Texas Baptists Life Volume 10, Issue 2

TEXAS BAPTISTS LIFE Volume 10 Issue No. 2

A slice of heaven Diverse church plants reaching diverse communities p. 24

TONY CANADY

Pastor of Triumphal Christian Fellowship in Waxahachie

WHATIF IFYOUR YOURCOLLEGE COLLEGE WHAT EDUCATION ISALSO ALSOTHE THEBEST BEST EDUCATION IS EXPERIENCEOF OFYOUR YOURLIFE? LIFE? EXPERIENCE

WE IT SHOULD SHOULDBE. BE. WE THINK IT UNIVERSITY of UNIVERSITY of MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR HARDIN-BAYLOR MARY

Leadership • • Service Service •• Faith-Informed Leadership Faith-InformedDiscernment Discernment    @umhb @umhb

umhb.edu umhb.edu



BELTON, TEXAS BELTON, TEXAS 254.295.4520

254.295.4520

Do you know a child or single mom with children needing a place to call HOME HOME??

Contact us for information about one of our campuses.

Homes for Children Boothe Campus in Pettus, Texas 361.375.2101 • homesforchildren@stchm.org

Homes for Families Marshall Campus in Goliad, Texas or Bluebonnet Campus in Yoakum, Texas 361.645.3005 • homesforfamilies@stchm.org

www.STCHM.org

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Contents Center for Missional Engagement

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The Center for Missional Engagement exists to engage churches in corporate missions through strategic opportunities in Texas and around the world. Read more about the unique missions fields Texas Baptists are serving in.

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Beach Reach sees God at work over Spring Break, over 200 salvations

Joshua Seth Minatrea Director of Communications

Read how God was at work over spring break through Beach Reach.

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Bonnie Shaw News Manager Caleb Arndt Design Manager

Families helping families

See how the STCH ministry is impacting lives around the globe.

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Sharing God’s love with open hands along the border Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville is serving immigrants along the border and sharing the hope found in Jesus. Read about their ministry and how they come alongside immigrants who have just arrived in America.

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BOUNCE continues disaster relief work in heavily impacted Jefferson County See the impact of students coming together through BOUNCE to serve communities in Jefferson County that have been impacted by hurricanes.

Publication Team

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A slice of heaven

Learn about Triumphal Christian Fellowship and how Pastor Tony Canady answered God’s call on his life to plant a church in Waxahachie, TX.

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World MAP

Around the world, Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) missionaries are sharing the gospel within their local communities. Learn about their ministry and how your church can support them.

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Modeling Christ’s Character: How Pastor Luevano witnesses God’s love to the Hispanic immigrant communities in Houston See how the Lord is working in the southern area of Houston through Pastor Luevano’s obedience to God’s call.

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Future Church 2030 Conference helps church leaders look forward to the future with confidence Read how Texas Baptists have begun looking ahead to the next ten years of ministry at the Future Church 2030 Conference, which took place April 4-5 at First Baptist Church in Bryan, TX.

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Compartiendo el Carácter de Dios: Como el Pastor Luevano sirve a la comunidad de inmigrantes Hispanos en Houston Houston, TX. Al sur de la ciudad, el Pastor Ernesto Luevano y su familia han dedicado sus vidas al servicio y testimonio de Cristo para satisfacer las necesidades de la comunidad hispana de inmigrantes en el área.

Maritza Solano Production Designer Neil Williams Multimedia Specialist Meredith Poe Social Media Specialist

You are receiving a free copy of Texas Baptists Life because of your generous support of the Cooperative Program.

To subscribe or update your subscription preferences, visit txb.org/subscription

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VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 2

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CAREY NIEWHOF

KATIE FRUGÉ

SHELLY MELIA

ROBERT PURVEY

SHANE PRUITT

BOBBY CONTRERAS

Conclave NextGen is a 3-day event that provides encouragement, worship experiences, networking, training, and resources for those who oversee family or NextGen ministries in the local church.

Center for Church Health Youth & Family Ministry

OCTOBER 10-12, 2022 • FBC San Antonio • conclavenextgen.org

MESSAGE

from the

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Hello, Texas Baptists!

The needs along the border between Texas and Mexico are great, but there are multiple mission opportunities and possibilities there. For over 50 years, Texas Baptists River Ministry has provided care for and consistently shared the gospel with people along the border. Our Texas Baptists Annual Meeting will be in McAllen (the Rio Grande Valley) in July of 2023. What a perfect time to consider bringing a team down to get involved!

Helping communities “Bounce" back from Disaster is the theme behind our student-led Disaster Relief and Recovery ministry known as BOUNCE! David Scott leads this ministry and is helping train, raise up and prepare the next generation of disaster response leaders.

As Texas continues to grow in population and increase in ethnic and cultural diversity, the need for new churches only increases. The Texas Baptists Church Starting team led by Tom Howe is the most effective and efficient enterprise around. Your gifts to the Cooperative Program and the Mary Hill Davis Offering® support this critical work!

The Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) started five years ago as part of a partnership with the Brazilian Baptist Convention and has now grown to include 14 countries, with more being added. I am so grateful for the leadership of Noe Trevino. Please invite him to come to your church and talk about this wonderful international missions endeavor.

Paul Atkinson directs our multi-housing and house church ministry. It is so special to see the work they are doing to grow organic churches in homes, apartments and other non-traditional church venues.

I could go on, but you'll find so much more throughout this magazine. Enjoy!

Be blessed. Thank you for your support!

¡Hola Bautistas de Texas!

En esta edición de Texas Baptists Life enfocamos en nuestro Centro para participación misional (Center for Missional Engagement) bajo el liderazgo del Dr. Josué Valerio. Josué ha sido un líder fiel de los Bautistas de Texas durante muchos años, habiendo servido en el personal ministerial de BGCT, como Director del Ministerio de Estudiantes Bautistas en el Sur de Texas, como misionero de la Junta de Misiones Internacionales (IMB) en México, y como Director de misiones de la Asociación Bautista de El Paso.

Nuestro Centro para participación misional está en manos muy capaces.

Como sabe, la frontera entre Texas y México es un lugar para múltiples oportunidades y posibilidades misioneras. Durante más de 50 años hemos estado sosteniendo el Ministerio en el Río, y le agradezco por su apoyo continuo. Nuestra Reunión Anual de los Bautistas de Texas será en McAllen (el Valle del Río Grande) en julio de 2023. ¡Qué tiempo tan perfecto para considerar llevar a un equipo a participar en misiones!

eficaz y efectiva que lo que usted y yo respaldamos por medio del equipo de plantación de iglesias de BGCT. ¡Tom Howe, gracias por tu liderazgo! Según Texas continúa creciendo en diversidad étnica y cultural, la necesidad de iglesias aumenta. ¡Sus ofrendas al y por medio del Programa Cooperativo y la Ofrenda Mary Hill Davis para misiones estatales sostienen esta labor esencial!

El Programa de adopción misionera (MAP) comenzó hace cinco años como parte de una colaboración con la Convención Bautista Brasileña y ha crecido para incluir a 14 países, con más siendo añadidos. Estoy muy agradecido por el liderazgo de Noé Treviño. ¡Invite al hermano Treviño a visitar su iglesia para hablar acerca de esta maravillosa empresa misionera internacional!

Paul Atkinson dirige nuestro ministerio de apartamentos. Es muy especial ver la labor que hacen por medio de iglesias orgánicas en hogares, apartamentos, y otros lugares no tradicionales.

Pudiera seguir compartiendo, pero usted descubrirá mucho más en esta revista. ¡Que la disfrute! ¡Dios le bendiga! ¡Gracias por su apoyo! hacen por medio de iglesias orgánicas en hogares, apartamentos, y otros lugares no tradicionales.

Pudiera seguir compartiendo, pero usted descubrirá mucho más en esta revista. ¡Que la disfrute! ¡Dios le bendiga! ¡Gracias por su apoyo!

Blessings & Bendeciones

Ayudar a las comunidades a recuperarse después de desastres es el tema detrás del ministerio BOUNCE!, un ministerio de ayuda y recuperación de desastres para adolescentes. David Scott dirige este ministerio al ayudar a entrenar, levantar, y preparar a la próxima generación de líderes en respuesta a desastres.

E ningún lugar del país existe una empresa de Inicio de Iglesias más

DAV I D H A R DAG E E X EC U T I V E D IR EC TO R

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In this edition of Texas Baptists Life magazine, we are focusing on our Center for Missional Engagement led

by Dr. Josue Valerio. Josue is a faithful Texas Baptists leader and has been for many years, having served on the BGCT staff, as a BSM director in South Texas, an International Mission Board missionary to Mexico and the director of Missions for the El Paso Baptist Association. Our Center for Missional Engagement is in very capable hands.

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AROUND TEXAS

FEBRUARY EXECUTIVE BOARD CELEBRATES FRUITFUL YEAR THROUGH COOPERATIVE MINISTRY In February, Executive Board members heard reports from Texas Baptists ministries and partners. They heard from WMU of Texas Director Tamiko Jones, who shared that 2021 was a record-breaking year for the Mary Hill Davis Offering, which raised $3.5 million

for statewide missions. The Offering total surpassed the goal set by WMU, making 2021 the first time that the giving goal was exceeded in 22 years.

Additionally, Dr. Katie Frugé was commissioned as the new director of

the Center for Cultural Engagement and the Christian Life Commission (CLC), and the Center for Church Health announced the partnership of the Church Architecture team with VisionBridge Consulting.

“Our power to produce good is multiplied when we go about the program that God has given us together. There are things we just can’t do by ourselves,” President Jason Burden said during his address.

TEXAS BAPTISTS CHURCH COMMISSIONS ASTRONAUT BOB HINES FOR MISSION On March 27, University Baptist Church in Houston (UBC) commissioned one of their own to go out to the furthest mission field.

Astronaut Bob Hines, a faithful member of UBC, launched into space on April 19, where he will spend 144 days on the International Space Station. He will be the pilot on the SpaceX Crew-4 mission, a four-person team that will launch out of Cape Canaveral.

This is not the first astronaut commissioning service for UBC, which is located less than three miles away from the NASA Johnson Space Center.

Texas Baptists Executive Director David

Hardage, who has served as interim pastor at UBC for the last two months, was surprised when he first learned that he was preaching to literal rocket scientists each Sunday. It was an honor, he said, to witness the church’s commissioning of Hines.

Hines expressed his gratefulness to God that he was fulfilling a childhood dream.

He spoke of his excitement at seeing the Earth from afar. “[I] want to look at this amazing creation that God has given us and just be in awe of it,” he said.

photo credit: NASA

HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY HONORED AT INSTITUTIONAL LEGACY DAY

Howard Payne was founded in 1889 in Brownwood by members of the Pecan

Valley Association. In 1897, the school joined a network of schools funded by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Texas Baptists Associate Executive Director Craig Christina presented the award to Howard Payne President Cory Hines.

Texas Baptists welcomes Irene Gallegos as Hunger and Care Ministries Director

“Texas Baptists loves Howard Payne University,” Christina said. “We have offered our prayer and support for over 132 years.”

The Christian Life Commission (CLC) is pleased to announce Irene Gallegos as the new director of Hunger and Care Ministries.

TEXAS BAPTIST HUNGER OFFERING PLEDGES ADDITIONAL FUNDS AMIDST UKRAINIAN CRISIS As the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and neighboring countries continues, the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering is working with worldwide ministry partners to support the 2,100 Baptist churches in Ukraine and help those who have been affected by the crisis.

The Texas Baptist Hunger Offering has joined with Baptist World Alliance (BWA) to raise funds to meet the immediate, emergency-based needs of refugees fleeing conflict zones. This is a strategic and unified global Baptist effort. The Hunger Offering has raised over its initial pledge amount of $20,000 and is continuing to garner donations for this great need.

These funds will go to pre-determined churches in Ukraine and surrounding countries, which will act as centers of hope to distribute food, water and other necessities. The European Baptist Federation (EBF) will serve as the main point of contact between Ukrainian churches and BWA. Katie Frugé, director of the Center for Cultural Engagement and the Christian Life Commission, explained that many people left their homes with only their documents and a few basics. The funds will help supply hygiene packs, first aid kits and bags with basic supplies like toothbrushes and socks.

“Dr. Gallegos’ background in public health and her passion and love for God and ministry make her uniquely prepared as she leads Texas Baptists to minister to those in need both in Texas and the world,” Katie Frugé, director of the Center for Cultural Engagement and the CLC, said. “I am thrilled to have her join our team.”

In her new role as director of Hunger and Care Ministries, Gallegos will oversee the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering, a ministry seeking to break the cycle of poverty and hunger and promote holistic transformation. She will also oversee Community Ministry, which provides grants to ministries seeking to provide humanitarian relief work outside of the hunger realm.

“I’m excited to continue the great work of the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering, to extend into new resources for the Offering, and to connect with more churches and ministry recipients as well,” Gallegos said.

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Texas Baptists Institutional Legacy Day recognized Howard Payne University for over 130 years of exemplary Christian higher education. The recognition, which took place during a worship service at the historic Anderson Baptist Church on Jan. 30, honored the faith and commitment of Howard Payne leadership, both past and present. It also celebrated the partnership between the university and Texas Baptists.

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Be the Light

The World Needs Servant Leaders In a broken and hurting world, there is a desperate need for light— for leaders who are not only excellent at what they do, but who also have a passion for serving others. At Dallas Baptist University, we provide a Christ-centered education so our graduates can become servant leaders with one purpose—bringing light to a dark world.

“If things get darker…the problem is not with the darkness.

The problem is with the light.” − Henry Blackaby

Go and be the light. discover.dbu.edu

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

BOUNCE April 5, 2022

BounceSDR Check out our Spring Break BOUNCERs in the news!

Enjoyed showing KFDM what we do and why we do it! #txbme #bounce2022 #GC2

Oza Jones April 21, 2022

Wayland Baptist University May 9, 2022

revjones1 I had an awesome time with pastor @coolestpreacher.

Pastor Erik is doing an amazing job leading Southside City Church in Fort Worth. I can’t wait to see what the Lord will do in and through him. Blessings my brother. @txb.aam @texasbaptists

Wayland Baptist Congratulations to our 2022 Wayland graduates!

You earned this! All the hours of hard work, studying, practicing, playing and performing has paid off! We can’t wait to see what you all accomplish from here!

"Go ye into all the world, let there be light” Proud to be Pioneers #waylandbaptistuniversity #waylandalumni

Texas Baptist Men April 11, 2021

TBM Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, TBM has provided 100,000 meals in Ukraine through a unique partnership. You are delivering much needed food in areas where there is little access to any. #ukraine #ukrainewar #prayforpeace #disasterrelief

Texas Baptist Men have continued to send volunteer groups and supplies to help those affected by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Whether it is is serving refugees in Poland or providing food to struggling families within Ukraine, TBM is taking an active role in the crisis and sharing Christ’s love through it all.

Tag Texas Baptists on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and use #gc2 for a chance to be featured in our next magazine.

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TEXAS BAPTIST MEN IN UKRAINE

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God at work

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over

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Spring Break ! s n o i t Salva

0 0 2 r e Ov

By Bonnie Shaw, News Manager

quick facts from 2022

15,534 8,269 7,073 207

safe rides given

gospel conversations

people prayed with

professions of faith

It was about 2 a.m., and the students had been giving van rides, taking shifts in the prayer room and answering van hotline calls all night. They were tired but excited by the chance to present the gospel to one final group of spring breakers before calling it a night.

“We were tired and ready to go to bed, and we said, ‘God just give us one,’” Jenny said.

A few minutes later, a group of girls piled into the van, asking for a ride to a popular local bar. Jenny struck up a conversation with the girl who sat next to her, Angelina, and learned that she was from a Catholic background.

When Angelina went to college, she felt like she was not good enough to earn God’s love. Jenny shared the gospel with Angelina and told her about God’s grace. She prayed that Angelina would

feel the spirit of the Lord around her.

After the prayer, Jenny asked Angelina if she would like to accept Jesus into her life, and she said yes. Angelina was one of 207 people who made professions of faith during Beach Reach 2022 on South Padre Island.

Beach Reach is an outreach program that takes place over spring break.

BSM students around Texas go to South Padre Island to serve their fellow college students and the island community. The primary purpose of the mission experience is to share the love of Christ with fellow college students through acts of service and intentional gospel conversations.

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As Jenny’s van prepared to make its last pick-up of the night, Jenny and the other Tarleton University Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) students prayed that they would have meaningful, gospel-centered conversations with whoever entered their van.

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Prayer-backed ministry In 2022, 854 Beach Reach students and volunteers served over two weeks.

Jenny’s van was one of 80 vans that drove spring breakers around the island while engaging in spiritual conversations.

After years of doing this ministry, the vans are well known by spring breakers and islanders alike, who have dubbed them the “Jesus vans,” a nickname the students inside are happy to embrace.

At Island Baptist Church, a command center was set up, with vans coming in and out of the parking lot regularly as calls from around the island came in. A hotline room hosted a group of Beach Reachers, who sat with headsets and computers, answering calls from spring breakers and dispatching vans accordingly.

Tristan, who came with Schreiner University BSM, explained that the hotline was a vital part of the ministry, ensuring that students find the vans so that they can be engaged in meaningful, spiritual conversations.

“This is an easier way to get spring breakers to the vans so that we can talk to them and share the gospel,” he explained.

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As he talked, a cheer went up from around the room. They just got word that a spring breaker had come to know the Lord in one of the vans the hotline had dispatched.

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Meanwhile, another group of Beach Reachers were taking their shift in the prayer room, which was set up in the church’s sanctuary. The walls and floors were lined with maps of the island, Bible verses and prayer prompts, and a projector in the front of the room shared live updates on prayer requests coming in from the vans.

Across the island, Texas Baptist Men (TBM) set up a tent in front of one of the local bars, where they serve pancakes from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. each night. Phil, a TBM volunteer from Alvin, TX, has been coming down to Beach Reach for five years.

“I love to come out and see the energy of these kids and their compassion in Christ as they witness to their peers,” Phil said.

This year, TBM volunteers made and served 6,430 pancakes to spring breakers and community members.

The pancakes are another tool Beach Reachers use to connect with people on

the island. As people stand around the tent eating, students engage them in conversations. It is a way to meet and interact with people they would normally be unable to talk to.

“It’s hard to explain what an impact Beach Reach makes when you just talk about pancakes and vans, but those are the things that lead to life-changing conversations,” Reid Burkett, director of the BSM at The University of Texas in San Antonio, explained.

On the last day of each week of Beach Reach, BSM students went out to the beach to celebrate all that the Lord has done. Everyone who accepted Christ throughout the week was invited to join them, and the Beach Reachers gathered around them to pray. Then, the group ran out into the Gulf of Mexico, where

they celebrated as the new believers were baptized beneath the waves.

With each profession of faith and baptism, a shout went up from the crowd, with students and leaders alike celebrating. Curious onlookers watched from the shore, asking questions and leading to even more gospel conversations. Though Beach Reach is over, for the students whose lives have been forever changed, this is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, Beach Reach leaders will make sure the new believers find churches to connect with so that the commitment they made on South Padre Island will be fostered and continue to grow.

For more information on Beach Reach visit, beachreachspi.org.

See Beach Reach in action

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More than just pancakes and vans

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Families helping families

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By Joanna Berry, Vice President of Family and International Ministries at STCH Ministries

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STCH Ministries opened its doors to children in 1952. Since those humble beginnings on isolated south Texas ranch land, the ministry to children and families has expanded into nine different ministries and crossed the ocean to the Dominican Republic and more. Throughout every ministry, the mission has remained the same, “Honoring God, reaching children and families with His love and truth, and enabling others to join us.”

Over the years STCH Ministries has overcome obstacles common to anyone who tries to serve God

and share the gospel in dark places.

However, the pandemic presented challenges internationally that seemed insurmountable — mandated quarantines, travel restrictions and the fear that gripped and paralyzed the world. The ministry always depended on mission teams to meet many needs of children and families and to support the ministries of orphanages, schools and churches through our presence, resources and “sweat equity.”

Eron Green, president and CEO of STCH Ministries, captured our call to action and service during this time

with, “The ministry continues.” Two words came to define STCH Ministries International during this COVID crisis —perseverance and flexibility.

Perseverance to overcome obstacles, take calculated risks while exercising appropriate protocols and replace fear with faith in God’s provision and faithfulness. And flexibility to assess needs and resources, adapt service delivery to the existing circumstances and creatively meet the most urgent needs of families and children.

An immediate priority of STCH was the hunger crisis in the Dominican Republic.

They overcame food scarcity at the village level and purchased large pallets of basic food necessities from the Bravo grocery stores — a Christian business.

Quarantined, they communicated by phone, “We have food for your family… your appointment time is tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.!” They prayed with and counseled each one, and delivered packets of rice, beans, spaghetti, tomato sauce and other basic food items. Later, they scrounged throughout the island for laptops and notebooks so that children could access distance learning.

“The ministry continues.”

After a short pause to re-group and re-tool, appropriate mission team precautions were developed—prescreening, limited group size, masks and outdoor activities. Teams began to serve again in September 2020. They delivered groceries from the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering to families in need, met with discouraged teachers to share distancelearning techniques and encouraged pastors and orphanage workers.

Centered on families From the beginning, STCH Ministries International centered on children and families—both as a focus in ministry activities as well as in the make-up of the teams. Families are invited to serve together internationally as a part of family mission teams, believing that this shared experience can impact the culture of a family and develop an

eternal perspective on Christian values and priorities. Love your neighbor.

Share with others less fortunate. Go and share Jesus.

Hosting family mission teams requires special logistics to meet their unique needs, ensure their safety and provide activities for families to work together.

The mission headquarters in the northern part of Santo Domingo include housing for families to stay together in individual rooms with queen beds and bunk beds, creating a perfect ambiance at bedtime that encourages families to process, “Where did you see God working today?” A kitchen on-site serves a healthy menu, with a combination of Dominican and more familiar American foods. Moms and dads work on projects with their children — a desk for teachers, or bookshelves for the classroom, or painting a home or a playground. Ministry activities include parents with their children providing crafts, games and dramatizing a Bible story in a backyard Bible club.

In spite of the pall of confusion and fear that hung over both sides of the Caribbean, family mission teams have continued to serve and live out the gospel message. One family mission group, from Baptist churches in the Houston and Dallas areas, worked together in the open-air workshop. They built desks and cubbies for the Villa Altagracia school. Appropriately masked, they participated in an evangelism walk-through in the surrounding neighborhood, distributed tracts and rejoiced with those who responded.

Children’s ministries included singing, games and the Jonah story shared through drama. Throughout 2021, family mission teams pushed aside fears and dire predictions and continued to serve.

They shared Jesus’ love and the hope of the gospel as they built playgrounds, helped in medical and dental clinics, played baseball, loved on children in orphanages and shared a meal with a Dominican family in their home.

Most family groups come from Texas Baptists churches, but even schools have benefitted from this family emphasis.

Graduating eighth-graders and their parents from the Yorktown Christian Academy (YCA) in Corpus Christi have served on mission for the past several years. Recently, they returned and built beds for children who have never slept in their own beds and painted a playground. They shared crafts, sang songs and dramatized a Bible story in a poverty-level school. They loved on children in an orphanage and blessed the housemoms with special gifts.

John Gilbert, headmaster of YCA, shared that families from the school are impacted by the value that the Dominican people place on families, “They have so little materially, yet they are so caring and loyal to each other.”

John also shared the impact of these trips on the school culture. “It cultivates a Biblical worldview, helps to sensitize us to needs of others beyond ourselves, especially the priority of sharing the gospel in word and deed.”

Through words and deeds, and in presence, STCH Ministries family mission teams continue to bring hope for hurting children and families. They live out their faith that neither angels or demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow (not even a pandemic) can separate us from God’s love.

To learn more about STCH Ministries visit, stchm.org.

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The government decreed a mandatory lockdown that affected the vast majority of families who lived one meal away from hunger. STCH Ministries' family of donors responded to the increased needs with resources like food to feed children and families and computers to aid distance learning. Although U.S. mission teams could not travel, our faithful Dominican ministry partners organized, identifying families in crisis.

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SPOTLIGHT

OUR MINISTRIES INCLUDE...

The Center for Missional Engagement is all about engaging churches in corporate missions through strategic opportunities in Texas and around the world. Whether it is a partnership with a River Ministry missionary along the Texas/Mexico border or a Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) missionary in Asia, the Center provides unique opportunities for churches to get involved in missions. With the Center for Missional Engagement, churches can work in partnership with other churches across Texas to make a bigger impact in reaching the world for Christ. We are stronger when we work together.

• BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery & Student Church Planting • Church Starting • Missionary Adoption Program • Multi-Housing & House Church Planting • Philippi Church Ministry

Josué Valerio, director of the Center for Missional Engagement

• River Ministry & Mexico Missions

• Missions Partnerships

For more information on the Center for Missional Engagement, visit txb.org/missions

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• Texas Baptists Missionaries

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25.9017° N, 97.4975° W

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SPOTLIGHT

sharing god’s love WITH

open hands

ALONG THE BORDER

25.9017° N, 97.4975° W

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By Bonnie Shaw, News Manager

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“If your hand is closed, God can’t fill it. If your hand is open, God will fill it,” Texas Baptists River Ministry missionary George Solis said as he walked through the storerooms at Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville.

Meeting physical and spiritual needs

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The rooms were overflowing with donations of clothing, hygiene kits and other basic necessities that would be handed out to immigrants crossing into Brownsville and sent out to other River Ministry missionaries along the Texas/ Mexico border.

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Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville has been a hub for immigrant relief work since they began working with migrants in April 2019. They first began when Pastor Carlos Navarro heard of a large caravan of immigrants and realized they would need assistance when they arrived.

“I thought, that’s going to be a great revival. We’re going to meet them with love and the gospel,” Navarro recalled.

Navarro was right. Since the church has begun their ministry, they have served over 22,000 migrants, giving out 9,500 Bibles and serving over 41,000 meals.

They have seen 8,437 salvations.

The church is working in partnership with the Border Patrol, who alerts them whenever a new bus of immigrants arrives from processing at the border.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Border Patrol would bring the migrants to the church, where church members would give them hot meals and help them prepare for the next leg of their journey.

Now, however, each Saturday, church members go to the bus station, where they set up tables of hot meals and chairs for people to relax in while they wait for their next bus, train or plane to take them to their final destination in the United States. Border Patrol lets them know how many people are coming and their estimated time of arrival so that they can come prepared with enough items to serve everyone.

At the bus station, the church creates a long line of tables with Bibles, clothing, non-perishable snacks and hot meals.

The clothes that are distributed are weather dependent, with sweatshirts given out in the winter and t-shirts in

the summer. Solis also explained that they ask the migrants where their final destination is before they pass out the clothing. People traveling to Michigan, for example, would need heavier clothing items than people going to Florida, he said.

“We hope that by sharing the gospel, we can make an impact that follows them for the rest of their lives.”

As the migrants rest, church members share the gospel with them and messages of hope. Pastor Navarro sits with them, telling them his own testimony. He migrated to the United States from El Salvador, so he has empathy and understanding for the hardships that many of them have been through.

22,000+ 9,500 41,000+ 8,437

SPOTLIGHT

migrants reached

Bibles handed out

meals served

salvations

church was running the ministry.

Gonzalez saw that Navarro needed a coordinator for the ministry, and Solis stepped in to fill the role.

The church named the ministry Golan Ministries, after the city of Golan, which was named as a place of rest in Deuteronomy.

Serving beyond Brownsville

In the church building, there are storerooms full of donations from all around the world. Solis explained that they have never done any fundraising, but their active social media pages have drawn the attention of many organizations looking to help along the border. For example, in 2020, a major airline saw a drastic reduction in flights due to COVID-19. They found out about Golan Ministries and donated all of their unused first-class hygiene kits for the ministry to distribute.

Solis first became involved with the ministry when River Ministry Director Mario Gonzalez saw how busy the

In addition to coordinating the dayto-day operations of the ministry, which include sorting donations and organizing the weekly homeless and migrant ministry, Solis also acts as a connection point for distributing donations to River Ministry missionaries in surrounding areas.

“Whenever I get things that I think anyone could use, I send them off to whoever it can help,” Solis explained.

Most recently, Solis has sent first aid kits to Gloria de la Peña, who works as a healthcare missionary in Acuña, Mexico. He has sent additional supplies, including hygiene kits, medical supplies and other donated items up and down the border.

As restrictions ease up, Solis and Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville are excited to welcome immigrants back into their church. They have built a housing facility on their property that can house families who have to wait overnight until their next bus or plane arrives.

There are also laundry facilities for those who need them.

As the ministry continues to grow, Solis said that above all, the church needs prayer, Bibles to distribute and volunteers to continue connecting on a personal level with the migrants who come through Brownsville.

“They’re already here; somebody has to help them,” Solis said. “We hope that by sharing the gospel, we can make an impact that follows them for the rest of their lives.”

To learn more about ministry at Brownsville and the work of River Ministry, visit txb.org/riverministry.

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In addition to their migrant ministry, Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville also serves the homeless population in their city twice a week.

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BOUNCE continues disaster relief work in heavily impacted Jefferson County

By Texas Baptists Communications

In Jefferson County, life has not yet returned to normal for many families affected by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Some have been unable to gather the necessary supplies to rebuild as lumber prices have skyrocketed, others have been hit by subsequent hurricanes, adding to the already existing damage.

To help aid in the ongoing recovery efforts, BOUNCE Student Disaster Relief has sent groups of middle and high school students to the area for the past four years.

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Over spring break, BOUNCE sent 270 students and leaders to the county to partner with Jefferson County Long Term Recovery Group. The students served primarily in Beaumont and Port Neches, doing repairs and recovery work. Students came from all over Texas, including Fort Worth, San Angelo and Longview, and a group from Louisiana also came.

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For BJ Foster, student minister at First Baptist Church in Lewisville, BOUNCE was an opportunity to teach his students about missions and expand their worldview.

“Missions help students to understand the importance of loving others through service and both verbally and nonverbally sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Taking students on

mission also helps them form a healthy world vision,” Foster explaiend. “Many of the students that I work with do not recognize the world outside of where they live. Missions help students have a better understanding of God’s love for the world.”

Foster’s group helped families install new flooring in their homes and also helped with other service projects such as picking up trash, mowing lawns, painting and power washing.

As his students installed new floors in one of the homes they worked on, they had to move carefully around the matriarch of the home, who was bedridden after a recent stay in the hospital. They paused their work regularly to allow nurses to take care of the woman, and they gingerly moved around the bed to put in the new floors.

Foster expressed his joy at watching his students show love, patience and understanding throughout the process.

“It never ceases to amaze me what students can accomplish when challenged to overcome…Bounce placed my students in situations where they could show Christ’s love to others in a multitude of ways,” Foster shared.

To learn more about BOUNCE, visit txb.org/bounce.

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SPOTLIGHT

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By B

onn ie S h

aw, Ne

ws M ana ger

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere."

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2 Corinthians 2:14

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Tony Canady was lying in bed, watching “I said, ‘Lord, I know you're not asking a TV evangelist, when the evangelist me to start a church.’ And the Lord said, quoted 2 Corinthians 2:14. Canady felt ‘You're right, I’m telling you to start a the Lord tugging at his heart, so he church,’” Canady said of the moment. pulled out his Bible and read the passage.

As he read, he heard the Lord’s voice Canady and his wife felt led to plant the telling him to plant a church inspired church in Waxahachie, which was about by the verse, one that celebrated the thirty minutes away from where his “triumphal” life and resurrection of family lived in Mansfield. It was called Christ. Canady, who already had a Triumphal Christian Fellowship, after full-time job as a finance manager at a the verse that had inspired the church car dealership, had long thought about in the first place. As he began the church joining the ministry of an existing starting process, Canady connected with church, but he had never thought he the Texas Baptists Church Starting team. would plant one himself.

He explained that he initially reached out because he already knew a lot of other churches and ministries that were affiliated with Texas Baptists. As a Texas Baptists church plant, he would have access to resources and fellowship that could be otherwise difficult for a fledgling church to find.

“For me, it wasn't even about the financial piece that they were able to give – that was just like the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae – I was just impressed with the connections, with the fellowship, with the [feeling that] it's not a competition. If one church is doing something amazing, another church is celebrating it,” Canady explained. “Being in a team environment is what honestly kind of drew me to want to be a part a big part of Texas Baptists.”

Lonnie Tucker, the Church Starting strategist for Area 4, worked with

SPOTLIGHT

“He's introduced me to so many different people. He's come to the church, we've gone to lunch, we've talked, and I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that whoever your church starting strategist is, they're going to lean in to you,” Canady said.

The church launched its first service on September 22, 2021.

Diversity was a key emphasis from the inception of Triumphal Christian Fellowship. Canady explained that the aim of the church was not just to be racially diverse, but also socioeconomically and generationally.

“Diversity to me is having all different walks of life come together on a Sunday morning and doing life together,” he said.

“This is a slice of heaven,” he added.

As a bivocational pastor, Canady acknowledged that it was easy, at times, to become overwhelmed by juggling family, secular job and ministerial duties.

He continued to say that remembering that the church was God’s work, not his, was a source of comfort and support.

“God let me understand early that I'm only an instrument, and I'm only a vessel. This is His church, He's just going to use me to do the work,” he shared. “And that took all the pressure off of me.”

Triumphal Christian Fellowship celebrated its six-month anniversary in March by baptizing ten people in a trough at the front of the worship space.

It was a mix of young and old, Black and white, long-time church-goers and recent attendees. As each person came

up from the water and stepped out of the trough, cheers went up around the room. That Sunday, the church had 80 attendees, a new record for the church.

As Triumphal continues to grow and establish itself, Canady asked Texas Baptists to pray that the heart of the church always remains centered on God. “I would love for people to pray that we can continue to grow in a healthy way and that we never forget that this is His church,” he said. “I am just the foreman of His project for the church He is building.”

To learn more about Texas Baptists Church Starting, go to txb.org/missions.

Watch this video with Tony Canady

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Canady, providing support for the pastor and guiding them through the process of becoming a church.

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Spain Canada

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Brazil

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MAP

The Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) exists to connect Texas Baptists churches with churches, associations and conventions in countries all over the world to jointly adopt local missionaries native to those countries. These missionaries intentionally focus on evangelism, discipleship and church planting in their own context.

See a sneak peek of what some of our MAP missionaries are doing, and go to txb.org/map to partner with a missionary today!

SPOTLIGHT

South Asia Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Lonnie* lives in Southeast Asia in a 200 home village where everyone embraces Buddhism. He has been reaching out to share Christ in this village and the surrounding area for more than a decade and is now starting to see people turn to Jesus. It is hard in this area, as many may show interest in the gospel of Jesus, but they have difficulty turning their backs on a deeply rooted faith in Buddhism because of family pressure and strong cultural ties with Buddhism.

Lonnie leads a Bible study and worship every Sunday with lunch following the service. Through this ministry, over 30 people have come to know the Lord.

Through the support of Texas Baptists churches, he can provide medical treatments to families in need and this opens doors to talk about Jesus.

South Asia Jonathan* is a local leader in South Asia and has around eight small groups in various villages learning about church.

Many particpants are not believers, but over 100 people are gathering in these groups weekly for study and worship. Jonathan is raising up more leaders, like himself, to lead the small church gatherings. We have churches multiplying churches in South Asia because of your support!

Spain

Canada

Brazil MAP Missionaries Millena and Douglas Nascimento, serve in Puna, Brazil, in the Amazon. They use local culture to reach the people in their community.

They held a dance festival with the theme, “In Him We Live,” to share more about Christ with their community.

More than 80 people attended the event, and Douglas brought a message of Christ to share with everyone there.

Rafael, a MAP Missionary in Vancouver, started Burnaby Born Again Church, reaching out to serve over 11,950 people in the Metro Vancouver area who speak Portuguese as a first language. He and his family have done this through many outreach programs and their jobs. One outreach that helps them meet the community is going to the park to give out water, bubbles or other items, as well as grilling or playing games. Rafael has said, “This is a time when we are persevering together…because we believe that the best of God is yet to come!” * names have been changed

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Luigui Roca serves in Spain as a MAP Missionary. There have still been many COVID-19 restrictions this year.

However, they were able to start their community groups again, which meet twice a month. Two members, Juan Carlos and Gladys, opened their house to host a group, and a woman named Cristina helps lead it. Cristina met with a friend, Norma, and shared about this group and was able to share Jesus with her. Norma and her 9-year-old daughter became believers that day! God gave Norma this divine appointment and showed that anytime is good to share the gospel. Norma is coming to church and community group because she has a hunger to know more about Christ.

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Modeling Christ’s character:

How Pastor Luevano witnesses God’s love to the Hispanic immigrant communities in Houston

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By Valeria Ramazzini, contributing writer

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In the southern area of Houston, Pastor Ernesto Luevano and his family are dedicating their lives to the service and witness of Christ among the Hispanic immigrant communities of the area.

Originally from Monterey, Mexico, Luevano moved to Texas in 2013, heeding the instructions the Lord gave him.

“I came to Texas for a family vacation, but after that visit was over, I received a strong calling from the Lord to become a pastor in the United States,”

shared Luevano, “I saw the great need among the Hispanic community and how many of them were disoriented without Christ.”

Following the Lord’s calling for his life, in 2019, Luevano received the opportunity to move to the mobile home park, Trinity Duval, where the owners

SPOTLIGHT Keeping up with the vision At this time, Luevano is still a bivocational pastor, but thanks to the help of brothers and sisters in Trinity Duval, Pine Valley Bible Church, Missions Center of Houston and Texas Baptists the Iglesia Bautista “La Biblia Dice Asi” continues growing and thriving.

Living as a missionary among his neighbors, Luevano started the Iglesia Bautista Hispana “La Biblia Dice Asi” which met in a small storage room given to him by the owners.

“In the span of a year, the Lord greatly blessed us. In this time, we saw around 75 people come to Christ. Every month, I would ask God for one family in particular, so I could work with them and help meet their needs. Soon, we outgrew the space we had at the mobile home park,” explained Luevano.

It was around this time that the Lord once again opened doors and opportunities for Luevano to continue his ministry.

Growing the church and ministering to the community Located close to Trinity Duval is Pastor Bruce Bumgardner’s congregation, Pine Valley Bible Church. Bumgardner and all his congregation had been praying for over 20 years for a Spanish-speaking pastor to come into the neighborhood and share Christ’s love with the Hispanic community.

“Pastor Bruce, without knowing much about us, opened up the doors of his church and gave us the place we needed to grow,” said Luevano.

While Luevano’s church developed, the COVID-19 pandemic halted many of the weekly events and Sunday services.

However, Luevano took this opportunity to expand his work by continuing his ministry through Facebook Live and community outreaches.

“Not even five minutes away from the church there are some apartment complexes called Brookdale Village and Rios de Vida where we do the work of Christ. We come to serve the people in these communities, most of them who

"I feel a very strong weight in my heart for the zip code 77087, so that the love of God may shine light and truth in this place." are immigrants, by bringing them food, supplies, toys, clothes and the love of God,” shared Luevano.

Once a month, Luevano, his family and various members of the church visit these apartment complexes in order to share their love, time, resources and the message of salvation to these immigrant families in need.

“We as children of God have the responsibility and obligation to bring all of these people to Christ’s throne,” continued Luevano, “Through the events that we organize, we have been able to model and show them Christ’s character.

On average, we see around 20 people give their lives to the Lord as a result of our witnessing.”

“I feel a very strong weight in my heart for the zip code 77087, so that the love of God may shine light and truth in this place. What is happening within my ministry surpasses any plan I envisioned; these are now real happenings,” shared Luevano.

“And the calling I so strongly feel coming from the Lord is found in Matthew 9:36-38: 'But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest' ” explained Luevano.

Luevano asks the Texas Baptists family to be supporting him through prayer, so that he may have even more love for all those who still do not know Christ and the strength necessary to keep working according to God’s plans.

“Right now we are working with three apartment complexes which I think is still too little. Everything I do, I refer back to the great example of salvation my Lord has given me; for this reason, I want to keep serving, working and reaching more people so that they may know His infinite faithfulness and deep love,” concluded Luevano.

To learn more about multi-housing ministry, visit txb.org/housechurch

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of the park gave him permission to establish a church and share God’s word with all the residents in the community.

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Future Church 2030 Conference helps church leaders look forward to the future with confidence

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By Bonnie Shaw, News Manager

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“It is our hope and prayer that everything we learn here makes a big Kingdom impact for the days, weeks and years to come,” Texas Baptists Executive Director David Hardage said as he kicked off the Future Church 2030 Conference.

The conference focused on preparing church leaders for the year 2030 and the cultural, technological and demographic changes that will happen in the coming years. It took place on April 4-5 at First Baptist Church in Bryan.

Over 300 ministry and church leaders attended the conference, hearing from

a variety of nationally-recognized speakers, local pastors and Texas Baptists ministry leaders. Subjects ranged from leading through a crisis to incorporating technology into your church’s operations. Each session ended with a question and answer portion, where attendees could ask session leaders to speak more in-depth on certain topics.

The future is here On Monday afternoon, Beto Gonzalez and Ariel Martinez, Global Compassion & Spanish Ministry pastor and campus

pastor at Del Sol Church in El Paso, respectively, spoke about engaging the growing Hispanic demographic in Texas. They urged churches to make a space for Hispanic people in their church and to help raise up Hispanic church leaders. They explained that, above all, Hispanics value work, family and cultural religious belief. By creating events that promote the family and provide opportunities for the church’s Hispanic ministry and non-Hispanic ministry to come together, churches can create a space where their changing communities feel like they belong.

SPOTLIGHT

During his message, Steve Bezner, pastor of Northwest Church Houston, explained that the future church needs to be a Kingdom-first church. He explained that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed some of the instabilities that churches were already facing and brought them to the forefront. He said that churches need to focus on creating a Kingdom community, not a community of consumers. He also reminded churches to be involved in the community, mission-minded and making disciples.

“There’s something about each of us that comes alive when we decide to look beyond ourselves and wash the feet of our neighbors,” he said.

Director of the Center for Cultural Engagement Katie Frugé spoke on issues of identity, presence and purpose facing the future church. She explained that there has been an increase in anonymity on the Internet.

“If the future is pushing disconnectivity in real life, then where are we connecting?”

Frugé asked conference attendees.

Frugé explained that the church can be the place of connectivity that people are desperately searching for. She also reminded church leaders that though cultural issues may change, the message of the gospel and the mission of the church remains the same.

Monday night was ended with a two-part session entitled “How Not to Waste a Crisis,” which was led by co-founder and principal of AE Sloan Leadership Tod Bolsinger. The adaptive challenges that churches are facing, Bolsinger explained, cannot be solved with existing knowledge rather, they require a shift in values, expectations or behavior.

During this time of learning and change, it is imperative to keep the “core DNA” of your church or ministry the same.

Before change can come, you have to know what needs to be kept consistent and steady.

“It’s about being the healthiest version of ourselves, which means we have to get really really clear about our core values,” Bolsinger said. “And by that, I don’t mean our aspirational values. Not who we should be, but who we are. [We need to be] the healthiest version of that.”

Adjusting the method, not the message On Tuesday morning, Director of Church Health Strategy Jonathan Smith spoke from the second chapter of Acts and encouraged church leaders, giving them a message of hope.

“The gospel is unstoppable,” he said. “And the gospel will come out in unexpected ways at an unexpected time through unexpected people.”

"Getting back to 2019 isn’t a vision. Moving forward is a vision."

Young people are struggling to find places where they can lead in the church and asking questions about what the church is doing to better the community.

Mason encouraged churches to reflect on those issues and be deliberate about making a space for young believers.

Carey Nieuwhof ended the conference with his two-part session on “Why the Old Model of Church No Longer Works.”

He explained that many people put too much emphasis on going “back” to a certain way of doing things.

“Getting back to 2019 isn’t a vision.

Moving forward is a vision,” he said.

He reminded church leaders that GC2 – the Great Commission and the Great Commandment – should be the sole focus and encouraged them to get involved in revitalizing, replanting and planting churches. He recommended that churches who want to get involved with church planting contact the Center for Missional Engagement, which has had a 92% success rate in church planting.

He offered seven trends that churches of the future will need to embrace in order to see growth, including focusing on embracing the digital, looking beyond the walls of the church and decentralizing their ministry.

Eric Mason, founder and pastor of Epiphany Fellowship, shared a powerful word about the future of the Black church, reaching Millennials and Gen Z and the mission of the gospel.

“The worst thing you can do is leave from here and do nothing,” he said. “What will you do with what you’ve learned?”

“Because falsehood goes out quickly, the church has to have a disposition of armor of God, spiritual unity, Christ-centeredness and a ferocious commitment to the gospel that’s beyond our differences,” he said.

Phil Miller, director of the Center for Church Health, concluded the conference with a charge to the church leaders in attendance.

To connect with the Center for Church Health and to learn more about the resources and trainings they can offer your church, go to txb.org/church.

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“We have to be intentional about reaching Hispanics and we have to be intentional about training Hispanic leaders,” Martinez said.

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Compartiendo el Carácter de Dios: Como el Pastor Luevano sirve a la comunidad de inmigrantes Hispanos en Houston

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By Valeria Ramazzini

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Houston, TX. Al sur de la ciudad, el Pastor Ernesto Luevano y su familia han dedicado sus vidas al servicio y testimonio de Cristo para satisfacer las necesidades de la comunidad hispana de inmigrantes en el área.

Originario de Monterrey, Mexico, Luevano se mudo a Texas en el 2013 siguiendo las instrucciones que Dios le había dado.

“Yo vine a Texas de vacaciones con mi familia, pero después de esa visita recibí un llamado claro de parte del Señor para pastorear en los Estados

Unidos,” compartió Luevano, “Vi la gran necesidad entre la comunidad hispana, y como muchos estaban desorientados sin Cristo.”

Siguiendo el llamado de Dios, en el año 2019, Luevano recibió la oportunidad de mudarse al parque de casas móviles, Trinity Duval, en donde los dueños del

SPOTLIGHT “Nosotros como hijos de Dios tenemos la responsabilidad y obligación de traer a toda esta gente a los pies de Cristo,” continuó Luevano. “A través de estos eventos que organizamos hemos podido modelar el carácter de Cristo. Cada mes vemos alrededor de 20 personas entregar su vida a nuestro Señor.”

Siguiendo el evangelio

Viviendo como misionero entre sus vecinos, Luevano empezó la Iglesia Bautista Hispana “La Biblia Dice Asi” reuniéndose en una pequeña bodega que los dueños del parque le habían prestado.

“En un año Dios fue bueno. En este tiempo vimos como alrededor de 75 almas fueron salvas. Yo le pedía a Dios por una familia cada mes, trabajaba directamente con ellos, y les trataba de ayudar con sus necesidades, pero pronto ya no cabíamos en el espacio que teníamos,” relato Luevano.

Fue en este tiempo que Dios nuevamente abrió las puertas para que Luevano continuará su ministerio.

Mientras la iglesia de Luevano crecía, la pandemia del Covid-19 vino a pausar muchos de los eventos y reuniones en persona. Sin embargo, Luevano tomó esta oportunidad para expandir su ministerio a través de Facebook Live y diferentes alcances comunitarios.

"Yo siento una carga muy fuerte por el zip code 77087, para que haya luz en este lugar.

Lo que está pasando en nuestro ministerio ya no solo son proyectos, son hechos."

Creciendo en el Señor y sirviendo a la comunidad Cerca de Trinity Duval se encuentra la iglesia del Pastor Bruce Bumgardner, Pine Valley Bible Church. Bumgardner y su congregación habían estado orando por más de 20 años para que un pastor hispano llegara a dar el ejemplo de Cristo y compartir la palabra de Dios con la comunidad hispana.

“El pastor Bruce, sin conocernos, nos abrió las puertas de su iglesia y nos dio un lugar con todas las instalaciones necesarias para reunirnos,” comentó Luevano.

“A cinco minutos de la iglesia están los apartamentos, Brookdale Village y Ríos de Vida, en donde nosotros hacemos la obra de Cristo llevando comida, útiles, juguetes, ropa, y el amor del Señor a todo el que lo necesite,” compartió Luevano.

Una vez al mes, Luevano, su familia, y miembros de la iglesia visitan estos apartamentos para poder compartir tiempo, recursos, y la palabra de Dios a familias de inmigrantes con varias necesidades.

“Yo siento una carga muy fuerte por el zip code 77087, para que haya luz en este lugar. Lo que está pasando en nuestro ministerio ya no solo son proyectos, son hechos,” compartió Luevano.

“Y el llamado tan fuerte que yo siento de parte de Dios está en Mateo 9:36-38: Al ver a las multitudes, tuvo compasión de ellas, porque estaban agobiadas y desamparadas, como ovejas sin pastor. «La cosecha es abundante, pero son pocos los obreros – les dijo a sus discípulos -- .Pídanle, por tanto, al Señor de la cosecha que envíe obreros a su campo», explicó Luevano.”

Luevano le pide a la familia de Texas Baptist que lo apoyen en oración para que Dios les dé más amor por las almas perdidas y fuerzas para seguir obrando de acuerdo a Su voluntad.

“Ahorita estamos trabajando con tres apartamentos, y se me hacen pocos. Yo todo lo que hago lo reflejo por la gran salvación que mi Señor nos ha dado; por esto, yo quiero seguir sirviendo, trabajando y abarcando más para que la gente conozca su fidelidad y gran amor,” concluyó Luevano. txb.org/housechurch

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parque le dieron permiso para establecer una iglesia y compartir la palabra de Dios con todos los residentes de la comunidad.

Por el momento, Luevano es un pastor bivocacional, pero gracias a la ayuda de los hermanos en Trinity Duval, Pine Valley Bible Church, Mission Centers of Houston, y el BGCT la Iglesia Bautista “La Biblia Dice Asi” sigue creciendo.

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Statewide Evangelism Conference save the date

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