Julio Guarneri, Texas Baptists executive director, gave a report to the attendees at the 2025 Texas Baptist Annual Meeting on Monday evening. He opened his report in scripture, reading Acts 2:46–47.
“As we take a glance back in the past at the early church, we see them loving God, we see them loving people, and we see them making disciples of all nations,” Guarneri said. “Our job is to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission; the rest is up to the Lord.”
GROWTH AND LOSTNESS IN TEXAS AND BEYOND
Guarneri highlighted the growing need to share the gospel in Texas as the state expands. He shared that there are close to 32 million people currently living in our state, and at least half — 16 million people — do not know Jesus.
The state population is also expected to continue growing to 50 million over the next decades. As the population grows, so too will lostness.
“Texas Baptists, our problem is lostness — in Texas, North America and around the world,” said Guarneri. “It’s been almost 2,000 years since the Lord Jesus gave us the Great Commission, and we still haven’t finished the task … We need an awakening in churches, the Convention, our institutions. We need a GC2 awakening.”
Guarneri shared that a preliminary look at the Annual Church Profile (ACP) data shows that about 75% of churches in the BGCT are plateaued or declining in membership, worship attendance and, perhaps, baptisms.
“If we don’t have a Great Commandment, Great Commission awakening soon, our state will be more lost,” he stated.
GUARNERI CALLS FOR A GC2 AWAKENING ACROSS TEXAS, SHARES VISION FOR 2030
IMAGINING A FUTURE
Guarneri invited messengers to imagine an alternative future with him, one where a majority of Texas Baptists churches are maximizing their Great Commandment and Great Commission practice.
“2030 by 2030. What if five years from now, we see 2030 churches praying for the lost on a regular basis … 2030 churches loving God through obedience and surrender to his will … 2030 churches showing love for neighbors through intentional ministries … 2030 churches making disciples who make disciples,” Guarneri envisioned.
Guarneri also shared his vision for strengthened leaders, missions and Cooperative Program giving by the year 2030.
“Can we also imagine, perhaps in five years, increasing our Cooperative Program by 20.3%? Can we imagine turning the tide on the 20-year-plus downtrend in CP giving? We could add $5 million to our budget to do this kind of ministry,” he said.
GC2 STRONG
GC2 is not new to Texas Baptists. GC2 Strong is a reimagining of the years-long emphasis — an initiative to equip churches who desire to strengthen their Great Commandment and Great Commission practice.
“It is church focused. GC2 Strong is geared toward serving and resourcing our existing local churches,” Guarneri said. “We believe that when churches choose to do so, there will be church multiplication, missions advancement and kingdom expansion.”
Texas Baptists will launch a pilot project of the GC2 Strong process at the beginning of 2026 with around 20 churches, with a goal by the end of the year to have engaged 200 churches in the process.
Guarneri invited messengers to attend the GC2 Awakening workshop on Tuesday
morning to learn more about the 3-step process designed for churches that desire to strengthen their Great Commandment, Great Commission practice.
Guarneri also shared that to serve churches well, the Texas Baptists staff will reorganize around three focuses — churches, pastors/leaders and missions.
MOVING FORWARD AND CALLS TO ACTION
Immediate steps forward include appointing a Prayer Advisory Team that will mobilize churches and ministries around coordinated prayer efforts.
“A GC2 awakening will not come without intentional, fervent and united prayer,” Guarneri emphasized.
Secondly, Texas Baptists will appoint a Constitution and Bylaws Revision Task Force to conduct a thorough update and bring recommendations to the executive board for consideration.
“It is a two to three-year process between the revision to final approval by messengers. So we need to start now,” said Guarneri.
Lastly, a Cooperative Program Study Group will be formed to evaluate the trends and possible causes behind the downward trend of CP giving with the goal of developing a strategy to grow this vital missions lifeline.
Guarneri shared three calls to action for churches — pray by name for their neighbors, increase contributions to the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program and deeply reflect on their church’s GC2 practices.
He concluded with one strong encouragement: “God has prepared us for such a time as this. What happens here can change the world for the sake of the Kingdom.”
Resolutions Motions
Mike Miller, messenger, Central Baptist Church, Jacksonville, brought a motion for consideration:
I move that the messengers to the BGCT 2025 Annual Meeting direct the Institutional Relations Committee of the Executive Board to evaluate the Special Relationship Agreement with Baylor University, specifically with respect to Baylor’s endorsements of and partnerships and affiliations with any organizations that advocate for or affirm the LGBTQ lifestyle and agenda and report back any findings, actions, or recommendations to the messengers to the BGCT 2026 Annual Meeting.
Kody Alvarez, messenger, Oak Grove Baptist Church, China Spring, brought a motion for consideration:
I move that the Baptist General Convention of Texas direct the Institutional Relations Committee to examine all BGCT-affiliated educational institutions for alignment with the GC2 Summary of Faith, as adopted and amended by the messengers at the 2021 Annual Meeting, and to require that all professors in religion and theology departments sign an affirmation of the GC2 Summary of Faith as a condition of continued cooperation and BGCT funding.
Institutions found out of alignment shall have two years to make necessary corrections, after which any school that refuses or chooses to retain professors who reject the GC2 Summary of Faith shall forfeit all institutional funding and scholarship support provided by the Convention.
APPRECIATION OF HOSTS
WHEREAS, churches and members of Abilene-Callahan Baptist Association have been gracious hosts for the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in Abilene; and
WHEREAS, Texas Baptists as a whole desire to affirm the work of Baptists in the Abilene area; and
WHEREAS, the City of Abilene, the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, Abilene Convention Center, and Visitors Bureau have provided hospitality, assistance, and a friendly welcome;
BE IT RESOLVED that the messengers to the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in Abilene express their appreciation to the churches and members of Abilene-Callahan Baptist Association; and
BE IT RESOLVED that the messengers express special thanks to the city of Abilene, the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, Abilene Convention Center, and Visitors Bureau; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we express our gratitude to the members of the Committee on Annual Meeting and their important contributions.
APPRECIATION TO CONVENTION OFFICERS AND STAFF
WHEREAS, those serving as officers of the Baptist General Convention of Texas have given their time and energy to lead Texas Baptists this past year; and
WHEREAS they have diligently and faithfully served the offices to which they were elected; and
WHEREAS the staff of the BGCT has faithfully served Texas Baptists during this past year;
BE IT RESOLVED that the messengers to the 140th annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in Abilene express our appreciation to the officers of the convention who have served during the past year: Ronny Marriott of First Baptist Church of Richardson, president; Debbie Potter of Trinity Baptist Church of San Antonio, first vice president; and Joseph Adams of First Baptist Church of Mount Pleasant, second vice president; Ward Hayes of First Baptist Church of Plano, Recording Secretary; and Michael A. Evans, Sr. of Bethlehem Baptist Church of Mansfield, Registration Secretary; William Arnold of Park Cities Baptist Church of Dallas Secretary of the Corporation; and John Litzler of Sunset Canyon Baptist Church of Dripping Springs, Parliamentarian;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we express our appreciation to Julio Guarneri, Executive Director, and to the men and women who work on the BGCT staff for their faithful labor on behalf of Texas Baptists; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we continue our prayerful and loving support to encourage these leaders in their work and leadership.
ON THE PERVASIVE HARM OF PORNOGRAPHY IN THE DIGITAL AGE
WHEREAS, the Bible teaches that all people are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and that God’s design for human sexuality is to be expressed only within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Hebrews 13:4); and
WHEREAS the messengers of Texas Baptists have not spoken to the issue of pornography since 1986; and
WHEREAS the digitization of pornographic materials, including through Artificial Intelligence (AI), has fundamentally shifted the capacity and reach of the pornographic industry, which is predatory in nature; and
WHEREAS pornography, whether in print, digital, livestream, virtual reality, AI-generated, or through any emerging technology, distorts God’s design for physical intimacy, reduces persons created in God’s image to objects, fuels lust rather than love, and promotes forms of sexual exploitation that harm individuals, families, and communities; and
WHEREAS the modern online environment has made pornographic content more accessible than at any other time in history, including through mobile devices, social media platforms, video games, AI, virtual companions, and other technologies often marketed to and easily accessible by children and adolescents; and
WHEREAS research continues to demonstrate that pornography contributes to relational strife, distorted expectations about sex and relationships, addictive behaviors, violence, and dehumanizing attitudes, particularly toward women and children; and
The Texas Baptists Bulletin is published on the second day of the Annual Meeting by the Communications Department of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. This abbreviated Bulletin includes accouncements and motions.
WHEREAS pornography is increasingly recognized as a public health crisis, affecting not only individuals in the broader culture but also members, leaders, and families within our churches, producing cycles of shame, secrecy, and spiritual struggle; and
WHEREAS Christians are called to protect the vulnerable, especially children (Matthew 18:6), to expose the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11), and to walk in the light of God’s grace, truth, repentance, and restoration (1 John 1:7–9);
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the messengers of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, meeting in Abilene, TX, on November 16-18, 2025, express our lament over the proliferation of pornographic material across digital platforms and emerging technologies, and its destructive effects on the moral and spiritual fabric of our churches and communities;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Texas Baptists commit to leading out in opposing the plague of pornography, recognizing that this is an issue of the heart that demands a repentant, biblical, compassionate, prophetic, pastoral, and redemptive response;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage our churches to advocate for state and local policies that meaningfully restrict the access of minors to pornographic websites and digital content, to support age-verification laws and accountability measures, and to collaborate responsibly with public officials, educators, and child-protection agencies for the welfare of children;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge pastors, parents, and congregations to lovingly provide clear biblical teaching on human sexuality, to equip families with tools to navigate online safety, and to cultivate environments where sin can be confessed without fear of condemnation, in order that healing, repentance, accountability, and restoration may flourish;
AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we affirm that no one is beyond the reach of Jesus’ redeeming grace, and we encourage our churches to extend Christlike love, support, and restoration to all who are struggling with pornography, working diligently to bring this hidden sin into the light so that men, women, and children may find freedom and renewal in Christ
Julio Guarneri Executive Director
Craig Christina Associate Executive Director
Ward Hayes Treasurer/CFO/Recording Secretary
Joshua Seth Minatrea Senior Director of Resource Development
Coleen Wall Director of Conference & Event Planning
Heather Penna Content Manager
Lauren Childs Graphic Designer
Maritza Solano Production Designer
Neil Williams Sr. Multimedia Specialist & Coordinator
