Texas Baptists Life, Volume 6 - Issue 1 by Texas Baptists

TEXAS BAPTISTS EVENT CALENDAR Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1 February

Worship Summit, Belton

Abide, Spicewood

Church Safety Workshop, Decatur

VBS Overview, Dallas

10 VBS Overview, Abilene

Go Now Discovery Weekend, Dallas

Executive Board Meeting, Dallas

VBS Overview, Lubbock

24 VBS Overview, San Antonio

1 March

Childhood Ministry Certification, Dallas African American Leadership Workshop, Waco Instrumental Convergence, Bryan

BOUNCE Mission 1, Houston Beach Reach, South Padre Island

Beach Reach, South Padre Island BOUNCE Mission 2, Houston BOUNCE Mission 3, Houston 18

Micah 6:8 Conference, Sugar Land

Church Safety Workshop, San Angelo

SAVE THE DATE FOR FAMILY GATHERING, ARLINGTON, TEXAS JULY 29-31

TEX AS BAPTISTS LIFE / VOLUME 6 • ISSUE 1

CONTENTS F E AT U R E S

9 EXPANDING MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH NEW TECH BSM BUILDING A new BSM building at Texas Tech University will help Tech BSM accomplish their vision of reaching the lost on campus.

12 ONE STEP CLOSER: A TEXAS BAPTIST CHILDREN’S HOME STORY Israel and Kenneth overcame many childhood trials and achieved some of their greatest goals through the help of Texas Baptist Children’s Home, a ministry dedicated to transforming the lives of all children and families.

16 VOICES OF HOPE: REFLECTIONS FROM HURRICANE HARVEY

MINISTERING TO YOUR MUSLIM NEIGHBORS

In the midst of the destruction of Hurricane Harvey, pastors from across South Texas clung to the hope that Christ offers.

In a world where there is much misunderstanding about Muslims, Texas Baptists Intercultural Ministries offer tips on how to engage and love your Muslim neighbors.

I N E V E RY I S S U E

EVENT CALENDAR

LETTER FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

IMPACT NEWS

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

Events to inform and inspire your church in 2018.

A letter from Executive Director David Hardage highlighting the benevolence of Texas Baptists.

Highlights from Texas Baptists ministries, churches and partners.

Get a closer look at the history and ministries of Texas Baptists and how you and your church can be a part.

JANUARY 2018

CONTENTS SPOTLIGHT

THE GREATEST POSSIBLE BENEVOLENCE

CONTINUING A LEGACY OF SEEING AND MEETING NEEDS

The past, present and future of Texas Baptists benevolence.

An in-depth history of Texas Baptists meeting needs through benevolent work.

28 TRAINING ETERNALLYFOCUSED CHURCHES IN COMMUNITY MINISTRY Ali Corona and Dr. Gaynor Yancey share about new opportunities for churches through collaborative efforts with the new Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I) at Baylor University.

30 EN ESPAÑOL: ENTRENAR IGLESIAS ETERNAMENTE ENFOCADAS EN MINISTERIOS A LA COMUNIDAD Ali Corona y Dra. Gaynor Yancey comparten acerca de nuevas oportunidades para las iglesias en colaboración con el nuevo Cetro para Iglesias e Impacto a la Comunidad (Center for Church and Community Impact) en Baylor University.

22 PAIN AND POVERTY: AMARILLO YOUTH OVERCOMES ABUSE AND ABANDONMENT Briana Gardner’s life was ﬁlled with uncertainty and hopelessness until Buckner’s Preparation for Adult Living provided a way out.

32 A BIBLICAL CALL TO BENEVOLENCE Ferrell Foster, director of ethics and justice, draws attention to speciﬁc scriptures as the foundation for the church's call to biblical benevolence.

26 THE IMPACT CENTER: MEETING NEEDS AND MAKING DISCIPLES Pastor Rob Johnson and Christian Family Baptist Church in San Antonio minister to local military members through love and action.

33 9 STEPS TO CONNECT YOUR CHURCH WITH THE COMMUNITY Learn how to better minister to the urgent needs of your community while building life-transforming relationships.

P U B L I C AT I O N T E A M Joshua Seth Minatrea, Director of Communications Kalie Lowrie, News Director Jeremy Honea, Art Director Kirsten McKimmey, News Writer Jordan Parker, Multimedia Specialist Kristen Clardy, Graphic Designer Brittany Thomas, Communications Assistant

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

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Hello, Texas Baptists!

¡Hola, Bautistas de Texas!

One of the consistent themes throughout my life as a Texas Baptist has been the firm commitment of our churches to help others. Individual churches do this on a daily basis as they provide assistance, in many different ways, to the people of their neighborhoods and communities. Similarly, the Convention also provides assistance to people in need in a variety of ways. We do so much both as individual churches and as a Convention.

Unos de los temas consistentes durante mi vida como Bautista de Texas ha sido el compromiso firme de nuestras iglesias a ayudar a otros. Iglesias individuales hacen esto a diario al proveer ayuda, de muchas maneras, a personas en sus vecindarios y comunidades. De igual manera, la Convención también provee ayuda a personas en necesidad de maneras diversas. Lo hacemos como iglesias individuales así como Convención.

Some of the ways we help others are known and expected. For example, every month where there are five Sundays, many of our churches collect a special offering for the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering. These gifts are used to assist in feeding programs all over the state, country and world. This past fall after Hurricane Harvey, our Texas Baptists family responded in a multitude of ways by giving money, providing hands-on assistance in recovering and rebuilding and, of course, praying. We thank our partners at Texas Baptist Men for their leadership.

Algunas de las maneras cómo ayudamos a otros son conocidas y esperadas. Por ejemplo, cada mes de cinco domingos, muchas de nuestras iglesias recaudan una ofrenda especial para la Ofrenda del Hambre de los Bautistas de Texas. Estas ofrendas son usadas para ayudar con programas de alimentación por todo el estado, el país y el mundo. Este otoño pasado, después del Huracán Harvey, la familia de los Bautistas de Texas respondió en una multitud de maneras al dar dinero, proveer ayuda con el esfuerzo de recuperación y reconstrucción y, por supuesto, al orar. Damos gracias a nuestros compañeros en el ministerio, los Hombres Bautistas de Texas, por su liderazgo.

However, there are other ways, perhaps less public, that we also come to the aid of our pastors and church staff members. One of these ways is through our Texas Baptists Counseling Services, capably led by Dr. Katie Swafford. A network of 200-plus professional Christian counselors all around Texas are able to walk alongside our church leaders and their families during difficult days. Thank you, Texas Baptists, for helping make this possible. Another area where we are now able to assist our pastors and church staff members is through the newly established Center for Ministerial Excellence, under the leadership of Director Tammy Tijerina. Thanks to the Lilly Foundation and a grant we received, Texas Baptists is now able to provide financial assistance in the form of Financial Management Seminars and monetary grants, if matching gifts are available, to help some folks through a crisis situation. Of course, there are many other ways we reach out to the "least of these," but I'm grateful for the chance to highlight these two particular ministries that directly and personally aid those in leadership positions at churches. These ministries truly do make a difference, and empower our churches to the greatest possible activity!

BLESSINGS AND BENDICIONES,

Sin embargo, hay otras maneras, tal vez menos públicas, por medio de las cuales ayudamos a los pastores y miembros del personal ministerial de las iglesias. Una de estas maneras es a través de los Servicios de Consejería de los Bautistas de Texas, dirigido por la Dra. Katie Swafford. Una red de más de 200 consejeros cristianos profesionales alrededor de Texas es capaz de caminar junto a líderes de las iglesias y sus familias durante tiempos difíciles. Gracias, Bautistas de Texas, por hacer esto posible. Otra área donde ahora podemos ayudar a nuestros pastores y ministros es a través del recientemente establecido Centro para la Excelencia en el Ministerio, bajo el liderazgo de la directora Tammy Tijerina. Gracias a la Fundación Lilly y una subvención recibida, los Bautistas de Texas ahora pueden proveer ayuda económica en la forma de Seminarios de Administración Financiera y subvenciones monetarias, si hay una ofrenda correspondiente disponible, para ayudar a algunas personas en situaciones de crisis. Por supuesto, hay muchas otras maneras cómo alcanzar a estos “hermanos más pequeños”, pero estoy agradecido por la oportunidad de resaltar estos dos ministerios en particular que directa y personalmente ayudan a aquellos en posiciones de liderazgo en nuestras iglesias. ¡Estos ministerios verdaderamente hacen una diferencia y capacitan a nuestras iglesias a la mayor actividad posible!

D AV I D H A R D A G E E XECUTIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR E JECU TIVO JANUARY 2018

IMPACT NEWS First Baptist Church West

Texas Baptists

Pastor Jason Burden,

@FirstBaptistChurchWest

@texasbaptists

First Baptist Church Nederland @FirstBaptistChurchNederland

What an amazing day! After the explosion, First Baptist Crawford came and did church for us so our staff could take a breath and concentrate on recovery. Today a team of us from FBC West were able to "pay it forward" and do the same for Calvary Baptist Church - Deweyville, TX. Their church has ďŹ&#x201A;ooded twice in the past 18 months! What a blessing for all of us to worship together today!

"God invites us to peer at our possibilities from His perspective. I know you've got human views, but look from heavenly vision. Let me show you what you can become." -Delvin Atchison

It was great to see our Texas Baptists brothers Ernest and Chris this morning. I don't know where we would be, or what shape our community would be in, if it were not for the help of our Baptist family from around the state, and from all across the country.

Baptist Temple Church

Texas Baptists

@Baptist.Temple

@texasbaptists

There's nothing too big for our God. There's nothing we can ask for that He can't provide. Don't be scared to pray big. -Pastor Glen Null, Stagecoach Cowboy Church, Ellis County

We planted herbs, cabbage, collards and lettuce, placed 4 goldďŹ sh in our water feature, and created a cactus/succulent garden on the #BTCampus. This garden has been made possible by grants from the Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio, Texas Baptists and the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering.

Texas Baptists, join us in congratulating President Danny Reeves, First Vice President Joe Fields and Second Vice President Jim Heiligman on their re-election. #LiveCompelled.

Follow @TexasBaptists on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and use #txblife to see one of your posts featured in our next magazine. 6

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

Texas Baptists

BU Spiritual Life

BSM UTRGV Brownsville

@texasbaptists

@buspirituallife

@bsm.utrgv

Monday night, Executive Director David Hardage (@dwhardage) recognized this year’s most prominent ministry and evangelism efforts.

Yesterday, our Resident Chaplains received stoles to signify the great ministry and care they offer our students as pastors on campus. We are so grateful for this group of devoted @truettseminary students who give their time and lives to the students living on campus!

Praise God for the ﬁrst ever Free Lunch at BSM at UTRGV Brownsville! God is doing amazing things out there through our Campus Missionaries Juan and Primavera Lopez and their student leaders! Keep praying for them as they will continue these next semesters and years to come!

Texas Baptists

Dallas Baptist University

@texasbaptists

@dbupatriots

“@marylndyadkins: I am so thankful to be a student at a university where professors pray over their classes and do a devotional before beginning class. I love being a part of Greek life where I am encouraged by my sisters to grow in my faith. I LOVE DBU! #ShareDBU @DBUPatriots”

Gabriel Cortes @GabrielECortes Above all, Texas Baptists are called by Jesus to #LiveCompelled, to love our neighbors and share Christ. This year, through speakers and workshops, we explored exactly what it means to be led to live God-honoring lives.

Hispanic @TexasBaptists pastors and men from their congregations bringing and loading boxes of water for churches/communities in Beaumont TX. Keynote address was given by Will Mancini, author and church strategist. Mancini encouraged Texas Baptists to ﬁnd their special assignment from God, drawing from Ephesians 2:10. “We know what we are saved from, but what are we saved for?” he asked.

JANUARY 2018

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

EXPANDING MINISTRY

OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH NEW TECH BSM BUILDING BY : K I R S T E N M C K I M M E Y, N E W S W R I T E R

“

Tech Baptist Student Ministry exists to impact the students of Texas Tech University with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The BSM building serves a pivotal role in our vision. It is in our building that students

gather to hear the Gospel and to be trained and sent out to share the Gospel on campus and beyond. A new BSM building secures the future of Tech BSM and its investment in students who will ultimately live throughout our nation and the world, seeking to make disciples of all nations. - Jeff Kennon, Director of Tech BSM

EXPANDING MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES African American Rally Sunday night’s African American Fellowship Worship Rally was held at Toliver Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Waco. Worship was led by Greater New Light Missionary Baptist Church of Waco’s praise team, with a message from Senior Pastor Rev. Samuel J. Doyle of Greater New Light.

THROUGH NEW TECH BSM BUILDING

In 100 years of ministry across 115 campuses, tens of thousands of students' lives have been transformed by Baptist Student Ministry. As Texas Tech’s campus is booming, Tech BSM has the opportunity to reach more students than ever. A new BSM building will make that possible.

”

ABOUT THE FUNDRAISER FOR THE NEW BSM BUILDING As Texas Tech’s campus is growing, so is the ministry and vision of Tech BSM. A new building will generate excitement among an increasing student population and will provide additional space that the BSM currently lacks, including a prayer room, missions room, leadership training area and a larger meeting room. These areas will serve as a catalyst to help them accomplish their vision of reaching the campus. The goal for this capital campaign is $3.3 million. The lead naming gift of $750,000 was generously given by Dr. Robert H. Pinder, former Texas Tech professor and BSM supporter. Construction of the new building will begin when all funds are committed, with plans to have the new building completed by the fall 2018 semester. During construction, Tech BSM will JANUARY 2018

utilize campus facilities as well as those of partnering churches. The BSM is for all students. This ministry is made possible by Texas Baptists, churches, associations and donors, but is focused on every Red Raider having the opportunity to know and follow Christ.

PINDER’S LIFE, LEGACY AND CHRISTIAN WITNESS Dr. Robert H. Pinder was a popular professor of Human Development and Family Students for 23 years at Texas Tech University. His passion was to see students come to faith in Jesus Christ, and see them grow and mature to become servant ministers. Born on February 5, 1928 in Miami, Florida, Pinder has lived a long, fruitful life dedicated to ministry. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Stetson University in 1950, and went on to receive both his Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1953 and 1954. Pinder spent the next 17 years pastoring various churches in Florida. While at Tangelo Baptist Church, Pinder surrendered eight years of his life to serve with the International Mission Board in Argentina. There, he pastored Southside Baptist Church, evangelized across the country, and helped build house churches in unchurched communities. After his time in Argentina, Pinder began working toward his PhD at Florida State University. It was in 1971 that Pinder became a full-time professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Texas Tech University. He taught various courses over his 23 years at Texas Tech, and had a strong Christian witness in all of them. Pinder also sponsored Tech’s Baptist Student Union (now BSM), where he left an incredible impact and led many students to faith. In addition to his work as a professor, Pinder had a full-time counseling practice in Lubbock.

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

In 1996, Pinder retired from Texas Tech and moved to Georgetown, Texas. He served on Texas Baptist Mission Foundation Board of Advisors (now Council) for 11 years, from 1999 to 2008. He helped the mission foundation build several new BSM buildings, and was more than excited to offer a donation to allow the building of Texas Tech’s new BSM to begin. The new BSM will be called the Dr. Robert H. Pinder Student Center.

THE FAITHFUL MINISTRY OF TECH BSM Tech BSM has a wide variety of ministries they invest their time, money and work into under the banners of outreach and discipleship. With a prominent international student body on Tech’s campus, Tech BSM is intentional in making these students feel welcomed. Their primary way of reaching international students is through their free lunch on Thursdays. It is a time for student leaders to build relationships with international students while sharing their faith.

AT A GLANCE :

FALL 2017

1500 Students Served $.99 STEAK NIGHT

130 Students Served Each Week “We’ve seen students become involved in our ministry through this lunch. You have people from all over the world come into one building – it’s exciting,” said Jeff Kennon, BSM director. They also hold an annual Thanksgiving meal, fall festival and open mic nights that result in hundreds of international students hearing the Gospel. Kennon recalled how just this year an undergraduate student from Southeast Asia came to know the Lord through these ministries. “He’s now proclaiming that he’s a Christ-follower and we’ve watched him begin those steps,” said Kennon. “That happens when you make yourself available to students and to others.” In addition, Tech BSM has ministries for the entire student body, including free lunches on Tuesday; free coffee, donuts and snacks on Wednesday afternoons; Uncharted, a Wednesday night worship service and Bible study; Pancakes on Broadway; outreach to dorm students; mission trips; prayer walks; and countless other ways of being the hands and feet of Jesus.

“The gist of our ministry is trying to help students to do ministry. It’s all student led. We really help students to make disciples. We want to help train and equip and encourage students in how to minister, how to share the Gospel with people, and we want to provide opportunities for that to happen,” said Kennon. He continued, “I can resonate with Paul when he says, ‘Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!’ (Philippians 4:1). It’s the people. It’s the individual students. It’s the relationships. It’s the lives being transformed. That’s what keeps me going.” The results of Tech BSM are eternal, and the new building will result in even greater work for the Kingdom. For more information about the ministries of Tech BSM, visit techbsm.com. FOR GIVING OPPORTUNITIES, CONTACT TBMF BY EMAILING TBMF@TEXASBAPTISTS.ORG OR VISITING TEXASBAPTISTS.ORG/TBMF. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BSM, VISIT TEXASBAPTISTS.ORG/COLLEGIATE.

TUESDAY FREE LUNCH

170 Students Served Each Week INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FREE LUNCH

120 Students STUDENTS IN SMALL GROUPS

200 Students Met ON CAMPUS WEDNESDAYS

800 Students Served PANCAKES ON BROADWAY

45 Students STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM

300+ Students Involved INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EVENTS

400-600 Students WEEKLY IMPACT

JANUARY 2018

ONE STEP CLOSER BY : G I N G E R S WA N , L E A D W R I T E R , C H I L D R E N AT H E A R T M I N I S T R I E S

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

As young boys from hard places, the odds were stacked against Israel and Kenneth. But thanks to the partnership of Texas Baptists, the boys are getting a chance to achieve their dreams at Hardin-Simmons University.

Move-in day at Hardin-Simmons University in Fall 2017 was a day of excitement and celebration for Kenneth and Israel. The weeks prior had been a frenzy of packing their belongings, getting all the essentials for their dorm rooms, and saying their goodbyes. But finally, the day that they had dreamed about for months was here! After unloading and helping the boys set up their new home, their house parents proudly hugged them goodbye and waved as they drove away. As they looked around their shared dorm suite, Kenneth and Israel realized that all they had worked for was finally coming to fruition. They were officially college students. Both Kenneth and Israel came to the Campus Life program at Texas Baptist Children’s Home (TBCH) as young boys who needed the loving embrace of a family. The residential program offered the structure and stability that they needed to grow into strong, caring young men. Growing up at TBCH, Kenneth and Israel were able to experience a normal, happy home life where they lived in a cottage with house parents who modeled a healthy family environment. “My house parents, the Geymans, were some of the first people to really believe in me. They’ve been some of the most impactful people in my life,” says Israel. “They really stepped into the role of being our parents and I know they’ll do anything for us,” added Kenneth. “They helped us achieve our dreams and go to college. They helped us get to a place where that was possible.” The boys studied hard to make good grades in school, played extracurricular sports, and dreamed about what they would be when they grew up. They graduated from high school this year and are now enrolled in their first semester of college at Hardin-Simmons University.

Kenneth and Israel are one step closer toward their goals of college degrees and successful careers because of the partnership of Texas Baptists. Both of the boys were awarded the Big Texas Country Scholarship through HardinSimmons University and the Roger W. Hall Opportunity Scholarship of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), which is available to children who grow up in a children’s home affiliated with Texas Baptists. In addition, Kenneth and Israel have been awarded the Byron Bryant Memorial Scholarship through the Children At Heart Foundation. Byron Bryant served as the Director of Development and Public Relations at Children At Heart, as well as an administrator at Hardin-Simmons University. “We are thrilled that the boys are utilizing the scholarship fund to receive an education,” says Ann Lindsey, daughter of Mr. Bryant. “It is our great joy if we can have even the smallest part in seeing these guys succeed and become productive adults.” These scholarships not only allow Kenneth and Israel to earn their degrees without having to incur debt from student loans; they also empower the boys to alter the course of their lives forever. “The professors at Hardin-Simmons really seem to care about us and want us to succeed,” shares Kenneth. “They are really involved with their students and it makes me excited to go to school here. The next few years could be really great.” Israel was the first member of his family to graduate from high school and now he’s blazing a path for himself to become the first college graduate of his family, as well. He loves technology and plans to major in computer science.

THEY REALLY T STEPPED INTO THE ROLE OF BEING OUR PARENTS AND I KNOW THEY’LL DO ANYTHING FOR US.. Kenneth has a passion for basketball and is the second person in his family to go to college. Throughout middle school and high school, his teachers were such an inspiration to him and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Kenneth plans to study history and physical education so that he can become a teacher and basketball coach, in order to give back and make an impact in the lives of other children who come from hard places. Kenneth and Israel are only two of the many stories that have been forever impacted by the generosity of Texas Baptists, donors, friends, and other ministry partners. These coordinated efforts are helping to meet the immediate needs of children and families across the state of Texas and impacting the generations to come. Children at Heart Ministries is a family of ministries dedicated to transforming the lives of all children and families. Through their ministries, they provide those who are most vulnerable with the support and structure they need to find hope, heal, and put their lives back on track. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CHILDREN AT HEART MINISTRIES, VISIT CAHM.ORG.

JANUARY 2018

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

JANUARY 2018

VOICES OF HOPE BY : K I R S T E N M C K I M M E Y, N E W S W R I T E R

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

So many in our Texas Baptists family have been impacted by or involved in various aspects of disaster response in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. In many cases, churches affected by the storm actively ministered to their communities, even while their own facilities were in disrepair. Throughout that time, even in the midst of despair, expressions of God's love and voices of hope rose from the difﬁculty. The following statements were made by various pastors and ministers just weeks after Hurricane Harvey made landfall along the Southern coast, August 25-29, 2017. To learn more about the Texas Baptists Harvey Response, including ways you and your church can pray, give, partner and volunteer, go to texasbaptists.org/harvey.

JASON BURDEN, PASTOR, FBC NEDERLAND

ROBERT RING, MUSIC MINISTER, FBC BEVIL OAKS

Things really started to get bad on Tuesday [Aug. 29]. It started raining here and it was raining hard. I just kept thinking, “This is gonna settle down like any other storm,” but it didn’t. About 10 at night, we were at our house, flooded in. We couldn’t get out. There was a feeling of desperation among our entire town. At 8 a.m., as boats were getting out and helicopters were circling the sky, we were in full rescue mode. We were receiving people from all over. We pleaded for volunteers, and the church responded beautifully. They brought clothes, food, and supplies. It was a great picture of what the church is here for and should be used for in a time of crisis. We wrapped our arms around the folks from our community. In the midst of this, God has been showing us His goodness.

Come Monday morning [Aug. 28], the ditch that runs from Pine Island Bayou into the Neches River was already rising until it started overflowing. Even the roads began to flood. At that point people realized, “We have to go.” We took 5-6 feet of water here at the church, and many homes had more. We were at that level for about five days. It’s going to be a long road to recovery, but I’m confident that God carried us into Harvey, through Harvey, and will carry us beyond Harvey. It’s God all the way. He’s still with us.

JESUS GUILLEN, PASTOR, IGLESIA BAUTISTA REDENCIÓN We couldn’t believe it. We never thought this would happen. We were here in the church the night before the flooding, and I just couldn’t believe it. The rain came in through the night until it reached 30 inches. But God had a purpose in this - that’s clear to me. We’ve seen His name glorified through all of this. I’ve been receiving help personally, the church has been receiving help, and we’ve helped others. I think the church will grow from this. God will be glorified.

TY BO, PASTOR, METREY PHEAP BAPTIST CHURCH The first day we came to see the church after the storm, we cried. We started this church in 1999. In 2003, we had a flood with waters 4 feet high, and in 2005, we had another flood from the hurricane with waters 3 feet high. This is the third time our church has been flooded, and everything is gone. We don’t have anything. There’s questions of, ‘Next time, what are we going to do? Do we need to relocate or can we stay here, where we’ve been serving Jesus for almost 18 years? How are we going to do this?’ I hope that God will perform a miracle.

MIKE MARTIN, PASTOR, FBC HUFFMAN All that we could cry out during those first nights was “God help us.” I couldn't think of anything else to pray as the rain was falling. But God did, and we saw His hands begin to move. I began to watch as hero after hero did their part – whether it was cooking in the kitchen or going out into the waters. Everyone pulled together. I saw all denominations and races come together. It was a time of disaster and tragedy, but our community and churches and schools came together to shelter 600 people. Even through all of this, God’s still good and He’s going to fix things. Whether that means building houses or mending relationships, there’s hope in the midst of despair. And this tragedy has been an opportunity for our church to show to love of Jesus to people. Though the above churches have received tremendous help since the flooding, whether that was from Texas Baptist Men, out-of-state churches or individuals willing to sacrifice their time and money, there are countless other churches that are still in need of your help. The road to recovery is long, but together we can make a difference.

IF YOU OR YOUR CHURCH ARE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH A CHURCH IN NEED, SENDING A STUDENT VOLUNTEER GROUP THROUGH BOUNCE STUDENT DISASTER RECOVERY, ASSISTING IN CHURCH BUILDING RECOVERY, OR CONNECTING WITH OUR PARTNERS TEXAS BAPTIST MEN, VISIT TEXASBAPTISTS.ORG/HARVEY. JANUARY 2018

LEAD WITH DISTINCTION One of the greatest cravings in our world today is a hunger for Christian leadership. Dallas Baptist University provides a Christ-centered academic environment that richly integrates faith and learning. DBU’s commitment to servant leadership develops you for the leadership roles you have today—and the roles you will have in the future. An interdisciplinary approach allows graduates like Dr. Ramirez to pursue a unique combination of theory and practical experience that equips them to use the gifts and abilities endowed to them by God with a deep sense of purpose and mission. Dr. Andrea Ramirez uses her gifts and education as the Director of the White House Initiative’s Center for FaithBased and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Education. With 73 undergraduate majors, 31 master’s degrees, and two doctoral degrees, each program is rigorously designed to enrich your learning experience and equip you to be a servant leader for the glory of God. Dr. Andrea Ramirez (BBA ‘04, MBA ‘06) Director, White House Initiative’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships U.S. Department of Education

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

To learn more, visit www.dbu.edu.

SPOTLIGHT / TEX AS BAPTISTS BENEVOLENCE: CONTINUING A LEGACY 0F SEEING AND MEETING NEEDS

Texas Baptists Benevolence: Continuing a legacy of seeing and meeting needs

JANUARY 2018

SPOTLIGHT / TEX AS BAPTISTS BENEVOLENCE

T H E G R E AT E S T P O S S I B L E

benevolence Back in 1848, at the first Baptist state convention in Texas, a handful of words were used to describe the primary purpose of the group gathered. Later on, in 1886, those same words were incorporated into the Baptist General Convention of Texas constitution at its formation. Today, Baptists in Texas continue their cooperative efforts to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission with a commitment to those same words:

“The object of this Convention shall be to awaken and stimulate among the churches the greatest possible activity in evangelism, missions, Christian education and benevolent work and enterprises; to cultivate a closer cooperation among the churches and promote harmony of feeling and concert of action in advancing all the interests of the Redeemer’s Kingdom.” (Article II - Object, Constitution of the Baptist General Convention of Texas)

C O N T I N U I N G A L E G ACY OF SEEING AND MEETING NEEDS BY : J O S H UA S E T H M I N AT R E A , D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I C AT I O N S AL AN LEFE VER, DIRECTOR OF HISTORICAL COLLECTION

Oftentimes throughout history, one person becomes a catalyst for a particular cause. That’s not to say that the cause would not have progressed without their involvement, but rather that, because of their involvement, a particular response was accelerated. There is no doubt that the very first Baptists in Texas were committed to living out the Great Commandment, showing God’s love and helping those in need, but it was not until after the Civil War that the problem of caring for widows and orphans overwhelmed the local church and the community it served. Fortunately, God blessed one man with a vision to both see and meet needs in new ways.

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When you consider the rich history of our Texas Baptists benevolent work and enterprises through the years, no treatment would be complete without the life and legacy of the man many children came to know as Father Buckner. R.C. Buckner, a pastor and newspaper man, was burdened by the issue of caring for widows and orphans. As a result, he organized a deacon convention in 1877 to discuss opportunities to begin an organized, statewide effort to meet the needs around them. Out of that convention, this group of deacons began providing training in benevolent ministries in their churches, and organized efforts that in 1879 led to the creation of Buckner Orphanage. The orphanage, which started with only three children, eventually relocated to an east Dallas property, and has since impacted the lives of thousands of children. In 1900, a devastating hurricane struck Galveston. Buckner traveled to the affected area by train and brought back to his orphanage children who’d lost their parents, or who’d been housed at an orphanage that was destroyed by the storm. Through this benevolent work, Buckner helped Texas Baptists understand the importance of meeting needs, of being there in the aftermath of disaster. It was the success of a children’s hospital opened up at the Buckner Orphanage that helped him to get people on board thinking it would be beneficial to start a similar effort for people of all ages, not just children. As a result, Buckner partnered with George Truett to found the Texas Baptist Sanatorium, later Baylor University Hospital, and what is present-day Baylor Scott & White, a health system that impacts the lives of thousands of patients each year.

When Buckner saw another need overwhelming the local church and community, this time the aging population, he established a series of retirement centers around the state. Today, Buckner International and other Texas Baptists ministry partners continue to provide quality care for the aging. Baptists are also involved in care for all stages of human life, and a number of historical Texas Baptists ministries – such as Rivery Ministry, Hunger Offering and BOUNCE student disaster recovery – have throughout the years placed great emphasis on taking care of not only one’s spiritual needs, but also the physical, emotional and psychological, as well. Because of folks like R.C. Buckner, a hallmark of Texas Baptists benevolent work has been and continues to be this simple mantra: “See a need, meet a need.”

JANUARY 2018

PAIN AND POVERTY: AMARILLO YOUTH OVERCOMES ABUSE AND ABANDONMENT BY : O D U FA AT S E G B UA , B U C K N E R S U M M E R I N T E R N

Energetic, humorous and bright, Briana Gardner is a lively mother filled with courage and tenacity. But she remembers a time when her life was filled with uncertainty and hopelessness. “If it wasn’t for Buckner, I would probably be stripping right now,” Briana said. “I couldn’t afford rent, I was in school, paying my car note and car insurance, all while paying $127 every week for my son’s day care.” Before she was introduced to Buckner, Briana was in what felt like a neverending cycle of poverty and solitude. This cycle started once Briana’s mother abandoned her. “When I was 14, my mom dropped me off at my grandfather’s house and said she would be back in two weeks,” Briana said. “But she never came back for me.” For the next four years, Briana lived in homeless shelters and was moved from one foster home to another. Along the way, she suffered abuse and neglect from men she thought cared about her. Briana had a miscarriage shortly after she entered foster care. Other than her Child Protective Services caseworker, Briana was alone. She needed help getting back on her feet, but had no family or friends to offer her support and comfort. Briana became a part of Buckner’s Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program in Amarillo when she was 18. PAL provides six life skills classes

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(personal life decisions, social life decisions, job readiness, housing and transportation, financial management, and health) to support and guide current and former youth in foster care transitioning to independent living. The program also provides financial support, housing and a center loaded with resources, including a computer lab, a washer and dryer, showers and clothing for youth ages 16-25. When Briana turned 19, she wanted to fend for herself but realized she still needed help from Buckner. “I hit rock bottom when I was out of foster care,” Briana said. “I was 19, homeless and living in my car. When Buckner found out I was homeless, they gave me a voucher to get an apartment for 18 months.” Through PAL, Briana not only learned the life skills she needed to survive, but also how to be self-sustained and strive for the best in life.

“

I WAS 19,

HOMELESS AND LIVING IN MY CAR.

”

SPOTLIGHT / TEX AS BAPTISTS BENEVOLENCE: CONTINUING A LEGACY OF SEEING AND MEETING NEEDS

JANUARY 2018

“

BUT I B STAYED BECAUSE THESE KIDS NEED US TO FIGHT FOR THEM..

”

“Briana has shown a great amount of independence and dedication during her time here,” said Caylin Tillery, FYi transition center coordinator. “She is not one to ask for help and wants to be successful in everything she does. I know she can and will do anything she sets her mind to.”

Now Briana aspires to be a positive light to children and young adults who are facing the same struggles she endured growing up. She works for Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle in the emergency youth shelter. She works with children who remind her of herself. “I was going to quit after three weeks because it was too hard being there and remembering that I had a miscarriage in this same building,” Briana said. “But I stayed because these kids need us to fight for them. They need someone to love them and give them what their parents couldn’t. I stayed because I would have wanted someone to stay for me.”

“

Briana enjoys counseling young girls struggling with the same issues she struggled with growing up, which is why she chose to study social work at Amarillo College. She is thankful not only for the support she received from the PAL program but also for the PAL Training Facilitators who helped her with her 3-year-old son, Greyson. “Growing up, I was always lonely because I moved around so much. I didn’t have any close ties or long-term friendships,” Briana said. “But coming to Buckner... I finally have ties. They even help with my son when I come in to use the computers...they all come together to watch him while I do my work. God was working through all of this, and the people here at Buckner are like my family.”

THEY NEED SOMEONE T TO LOVE THEM AND GIVE THEM WHAT THEIR PARENTS COULDN’T. T.

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NOVEMBER 2017

THE IMPACT CENTER: MEETING NEEDS AND MAKING DISCIPLES B Y: A N A L I Z G . S C H R E M M E R , C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R

FROM THE BEGINNING, THE KEY FOCUS WAS TO MEET THE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNIT Y AND MAKE DISCIPLES.

The Impact Center at Christian Family Baptist Church in San Antonio ministers to local military members and their families each month through a feeding center. “We work with veterans and active duty military – those are our primary clients,” said Christian Family Baptist Church Pastor Rob Johnson, a retired military veteran. “That’s always been the DNA of our ministry going on 15 years.” The Impact Center, which is a Texas Baptist Hunger Offering ministry recipient, aims to feed clients and share the Gospel with them, he explained. They distribute approximately 20,000 lbs. of food per month, purchased through the San Antonio Food Bank, which feeds about 400-500 people. “It’s more than just a food pantry,” he said, adding that his wife Victoria shares the same conviction. “What we do is help families. We equip families to share Jesus Christ and we teach them to use their Bibles. We are mentors to them and we are developing people into Christ-centered followers.” Johnson said that when he returned from military service in Korea, he felt the Lord telling him to get involved in the community. “My wife and I started working with exconvicts and their families and inviting them out to our home. We would try to show them how to use the Bible, and help them know Christ. We started to invite them over for Bible studies and we would also feed them, so that turned into what is our church now.” Johnson said that from the beginning, the key focus was to meet the needs in the community and make disciples. While the Impact Center does not

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currently have a building for operations, the church has improvised to meet needs. “We currently do a drive-through process,” Johnson said. “We have stations set up and recipients fill out vouchers. They don’t even get out of their cars. They pull out by the pavilion and we load their cars up with food. I have a trained minister who collects prayer requests.” Johnson receives the prayer requests, and at the end of the day, a team of senior adults call and ask if their prayers have been answered. “It also allows us to build relationships with the people,” Johnson said. One day, he hopes to have a facility where food can be stored and refrigerated. “This will allow for a more dignified process and give people a chance to sit down and receive training from a dietician. We could also offer family therapy and ministry for people in crisis situations.” Johnson said that members of his church and the community make a lot of personal sacrifices to serve in the Impact Center. “They take off from work,” he said.“They take vacation. They make the sacrifices to make themselves available to do the ministry.” Johnson shared the story of an 80-something retired preacher from Colorado who doesn’t let sickness stop him from serving in the Impact Center. “He was given two-to-seven years to live and now he’s passed the sevenyear mark. Even when he was on an oxygen tank, he was still trying to

SPOTLIGHT / TEX AS BAPTISTS BENEVOLENCE: CONTINUING A LEGACY OF SEEING AND MEETING NEEDS

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come out here. His objective is to build relationships with the people that he’s meeting at the food distribution and he just continues volunteering.” Johnson also recalled the testimony of a woman who was going through major conflict in her family. “There were gangs involved and jail time involved,” he said. “I told her in James 1, the Bible tells us to consider it pure joy when we face trials because trials help us persevere. So, she began to trust God’s word in the midst of her trials.” “She decided that instead of sitting around feeling sorry for herself, she should pour into the lives of other people, so she began serving in the Impact Center. She started to see the struggles of other people and that she wasn’t the only one going through challenging times. God helped her get through this by leading her to focus on helping others.

Now, her family is united and everyone is a professing Christian. It was a real blessing to see that turn around for them.” Johnson said so many testimonies have come through this ministry that it was hard for him to narrow them all down and share just a few. “I want to emphasize that we are hoping to inspire other churches to become Impact Centers. Faith is an action word. We have to listen to God and let him guide us on how to reach his people in the community and this is how he gave it to us. This is not a program. It’s a revelation from God on how to reach his people and fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TEXAS BAPTIST HUNGER OFFERING, VISIT HUNGEROFFERING.ORG.

JULY

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JANUARY 2018

TRAINING E T E R N A L LY - F O C U S E D CHURCHES IN COMMUNITY MINISTRY B Y: K A L I E L O W R I E , N E W S D I R E C T O R

The First Baptist Church of Valley Mills sits atop a hill in a community of around 1,200 residents. While the church has engaged in ongoing community ministry since its inception, Pastor John Wheatley was interested in finding new ways to minister. He approached the Baylor University School of Social Work and was soon connected with Travis Engel, a social work intern who began serving with the church in the fall of 2016. One of Engelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first tasks was to conduct a community assessment by creating an asset map of the community with the help of an assessment team which was made up of people from the church and the community. Equipped with resources from his social work courses, Engel led the team in a process of community evaluation. They canvassed the community to see where assets already exist, such as government programs, local associations, educational institutions, congregations, nonprofits,

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businesses (both locally and corporately owned), parks and recreation facilities. Wheatley was so pleased with the results of the assessment team, he decided to turn the team into a visioning committee at the church to help plan future mission endeavors of the congregation. Through the course of their assessment, the team identified a population of

Hispanic families who lived behind a grove of trees in the community and were often overlooked. After visiting with residents, they found that many did not speak English and expressed a desire for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, which were not offered anywhere in the town. The community also did not offer a Spanish-speaking worship service. People have been going 20 miles away to worship in Spanish.

SPOTLIGHT / TEX AS BAPTISTS BENEVOLENCE: CONTINUING A LEGACY OF SEEING AND MEETING NEEDS

I T WA S A M A Z I N G T O S E E T H E M E M B E R S O F T H E TEAM FLOURISH AND GROW AS THEY CAME TO T R U S T T H E M S E L V E S A N D T H E I R O W N A B I L I T I E S.

Following the team’s report and the leadership from the community members, the church felt led to start an ESL program on Sunday evenings, with assistance from volunteers at the local Methodist and Cowboy churches. In November, the classes had 30 students, 11 children, seven infants, and 15 volunteers who served in various roles. “It was amazing to see the members of the team flourish and grow as they came to trust themselves and their own abilities,” said Engel. Dr. Gaynor Yancey, professor at the Garland School of Social Work and director of the newly-renamed Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I), sees connections like this as a beautiful picture of community ministry and an eternally-focused church. Through a partnership with the (C3I) and Texas Baptists’ Christian Life Commission, Yancey looks forward to future collaboration with Texas Baptist churches to strengthen congregations as they engage with their communities.

T H E P E O P L E H AV E BEEN CALLED BY GOD TO DO SOMETHING. Church connections will be facilitated by Ali Corona, CLC hunger and care ministry specialist, who is a licensed social worker, holds a Master of Social Work degree from the university, and has a heart for congregational social work. “We have many of the same goals–such as equipping the church to live on mission outside their four walls and to live out the Gospel efficiently–so the partnership was a natural fit,” said Corona. Acknowledging that there is not a one-size fits all approach to meeting

community needs, the C3I will assist churches in holistically engaging in their local communities through conducting research, cultivating leaders and consulting congregations.

who were involved in leadership development over that three-year period of time are now pastors, directors of development, church staff members, and missionaries.

First Baptist Church of Covington recently invited Yancey, Corona and five social work students to conduct a conversation and church assessment with church leaders. Through an appreciative inquiry approach, Yancey and Corona helped church leaders uncover what God had already done in and through their congregation. “We looked through the lens of how God was working, how He had moved and what were the next steps,” Corona said. Ultimately, at the end of the morning, Pastor Eric Black and key leaders were equipped with beginning the next steps for future ministry. C3I, previously known as the Center for Family and Community Ministries, was founded in 1997 by Dr. Diana Garland through a $225,000 grant from the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Through the Center, Garland conducted research around family ministry, helping quantify the impact of working with families in congregational settings to educate, train and equip them to serve outside the church. In 2002, the Center received a $2.1 million grant to study congregations and determine what they were doing to minister to community needs throughout the country. Qualitative and quantitative studies were conducted by faculty and students from Baylor, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Southern California. As a result of the research, curriculum was developed to train congregations in mission outreach and externally-focused ministries. Also, many of the students

“The people have been called by God to do something. Many of them have no idea how to do what they’ve been called to do. Our job is to develop curriculum, share the curriculum, and train people to be effective in the service that God has called them to do,” said Yancey. “We are excited about strengthening churches to be the worldwide witnesses God has called them to be in mission focus and community outreach,” said Yancey. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CONDUCTING A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT FOR YOUR CHURCH, OR TO ACCESS C3I RESOURCES, CONTACT ALI CORONA AT ALI.CORONA@ TEXASBAPTISTS.ORG OR 512.473.2288, OR DR. GAYNOR YANCEY AT GAYNOR_YANCEY@BAYLOR.EDU OR 254.710.6424.

JANUARY 2018

ENTRENAR IGLESIAS ETERNAMENTE E N F O CA DAS E N MINISTERIOS A LA CO M U N I DA D POR: K ALIE LOWRIE , DIRECTOR A DE NOTICIA S

La Primera Iglesia Bautista de Valley Mills se encuentra en la cima de un monte en una comunidad de alrededor de 1,200 residentes. A pesar de que la iglesia ha participado continuamente en ministerios a la comunidad desde sus comienzos, el Pastor John Wheatley estaba interesado en encontrar maneras nuevas para servir. Él se comunicó con la Escuela de Trabajo Social de la Universidad de Baylor y pronto le conectaron con Travis Engel, un trabajador social quien comenzó a servir en la iglesia en el otoño del 2016. Una de las primeras tareas de Engel fue hacer una evaluación de la comunidad al desarrollar un mapa de la comunidad con la ayuda de un equipo de evaluación compuesto por personas de la iglesia y la comunidad. Equipado con recursos de sus cursos en trabajo social, Engel dirigió a su equipo, compuesto de miembros de la iglesia y la comunidad, en un proceso para evaluar la comunidad. Ellos sondearon la comunidad para ver dónde ya habían recursos, tales como programas del gobierno, asociaciones 30

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locales, instituciones educacionales, congregaciones, organizaciones sin fines de lucro, negocios (locales y corporativos), parques, y facilidades de recreación Wheatley estuvo tan complacido con los resultados del equipo de evaluación que decidió convertir al equipo en un comité de visión en la iglesia para ayudar a planificar obra misionera futura de la congregación. A lo largo de su evaluación, el equipo identificó una población de familias

hispanas que vivía detrás de una arboleda en una comunidad con frecuencia ignorada. Después de visitar a algunos de los residentes, descubrieron que muchos no hablaban inglés y expresaron deseo de tomar clases de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL), las cuales no eran ofrecidas en ningún lugar del pueblo. La comunidad tampoco tenía un servicio de adoración en español. Las personas viajaban hasta 20 millas para asistir a un servicio de adoración en español.

SPOTLIGHT / TEX AS BAPTISTS BENEVOLENCE: CONTINUING A LEGACY OF SEEING AND MEETING NEEDS

F U E M A R AV I L L O S O V E R F L O R E C E R Y C R E C E R A L O S MIEMBROS DEL EQUIPO MIENTRAS LLEGABAN A C O N F I A R E N S Í M I S M O S Y E N S U S H A B I L I D A D E S. Siguiendo el informe del equipo y el liderato de los miembros de la comunidad, la iglesia se sintió dirigida a comenzar un programa de inglés como segundo idioma los domingos en la noche, con la ayuda de voluntarios en las iglesias metodista y de vaqueros del área. En noviembre las clases tenían 30 estudiantes, 11 niños, 7 infantes, y 15 voluntarios sirviendo en diferentes roles. “Fue maravilloso ver florecer y crecer a los miembros del equipo mientras llegaban a confiar en sí mismos y en sus habilidades”, dijo Engel. El Dr. Gaynor Yancey, profesor de la Escuela Garland de Trabajo Social y director del Centro para el Impacto de la Iglesia y la Comunidad (Center for Church and Community Impact (C3I)) ve conexiones como ésta como un precioso cuadro del ministerio a la comunidad y una iglesia enfocada en la eternidad. Trabajando con el Centro para Impacto de la Iglesia y la Comunidad (C3I) y la Comisión de la Vida Cristiana de los Bautistas de Texas, Yancey anticipa la colaboración futura con iglesias Bautistas de Texas para fortalecer congregaciones según participan activamente en sus comunidades.

LAS PERSONAS HAN SIDO L L A M A DAS P O R D I O S PA R A H AC E R A LGO. Las conexiones con las iglesias son facilitadas por Ali Corona, especialista de hambre y cuido de la Comisión de la Vida Cristiana (CLC), quien es trabajadora social licenciada, con un título de Maestría en Trabajo Social de la universidad y un corazón por el trabajo social congregacional. “Tenemos muchas metas similares— como equipar a la iglesia a vivir en misión afuera de sus cuatro paredes y vivir el Evangelio de una manera

efectiva—por lo que trabajar juntos era la combinación perfecta”, dijo Corona. Reconociendo que no hay solamente un enfoque para suplir las necesidades de la comunidad, la C3I asistirá a las iglesias a participar integralmente en sus comunidades locales haciendo investigaciones, cultivando líderes, y consultando congregaciones. La Primera Iglesia Bautista de Covington recientemente invitó a Yancey, Corona y a cinco estudiantes de trabajo social para llevar a cabo un diálogo y evaluación de la iglesia con los líderes de la iglesia. A través de un enfoque inquisitivo, Yancey y Corona ayudaron a los líderes de la iglesia a descubrir lo que Dios ya había hecho en y por medio de su congregación. “Miramos a través del lente de cómo Dios estaba obrando, cómo se había movido y cuáles eran los pasos siguientes”, dijo Corona. Al final de la mañana, el Pastor Eric Black y los líderes clave estaban equipados para iniciar los próximos pasos para un ministerio futuro. 3

C I, anteriormente conocido como el Centro para Ministerios de Familia y Comunidad, fue fundado en el 1997 por la Dra. Diana Garland por medio de una subvención de $225,000 de la Convención Bautista General de Texas. A través del Centro, Garland realizó investigaciones alrededor de ministerios a la familia, ayudando a cuantificar el impacto del trabajo con familias dentro del contexto congregacional para educar, entrenar, y equipar a las familias para servir afuera de la iglesia. En el 2002, el Centro recibió una subvención de $2.1 millones para estudiar congregaciones y determinar lo que estaban haciendo para ministrar las necesidades de la comunidad por todo el país. La facultad y estudiantes de la Universidad de Baylor, la Universidad de Virginia Commonwhealth, la Universidad de Pittsburgh, y la Universidad del Sur de California

llevaron a cabo estudios cualitativos y cuantitativos. Como resultado de la investigación, se desarrolló un currículo para entrenar congregaciones en alcance misionero y ministerios enfocados hacia afuera. Además, muchos de los estudiantes incluidos en el desarrollo de liderazgo durante ese período de tres años ahora son pastores, directores de desarrollo, misioneros, y sirven en el personal ministerial de iglesias. “Las personas han sido llamadas por

Dios para hacer algo. Muchas de ellas no tienen idea de cómo hacer lo que han sido llamados a hacer. Nuestra tarea es desarrollar currículo, compartirlo, y entrenar a las personas a ser efectivas en el servicio que Dios les ha llamado a hacer”, dijo Yancey. “Estamos emocionados acerca de fortalecer a las iglesias para ser los testigos al mundo que Dios les ha llamado al enfocar en misiones y alcanzar la comunidad”, dijo Yancey. PARA INFORMACIÓN ADICIONAL ACERCA DE LLEVAR A CABO UNA EVALUACIÓN DE LA COMUNIDAD PARA SU IGLESIA, O PARA CONSEGUIR RECURSOS DE C3I, COMUNÍQUESE CON ALI CORONA, ALI.CORONA@TEXASBAPTISTS.ORG O 512.473.2288 O DR. GAYNOR YANCEY, GAYNOR_YANCEY@BAYLOR.EDU O 254.710.6424.

JANUARY 2018

A BIBLICAL CALL TO BENEVOLENCE B Y: F E R R E L L F O S T E R , D I R E C T O R O F E T H I C S A N D J U S T I C E

“BENEVOLENT WORK” is an old phrase referring to what churches do to help people meet their basic needs. Benevolence takes many forms, but a story told by Jesus provides many churches the foundation for their efforts. In brief, Jesus says his disciples will do six things – feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the unclothed, care for the sick and visit prisoners (Matthew 25:31-46). Those six activities still are seen as the basics of benevolent or charitable ministry. They deal with people’s basic need for food, water, fellowship, clothes and shelter, medical care and hope. Ministry, however, need not be limited to these six areas because suffering people have other needs, such as help combating addiction, protection from threatened violence, housing in the event of an unplanned pregnancy, and others. The importance of benevolence arises out of what is called Jesus’ “Great Commandments.” He said we are to love God with all of our being and to love our “neighbor” as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31; Matthew 22:38-39; and Luke 10:27). The Luke account is followed by the story of the good Samaritan, which indicates our neighbor is anyone in need, even if he or she is from another place and part of another ethnic group.

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The Bible, however, has much more to say about the importance of Jesus followers practicing benevolence. Here are a few key biblical passages (all CSB):

JAMES 1 : 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

PROVERBS 28 : 27 The one who gives to the poor will not be in need, but one who turns his eyes away will receive many curses.

ACTS 20 : 35 In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

GALATIANS 6 : 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

JAMES 2 : 15-17 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give

them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself. We are not to make the error of Cain when he asked, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain did not grasp his responsibility to care for his brother. That failure in the Bible’s opening chapters is repudiated in the remainder of the book and is especially shown in the self-giving sacrifice of Jesus. We are indeed our brother’s keeper and our sister’s. And this responsibility extends to our neighbors, who are all of those in need.

WE ARE TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR BEING AND LOVE OUR 'NEIGHBOR' AS OURSELVES.

STEPS TO CONNECT YOUR CHURCH WITH THE COMMUNITY B Y: A L I C O R O N A , C L C H U N G E R A N D C A R E M I N I S T R I E S S P E C I A L I S T D R . G AY N O R YA N C E Y, P R O F E S S O R AT T H E G A R L A N D S C H O O L O F S O C I A L W O R K

As followers of Christ, congregations are compelled to minister to people in their communities who are experiencing urgent and chronic needs. In Micah 6:8, the Lord commands his people to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly” with God. Here are nine steps to improve your church’s connections with the community and prepare your church for greater service.

BEGIN W IT H P RAY ER First things first. Be sure to spend time in intentional prayer. Prayer is the greatest resource and strength Christ followers have. Spending time with God is essential to determine God’s direction if we are considering starting a ministry. Before starting any ministry, it is important to know the congregation’s strengths, including resources upon which strong ministries may be built. The capacity of the people within the church to do the ministry is essential to godly witness. To determine the strengths and capacity of your church, the following questions may be of help:

CONDUCT AN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY What does your church do best? “Appreciative Inquiry” is a tool and process that asks a group to unpack its strengths. In order not to duplicate what others may be doing, you must determine what makes you uniquely who you are as a church. Gather church members for a vision meeting and ask members to discuss what they believe the church does best for the community.

EVALUATE RESOURCES What does our church have that could be shared in doing ministry? Can parts of your building be shared with the ministry? Are some of your members able to volunteer to serve in the ministry? What other resources do you have that can be shared? This is a great place to start for community service.

TAKE & USE!

ESTA BL I SH TH E MI SSI O N Does your church have a mission statement? If a new ministry is started, would the ministry be consistent with what you understand the mission of your church to be? Work with your church to create a mission statement to be sure your focus in ministry is consistent with your overall focus for mission as a church.

SURVEY CHURCH MEMBERS Send out a church-wide survey to members through a capacity inventory. The goal is to determine in what capacity members have previously served before, the types of ministries they believe should be done through your church, who they know that could be of assistance in ministries, and which of your members are willing to be of service in the new ministry. Once you have engaged your congregations in the above steps, then you are ready to get to know your community to prepare starting a new ministry.

DO A WINDSHIELD SURVEY OR WALKING SURVEY These tools are important to start identifying where there are already resources or assets. Drive or walk through the entire community. Take note of all that you see (parks, trails, schools, churches and workplaces) as assets. Be on the lookout for the strengths of the community. All communities have resources that are easily overlooked. This will help you determine where God is calling your church to engage with what God is already doing in the community.

TAL K WI TH CO MMUNIT Y RESI D E N TS Asking what they love about their neighborhood gives residents the opportunity to look at the positive things they enjoy about their neighborhoods or towns. People are a community’s greatest strengths. Allow yourselves to learn from them.

PARTI C I PATE I N LO CAL FUN CTI O NS Eat at local restaurants. Attend community meetings. Go to sports events. Participation with people helps increase the importance of your ministry by building God-centered relationships.

G I VE TO TH E TE XAS BAPTIST HUNGER OFFERING The Hunger Offering provides hope for communities around the world through providing hunger relief and empowering families to break the cycle of poverty. Giving to the Hunger Offering is an excellent way to expand your church’s community outreach in Texas and around the globe. It’s healthy for people in under-resourced communities to all see themselves as helping others. Christ followers are known by the way we love one another – inside and outside the church walls. Intentionally seeking relationships and service opportunities in the community is a great way to sow into the lives of neighbors.

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MINISTERING TO YOUR

MUSLIM NEIGHBORS BY : T E X A S B A P T I S T S I N T E R C U LT U R A L M I N I S T R I E S

Islam is the second largest world religion, after Christianity, and boasts 1.6 billion members worldwide. Adherents to Islam are referred to as Muslims and belong to two main groups: Sunni (80-90%) and Shia (10-20%).

Most scholars agree that the religion of Islam began with the prophet Muhammad in the 6th century in Mecca, modern-day Saudi Arabia. It is a monotheistic faith that centers around the teachings of the prophet Muhammad, who claimed to have received divine revelations from God through the archangel Gabriel. These revelations were written down in the Quran, the holy book of the Islamic faith.

While Islam is heavily centered in the Middle East, it is important to note that not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs.

All Muslims are required to recite the Quran in Arabic and attempt to learn the language.

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE

Here are a few things to keep in mind when attempting to interact with your Muslim friends, coworkers and neighbors.

BE AWARE OF MISCONCEPTIONS This is a two-way street. While most Americans probably have a lot of the same misconceptions about Muslims – that some are terrorists – many Muslims carry around strong misconceptions about Americans – that some are completely immoral . Understanding how both groups may view one another can help lay a foundation for beneficial conversation.

SEPARATE ISLAM AND MUSLIMS In other words, see Muslims for what they are: human beings. Created in the image of God, loved by Him, and in need of the Gospel. We like to tout John 3:16, but do we truly understand the significance of “For God so loved the world...”? The world includes Muslims.

“Islam” might just have become one of the scariest words in our modern vocabulary. Radical Islamic groups have become household names as they appear on the news daily, aggressively proclaiming their unyielding quest to destroy all things infidel (a term used to describe non-followers of Islam). What are Christians, specifically American Christians, to do in the face of this very blatant threat from members of one of the largest religions in the world? First, know the facts:

GET PAST THE FEAR It’s easy to get swept up in the panic, to want to run to safety and let someone else deal with “them.” Fear is natural and part of being human, but living and acting in a state of fear is not from God and goes directly against what His Word tells us. He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

PRAY WITH A PURPOSE If you personally know a Muslim, pray specifically for that person by name. If you don’t know one, pray that you would meet one. Ask God to soften your heart, remove the fear and allow you to see through His eyes. There are 99 names for Allah in the Islamic faith, and not a single one of those is close to love. Our God is love. Love should be our defining characteristic (John 13:35) and the perfect love of God casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Are we willing to truly, faithfully love God and our Muslim neighbors?

BE CONFIDENT It can be very difficult to remain confident in our faith when confronted with questions and accusations. But one thing that many religious Muslims value is confidence. They have an appreciation of people of faith and generally respect others who are strong in their beliefs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MINISTERING TO PEOPLE GROUPS IN TEXAS AND AROUND THE WORLD, VISIT TEXASBAPTISTS.ORG/ CULTURALENGAGEMENT.

TAKE & USE!

WHO WE ARE WHAT WE DO For more than 130 years, the Baptist General Convention of Texas (Texas Baptists) has helped churches fulﬁll the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Today, we are more than 5,300 churches working together in harmonious cooperation to share the Gospel and love others.

GREAT COMMISSION TEAM

MISSIONS TEAM

Evangelism Discipleship Music & Worship

Multi-housing & House Congregations Church Starting Urban Missions River Ministry & Mexico Missions MAP BOUNCE

CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMISSION

COLLEGIATE MINISTRY TEAM

Ethics & Justice Public Policy Community Care Hunger Offering

Baptist Student Ministries Church College Ministry Go Now Missions

CONNECTIONS TEAM

CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT TEAM

Counseling Services Area Representatives Minister Connection Interim Services Bi-vocational Pastors Western Heritage Center for Ministerial Excellence Camps

African American Ministries Hispanic Ministries Hispanic Education Initiative Intercultural Ministries Project: Start Associations

The ministry of the Convention is organized into teams that inform and inspire churches through events, resources, consultations and more. Through gifts to the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program, you and your church enable missions and ministry across the state and around the world. Because you give, love is shown, the Gospel is shared and lives are transformed. Learn more about afﬁliation at texasbaptists.org/afﬁliate, and learn more about the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program at texasbaptists.org/cp.

In addition, we proudly partner with 28 education, advocacy and human care institutions around Texas.

JANUARY 2018