birth but of the grave.

We see the truth of a miracles (events that cannot be explained by natural law) throughout the ages. Our God is at work assisting mankind because of His grace and mercy. Bodies are healed, divine guidance given, protection bestowed, relationships restored, supernatural resources supplied to meet an immediate need, etc. And the greatest miracle of all is the transformation of the human heart at salvation!

How many times has God done a miracle for you?

The promise of the miraculous throughout scriptures: NLT John 14 12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

Mark 16 15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.

17These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

Galatians 3 5 I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

1 Corinthians 12 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. . .

There is nothing in scripture that says miracles have ceased. On the contrary the scripture encourages us to pray and to believe for the impossible. The Lord loves you and desires to do the impossible in your life and in the lives of those around you, believer and non believer.

Keep your spiritual antenna up and as you’re made aware of needs be willing to step out in faith and pray for those who cross your path. Be willing to step into the ocean of problems that others are facing and let’s see the waters part! Let’s believe!

Believing for Miracles!

Pastor Don

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Minister’s Conference November 7 -9, 2022 Hill Country Camp

1325 Harper Rd, Kerrville, TX 78028

Schedule

Monday, November 7 5:30PM 7:00PM After Service

Registration for Minister’s Conference is free to all South Texas Assemblies of God credentialed ministers and their spouses.

Registration Session 1 Sweets & Treats

Tuesday, November 8 8:30AM 10:00AM 11:30AM 5:30PM 7:00 PM After Service

Breakfast Session 2 Lunch Afternoon Free Dinner Session 3 Sweets & Treats

Wednesday, November 9 8:30AM 10:00AM 11:30AM

Breakfast Session 4 Dismissed

Hotel cost not included.

Register at:

stxag.org/ministers-conference

Hotel Information

La Quinta Inn & Suites

1940 Sidney Baker St, Kerrville, TX 78028 830.896.9200 Rate: $99 / Call by October, 20

12106 E SAM HOUSTON PKWY N | HOUSTON, TX | 77044 | 713.455.1221 | STXAG.ORG

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Ministers & Churches Changes and Updates New Certified

David Bangura Cooper Cox Craig Cox Steven De Los Santos Stephanie Dossett Joseph Edwards Patricia Flores

Aiden Hunter Shea Hunter Billy Lawson Stuart McNeil Eric Nanez An Nguyen

Madelyn Phipps Jeremiah Piercy Corey Spencer Christian Straus Julio Valadez Zachary Walker

New License Brenton Zachary DeHaven

Bessy Farris

Upgraded to License Miranda Alvarado

James Kuhlemeier

David Prislovsky

Vincent Jimenez April Jones William Keith Pennington Jacob Lindsey Lunell Martin

James McNatt Theodore “TJ” Milton Gary Morgan Timothy Padron David Phipps

Upgraded to Ordained Eli Alfaro James “JR” Armstrong John Faleye Theresa Hammonds Donald Holbrook Sammy Holder

Transfers in Franklin Carrero – New York District Michael Gocke – Illinois District Krista Jans – Rocky Mountain District John Jelinek III – Georgia District Warren Kalkstine – Arizona District Cheryl Knoodle – Arizona District Norman Knoodle – Arizona District

Transfers Out

Willie Ferguson – North Texas District Carl Goericke – North Texas District Bradley Hammond – New York District Rebecca Hammond – New York District Joshua Hill – Michigan District

Laura Love – North Texas District Robert Love – North Texas District Joshua Ransom – Oregon District Renee Ransom – Oregon District Sidney Watson – Southern Missouri District Jack Woods Jr. – Appalachian District

Samuel Mark Molina – Texas Louisiana Hispanic District Ricardo Mijon – Texas Louisiana Hispanic District Rose Mijon – Texas Louisiana Hispanic District Joshua Modisette – Potomac District

Church Transferred Out Casa de Refugio – San Antonio, TX – Texas Louisiana Hispanic District

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Ministers & Churches Changes and Updates New Lead Pastors Pastor Julian Danner | First Assembly of God – Kountze, TX Pastor Donny Flippo | First Assembly of God – Woodville, TX Pastor Thomas Hammond Jr. | Faith Assembly of God – Vidor, TX Pastor Vincent Jimenez | The Embassy Assembly of God – Rosenberg, TX Pastor Theodore Milton III | New Birth Assembly of God – Huntsville, TX Pastor Santos Paz | First Assembly of God – Raymondville, TX

New Churches Gateway Fellowship Church Farwest (PAC) – San Antonio, TX | Lead Pastor: Reverend Matthew Robertson Parent Church: Gateway Fellowship Church – San Antonio, TX Family Deaf Assembly of God (PAC) – Porter, TX | Lead Pastor: Pastor Jonathan Van Eaton Parent Church: Dayspring Church – Porter, TX Iglesia Gracia Divina (PAC) – La Porte, TX | Lead Pastor: Angel Rodriguez Parent Church: First Assembly of God – La Porte, TX Redemption Valley Fellowship (PAC) Edinburg, TX | Lead Pastor: Steven De Los Santos Parent Church: First Assembly of God – McAllen, TX High Calling Church (PAC) – Houston, TX | Lead Pastor: Alfred Hernandez Parent Church: Coat of Many Colors Church – Houston, TX Rio Bravo Church (PAC) – Rio Bravo, TX | Lead Pastor: David Delgado Parent Church: Gateway Assembly of God – Laredo, TX

Churches Name Change Grace Community Church | Formerly: First Assembly of God – Woodville, TX Revelation Community Church | Formerly: Garden Ridge Assembly of God – Garden Ridge, TX

District Affiliated Sovereign Live Oak Assembly – Columbus, TX

General Council Affiliated Gateway Assembly of God – Laredo, TX Revelation Community Church – Garden Ridge, TX

Closed Churches First Assembly of God – Bloomington, TX First Assembly of God – Robstown, TX Gateway Fellowship Church Downtown (PAC) – San Antonio, TX Living Word World Outreach Church – Conroe, TX Radiant Church – San Antonio, TX Village Houston – Houston, TX

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At the start right here rally at the 2022 District Council, I shared a challenge that I believe God wants stxagm to plant 200 new churches in the next ten years. We were reminded that, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit…was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. (Luke 14)” While 2020-2021 was a difficult season, ecclesiastes tells us that “there is a reason and purpose.”

Chapter 12 opens with one of the most profound insights on what life is really all about…

V.1 - Remember now! - I want us to be able to say that, “we lived our season of power!” We cannot waste our opportunity!

God has given us a season of power - a space of grace!

During Jesus’ temptation! When confronting the enemy… doubt…frustration…opposition…

4Jesus answered, “it is written!!! We’d better get used to saying… it is written! “The Lord will never leave us – nor forsake you!”

As we face a future with uncertainty… it is written – “the Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?"

The Lord is the strength of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? It is written – “He is my present help in the time of trouble!”

During Jesus’ wilderness temptation – He was taken to the pinnacle of the temple… that’s the highest heights of religious institutionalism!

We must remain cognizant of the fact that without God - we are nothing! This is not about us! It’s about the lost in our communities!

“We have not been called to isolation. We have been called to activation. “ ~ Hal donaldson There are enough lost people in our communities to fill every church in our district multiple times per week and we still haven’t scratched the surface of reaching the lost???

Let’s declare today that territorialism has no place in STX! We aren’t in competition...We are all on the same team!

Since 2011 we have planted 67 churches in our District! Praise God! Without a real initiative or goal we’ve planted that many new works!

By launching the church health initiative (lead by Jim & Melissa Kautz) we are seeing an increase in the overall health of our churches increase for which we are grateful to God! Today, we stand at a crossroads! We have been abundantly blessed to be a blessing!

Why is this so important? Just to increase our number of churches? Just to add ministers & ministries to our ranks? No it’ because Jesus’ return is upon us and we still have lost people to reach! This is our season of power! We have returned from our wilderness the past few years in the power of the spirit!

God has anointed us for this moment! And, we are not going to waste it! And, it begins right here with me and starts right now!

We are one church - one team - in 300 locations to reach district!

Your success is my success! Your failures are mine! That’s how a team works! We aren’t in competition! And we don’t care who gets credit!

Remember ....Your church was once a plant!

We just want to see a healthy church lead by healthy pastors in communities from the Neches Valley to the Rio Grande Valley!

200 new churches in the next 10 years....

Because He is, I am, Tim R. Barker

CHURCHES ADDED Gateway Fellowship Church Farwest (PAC) – San Antonio, TX Family Deaf Assembly of God (PAC) – Porter, TX Iglesia Gracia Divina (PAC) – La Porte, TX Redemption Valley Fellowship (PAC) Edinburg, TX High Calling Church (PAC) – Houston, TX Rio Bravo Church (PAC) – Rio Bravo, TX 17

Things are firing up for the District Senior’s Ministry. Following a wonderful Senior Summit in April, we have a nice slate of exciting “Seniors With Purpose” events this Fall and for 2023.

Here is a rundown of what’s coming:

We need an approximate number for the food and drinks. To register simply text Your church and the approx. number you will be bringing to 210.326.8130. Or email the number to: rwcpc47@gmail. com. Then show up for a wonderful “Day in the Park”!

A Day in the Park- October 22, 11:00 AM Til 5:00 PM. The Location is the Palmetto State Park just south of I 10 at the Luling/Buc-ees exit. You will be shocked at the lush beauty of this Park. We have the Pavilion rented for the day, an open, covered shelter, with plenty of room.

There are handicapped accessible trails and the Pavilion is right on the San Marcos River. There will be: • A BBQ- Hamburger and Hot Dogs, some turkey burgers and dogs too!

• Lots of Music • A Singalong that will be live on FaceBook • Special musical guest • A hike in the woods (We will go as far as our bodies allow!)

• Lots of Games!

• A 10 minute message • You can fish if you want • We’ll end the day with S’moores, if fire restrictions allow!

Be sure to bring a camera. You will want to take pics.

This is designed to be a relaxing, fun day of great fellowship in a beautiful outdoors setting. It’s a picnic on steroids!

Cost is $15 per person collected on site the day of the event and there is a $3 park entrance fee.

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Next, 1st AG San Antonio has again opened up their 2nd Half of Life, Thanksgiving Banquet. This is always a wonderful evening for Seniors.

This year’s guests are Mark and Lori Carothers, presently singing with the Lanny Wolfe Trio! Cost is just $12.50 per person. Tickets on sale soon.

Call First AG, San Antonio 210.496.9977 for info. Seating is limited so get your tickets early! I also understand there will be a surprise visit from Henry and Ethel!

Third, Is a Thanksgiving Musical Blowout with the Joshua Also in 2023 Experience, God’s Big Band. We are elated to have them perform and • May 24-27, SWP Fishing Trip, followed by a SWP Fish Fry on minister on Saturday, November 19th, at 2:00 PM in the afternoon at memorial day, May 29 the Conroe First AG, 3993 Interstate 45 N, Conroe, TX 77304.

• We have several “Close to Home” Events and will be revealing To listen to them use this URL https://joshuaexperience.com Scroll details before years end. to the bottom for samples of their music. They are all Christian • There is Seniors Missions Trip scheduled for Oct 23-30.

Musicians, love the Lord and are also very patriotic!

Details coming soon!

This is a South Texas Seniors With Purpose event. But we will open • Thanksgiving events will be held on both sides of the District this up for anyone to attend. The 2:00 PM start is due to the band driving from Dallas and back that day. Also many Seniors do not drive • There will be another “Day in the Park” event, this time on at night. Please join us for an afternoon that will be quite entertaining the East side of the District and full of ministry. For more information Contact Becky Breazeal by • We just learned that covid restrictions on some cruise lines email Becky.swpstx@gmail.com are being eased or dropped. So, maybe late 2023 or early 2024? *Our website will be operational about the time you receive this edition of the Star.

Final Thought- Judy and I were so privileged to attend Lanny Wolfe’s 80th Birthday celebration in August. Quite the guest list and quite the production! He debuted a new song he wrote entitled “All”. It’s a masterpiece, and written at the age of 80. Just want to challenge our seniors and say that you are never too old for God to do something new in your life, or continue using you in His Kingdom! Stay engaged, “live' to your utmost in your Fall and Winter years . . . instead of resigning yourself to sit in the 'exit' room of life . . . just waiting your turn to 'leave this world.” (Lanny Wolfe) God’s not done with you, and don’t buy in to our culture’s concept of “Retirement”… the Bible Our 2023 Senior Summit, April doesn’t! Put your boots on, there’s still work to be done! Like the chorus 3-5, is shaping up nicely. We are says: “We’ll work “til Jesus comes…”. excited to announce that our musical guest will be Janet Paschal.

Most know her ministry well. Our “No Coasting to the Finish Line” primary speaker will be Bob Cook, the newly appointed Director of our National Seniors Ministry. Bob Wayne and Judy Clark and his wife Sherilyn are friends STXAGM from many years ago! Cannot tell Seniors With Purpose you how excited we are that they will take the helm of ministry to Seniors, Nationally!

We are not sure of the cost yet, but are doing everything possible to hold the cost down! Mark your calendar, save the date, April 3-5, 2023.

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MISSIONARY WHEELS Have you ever considered how missionaries drive to all those services/meetings while on itineration without their amazing STL vehicle?

Recently we met with some men who felt God calling them to purchase vehicles for itinerating missionaries to use while in the US on furlough.

They saw the struggle that missionaries have when they travel to speak in churches, sometimes with a family of 4 - 6 (plus their luggage & their “mission booth”) in a small car!

Terry Fitzgerald leads this ministry called “Missionary Wheels”. Their mission is to provide vehicles to missionaries for use while in the US, during their time of itineration while they raise their support to return to the field. This eliminates one more expense allowing them to focus on building up their budget quicker, therefore getting back to the mission field faster.…all in all, this is a winner of a deal!

The first vehicle they gave was to Josh & Alicia Allard (family of 6) Candidate missionaries to New Zealand. This was an answer to prayer, as Josh was “MacGyvering” their old vehicle over & over again to get where they needed to go!

Josh Renfro, Area Director Southern Cone, was given their second vehicle and was able to pick up his wife Mayra & 3 kids (who flew in a few days later) at the airport in a new van! The last time the Renfro’s itinerated, they were traveling in a compact car, so when the kids heard of the blessing that they were getting a van, they jumped for joy!

Thank you, Missionary Wheels! STXAGM To the Nations!

Roger & Debbi Audorff STXAGM District Missions Directors raudorff.stxag@gmail.com For more information or to give to this non-profit organization: www.missionarywheels.org/donate

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“We must not calculate successful kids ministries according to bodies present at church but by the number of kids who remain devoted to God throughout their lives.” David Boyd Those of us that work with children, want to know that we are making a difference in the life of those we minister to. Not just a temporary influence while they are in our class but one that will last. What can we pour into them, through mentoring and discipleship, that will cause them to be strong enough to last in their most difficult times. How can we build spiritual depth in our kids?

In Davis Boyd’s book, Strong Enough to Last, he encourages us to create an environment where kids can become: 1 Powerful in Prayer 2 Responsive in Worship 3 Spirit Empowered 4 Biblically Fluent 5 Actively Serving 6 Bold in Faith 7 Giving Selflessly 8 Living Like Christ

How would your classes and even events look if you purposefully worked towards creating an environment where each of these were present?

There are 168 hours in a week and we get 1 hour of that time with “our” kids. We have less time to teach, more distractions to compete with and shorter attention spans.

For these reasons, we must make our time with them count.

I encourage you to ask God how you can utilize the 8 goals in your Girls Ministries.

Focus on 1-2 at a time and build on them.

These children are more than the NEXT generation. They are the NOW generation.

Let’s commit ourselves to help raise up a generation that will change their world for God!

Melissa LeClare Girls Ministries Director

www.stxgm.org stxgirlsministries

South Texas Girls Ministries

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The Chaplaincy is Right For The Times That We’re In My name is Michael Bingaman and I am an Assembly of God Chaplain in Horse Racing. I began serving this community in 1981 as a volunteer at the now defunct Longacres Race Course in Seattle Wa. I serve as part of a multi denominational organization called the Race Track Chaplaincy of America that had started just nine years before I joined. The ministry was fledgling and we were figuring out what to do as we went. The horse racing world was equally confused having been told for many years that they were unredeemable for their desire to make a living caring for horses. At the time, I was met with skepticism, l disbelief and more than a little rejection. But I, like the other baptist and Assemblies of God chaplains in our organization continued to show up at our tracks with the message of God’s love and salvation.

A charismatic Episcopalian priest from Dennis Bennett’s (9 O’clock In The Morning) came out and followed me around one day. As he was leaving, he looked at me and said, “I know what you do!” I replied with, “ok, I give! What do I do?” To that he said “you loiter with intent!” He was spot on, and I have been loitering with intent at race tracks for over 40 years now!

In 1980, vandals tried to destroy the statue of the Messiah outside of the Christ the King Catholic Church in San Diego, California. They successfully removed the hands from Christ’s outstretched arms, traumatizing the congregation.

Instead of repairing the hands, Jesuit Fr. Robert Fambrini, pastor at the time, decided to put a sign at the statue’s base that stated, "I have no hands but yours." This is a reference to a poem by St. Teresa of Avila that begins: "Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours."

Rejecting multiple offers to repair the statue, Fr. Fambrini chose instead to replace that sign with a permanent plaque, noting how closely it reflected the church’s mission.

Teresa of Avila was inspired for this poem in the scripture where Paul wrote: “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Cor 12:27 We Christians are literally the body of Christ in today’s fallen world. God amazingly works through us to accomplish His divine purposes. As we grasp the importance of being Christ’s body, Christ’s hands in our world, it is good to remember what Paul said before the verse just quoted.

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many...

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. “(1 Cor. 12:14, 26) As a chaplain, I have spent the majority of my life “loitering with intent” and striving to be “the hands and feet of Christ.”

I have the privilege to go everyday to people who assume that God doesn’t love them and surprise them with the truth!

I have seen many miracles in my tenure as chaplain. Lives changed, marriages restored and even physical healings.

While at a track near Fort Worth, we even had a woman raised from the dead! That’s because when you bring the truth to a spirituality innocent community like ours, they don’t try to theologize things. They simply say “ok, let’s pray!”

Over the past 41 years I have watched the Chaplaincy in our race tracks evolve from a novelty that tracks wanted simply because other tracks had them, to being an instrumental part of the fabric of our industry. There isn’t a class one racetrack in the United States and Canada that you can think of that doesn’t have a born again chaplain serving in it!

I will ever be grateful for the Assemblies of God and their willingness to consider endorsing “non traditional ministries.”

The parachurch is strong in our denomination with chaplaincies serving Rodeos, racetracks, police, firefighters, prisons, the military, hospitals, hospices, motorcycle groups and truck drivers (with mobile chapels) to name a few. We even have a chaplain to the rock climbing community! And all with the intent of changing lives for the glory of Jesus Christ!

If you feel the desire like I did, of serving Christ “outside the box” of traditional ministry, please consider contacting the Chaplaincy department of the Assemblies of God in Springfield MO. It is a branch of the division of home missions and I’m certain that our director, Chaplain Manuel Cordero would love to hear from you!

Michael Bingaman

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