Texas Baptists 2025 Book of Reports

JULIO GUARNERI Executive Director BECKY BROWN Executive Assistant

What an exciting year of work and ministry 2025 has been!

Over the course of this year, I have had the privilege of traveling throughout Texas and around the world, meeting pastors and ministry leaders and sharing about the work of Texas Baptists–God is doing great things!

Texas Baptists continue to serve in Texas and beyond to advance the kingdom. Through River Ministry, Texas Baptists churches are serving along the border. Through Pave, the Texas Baptists church revitalization strategy, churches and pastors are being equipped for renewed ministry and recognizing the unique ways God has called them to serve. It is such a joy to be a part of this cooperative work!

I am excited about the launch of the Texas Baptists Indemnity Program (TBIP). Dr. Craig Christina, associate executive director, and Dr. Ward Hayes, chief financial officer/treasurer, have done a terrific job of developing that program with support and guidance from your Texas Baptists Executive Board. With so many churches seeking solutions for affordable insurance, I am exceedingly grateful that Texas Baptists is able to step in and help. This really is an example of churches serving churches. You can learn more and apply for coverage today at tbip.org.

I continue to be excited about our developing GC2 Strong emphasis also. GC2 churches love God well, love their neighbor tangibly and make disciples of all nations. Our hope is that all Texas Baptists churches will be faithful to God’s call to live out the two GCs. With rampant lostness in our state, nation and world, there is no time to lose. As we move forward with this emphasis, I have been sharing thoughts and answering questions through my weekly updates. You can subscribe to receive these updates as weekly newsletters, and read past updates at txb.org/julio.

I am grateful for the work of our GC2 design team, comprised of Sergio Ramos, director of GC2 Network; Joshua Minatrea, senior director of Resource Development; Jonathan Smith, associate director for the Center for Church Health; Noe Treviño, director for the Center for Missional Engagement; and Clinton Lowin, director of MAP & TXB Missionaries. This team has been hard at work meeting weekly to help shape a GC2 “discovery process” to help churches consider and strengthen their GC2 practice. We are so eager for churches to begin moving through this process together!

As we gather in Abilene, I hope and pray that we will experience a spirit of unity among our Texas Baptists family, the same spirit that brought five conventions together 140 years ago to form what is now the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

For the sake of the Kingdom,

Julio Guarneri

MAJOR ACTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

SINCE THE LAST SESSION OF THE ANNUAL MEETING INCLUDED:

APPROVED THE 2024 PROCEEDINGS of the Baptist General Convention of Texas that met on November 10-12, 2024 in Waco, Texas.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO ORGANIZE A TEXAS BAPTISTS INSURANCE PROGRAM

APPROVED THE CREATION OF TEXAS BAPTIST INDEMNITY PROGRAM, TEXAS BAPTISTS RISK MANAGEMENT, AND COVENANT SOLUTIONS.

Each one is separate from the Baptist General Convention but each company’s board of directors is elected be the BGCT executive board.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY CAPITALIZATION FOR THE INSURANCE PROGRAM.

Board approved an investment of up to $12 million from BGCT’s undesignated assets to be transferred to the Texas Baptists Indemnity Program.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION FOR EACH OF THE THREE NEW COMPANIES THAT AT LEAST ONE DIRECTOR OF MISSIONS AND ONE BGCT PASTOR WILL SERVE ON EACH BOARD

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CONTINUED PRACTICE OF RECEIVING INTO HARMONIOUS COOPERATION CHURCHES THAT AFFIRM TRADITIONAL BAPTIST BELIEFS AS GENERALLY STATED IN EITHER THE 1963 OR 2000 BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE OR SIMILAR BAPTISTIC CONFESSIONAL STATEMENT.

APPROVED 2 RECOMMENDATIONS OF INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE:

• TO ADOPT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS AND DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

• TO ADOPT THE RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF STCH MINISTRIES

APPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE TASK FORCE.

APPROVED NEW EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS FOR 2026 – DR. SUZIE LINER, RETIRED PEDIATRICIAN AND LAYPERSON FROM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, LUBBOCK, AS CHAIR AND KEITH WARREN, EXECUTIVE PASTOR OF NORTH SIDE BAPTIST CHURCH IN WEATHERFORD AS VICE CHAIR.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE ON COMMITTEES

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO FILL VACANCIES OF COMMITTEE TO NOMINATE BOARDS OF AFFILIATED MINISTRIES

APPROVED BMWL – BATTS, MORRISON, WALES & LEE TO BE THE 2025 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

APPROVED 2026 BUDGET

We recommend a budget for 2026 of $37,502,456 from the following sources of revenue:

APPROVED 2026 TEXAS WORLD MISSION INITIATIVES AND

PARTNERSHIP

MISSIONS

We recommend a 2024 proposed allocation of $1,100,000 of Cooperative Program Texas Worldwide Missions Initiatives and Partnerships as follows:

International Missions & Partnerships

$850,000

North American Missions & Partnerships 250,000

Total Worldwide Missions $1,100,000

In this centennial year of the Cooperative Program, we pause to celebrate 100 years of churches working together to advance the gospel across Texas and around the world.

The Texas Baptists Cooperative Program exists to demonstrate how far the love of Christ can reach when we give and serve together. Because of your church’s faithful generosity, the Cooperative Program (CP) continues to fuel life-changing ministry across Texas and around the world—supporting everything from chaplaincy and disaster recovery to campus outreach and church planting.

Led by Director Clay Jacobson and Specialist Ashlynn Brown, our team is dedicated to equipping churches with the tools, support and vision needed to share the impact of cooperative giving. We are here to serve as a trusted resource, helping congregations connect their generosity to the greater story of God’s Kingdom work.

Every dollar given through CP represents real ministry. A student hears the gospel on a college campus. A hospital patient receives a word of comfort. A new church is launched in a growing community. A missionary is sent to the unreached. This is the power of shared faithfulness and collective generosity.

To help churches tell these stories, we offer a growing library of CP videos—short, engaging features that spotlight real-life impact made possible through CP gifts. Churches are using them during Sunday worship, mission moments and online platforms to inspire and inform their members about the lives being changed through their giving.

Beyond video, we also provide print and digital resources designed to support churches in communicating the vision and value of CP. Whether introducing cooperative giving for the first time or reinforcing long-standing commitment, these tools make it simple to share how CP works and why it matters.

In 2025, we joyfully celebrate 100 years of the Cooperative Program—a century of faithfulness, unity and mission. Since 1925, churches have joined hands through CP to advance the gospel farther and faster than we ever could alone. This centennial year is not just a look back at what God has done. It’s a renewed invitation to carry the mission forward.

As the Cooperative Program enters its second century, it remains one of the most effective ways for churches to live out their calling to the Great Commission. It’s a visible expression of unity, stewardship and shared mission. When we give together, we send more missionaries, train more leaders, plant more churches and meet more needs than any of us could alone.

It is our joy to partner with you. Thank you for your faithfulness, your generosity and your investment in what God is doing through Texas Baptists. Together, we are expanding the reach of the gospel—across Texas and to the ends of the earth. CLAY JACOBSON

BROWN Cooperative Program Specialist

JOSHUA MINATREA Director

SPENCER WOLVERTON Communications Assistant

HEATHER PENNA Content Manager

JESSICA KING News Writer

NEIL WILLIAMS Senior Multimedia Specialist & Coordinator

JEREMIAH MORALES Social Media Specialist

CALEB ARNDT Design Manager

LAUREN CHILDS Graphic Designer

MARITZA SOLANO Production Designer

JOHANN DYCK Senior Web Manager/ Developer

ZACH MOORE Web Specialist

MARCUS WILSON Junior Marketing Consultant

Texas Baptists Communications continues to tell the good story of all that God is doing through Texas Baptists churches, ministry partners and ministry staff.

Across the website and mobile app, social media and multimedia accounts, weekly and monthly email newsletters, print and direct mail pieces and the flagship publication, Texas Baptists Life magazine, the Communications Department strives to keep churches informed, equipped and encouraged to live out the Great Commandment and Great Commission.

This past year, Joshua Minatrea transitioned from his role as communications director to lead the newly formed Resource Development Team. Joshua served as communications director for more than eight years. As senior director of resource development, Minatrea will lead a team that includes Communications, the Office of the Cooperative Program, Texas Baptists Missions Foundation and GC2 Press, the publishing ministry of Texas Baptists.

Johann Dyck, senior web manager and developer, and Heather Penna, content manager, both provided leadership to the department following Minatrea’s transition.

Texas Baptists Communications is pleased to share yet another way to hear the story of our collaborative missions and ministries. New this year, push notifications have been added to the Texas Baptists app. The added functionality allows the Communications Department to send news stories, weekly updates from Dr. Guarneri and important event information straight to your phone. The app is available for download at txb.org/app. Be sure to turn on notifications in your general app settings and from within the Texas Baptists app’s menu.

Additionally, we are excited to announce the launch of the new Ministry Conversations podcast. In each episode, host, Clay Jacobson, director of Church Starting, sits down with leaders and resource specialists from across Texas Baptists life to answer your questions about building and maintaining effective ministry. Join the conversation today at txb.org/ podcast.

Thank you for your continued support of Texas Baptists Communications. Your giving helps the entire Texas Baptists family to see your good deeds and glorify the Father!

Website–txb.org

Mobile app–txb.org/app

Social media–@TexasBaptists

Email newsletters–txb.org/subscribe Texas Baptists Life magazine–txb.org/life Ministry Conversations–txb.org/podcast

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” ~ Romans 8:28

In Human Resources, we are uniquely positioned to serve those who are serving others. Our kingdom work is to support the mission and initiatives of Texas Baptists leadership by equipping each employee with the tools and resources needed to carry out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. By ensuring that our policies, systems and programs effectively contribute to attracting, retaining, developing and motivating employees in a way that makes them feel supported, safe and empowered, we are helping the Convention cultivate leaders who will advance God’s Kingdom at home and abroad.

Winston Churchill once said, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” While perfection may be a difficult goal, we strive for it when it comes to our employees; and change has certainly been a big part of our department over the past two years. Since May 2024, Director Ray Malone moved to a new position within Texas Baptists, and Benefits Administrator Peggy Moulden retired after 19 years of service. Those were some big shoes to fill, and our HR generalist, LaTamra Sells was a constant, steadying presence for employees during a season of change. With Carol Plant and Joe Thompson filling our staff positions by May, it was time to move the organization forward in new ways.

Continued implementation and integration of the new HRIS system and medical plan

January 2024 saw a new HRIS system for employee management, and we only scratched the surface of what this tool can do. In 2025 and beyond, we are moving to integrate more of this technology into our HR functions to streamline and create opportunities for managers and employees.

With the ever-changing healthcare environment, we are acutely aware of the importance of a strong health plan for our employees while balancing the financial impact of one of our largest cost components. In year two, we have learned a great deal about plan utilization as we evaluate long-term options to support our employees.

New training and mentorship opportunities

One thing our employees have asked for more of is training, whether specific to their area or a particular system or policy. In early 2025, we began creating focus groups, designed to help identify training needs and opportunities. We are continuing the design and rollout of a program that will include manager specific training as well as staff training, and where beneficial, opportunities for mentor/mentee collaborations. This will also produce updated practical resources, such as our employee handbook and new hire orientation.

Comprehensive compliance and policy review

As a nonprofit, we must be aware of regulations we are subject to and those we are exempt from, including the corresponding legislations. In cooperation with our in-house legal counsel, HR began conducting a thorough review of all required regulations to make sure we are compliant, making the appropriate adjustments to processes and policies, where needed. The result will impact our training goals and ensure our employees and organization are operating both from a biblical foundation as well as a statutory standpoint.

Implementation of Board approved retirement plan change

In May, the Board approved a change to the retirement savings plan that will help attract and retain employees. New Hires will immediately begin accruing the organizations 403(b) contribution, with full vesting at two years of service.

As the Human Resources Department continues to embrace change and lead with purpose, we are grateful for the support of our Texas Baptists family. Thank you!

CAROL PLANT Director

LATAMRA SELLS HR Generalist

JOE THOMPSON HR Benefits Administrator

WILLIAM M. PINSON, JR Executive Director Emeritus/ Director TX Baptist Heritage Center (Volunteer)

DORIS A. TINKER Director Communications/ Organization (Volunteer)

Baptists! Who are they? What do they believe? What are these beliefs based on? How are Baptists organized? What sets Baptists apart as a distinct group within the Christian family of faith?

A growing number of Baptists do not know the answers to these basic questions. Why is that important? As George W. Truett (1868-1944), famous Baptist pastor and a president of the Baptist World Alliance, declared, “Every Baptist ought to know why he is a Baptist, and to know it from the specific commands of God’s Word. Not to have such knowledge is for our churches to be harmed in every way.” What Truett declared a century ago is still true.

Although Baptists are increasing in many parts of the world, in our country there has been a decrease. Could it be that this lack of knowledge is contributing to the decline?

In response to this lack of knowledge the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) established the Baptist Distinctives Committee (later Council) in1997 and the Texas Baptist Heritage Center in1999 to provide information and inspiration for Baptists. The intent is to help strengthen the Baptist family, not for the sake of Baptists but for the contributions that Baptists make as part of the worldwide Christian movement to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission of Christ.

Input from a wide variety of Baptists indicated a need for concise, colorful material written in a popular style that is widely and inexpensively available. The members of the Baptist Distinctives Committee/Council and staff of the Heritage Center set out to meet that need. The result was, among other things, twenty-seven articles and nineteen leaflets about Baptist beliefs and practices available both in printed materials, such as books and leaflets, and on websites.

To make these items widely and inexpensively available, the articles are being translated into various languages and posted on websites with permission to download and reproduce them at no charge. This year with the addition of Polish the number of languages has increased to fourteen.

Billy Graham (1918-2018) often marveled at the technological resources available to share the gospel worldwide. He used these in his ministry and the Heritage Center does also. See for example the website www.baptistdistinctives.org for the Baptist identity materials and the links to individual websites for each language. This year the websites have been visited by a multitude of people throughout the world.

The materials are also being made available in book form…currently in English, Spanish, Swahili and Arabic (audio) with books in Hungarian and Korean to be added this year.

The Texas Baptist Heritage Center collaborates with other Baptist entities in making these materials available. For example, this year the staff worked with the Center for Baptist History and Heritage of Dallas Baptist University (DBU) in developing the Center’s website and in making materials available for displays and gifts for persons visiting the Center.

The staff also provides information and encouragement to others who are striving to share Baptist beliefs and heritage. For example, at the request of the BGCT director of Theological Education, we provided a summary of the history of the Baptist History and Distinctives Council/Texas Baptist Heritage Center, information for the preparation of the history of the Baptist Missions Foundation and suggestions for the Baptist World Alliance Acts 2 Movement.

We are grateful to Texas Baptists for the prayer and support which enables this ministry of information and inspiration to be carried out.

2024 marked the 91st year of operation for the Texas Baptist Historical Collection (TBHC). In 2024 the holdings of the TBHC grew adding over 110 linear feet to the Collection. These new additions included church records of both active and disbanded churches from around the state, additions to the Baptist General Convention of Texas archives, and material on Baptist Institutions in Texas. Personal papers from several people who have served Texas Baptists were also acquired by the TBHC including T.A. Patterson who served as executive director of the BGCT from 1961-1973.

The Collection also continues proactively contacting churches that have major anniversaries in the next two years offering help as their significant date approaches. Many of these churches have contacted the TBHC as a result. If a church has an anniversary outside the two-year window but are planning an event, they can reach out to the TBHC at any time.

The digitized scans of Texas Baptist associational minutes from 1840-1996 housed at the TBHC are now available online. Access is password protected. For more information contact Brittany Crumpton at Brittany.crumpton@texasbaptists.org. Through a joint project with Baylor, access to State Baptist Annuals and the Baptist Standard can be accessed online through the Baylor Libraries Digital Collections website. Also, if you have a question or research request, you can now submit it through the Collection website at thetbhc.org.

The THBC continues to grow its friends group known as the 1839 Society. Jessica Tindol serves as senior researcher/coordinator of the 1839 Society and is overseeing the Society’s benefit program and quarterly newsletter. For more information on the 1839 Society or to join contact Jessica Tindol at jessica.tindol@texasbaptists.org.

The Collection staff hosted groups from numerous Texas Baptists churches and institutions as well as a delegation of Brazilian Baptists while they used material at the TBHC. The Collection also continued to help researchers virtually and via email throughout the year, answering over 400 inquiries from churches, institutions and individuals ranging from “what year was our church established?” to “what does it mean to be a Texas Baptist?”

The director of the Collection spoke to many groups including Baylor Faculty and Staff, churches and several genealogical societies about the history and impact of Baptists in general and Texas Baptists in particular.

The TBHC continued its training-based outreach programs led by the associate director, Naomi Taplin, and included instruction on how to start a Church Archive, records management and sustain and reenergize Church Libraries. She is in churches leading sessions two to three times a month. Taplin is also overseeing the growing oral history program with African American and Hispanic churches.

The Texas Baptist Historical Museum, a branch of the TBHC, located in the historic Old Independence Baptist Church in Independence, Texas, continues to tell the story of Baptists both globally and locally. Independence is also the birthplace of Baylor University. In June and July, the TBHM hosted 2,800 Baylor freshmen as they learned why Texas Baptists founded Baylor, as well as the early history of the school. If you or your church would be interested in touring the museum, contact Dylan Price at dylan.price@ texasbaptists.org for more details.

ALAN J. LEFEVER Director

NAOMI TAPLIN Associate Director

DYLAN PRICE Manager Texas Baptist Historical Museum

BRITTANY CRUMPTON Ministry Assistant

JESSICA TINDOL Senior Researcher/ Coordinator 1839 Society

JERRY CARLISLE President

STEVE MASSEY Vice President

ERIC WYATT Vice President

SCOTT

STEVENS Vice President

JULIE

GALINDO Donor Relations Specialist

BARBARA FORBIS Administrative Assistant

BRUCE MCGOWAN Senior Consultant for BSM

God’s mission. Your legacy. Let’s make that connection!

The Texas Baptist Missions Foundation helps individuals and churches connect God’s mission with their legacy through sharing their financial resources to create ministry impact. By engaging donors and potential donors with the mission and ministry of Texas Baptists, the Missions Foundation works to generate revenue over and above the Cooperative Program dollars received from churches.

In 2024, the Missions Foundation assisted 6,306 donors in making 46,848 gifts totaling more than $8.9 million to benefit the work of Texas Baptists. Donations designated for specific areas of ministry are distributed immediately. Some donors make gifts to the Missions Foundation which are not specifically designated. Those undesignated gifts are distributed through Annual Grants made available to the staff of Texas Baptists and awarded by action of the TBMF Council, a group of 24 Texas Baptist donors elected to serve by the Executive Board. In September 2024, the Council awarded 39 grants totaling $664,000 to be used by Texas Baptists ministries and missions in 2024.

One of the highlights of this year has been a front-row seat to witness how God has worked through generous donors to meet the goal of $7 million needed to build a new BSM building on Baylor’s campus. We are grateful for the gift of land from the University, and we are thrilled for the many gifts from donors that allowed us not only to meet the construction goal but also to be well on the road toward the $2 million endowment to provide for the future operation of the building.

Are you interested in return on investment? Currently, each dollar generated by TBMF costs a mere two cents of Cooperative Program support. Investing in Kingdom work through the Missions Foundation is not only spiritually fulfilling; it is financially responsible.

Did you know that each year two-thirds of Texans who die have no will or estate plan? TBMF provides an opportunity for every Texas Baptist to create their own legally valid will online for free. This effort allows Texas Baptists to provide for their families, preserve and pass on the resources God has entrusted to them and perpetuate God’s work in future generations. As of May 2025, through missionsfoundation.org/create-a-legacy, more than 380 wills have been completed, creating bequests totaling over $61 million to benefit Texas Baptists churches, Texas Baptists and associated ministries.

The Missions Foundation team members work with individuals and churches to make transformational gifts that create tremendous impact immediately. We also provide guidance and assist donors in creating a variety of planned gifts, some of which can provide income for the donor and/or avoid unnecessary taxes.

Will God’s Mission be your legacy? The future of Texas Baptists ministry and mission support depends on your answer. Reach out to the Missions Foundation at missionsfoundation.org to learn more. We would enjoy being helpful to you or your church.

Upon the recommendation of a friend, I read a book at the end of 2024 called “Opportunity Leadership” by Belhaven University president Roger Parrott. Little did I know how the Lord was going to use the principles in this book to guide our steps within the past year. The basic premise of the book is that leaders must plan for the future, but we must also expect our Sovereign God to bring fresh opportunities to our organizations. In other words, do not be so focused on strict plans that we leave no room for the Holy Spirit to move and work. If Jesus is Lord of the BGCT, He will have His own ideas and opportunities that we must be ready to fulfill.

About a year ago, your BGCT executive leaders began to receive multiple calls from pastors and church administrators about the rising costs of property insurance. Some insurance providers left the state of Texas, dropped coverages, or drastically increased their premiums. Many BGCT churches were in a crisis trying to decide between cutting staff or ministries to pay for insurance. It was about that time that the Lord presented Texas Baptists the opportunity to explore starting a new property/casualty insurance company. We would have never “planned” to launch such a company. But because of the wise fiscal stewardship of resources and an open spirit to God’s opportunities, we were ready to act. The messengers voted in 2024 to empower the executive committee of the executive board to make the decision and invest the necessary resources. In February of 2025, the board voted to set aside up to $12 million to capitalize an indemnity program to provide affordable, quality insurance to assist BGCT churches.

This year, our CFO Ward Hayes and I have committed ourselves to doing whatever was necessary to oversee the launch of this new company. We engaged the services of some of the best lawyers, accountants, consultants and third-party administrators from nationwide firms to put together Texas Baptists Risk Management (TBRM) company to assess risk and offer property, general liability, professional liability, directors and officers, sexual abuse, cyber, auto and workers’ compensation insurance coverages through Texas Baptists Indemnity Program (TBIP). These two, separate companies were established to provide layers of separation from the BGCT. To maintain control over the individuals running these companies, our BGCT executive board elected me to serve as TBRM and TBIP president and chair of the TBRM and TBIP Boards as I continue to serve as your BGCT asssociate executive director. Our CFO Ward Hayes will serve as the secretary/ treasurer of both boards/companies. To provide a foundation of knowledge, Dr. Hayes and I have been certified by the state of Texas as Certified Risk Managers, and I have also become a licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent. That is opportunity leadership in action.

My primary responsibility is to oversee the operations of the BGCT and to serve as a second chair to our Executive Director Julio Guarneri to assist him in fulfilling the exciting, fresh vision the Lord has given him for the future of the BGCT. I will continue to oversee much of our ministerial staff while Dr. Hayes oversees our administrative staff. We are joined by Sergio Ramos as the senior director of GC2 Strong and Relational Development and Joshua Minatrea as senior director of Resource Development. Together, we are “strengthening a multiplying movement of churches to live out the Great Commandment and Great Commission in Texas and beyond.” But we are also open to the fresh wind and fire of the Holy Spirit as we follow the new opportunities God is giving us to serve you.

C. CHRISTINA Associate Executive Director

ANNA ROSALES Executive Assistant to the AED/Exec. Brd. Coordinator

MARIBEL PAZ Committee Specialist

CRAIG

PHIL MILLER Director

DEBY MILLER Administrative Assistant

How you word something makes a difference.

There are many times when I feel like our center could actually be named the Center “of” Church Health. The teams I have the privilege of working with – Discipleship & NextGen, Evangelism, Church Health and Growth, Music & Worship, Church Architecture and GC2 Press – are truly on the front lines working with some tremendous Texas Baptists churches in all corners of our state.

God is doing amazing work through so many Godly servants in Great Commission churches in every corner of Texas. Because our team is on the road throughout the year –training, consulting, preaching, ministering, encouraging, in every possible shape, form or fashion of church – the stories we get to hear around the office are truly inspiring.

*A church in west Texas has no A/C during the heat of summer. They find out about the Church Architecture Small Church Grant that makes it possible for them to have their A/C repaired. (You’ll read about that church in the Church Architecture Report.) That can seem like a small challenge, but it can provide a major encouragement to a church who is desiring to serve the Lord and care for their people.

*Our Special Friends Retreats, coordinated through Discipleship & NextGen, creatively found a way to offer more locations across the state by changing the format to a 1-day retreat instead of an overnight schedule. Campers who couldn’t attend before are now offered an opportunity for growth and care and friendship that they never new existed.

*The story of a pastor who began serving with a struggling church of 50 people is now encouraged to see 250 or more people attending, with an average age of 42. They’ve baptized 47 people and had 100 additions over the past 4 years. (You’ve got to read that story in the Church Health and Growth Report.)

In truth, we are reminded every day that the local church is the center of church health. It highlights anew the quote by Rick Warren that “the local church is the hope of the world.” We are indeed blessed to walk alongside the body of Christ, the local church, and be a partner with them in ministry.

As you read through the following reports – and I certainly hope you take the time to do so – may I give you an open invitation to join us in anything you see that peaks your curiosity or challenges your heart? I would be honored if you spoke with me, or any of my staff, at one of these Texas Baptists events and tell us you read about it in the Book of Reports. Then, you too, can experience being at the center of church health and see how God is moving in so many congregations all across our state.

I hope to see you soon.

The Church Architecture team believes that every church, regardless of size, needs a master plan. Since January of 2022, we have partnered with VisionBridge Consulting/ Mark W. Todd Architecture to provide full architectural services to our churches. After an initial consultation and written report, our churches can contract with VisionBridge Consulting for services ranging from conceptual drawings to construction documents and construction administration. We are also able to connect churches with trusted general contractors around the state who can build what has been planned.

VisionBridge Consulting

In one recent consultation, we helped a church carefully evaluate its options—including relocation, renovation and rebuilding. After collaborating closely with church leadership, it was determined that relocation would provide the most strategic long-term solution for future ministry and growth. VisionBridge Consulting is now assisting the church in identifying suitable property options and will provide full architectural services as the project progresses.

Not all projects involve large-scale changes. Many of our consultations support churches in smaller remodels such as worship center updates, foyer renovations, minor expansions or cosmetic improvements. For instance, a church in North Houston needed to enhance the exterior of its building while working within a strict budget. We developed a multiphased plan that allowed them to achieve their goals incrementally. The exterior renovations are now complete, and the church plans to move forward with a foyer expansion in the coming year.

VisionBridge also values long-term partnerships. One congregation in Central Texas has worked with VisionBridge on three separate design projects: a campus expansion, an interior remodel and now a new worship building with a 500-seat capacity and a large foyer. With the design phase complete, the church is currently engaged in its capital campaign and preparing to begin construction in 2026.

Small Church Grants

For more than 30 years, the Church Architecture department has assisted about 20 churches each year with small church architecture grants. These grants assist small churches with facilities repairs, renovation and maintenance and are made possible by the generous gifts of Texas Baptists through the Mary Hill Davis State Missions Offering. The church pays part of the cost of the project, and the grant is used to fully fund the project. We were able to provide 21 grants totaling $107,500 during this past 12 month timeframe.

A church in far west Texas, where temperatures regularly top 100°, was faced with having to suspend or reschedule services due to the excessive heat. With the help of a small church grant, the church was able to replace the failed air conditioning unit and continue its outreach to the community.

One congregation in the Panhandle was given notice from their insurance company that their policy would not be renewed unless repairs were made to their parking lot and sidewalks. The small church grant allowed the church to make the needed repairs and keep their insurance in force.

Some Supporting Stats

Total Number of Meetings with Churches- 182 Consultations- 71

Master Plan & Schematics Provided- 25

Construction Document or Construction Phase- 7

“VisionFunding” Capital Campaigns Engaged- 12

The Church Architecture team thanks our Texas Baptists family for faithfully supporting our work through their generous gifts through the Cooperative Program and Mary Hill Davis State Missions Offering.

HUNNICUTT

Texas Baptist Church Architecture Coordinator (Liaison with VisionBridge Consulting)

MARK TODD President (VisionBridge Consulting)

CAL TODD Project Manager (VisionBridge Consulting)

KEN

JONATHAN L. SMITH Director

BOBBY HICKS, JR Specialist

LIBBY SHORMAN Ministry Assistant

Pave: New Paths for Church Growth is the Texas Baptists church health, growth and revitalization strategy designed to help pastors customize revitalization for their context by equipping them with resources and placing them in cohorts to be trained by a coach and encouraged within a community of pastors. For more information, visit txb.org/pave or contact pave@txb.org.

June 1, 2024 - May 31, 2025:

• 124+ consultations from the Church Health and Growth team.

• 6 new groups of Pave cohorts launched: Pave Panhandle Plains; Pave Central Texas; Pave Dallas; Pave African American Ministries; Pave at Trinity River Baptist Association; Pave South Central Texas

• Of 140 churches involved with Pave that submitted baptism data, 1,700+ baptisms have been celebrated in Pave churches.

Story of Impact:

Joshua Murray, Pastor, Canyon Creek Baptist Church

“When I first came to Canyon Creek Baptist Church six and a half years ago, I walked into a 350-seat sanctuary with about 50 people scattered throughout the room. The church had been around since 1978 and had a deep history, but it was quickly clear that we were in a tough season. The average age was high, the building was full of ministry artifacts from a different era, and there had been a few very difficult pastoral transitions before me. As a young pastor stepping into that kind of environment, it took me quite some time to establish trust, and, at that time, revitalization felt like an insurmountable obstacle in front of me…Instead of trying to copy someone else’s playbook, we started making contextualized decisions that actually fit our church and our community. We quickly started to see change.

Today, our average worship attendance is around 250, and our average age is 42. We’re growing younger while still loving and honoring the legacy members who helped build the church. We’ve baptized 47 people and welcomed over 100 new members in the last four years. Financially, after 11 straight years of budget cuts, we’ve now increased the budget every year – and we paid off all $150,000 of our debt.

Our church is so much healthier today. The culture has shifted. People are excited to be a part of Canyon Creek. And most importantly, we’re reaching our community again. I firmly believe that God is the one doing the work, but He’s used Pave to help breathe life back into Canyon Creek. I’m grateful for the process, and I’d recommend it to any pastor who’s standing in a quiet sanctuary wondering if real change is possible. Let me be the one to tell you… It is.”

Upcoming Regional Pave Launches:

Fall, 2025 - Pave Central Texas (Area 6) at FBC, Round Rock

Spring, 2026 - Pave Panhandle Plains (Area 1)

Spring, 2026 - Pave San Antonio (Area 4)

Spring, 2026 - Pave Houston (Area 5)

We are launching season 2 of the Pave Podcast in the fall! Join us as we explore innovative, biblical strategies and revolutionary tools to empower pastors to be a catalyst for church growth with discussions from church growth practitioners across the state.

We are also working on the creation of a Pave Manual, a supplemental resource to Pave: New Paths for Church Growth, with the anticipation of distributing it to Pave pastors across the state in the fall.

Thank you, Texas Baptists, for your generous support.

The Discipleship & NextGen Team equips church leaders for effective discipleship and ministry across Texas. Over the past year, we’ve supported pastors, staff and lay leaders through coaching, innovative resources and collaborative events that help churches cultivate lifelong, holistic faith in every generation.

Discipleship Collective events took place in 10 locations statewide from June 2024 to May 2025, offering free, practical training for leaders in Sunday School, small groups and discipleship ministries. Sessions provided age-specific resources for preschool through adult ministries and featured practitioners from Texas Baptists churches. Eight additional events are scheduled for Fall 2025. These gatherings continue to be a vital tool for strengthening group-based disciple-making in local churches.

(txb.org/dc)

Conclave NextGen remains a central event for church teams serving children, youth and families. The conference blends inspiration and practical tools to unify ministry teams and clarify their mission. One 2024 participant noted, “Conclave brings me so much encouragement… I really appreciate how you have expanded resources for all ministries.”

(conclavenextgen.org)

Leadership Texas Baptists invests in emerging leaders in their 20s and 30s through a nine-session cohort experience. Participants grow in leadership, explore the work of Texas Baptists and build meaningful ministry relationships. Alumni frequently serve on convention committees, planning teams and other leadership roles. Applications for Cohort 10 open in late 2025. Cohort 10 begins January 2026.

(txb.org/leadershiptxb)

The Discipleship Ministry Certification program offers age-specific training for staff and lay leaders in preschool, children’s and youth ministries. Participants meet online monthly from August to May for guided discussions and practical development. Cohorts are intentionally small, ensuring meaningful interaction and learning. One children’s ministry leader shared, “This cohort gave me confidence, friendships and more resources than I could have imagined.”

(txb.org/certification)

Special Friends Retreats continue to bless individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers. In 2024–2025, we expanded beyond Dallas and the Panhandle to include new locations in Kingwood and Longview. These retreats not only serve participants but also inspire churches to launch year-round special needs ministries. Many churches have called for guidance, using the retreats as a launching point.

(txb.org/specialfriends)

Calling Out the Called addresses the growing shortage of qualified ministry leaders. In 2024–2025, we saw significant growth in this initiative, including the launch of a new Called Retreat in South Texas at Oakwood Baptist Church in New Braunfels. The new retreat’s impact lies in its replicable model, showing how regional church partnerships can multiply leadership development statewide.

Throughout all our efforts, our team remains committed to supporting churches as they make disciples across every generation. We are grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside Texas Baptists churches and offer customized coaching, consulting and strategy support. Whether through on-site visits, video calls or phone consultations, we help churches evaluate their discipleship efforts, develop leaders and implement proven ministry practices.

To explore how we can serve your church, visit txb.org/discipleship or call 888-244-9400.

CORY LIEBRUM Director

JENNIFER HOWINGTON Associate Director Childhood Ministry Specialist

KURT KRODLE Youth Ministry Specialist

SARAH JOHNSON Childhood Program Coordinator

CAITLIN MERRIMAN Discipleship Minisry Assistant

*OZA JONES, JR. Director

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ Hispanic Evangelism Associate

VACANT African American Evangelism Associate

ERIC HERNANDEZ Apologetics Lead & Millennial Specialist

DAVID GONZALEZ Congreso Coordinator

DEBORA MONTEIRO Evangelism Ministry Assistant

*LACY DUNN Ministry Assistant, Youth Evangelism and Camp Specialist

*New Staff

The Evangelism Team exists to challenge, equip, and train Texas Baptists—through the power of the Holy Spirit—to passionately fulfill God’s call to reach all people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to help local churches develop a culture of evangelism by training them to define, declare, defend and demonstrate the gospel.

Community Saturation

Community Impact Story – Pastor. Chris Simmons - Cornerstone Baptist Church Cornerstone Baptist Church, located in South Dallas/Fair Park, serves a community deeply affected by poverty. Through its outreach ministry, Cornerstone Kitchen, the church provides over 13,000 meals monthly, each accompanied by a message of hope.

One individual, Jimmy, experienced a life-altering transformation through this ministry. Once employed and housed, he became homeless due to personal tragedies and the aftermath of COVID-19. Initially skeptical, Jimmy was moved by the kindness and dignity shown by volunteers at Cornerstone.

He began attending regularly—not just for meals, but for the sense of belonging. He accessed additional services like showers, clean clothes, job training and spiritual support. A conversation with a volunteer led him to faith, sobriety and eventually, church attendance. With Cornerstone’s help, Jimmy secured housing and employment. Today, he lives in his own apartment and volunteers weekly, offering hope to others just as he once received.

Hispanic Evangelism

The Hispanic Evangelism Ministry provides culturally contextual training in evangelism and discipleship for over 1,200 Hispanic churches across Texas. As Texas becomes increasingly diverse, our strategies remain fresh and culturally sensitive.

Recent highlights include:

• El Paso First Baptist, a 143-year-old church, partnered with the ministry to reach over 300 people through prayer walks, door-to-door evangelism, and street ministry.

• Summit Church in Corpus Christi mobilized 52 pastors and members for evangelism training, resulting in 33 professions of faith and 52 new families expressing interest in learning more about God.

Super Summer

Super Summer 2024 was a season of impactful leadership and discipleship events held at Dallas Baptist University.

• The theme was w/ God.

• Session 1 (June 17–21) welcomed 461 attendees from 28 churches, resulting in 7 professions of faith, 2 rededications and 2 called to ministry.

• Session 2 (June 24–28) brought 192 participants from 22 churches, with 1 profession of faith, 1 rededication and 4 called to ministry.

• In total, 50 churches were represented, reflecting a strong commitment to spiritual growth and leadership development.

Congreso

Congreso 2025, held March 20–22 at FBC Richardson, was an extraordinary gathering that brought together 1,132 participants for a weekend marked by powerful worship, dynamic workshops, and a missional focus that stirred hearts and changed lives. Centered on the theme OBEY drawn from Matthew 28:16–20 — students were not only inspired but deeply challenged to surrender fully and walk in obedience to God’s calling. The spiritual impact was unmistakable, with 129 recorded decisions, including:

• 21 professions of faith

• 45 rededications

• 37 called to ministry

• 26 other prayer-related commitments

Attendees left Congreso renewed, empowered and equipped — ready to boldly embrace their faith journey and make an impact in their communities and beyond.

Apologetics

The [un]Apologetic Evangelism Conferences are designed to equip churches to engage a secular culture that rejects the Gospel. Each year we’ve seen a rise in nonbelievers attending and asking honest questions. Last year, we had a new convert from Islam come learn how to defend his newly found Christian faith with his Muslim friends and family. Additionally, a 12 year old young lady had her mom bring her so she could be equipped to share her faith with her nonbelieving friends.

Welcome to GC2® Press Bible Studies and Resources.

We believe the Bible is God’s Word to us and is “…useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When the Bible speaks, God speaks. Our quality, in-depth materials are designed to provide you with a detailed road map to help you navigate God’s Word, and our writers are trusted, qualified writers, making lesson comments based on sound biblical principles.

Our Connect 360 line of Bible study curriculum has gained a reputation for solid biblical teaching and is published as an undated quarterly Bible study available in book form and digital downloads. Connect 360 is currently being distributed to over 1750 customers in 41 states and 22 countries including: Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, U.S.A and Venezuela. These studies have been translated into ten different languages for free download which are courtesy of the Mary Hill Davis Mission Offering and the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation.

Here are some highlights from June 2024 through May 2025.

Published in-depth quarterly adult Bible studies

•The Immeasurable Love of Christ: God’s Love Letter to His Church (Ephesians, Fall 2024)

• The reMARKable Journey Continues: The Gospel of Urgency. (The Gospel of Mark, Winter 2024-25)

• Kingdom Assignment: The Relentless Pursuit of Obedience. (Nehemiah, Spring 2025)

• DiscipleMaking: Patterns of Discipleship and Evangelism for the Contemporary Church (Summer 2025)

Each study in English includes a Study Guide and a Teaching Guide. Premium Commentaries and Teaching Resource Items are available at www.gc2press.org .

New Books Available:

•Your/Our Identity in Christ: Finding Who We Are in Who He Is. Written by Dr. David Sanchez, Director of Ethics & Justice, Christian Life Commission of Texas Baptists.

• The Supporting Cast: A Guide for Church Staff. Written by Dr. Anthony Cobbs.

• Everyday Rhythms: Creating a Discipleship Plan for Your Family. Written by Brett Levy.

Upcoming In-Depth Quarterly Adult Bible Studies:

• Find Us Faithful: Standing Firm in Our Faith (2 Peter, Fall 2025)

• Standing By His Word: God Fulfills His Promises. (The Gospel of Luke, Winter 202526)

• Psalms: The Believer’s Prayer Book. (Psalms, Spring 2026)

Moving Toward the Future:

GC2® Press will continue to seek to expand its reach in serving churches by connecting people to God through His Word. Please check out our complete library of both printed and digital resources at www.gc2press.org. These resources include adult, college, youth, children and preschool materials.

MINISTRY STATISTICS FOR GC2® PRESS (June 2024 – May 2025)

# of units sold.....................................................................63,704

# of Free Downloads....................................................................4,120

Gross Sales .........................................................................$373,242

# of orders ..........................................................................3,686

# of customers .................................................................1,770

After serving for more than 7 years as Publisher, Bob Billups retired at the end of 2024. Starting January 1, 2025, Stan Granberry stepped into the role of Interim Publisher.

STAN GRANBERRY Interim Publisher

TOM TILLMAN Director

VICKI

SCHMIDT

Music & Worship

Ministry Coordinator

The Music & Worship team exists to assist Texas Baptists churches by offering consulting to the worship pastor, senior pastor and music search committees. Our prayer and desire is to strengthen and encourage the local church and its worship leadership. We also offer training events for church leaders and volunteers involved in music & worship ministry in their local churches.

2024-25 Highlights

Next Generation of Worship Leaders

Seven chapters of the Singing Women of Texas joined together this summer for a concert One important focus of the Music & Worship team is to build up the next generation of worship leaders. Director Tom Tillman spoke at the Worship Colloquium at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in September and at the Worship Leaders Fellowship at Dallas Baptist University in May. These students are instructed, encouraged and ensured that Tom is always available to them as they prepare for and ultimately enter music and worship ministry.

In addition, we award the Prestidge Endowment Music and Worship Scholarship annually to a full-time student studying at a Baptist university to serve in music and worship ministry. This year the committee awarded the scholarship to Jackson Dyer, a student who will be entering his senior year at Hardin Simmons University in the fall of 2025.

At the Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas, Tom was interviewed at the Worship Initiative Stage by Robby Seay. They discussed ideas to help worship leaders improve congregational engagement during worship.

Scholarship Recipient Hannah Hopkins Composes Original Song

Hannah Hopkins, a senior at East Texas Baptist University and the 2024 recipient of the Prestidge Endowment Music and Worship Scholarship, recently wrote an original song. She was encouraged by her professor to use her creativity to write a song, because when we create, we are acting in the image of God. Her original song, “Clothed”, was born out of Hannah’s observation of all the ways God clothes his people throughout scripture. Hannah first led the song with the ETBU worship band, Lampsato, at Cliff Temple Baptist Church in Dallas, and they led it again at the Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in Waco last November where it was very well received. The song is available to listen to on Spotify or YouTube.

Prestidge Endowment Fund Music and Worship Scholarship Recipients

One way we help in raising up new worship leaders is by awarding this scholarship to a student preparing for full-time music and worship ministry at a Baptist university. This year we were able to increase the amount awarded from $1,000 to $3,000 which was split between two recipients: Trenton West, University of Mary Hardin Baylor, and Hannah Hopkins, East Texas Baptist University.

Singing Men and Women of Texas

The Singing Men of Texas consists of six chapters and the Singing Women of Texas consists of eight chapters. Each chapter presents monthly concerts around the state, in addition to mission projects and trips. During the 2024-25 concert year, over 21,000 people attended concerts where the gospel was shared through music and speech.

Music and Worship Training Events

Over 1200 leaders and volunteers were trained and encouraged through the following events. To learn more, go to txb.org/music.

Worship Summits

Small gatherings of worship pastors and worship leaders that offer a day of inspiration, fellowship and networking.

Children’s Worship University

Training and networking for anyone who works with children and music in their church or school.

Instrumental Convergence

Training and encouragement for instrumentalists through reading sessions, mass playing and networking.

Everlasting Choir Celebration

Training and networking for senior adult choirs at two locations – Richardson and Austin.

Handbell Festival

Training and fellowship through instruction, massed ringing and networking.

Social Media Presence

The social media presence of Texas Baptists Music & Worship continues to grow. The TXBmusicandworship Facebook page has over 1900 followers.

Follow us on social media!

The Women in Ministry Network (WIMN) was officially established in October 2024 as a dynamic initiative within the Center for Ministerial Health and Pastoral Network. Texas Baptists established this network with the intent of fostering a supportive and empowering environment for women engaged in various forms of vocational ministry. The launch of WIMN was met with widespread enthusiasm and anticipation, as members looked forward to the valuable resources and connections that the network would provide.

In January 2025, WIMN initiated a series of monthly Zoom Meetups designed to address pressing issues and topics relevant to women in ministry. Each session offers insightful presentations and discussions focused on essential areas such as effective preaching and teaching techniques, as well as strategies for personal self-care and well-being in ministry roles.

In addition to virtual engagements, WIMN successfully hosted three in-person Meetups, which served as excellent venues for networking. These gatherings facilitated meaningful interactions among participants, allowing them to share experiences, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships within the community of women in vocational ministry. Overall, WIMN is committed to nurturing the growth and resilience of its members, empowering them to thrive in their respective ministry contexts.

DR. BENNYE BRYANT Director

CAITLIN MCCALLUM Women’s Ministry Assistant

DOWELL LOFTIS Director

RACHEL CARROLL Lead Ministry Assistant

The Center For Ministerial Health (CMH) exists to assist ministers and their families to thrive spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially and professionally. The CMH takes a wholistic approach that includes Counseling Services for ministers and their families. A Financial Health Team that provides financial training for ministers and churches, and grants for minsters who qualify. Area Representatives who live in every area of Texas and call on pastors in their service areas. The CMH also has a director of Bivocational Services who works exclusively to help bivocational pastors; The CMH also has a Western Heritage consultant that works exclusively with Cowboy Church pastors and a Pastorless Church consultant who works with pastorless churches.

This year the CMH initiated its new Pastoral Health Networks (PHN) with cohorts in Houston, Dallas/FT. Worth, San Antonio and Bryan/ College Station. The PHN also has ministries specifically for Millennial / Gen Z pastors (also known as Pastor’s Common) and women in vocational ministry.

Did you know?

• This year Texas Baptists celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Western Heritage work in Texas. (There are 195 Western Heritage churches in Texas)

• Texas Baptists Pastoral Health Networks kicked off this year with 4 cohorts around the state and retreats for ministers and their wives.

• Pastor’s Common provided 3 preaching labs for Millennial / Gen Z pastors this year.

• Texas Baptists Bivocational Services held retreats and “Small Town Big Ministry“ conferences around the state for bivocational pastors and their wives.

There is great diversity in the Texas Baptists family and that is a beautiful strength of our fellowship. That diversity also means that there is no “one size fits all” approach to assisting our pastors and churches. The CMH strives to provide support and encouragement for each pastor in their unique ministry context. Thank you for being a part of the Texas Baptists Family. We truly can do more together!

Staff Members:

Aaron Summers-Coordinator, Pastorless Churches

Bennye Bryant- Director, Women in Ministry Network

David Foster-Director, Gen Z/Millenial Network

Kevin Abott-Director, Pastoral Health Network (Also Area 5 Representative)

Chad Schapiro-Director, Pastor Strong Network (Also Area 4 Representative)

Olga Harris-Director, Counseling Services

Tim Watson, Director, Associational Relations (Has been and currently is also the Director of Area Representatives, just gained new title)

Monty Grant-Ministry Assistant, Pastoral Health Networks

Ludy Leos-Ministry Assistant, Counseling Services

Jessica Prince-Ministry Assistant, Associational Relations

The Area Representatives Team is strategically located in geographical regions throughout the 268,569 square miles of the Lone Star State. The mission of this seasoned team is to assist pastors and churches in fulfilling the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

David Vela serves in far West Texas and resides in the Permian Basin. David has been challenged with helping churches in his region find ministers for the many churches that are without a pastor. He is constantly networking with our Baptist Student Ministries (BSM) and local associations to discover and help his congregations find competent servant leaders.

As the Central Texas area representative, Tim Marrow, values not only working with pastors, but he has witnessed a renewed emphasis on the importance of the role of deacons in the local body. Tim has had the privilege of traveling to many Texas Baptists congregations and leading deacon retreats and deacon trainings. Tim has observed, “If the deacons are functioning as servants to the church, the congregation many times will follow their examples, which translates to more people serving others rather than looking to serve themselves.”

Area Representative Kris Knippa ministers to a large portion of West Texas, including the Texas Panhandle. Kris has been encouraged to see churches in his region experiencing revitalization and renewal. Kris gives God the credit for how the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit is moving in and through several congregations in West Texas that were close to disbanding but have now experienced new life and spiritual vitality.

Houston Area Representative Kevin Abbott is excited to see many pastors in his service area build deeper relationships and systems of encouragement through Barnabas Networks. These Barnabas Networks seek to remind pastors that while they may feel isolated, they are surrounded by like-minded Kingdom leaders. These networks of encouragement provide support and help for pastors and their ministries as well as address their physical and emotional health.

Chad Schapiro is the newest member of the team and serves San Antonio and a large portion of South Texas. Chad is especially grateful for the Texas Baptists Small Church Grants that help congregations with things such as new signage. While these improvements to church facilities may appear to be cosmetic, things such as new signage communicate to the community around the church that these churches are not in decline but are moving forward with purpose and vitality.

Tim Watson serves as the area representative for East Texas. In early April, a horrific tornado struck Lakeview Baptist Assembly as well as the town of Lone Star. This vibrant associational encampment for East Texas was considerably damaged. Tim notes, “With the aid of Texans on Mission, a generous gift from the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation (TMBF) and the hard work of many volunteers from Texas Baptists congregations, Lakeview Baptist Assembly was functioning and ready to receive summer campers by the first week of June. To God be the glory!

If Texas Baptists can serve you or your congregation, do not hesitate to contact the area representative in your region.

TIM WATSON

Director Area 7 (903) 261-1929

KRIS KNIPPA Area 1 (806) 292-6334

DAVID VELA Area 2 (915) 309-3674

JOE AGUILAR Area 3 (956) 534-2043

CHAD SHAPIRO Area 4 (210) 705-3021

KEVEN ABBOTT Area 5 (469) 422-4164

TIM MARROW Area 6 (254) 315-2667

STEVE DOMINY Area 8 (405) 765-7880

DAN CURRY Area 9 (817) 781-2440

IRA ANTOINE Director

Bivocational Pastors Ministry

Our purpose is to encourage, equip and engage those who serve in a bivocational capacity or in small membership churches. We are walking alongside these hardworking servants and their churches to awaken them to fulfill their God-given vision. This past year we had the opportunity to coordinate pastor and spouse retreats, assist small membership churches impact their communities for Christ, facilitate training opportunities and work with bivocational pastors in Texas and aboard. Thank you, Texas Baptists, for your support in helping us help others. Allow me to share two amazing things that occurred because of your support.

Reaching Rural Texas for Christ

Texas is widely recognized for its large metropolitan cities; however, over 97% of its cities have a population of less than 50,000. These smaller communities can easily be overshadowed by their larger neighbors. To ensure these communities are not overlooked, Texas Baptists, through the Bivocational Ministry, have partnered with the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center (WCBGC). In 2025, the WCBGC received a five-year grant from the Lilly Endowment to support rural churches and their leaders in reaching their communities for Christ.

Through this collaboration, Texas Baptists are providing training to pastors and lay leaders on effective evangelism and discipleship methods. They are also initiating cohorts specifically for small-town and rural pastors and working with affiliated organizations, such as the South Texas Children’s Home (STCH), to offer financial management seminars. This intentional effort aims to help small-town and rural churches become strong GC2 churches.

Longing for Rest and Rekindling

Pastors and their spouses who commit themselves to the work of ministry find it both delightful and draining. For bivocational pastoral couples, this especially true for bivocational couples who seek to balance the work of the church even more, they were not able to mingle with fellow pastoral couples for a time of fellowship and encouragement. As gathering restrictions loosened, we partnered with four local fellowships or association and held four Mark 6 Retreats. These Mark 6 Retreats are designed to allow bivocational ministry couples to come away from their ministry context and rest. Over 80 couples participated in these retreats. Many of the ministry couples stated how a simple weekend getaway helped them recharge and mingle with other ministry couples.

The Bivocational Pastors Ministry serves Texas Baptists churches to awaken them to the God-given vision to fulfill God’s Mission. Thanks again, Texas Baptists, for your support that helps us help others.

The counseling program is dedicated to provide subsidy for counseling for Texas Baptists ministers and their dependent children. We receive multiple calls during the week searching for counseling. We also partner with other Texas Baptists Centers in providing counseling subsidies such as Baptist Student Ministry and church planters.

We also provide seminars on topics related to mental health.

Additionally, we provide counseling for victims of sexual abuse by clergy, fully covering the counselor’s fees in such instances.

We coordinate and provide ministry safety webinars, led by MinistrySafe.

Our office receives inquiries from ministers who are experiencing ministerial burnout, relational difficulties, anxiety, depression and grief.

This year we provided counseling services to more than 100 ministers.

We truly appreciate the Cooperative Program and designated budget for supporting such an important ministry.

Testimonies

Supporting

Our Shepherds:

A Case Study in Compassionate Care

The demanding nature of pastoral ministry can often lead to immense personal strain, making pastors particularly susceptible to the struggles of grief and depression. This was precisely the situation we encountered with one of our esteemed pastors, whose profound battle with depression had rendered him unable to even seek the help he desperately needed. His strength was so diminished that the simple act of reaching out felt insurmountable.

Recognizing the gravity of his situation, it was his dedicated social worker who stepped in, acting as a vital bridge to support. She understood the signs of his distress and took the initiative to contact us on his behalf, articulating his plight and the urgent need for intervention. This proactive advocacy proved to be a critical turning point.

Upon learning of the available support, the pastor, despite his debilitating condition, bravely consented to engage in counseling. However, a significant obstacle remained: his house-bound state. The severity of his depression had made it impossible for him to leave his home, presenting a challenge to traditional in-person therapy.

In response to this unique need, our team quickly identified and connected him with a compassionate and skilled counselor who was equipped to provide remote sessions. This innovative solution, leveraging the accessibility of Zoom, allowed the pastor to begin his healing journey from the comfort and security of his own home. The initial virtual sessions were instrumental in establishing a therapeutic relationship and initiating the process of addressing his grief and depression, laying the foundation for his path toward recovery and renewed well-being. This case highlights the importance of flexible and accessible mental health services in supporting the spiritual leaders who often carry the burdens of their communities.

Healthy Pastors, Healthy Churches.

OLGA HARRIS Director MAMFC, LPC

LUDY LEOS Ministry Assistant

AARON SUMMERS Director

Coordinator for Pastorless Churches

The email came in at 7:16 AM: “Good morning! I received notification that you are without a pastor. I serve Texas Baptists as the coordinator for pastorless churches. There are resources and assistance available to your leadership and search committee.”

By 3:43 PM, I had a response from Sarah at First Baptist in East Texas. Her husband had just retired after 15 years as pastor. She was staying on as ministry assistant during the transition, even though it was “unconventional.” The church had approved their search team three days earlier, but they didn’t have a chairman yet. One committee member was recovering from surgery, another was leaving for youth camp. “Perhaps having someone outside our church facilitating that first meeting would be helpful,” she wrote.

Texas Baptists filled the coordinator for pastorless churches position in February 2025. Stories like Sarah’s happen across our 5,300 churches more often than you might think.

24 Hours to Hope

Our goal is to contact every pastorless church within 24 hours of learning about their situation. That quick response recognizes that those first few days set the tone for the entire transition.

Training Pastor Search Committees is a team effort. Our nine area representatives, myself and associational leaders actively train committees throughout their regions and provide many resources.

We’re creating a comprehensive Pastor Search Committee Training Manual, with videos for every training session. Every search committee will be led to think through crucial questions like pastor compensation and church culture – topics many skip but that can make or break a pastoral relationship.

More Than Fill-in Preachers

While Sarah’s church searches for their permanent pastor, they need someone for Sunday mornings and pastoral care. We’re growing our interim pastor network from 109 to 150 trained professionals.

Our interim pastors understand their unique role in preparing churches for their next chapter. We connect with them monthly, and we’re training specialized “Intentional Interim Pastors” for churches needing extra support.

Connecting Churches and Pastors

Finding the right pastoral candidate often feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. We’re creating a website connecting churches seeking pastors with pastors seeking churches – a thoughtful connection service considering qualifications and fit. We’re also building a database of pastors we can recommend immediately when churches request candidates.

Beyond Survival to Thriving

Our goal is simple: every Texas Baptists church should have a positive pastoral transition experience. We want search committees that know their calling, interim pastors who provide stability and transitions that strengthen rather than divide congregations. We’re working toward thorough, spiritually grounded search processes that help churches properly discern God’s next pastor for them.

An Invitation

A few weeks after that first email, our area representative updated me about the East Texas church’s progress. They were moving forward with their search team, had supply preachers scheduled and felt supported through their transition.

If your church is currently pastorless or anticipating a pastoral transition, please reach out. Whether you need search committee training, interim pastor assistance or someone to talk through concerns, we’re here to help.

Pastoral transitions don’t have to be times of anxiety. With proper support, they become opportunities for churches to clarify vision, strengthen unity and prepare for exciting new chapters of ministry.

For assistance with pastoral transitions, contact the coordinator for pastorless churches through the Center for Ministerial Health.

The STRONG movement was launched to provide a proactive, intentional pathway to come alongside Texas Baptists pastors and kingdom leaders by connecting them into communities that foster spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health. STRONG’s desire is that every Texas Baptists pastor finishes life and ministry well. We do this through Cohorts, Retreats, Coaching, Counseling, and Support Groups.

Pastor Strong Cohorts & Retreat

Pastors discover strength and support with the Pastor Strong Cohort. Every year we invite Texas Baptists pastors on a journey to strengthen their ministry and personal resilience through areas of soul-care and leader development.

In our Pastor Strong Cohort, they will embark on a 5-month journey designed to support pastors in their ministry and personal resilience. Each month, our conversation will guide them through meaningful discussions and exercises focused on leader development and soul-care. Over four day long gatherings, they work with peers on the habits and choices necessary for finishing strong in life and ministry. In April of 2025 Four STRONG Cohorts were launched in four cities across the state (San Antonio, Houston, College Station & DFW) with close to 80 Texas Baptists pastors participating.

The experience culminates with an unforgettable retreat in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, including activities like fly-fishing, white-water rafting, and hiking, providing both rest and rejuvenation for the journey ahead.

Pastor Strong Marriage Retreats

STRONG’s desire is that our pastors finish both life and ministry well. The marriage retreat for pastors and their spouses provides a safe place to connect, heal and grow their marriages. In 2025 we hosted 40 couples at TBAR M for a three-day retreat learning practical tools to strengthen our marriages. The couples were even given a gift card and designated time within the retreat to go on a date together. These retreats were funded by the generous gifts of our Texas Baptists churches through the cooperative program and our pastors are forever grateful!

Pastor Strong Coffee Fellowships

STRONG is currently working to network our pastors in regional coffee fellowships, with over 10 currently meeting in the San Antonio area. The desire is to launch these fellowships to other regions of the state in the coming months. These fellowships provide a safe place to share about the struggles pastors encounter when leading a church and a way to encourage pastors in a smaller setting.

Pastor Strong Monthly Gatherings

During our monthly gatherings, Pastors and their wives enjoy a time of fellowship, a small group discussion over one of the health concerns and share a celebration and challenge so they can be in prayer for one another. These gatherings provide a safe environment for Pastors and their wives to have a moment of transparency they are rarely given due to their positions and the isolation that often comes with it. Pastors and their wives who regularly participate in the monthly gatherings have developed lifelong friendships that have been a source of encouragement, especially in a Pastor’s darkest ministry hour. Bottom Line, none of this would be possible without the generous giving of our Texas Baptists churches through the Coopertive Program.

Texas Baptists Pastors say, “Thank You!”.

KEVIN ABBOTT Area 5 Representative, Director

CHAD SHAPIRO Area 4 Representative, Director

JAMES “MAC” McLEOD Consultant/ Starter

RACHEL

CARRELL Ministry Assistant

The Western Heritage and Country Churches ministry of Texas Baptists was a key factor in assisting cowboy and country churches successfully share the gospel with multitudes of people through arena events, evangelism, a cattle roundup, mission events and theological and ministry education and training. Much of this was supported through the Mary Hill Davis Offering!

Pastor Steve Belote and Behind the Chutes Cowboy Church, Amarillo, Texas, served at the annual PRCA Rodeo in Amarillo, giving away Bibles and praying with professional cowboys and cowgirls! Pastor Joe Caballero led his church (Montague County Cowboy Church) on a 1000-head cattle roundup in Colorado. “The Drive” is designed to help maturing Christian men connect with other men who are struggling in different areas of their lives. Discipleship and mentoring! TXB also partnered with nine Texas Baptists cowboy churches with rodeo Bible camps in New Mexico with Mission Rez! 2024. The camps were to include rodeo events, gospel music, evangelism, passing out Bibles, and working with children and adults. However, due to massive range fires, the teams did a lot by way of food, water and clothes distribution as well. The gospel was shared with Jicarilla Apache Indians and Mescalero Apache Indians in a culturally significant manner.

TXB Western Heritage and Country Churches ministry started Circle the Wagons in the fall of 2024, having presented the program now to three cowboy churches, one traditional small town church and one country church. Circle the Wagons was designed to assist churches that are plateaued or dying. The program takes the pastors and their people on a brief, 4-to-6-hour journey on which they revisit mission, examine team functionality, evaluate their context and begin a process to move forward more effectively in their particular community context. It is based on the “Three Target Questions: Asking the Right Hard Questions,” developed by our Western Heritage and Country Churches Consultant, Mac McLeod, Ph.D. in Leadership.

The TXB Western Heritage Council made the decision to host the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Cowboy Church Movement, which TXB was instrumental in starting in 2000. We will celebrate this monumental event at the Abilene Convention Center, November 16, 2025, 4:00 - 6:30 P.M., as a kick-off for the Annual Meeting. Speakers will include cowboys Derek Rogers; Kenny Kennedy; Rodney Hammerstrom; and live music with “In His Grip” and one of the world’s greatest guitarists - a blind man God has gifted exponentially! The Rodney Hammerstrom story is also a story of faith and God’s power to overcome the seemingly impossible following a traumatic brain injury (TBI)! A free feed is included at the celebration!

Mac and Cindy enjoy representing TXB, promoting CP and Mary Hill Davis Offering, and partnerships with TXB. Building relationships with cowboy and country pastors and resourcing needs are priorities. Mac is also a huge proponent of leadership mentoring and coming alongside pastors and churches that may be struggling to accomplish their goals and Kingdom significant ministries. We praise God for Texas Baptists and this adventure in excellence with almighty God! We absolutely are better together!

Over the past year, Pastor’s Common has continued to grow in both reach and impact as we seek to serve pastors and ministry leaders across Texas. From June to May, we’ve stayed faithful to our mission: to create space for pastors to listen, learn, and collaborate In a time when ministry can often feel isolating and exhausting, we are committed to walking alongside church leaders, helping them sharpen their tools, rediscover their joy, and grow together in Christ-centered leadership.

Our Preaching Labs remained a central piece of our efforts. This year, we hosted regional labs in El Paso, Dallas, San Antonio, and Abilene, engaging over 500 pastors from diverse backgrounds and contexts. Each lab offered intentional space for pastors to reflect on their craft, receive practical training, and grow in their ability to rightly handle the Word of God. These gatherings weren’t just about technique. They were about encouragement, spiritual formation, and building lasting connections with fellow ministers. Whether someone was preaching in a rural congregation or leading in an urban setting, the goal was the same: to help pastors be the best version of themselves in the pulpit.

One of the highlights of our year was our first-ever Sabbath Retreat, held at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. This retreat brought together 50 pastors for a much-needed time of rest and renewal. In ministry, the demands are constant and the margins are often thin. The Sabbath Retreat created a counter-cultural space where pastors were invited to slow down, breathe deeply, and explore the biblical rhythms of rest. Through guided practices, honest conversations, and shared meals, leaders left with a renewed vision for healthy, sustainable ministry.

Beyond events, Pastor’s Common continues to resource leaders in a variety of ways. Throughout the year, we produced articles, podcasts, coaching opportunities, and live gatherings, all designed to meet leaders where they are and help them take their next faithful step. Our conviction is simple. When a pastor thrives, the church flourishes. That’s why every conversation, every lab, and every retreat is crafted with the local pastor in mind.

As we look ahead, we’re grateful for the growing community that surrounds Pastor’s Common. You are the reason this network exists, not as a brand or program, but as a people committed to serving the church with wisdom, courage, and hope. Thank you for your prayers, support, and continued participation. We believe the best is yet to come, and we look forward to partnering together as we equip and empower leaders for the long road of faithful ministry.

In the coming months, Pastor’s Common is excited to continue engaging pastors across Texas through more ministry labs. These gatherings will provide practical tools, encouragement, and space to grow in the preaching task. We are also preparing for our second Pastor’s Common Summit in 2026, a statewide event designed to inspire, equip, and connect church leaders around shared challenges and gospel-centered hope. Whether in a lab, retreat, or large gathering, our goal remains the same: to help pastors thrive in their calling and lead with clarity, humility, and courage. The journey continues and we are grateful to walk it together.

Pastor’s Common exists to help leaders listen, learn, and collaborate for the good of the church.

DAVID FOSTER Director

NOE

TREVIÑO Director

STACEY RICE

Lead Ministry Assistant

GLORIA TILLMAN Ministry Assistant

BRITTANY TOVER Ministry Assistant

JUANITA

TORRES Ministry Assistant

Texas Baptists Center for Missional Engagement connects churches with strategic missions opportunities from their local communities to the ends of the earth, all while intentionally living out their missional lifestyle.

The Center for Missional Engagement partners with Texas Baptists churches, associations and conventions/unions in our state, the U.S., and around the world in reaching those who are not yet God’s people. We read in God’s Word how the early church impacted the world with the gospel amid limitations and persecutions. Our Lord continues to use the church to impact and transform people’s lives.

BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery:

Director David Scott plans and preps all-inclusive mission opportunities for your middle school, high school and college students during Spring Break and Summer. Students help bring hope to communities struggling through disasters and to church plants needing a boost in their ministry.

Church Starting and Replanting:

Director Tom Howe is ready to help your church discover how to raise new church planters and teach you how to sponsor a new church in your area. With Church Starting Strategists helping across the state, we are excited about the possibility of planting new churches that will reach new people for Christ.

House and Philippi Church:

Director Paul Atkinson reported the number of people living in apartments, mobile homes and multi-housing is considered one of the fastest growing segments of the population who are not being reached by conventional churches. Help us bring the gospel and church to the places where they live.

MAP - Missionary Adoption Program:

Director Clinton Lowin connects 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.

River Ministry and Mexico Missions:

Director Mario Alberto Gonzalez helps give a new understanding of missions on the border and in the interior of Mexico. River Ministry and Mexico Missions can help your church participate in mission opportunities from inside the walls of your church, on the Texas side of the border, or the interior of Mexico.

Missional Church and Community Ministries:

Leah McMullen is the missions specialist for Missional Church and Community Ministries. She is ready to consult with your church on how to increase your impact in your community. This ministry provides Community Ministry engagement training, mission trip strategies and the possibility of a matching grant for smaller TXB churches.

Minister of Missions:

Leah McMullen encourages Ministers of Missions around the state through offering training for new Minister of Missions, conducting regional training conferences and providing missional opportunities for churches to engage.

Texas Baptists Missionary:

Gloria Tillman coordinates the TXB Missionary program. These Missionaries are either volunteers or people who raise support and who commit to at least 20 hours per week in a mission setting here in Texas. TXB missionaries are people who commit to working in any part of Texas.

Thank You and The Lord!

We are thankful to our Lord for the blessing of seeing 12,352 people make professions of faith in Christ in 2024 and for Texas Baptists churches who pray, give and send their members to fulfill the Great Commission.

For more information about our ministries, please see txb.org/missions to contact our team.

What is BOUNCE?

Through BOUNCE, student ministry leaders can mobilize their middle school, high school and college students for challenging mission service and inspiring times of worship. BOUNCE provides two mission options. Hands-on construction missions through longterm disaster recovery and community rehabilitation missions or church planting missions.

During the summer of 2024, BOUNCE mobilized student groups for construction missions in Lake Charles, LA (2 weeks), and Claremore, OK. BOUNCE participants (BOUNCERS) served the communities through roofing, siding, flooring, drywall, painting and more. In addition to the construction efforts, BOUNCERS had over 100 spiritual conversations with residents of the communities.

In addition to construction efforts, BOUNCERS served Texas Baptists church plants in the Houston area as well as Seattle, WA. BOUNCERS assisted area plants through Bible Schools, community service projects, block parties, sports camps and more to help church plants BOUNCE forward in ministry momentum.

During Spring Break of 2025, BOUNCERS returned to Galveston County to partner with 4B Disaster Response (4BDR) to assist with the completion of their Emergency Shelter and Operations Center. South Main Baptist Church Pasadena hosted the 12 groups.

BOUNCE in the News:

Every year BOUNCE attracts a great deal of media attention in the communities served. During our Spring Break efforts in Galveston County, CW39 covered the work BOUNCERS were doing at the 4BDR facility. Morgan Breedon, a 12th grader from First Baptists Church Cuero, represented BOUNCERS during the interview. During the interview, she shared that she had been a part of 3 different BOUNCE Missions. As a result of her experiences with BOUNCE she said, “BOUNCE definitely helped me recognize that I want to do ministry full time with my life. I don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like, but they’ve definitely prepared me to just go and serve wherever I am and to just use the skills that I’ve learned here to serve the Lord and use my talents to honor Him.”

From the Director:

David Scott, director of BOUNCE, says, “We know communities are going to be different because of the service we provide. Quality of life is going to be improved for residents, but for us the BIG WIN is when a love of missions and ministry is cultivated in the lives of our participants. Everything we do, evangelism training, our worship experiences and the service we provide is designed to get students to return home and look for opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus beyond their week at BOUNCE. We also know that through BOUNCE many students like Morgan can clarify a call to ministry and mission service.”

For more information on mobilizing your students through BOUNCE, visit txb.org/bounce.

DAVID SCOTT Director

TOM HOWE

Associate Director

JOHN SILVA West Texas

DANIEL

DELEON South Texas

D. EARL

LEWIS Southeast Texas

NIC BURLESON North Texas

LEE WILLIAMS III Central Texas

Church Starting & Replanting

Your gifts to Church Starting, the Cooperative Program, Mary Hill Davis Offering and Texas Baptists Missions Foundation all help start new churches in Texas and the US. These financial gifts have turned into Kingdom gain in seeing 2,312 professions of faith and 896 baptisms from June 2024 through May 2025. This includes stats from our 45 new churches and replants started during this time and the other 174 churches in our 5-year Process.

Greatest Need - Sponsor Churches

Currently, our greatest need to start a new church is a sponsor. Any church that is aligned with Texas Baptists and wants to help sponsor a church through funding and resourcing a planter is welcome to become a sponsor. You are asked to administer resources, provide prayer and encouragement, attend quarterly meetings with the new church plant, give regularly to CP and participate in Texas Baptists life. You can sponsor a church in your area, another part of Texas, or outside of the state.

Second Greatest Need - Church Planters

Churches, associations, pastors and other networks help us identify new church planters around the state and beyond. Our Church Starting strategists work to help give these candidates the tools to hear their calling and get started in the process. Our church starting process takes the church planter and the sponsor church from an initial interest meeting all the way to launch and subsequent growth reviews. We are raising up new planters within Texas and for our GC2 movement including churches started in California, Louisiana, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, New York, Indiana, Alabama, New Mexico and Wisconsin.

What is a Replant?

Our replant process is designed to provide consulting, coaching, strategic planning and resources to Texas Baptists churches as they embrace God’s plan for the future. If a church does not have enough power, energy, money, resources or creativity to help themselves or the desire to reach their immediate community, they may qualify to replant.

Church Starting Training

Church Starting helps train planters and potential planters with the help of associations throughout the state through funding Church Planting Centers (CPC). A CPC is a residency of current and potential church planters with the purpose of assessing, equipping, coaching, mentoring and resourcing them to start new Texas Baptists churches and ministries.

Church Starting Event

Assessments: About seven Church Starting Assessments are held across Texas annually, typically four in English and three in Spanish. These help our staff assess the call of potential planters to plant strong.

Planter Workshops: Started in 2025, we have held three regional workshops for training planters. These workshops are on topics that planters need in the field like strategy, engagement and vision. This has been a great success and we plan to continue them!

Planter Retreat: Our biggest event of the year is the Church Starting Connection, a retreat for planters and spouses. This is a time for planters to rest and recharge. We have had around 100 in attendance the past two years and are expecting more this year in Galveston!

Want to learn more about Church Starting and how you can get involved? Go to txb.org/churchstarting.

The House Church Strategy consist of these five components:

(1) The Entry – This is the beginning and asking the who, what, were, when, and how questions about the community…. We need someone who is called of God to enter this field. Is that someone you?

(2) The Gospel – This is the whole purpose of this church… Reach the lost and Develop the saved to Reach the Lost… Each leader needs to be well trained in relational evangelism and proficient.

(3) Discipleship – This new church will have at its core Bible study and discipleship because this is what will keep the church on its Great Commission trajectory.

(4) Church Formation – This church will be a full partner with Texas Baptist…. This church will be identified by these 10 functions Baptizing, Praying, Disciple Making, Evangelism, Loving, Worshiping, Giving, Bible Study, New Leaders and Mission Engagement.

(5) Leadership Development – These churches leaders will be coached and connected to Texas Baptist by way of authentic relationships built on common understanding of Baptist Distinctives and Missional Multiplication.

House Church Stats (May 2024 - May 2025):

• Total Volunteers Engaged

24,437

• Total People Served 382,880

• Profession of Faith 1,808

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Stories from House Church Catalysts:

Bobby Herring, Houston Area

Over the past couple months, we have had a new disciple start coming to a church in Spring. Over that time, this young man has grown in his faith and disciple making. This past weekend he wanted to baptize one of his friends, but did not know how to go about doing that. So with the help of the simple church and the man who is discipling this man, he invited his friend and was able to baptize him. This young believer is such a great example of what being a disciple is, not just showing up at church, but sharing Jesus and making disciples himself. We are excited for the plan God has for him.

Debbie Burgin, Mission Arlington

A family in one of the Mission Arlington churches began to attend, but they were on the brink of divorce. As they continued to go to worship the Lord, their lives began to change beginning with their four children. As the children loved being in Sunday School and the other activities, the parents also began to get help in their marriage. Financial stresses still are difficult, but God provided a lot of food for them. The following Sunday, you could visibly see the relief on their faces as that burden was taken off of their shoulders. They knew that the food was God’s gift to them and was provided by people who love the Lord and wanted to show them His love.

PAUL ATKINSON Director

CLINTON LOWIN Director

MAP in Action:

Texas Baptists: A Collaborative Mission

Through the Missionary Adoption Program (MAP), churches have joined a national and global movement to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ—reaching communities that would be beyond our grasp. We extend our sincere gratitude for your steadfast partnership with MAP missionaries around the world. Through your church’s prayers, financial gifts and on-field service, you have made a lasting Kingdom impact.

Reaching the Unreached in Brazil

Brazil continues to be a vibrant hub of MAP activity. Short-term mission trips provide invaluable support to ongoing ministries like Vila Minha Pátria (refugee ministry) and Cristolândia (evangelism and recovery). The Amazon River ministry reaches isolated communities, and new church plants are taking root in the most remote areas. A significant new focus is on Marajó Island, where biblical churches are being established with a strong emphasis on community presence and social impact.

Spreading the Gospel in Guadalajara, Mexico

In Guadalajara, MAP missionaries are actively engaged in evangelism and church planting, establishing new communities of faith. Their work focuses on building relationships within the local culture and sharing the message of hope.

A New Perspective in Peru

In the remote region of Cajamarca, Peru, the developing partnership invitation from FBC San Angelo, Texans on Mission and the National Baptist Convention of Peru is transforming lives. Beyond drilling vital water wells, missionaries are deeply engaged in discipleship through consistent Bible studies. These efforts are leading to the planting of new churches, bringing spiritual and practical hope to communities that previously lacked access to both clean water and the gospel.

Church Planting in Argentina

Argentina has seen significant growth with six new church plant partnerships established in Mar del Plata, El Dorado and Buenos Aires. These new congregations are becoming beacons of light in their respective communities, providing spiritual guidance and fostering a sense of belonging.

Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia

Six new MAP Missionaries are diligently planting churches in Dodoma, Tanzania. Their dedication is bringing the gospel to unreached areas, impacting lives and establishing a strong Christian presence within the region.

Similarly, in Entebbe, Uganda, five new MAP Missionaries are focused on church planting efforts. Their work is expanding the reach of the Gospel and establishing new centers of worship and discipleship.

Through partnerships with Texas Baptist churches, MAP collaborations have been established with missionaries in Kenya and Zambia, aiming to expand the gospel’s reach within more East African communities.

Holistic Ministry in Macedonia

Efforts are currently underway to explore a partnership with Macedonia Baptists. They are engaging in diverse ministry offerings, including youth outreach, support for pregnancy centers and church planting initiatives. This holistic approach addresses various community needs while sharing the Christian message.

Church Multiplication

Texas Baptists churches are strategically partnering with church planters across New York City’s five boroughs, the Pacific Northwest, Canada and Hawaii. This collaboration involves short-term mission trips, enabling volunteers to work directly with planters. Upcoming months will also see a new focus on Church Planter Training with the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association and other partners.

The stories from around the globe are powerful testaments to the unwavering commitment of Texas Baptists churches. We are deeply grateful for your dedication to spreading the gospel and making a tangible difference in communities worldwide. Together, we are reaching the unreached and extending the Kingdom of God.

MAP Missionaries supported by Texas Baptist Churches: 75 MAP Missionaries serving in the following countries: 11 countries (Kenya, Brazil, Canada, Spain, Mexico, United States, Uganda, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, South Asia, Greece)

Find out how to partner with MAP at www.txb.org/map.

What is River Ministry & Mexico Missions?

River Ministry/Mexico Missions has been part of Texas Baptists for almost 60 years, representing Texas Baptists on the Texas border and the interior of Mexico. We perform various outreach activities, from vacation Bible schools to medical clinics and church planting. We have River Ministry missionaries who coordinate mission trips with churches and institutions to come to the border to engage in evangelism, lead VBS for churches, serve in medical and dental clinics, lead sports clinics and present training for pastors and leaders in the area, as well as many other ministries.

Over 60 river ministry missionaries do the Great Commission in the border cities, and some have planted churches in major cities in Mexico. We work with local Baptist associations and regional Baptist conventions to start new churches in Mexico and to promote outreach events and missional opportunities.

Results from 2024 River Ministry Missionaries:

• 3,626 Professions of Faith

• 10,097 People Engaged

• 14 New Churches in Mexico

• 58 New Ministries

• 4,472 Patients Attended

• 2,636 Spiritual Conversations

Thank you, our Texas Baptists churches, for giving resources for River Ministry efforts on both sides of the border. You help us advance the Kingdom by giving out hot food in feeding centers, providing medicine to patients who receive free consultations, feeding and praying with Border Patrol agents and many other events to reach out to the border communities and the impoverished areas on the border and in major cities in Mexico.

Story from the Field:

Shon Young, River Ministry Missionary in Del Rio, receives monthly funding to help provide medication to people who would otherwise be homeless because of mental illness, disability, age and/or addiction. The funds provide medication for 50 people with mental illness who would otherwise not have access. With the medication, they have clear minds to understand the message of Christ. There are 105 residents at the shelter and 27 have given their lives to Christ and been baptized through this ministry. To find out how you or your church can partner with River Ministry and Mexico Missions visit www.txb.org/riverministry.

MARIO GONZALEZ Director

LUCY FLOYD Ministry Assistant

CENTER FOR CULTURAL

KATIE FRUGÉ Director

REBECCA TREVIÑO Center Specialist

It has been a wonderful year for the Center for Cultural Engagement! The Christian Life Commission celebrated its 75th year in ministry with a wonderful recognition from the Texas Senate, which passed a resolution of appreciation for the work of the CLC. Our Affinity Office continues to see incredible growth in all three of our summer camps: Campamento, Camp Fusion and Wave. Through these camp experiences, hundreds of Texas Baptist youth are coming to faith in Christ, surrendering to calls to ministry and having life-changing experiences with God. The Chaplaincy Relations team continues to serve as a top-tier endorser for chaplains ministering across multiple agencies and around the world. While the work may look different across the unique ministries of the Center for Cultural Engagement, the mission remains the same: to help churches live out the Great Commission and Great Commandment.

David Sanchez was promoted to serve as associate director of the Christian Life Commission.

The Christian Life Commission welcomed Lucy Floyd as ISAAC director.

African American Ministries welcomed Carlos Francis as director.

Baptist Chaplaincy Relations welcomed Bill Bryan as ministry assistant.

We are so thankful to Texas Baptists churches! We are honored to serve and thankful for the trust, support and friendship we share with all 5,300 churches of the convention.

Pointing Texas Baptists to biblical perspectives and one another to propel God’s kingdom forward in Christian advocacy and compassionate service.

CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMISSION FOR 2024-2025

Steve Bezner*

Steven Young*

Carol Boren MD*

Elmo Johnson*

Paul Kim*

John Roach*

Ryan Buck

Erica Currie

Laura Rodriguez

Brandon Skaggs

*Representatives from Executive Board

Tedrick Woods, Chair

Abigail Rojas

Kalie Lowrie

Emmanuel Roldan

Alice Ward

KATIE FRUGÉ Director

SHANTELL WELCH Ministry Assistant

DAVID SANCHEZ Director

The Ethics & Justice branch of the Christian Life Commission (CLC) strives to help believers walk worthy of the gospel and navigate today’s cultural issues with conviction and compassion.

The CLC, under the leadership of Dr. David Sanchez, remains a consistent voice on the topic of ministry to individuals who struggle with LGBTQ+ identity issues. His messages and workshops equip and encourage Texas Baptists not to shy away from this topic, but to show the watching world that we can love them with the love of Christ, while neither condemning nor condoning them. He presented this topic as a workshop at the last three BGCT Annual Meetings.

Through workshops, conferences and ministry trainings, the CLC served hundreds of Texas Baptists this year, providing biblical guidance and practical support on complex topics. Key ministry activities included:

Workshops & Conferences:

• Youth Leadership Camps

• WMU Pursue Conference

• iCare STCH Ministries

• Local church trainings for youth and adult ministries

• College student events through Baptist Student Ministries (BSM)

Specialized Ministry Training:

• 16-hour counseling workshops at two Chaplaincy Training Conferences

• Ministry training for WMU staff

• 4-hour ministry training event at First Philippine Baptist Church, Houston

Throughout the year, David also presented workshops on these topics:

• Making Godly Decisions in Grey Areas

• The Importance of Family Worship in the Home

• Poverty in the book of Proverbs

• Parenting and Technology

• Finding Our Identity in Christ

• Sexual Purity in a Digital Age

To support broader ministry efforts, the CLC expanded its available resources through both digital and print media.

• What is Good Podcast:

18 new episodes were released in the past year, covering topics related to identity, sexuality, discipleship and engaging culture with grace and truth. Episodes were cohosted and produced by Dr. David Sanchez and made available across multiple platforms.

In August through October of 2024, the Bits4Bites2024 campaign raised $10,010 for the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering (TBHO) during a marathon stream in which David Sanchez played video games on Twitch and Facebook and asked people to donate. This opportunity supports the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering and also shows the younger generation that we can use our many different hobbies and passions for God’s kingdom. This was the fourth year to have this event, and the cumulative total raised so far is over $20,000.

• New Resource: In December of 2024, Your/Our Identity in Christ: Finding Who We Are in Who He is was published. This book seeks to help teens and young adults who are wrestling in some way with their identity. The goal is to show that who we are in Christ is the most important thing about us as we discover that we are precious to Christ, we find purpose in Christ and we can live purely through Christ. The book has nine chapters, each focusing on a New Testament metaphor for being in Christ (i.e. Sheep of the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World, the Body of Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, etc.), and each chapter contains a relatable testimony of people who have struggled with their identity in some way but now find it in Christ. There are also fun illustrations to help engage the more visual learners, and discussion questions at the end of each chapter for individual reflection, mentoring or small groups. $4 of each book purchase goes to TBHO.

The Public Policy branch of the CLC provides biblical perspectives and resources on current policy issues in order that all Texas Baptists will feel equipped and encouraged to participate in the democratic process. CLC Public Policy works to inspire Texas Baptists to engage in informed advocacy on public policy issues affecting their churches and communities.

This year the Texas Legislature completed its 89th legislative session. The CLC made great progress in advancing legislation in our 4 public policy priorities:

• Sanctity of Life

• Fair and Just Financial Practices

• Religious Liberty

• Human Flourishing

Perhaps most significant was the CLC’s role in advocating for the abolishment of the Texas Lottery Commission, a state agency which oversaw the financial exploitation of millions of Texans.

The CLC celebrated its 75th anniversary during the legislative session. This Spring, the CLC hosted its Advocacy Day event in Austin. The CLC event equipped dozens of pastors, church leaders, and other Texas Baptists for advocacy. The CLC also facilitated opportunities for attendees to speak with their state representatives and senators.

• On March 3, attendees heard from keynote speakers about Christian witness and responsibility in the public square. On March 4, attendees took time to meet with legislators to advocate for Kingdom values and attended a session of the Texas Senate at which BGCT President Ronnie Marriot gave the opening prayer.

• During the morning’s session, Senate Resolution 197, authored by Senator Bob Hall, recognized that, “over the years, the Christian Life Commission has developed a number of commendable programs, including ministries that advocate for justice and public policies, promote ethical Christian living and partner with other organizations to provide help to those in need…”. SR197 was adopted unanimously by the Texas Senate.

The CLC also filed amicus (friend of the court) briefs in cases before the United States Supreme Court and the Texas Supreme Court this year. In Free Speech Coalition Inc. v. Paxton, the CLC joined the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and the Southern Baptist Convention of Texas in advocating for the constitutionality of a Texas law which requires age-verification by internet websites where more than one-third of the content on the site is sexual material that is harmful to minors. In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the right of states to adopt these types of restrictions to protect minor children from being exposed to harmful and destructive pornographic content.

In Perez v. City of San Antonio, the CLC filed a brief advocating for a broad interpretation of the newly adopted Article 1, Section 6-a of the Texas Constitution which prohibits the government from limiting religious services. In a case of first impression, the Texas Supreme Court agreed with the CLC that Section 6-a, “…protects not only the right to gather for religious services but also worship practices that are part of the religious services.” In its opinion, the Texas Supreme Court noted it had “received helpful amicus briefs from…The Baptist General Convention of Texas.”

JOHN LITZLER Director

IRENE GALLEGOS Director, Hunger & Care Ministries

Texas Baptist Hunger Offering

The Hunger Offering supported 155 ministries in 2024 and is supporting 146 in 2025. Texas Baptist Hunger Offering approved $460,240 in hunger grants in 2024.

• 1,206,621 individuals served

• 385,503 children served

• 7,611,333 meals served

Community Care

The CLC awarded $166,100 in 2024 Community Care funds to support ministries engaged in restorative justice, community development, community health and hunger ministry across the state.

• 4,840 professions of faith & 702 baptisms through community outreach programs.

• Served 706,152 individuals including 171,322 children through community outreach programs.

• Handed out 45,083 Bibles & tracks through community outreach programs.

• 34,251 Volunteers helped serve in 2022 with community ministries.

The Hunger & Care team is deeply thankful to Texas Baptists for your faithful support and generosity. Because of your support, millions around the world are hearing the gospel and being ministered to by the body of Christ.

Immigration Service and Aid Center

Lucy Floyd serves as the Immigration Service and Aid Center (ISAAC) director and is the newest member of the CLC. Based in El Paso, our ISAAC team has been gaining insight into the current complex immigration landscape through networking with key immigration leaders and engaging in critical trainings. The ISAAC team is also actively pursuing the required credentials.

From January to May, ISAAC collaborated with Vida Nueva Immigration Services, a ministry of Azle Avenue Baptist Church. During this time, the ISAAC team shadowed four Department of Justice accredited legal immigration representatives on proper case management and proper documentation requirements. ISAAC also partnered with Immigrant Hope for accreditation training.

The vision of African American Ministries is to enlist, equip and engage African American churches to reach their Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and uttermost parts of the world. We accomplish this by training and equipping churches in the areas of discipleship, fellowship, scholarship, worship, partnership and leadership.

A New Staff Member

We are pleased to announce that Carlos Francis has been named the new director of African American Ministry for Texas Baptists. Carlos succeeds Oza Jones (as of October, 2024), who now serves as the director of Evangelism for Texas Baptists. Carlos brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for ministry to this new role Carlos holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science from Texas Tech University, earned in December 2003. He later received a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2012.We are excited about the leadership Carlos will bring to the African American Ministry and look forward to the ways God will continue to work through him to support churches across Texas and beyond.

PAVE

When revitalization meets real-life results, impact becomes undeniable. That’s precisely what we’ve witnessed through PAVE. PAVE is a pathway — one that has become a lifeline for pastors and congregations who were ready for more but unsure where to begin.

Today, we highlight the Empowerment Community Center in Wilmer, Texas, led by Pastor Kevin Harris. A year ago, the church was struggling to hold on with only 25 members. Today, they’re not just surviving, they’re thriving. With 62 members and 17 baptisms in just one year, Empowerment is experiencing a fresh move of God, fueled by a clear vision, strategic planning and support through PAVE AAM.

As Pastor Harris puts it:

“My journey with Texas Baptists has been transformational, equipping me with the clarity, tools and support needed to lead with confidence and purpose. Through programs like PAVE and Church Planting, our church grew from 25 to 62 members and witnessed 17 baptisms in just one year. I’m especially grateful for the leadership and encouragement of my strategist team—Lee Williams, Nic Burleson and Bobby Hicks—whose support reignited my calling and helped position our ministry for lasting impact.”

Stories like this are not the exception; they are the new expectation. This is what happens when Kingdom collaboration, clear strategy and courageous leadership come together. The future is bright, and churches like Empowerment are proving that revival isn’t just possible, it’s happening.

The 2025 African American Leadership Conference

The African American Leadership Conference was a major success. The conference offered ministry training, spiritual encouragement and practical solutions to pastors and church leaders who came from all over Texas. African American Ministries (AAM) also announced the launch of a vital partnership with RightNow Media to offer AAM churches access to the discipleship streaming platform. The conference was able to serve nearly 300 attendees as we received powerful words from the likes of Bryan Carter of Concord Church in Dallas, and Oscar D. Epps, Sr. of Community Missionary Baptist Church in DeSoto and Cedar Hill Texas.

Wave/Camp Exalted

WAVE, led by Robert Purvey, is a ministry of AAM that exists to encourage and excite students and leaders to become active and involved in ministry leadership. Our 2024 WAVE Conference was held in San Antonio Texas, at Resurrection Baptist Church, where we ministered to over 500 attendees. At this conference over 40 students made a decision to follow Jesus and 10 or more students accepted a call to ministry.

CARLOS FRANCIS Director

DARRELL FIELDER JR. African American Ministries Specialist

LEONIDA QUARLES Ministry Assistant

ROLANDO

RODRIGUEZ Director

VIDAL MUÑIZ Strategist

ARMANDO SOLIS Ministry Assistant

Texas Baptists en Español exists to connect, collaborate, contextualize and celebrate with Hispanic Baptist churches aligned with Texas Baptists, helping them fulfill the mission God has placed before them. We begin by building meaningful connections with pastors, offering collaboration that supports and strengthens their congregations. Through contextualized resources and ministries, we walk alongside these churches. Together, we celebrate every step forward in advancing the Kingdom through the local church.

This ministry also fosters unity, fellowship, and clear vision among Hispanic churches through the coordinated work of 40 Compañerismo presidents across the state. Under the leadership of Texas Baptists, new churches are being planted, and innovative initiatives are launched to reach the growing Hispanic population in Texas and beyond.

Highlights from This Past Year:

Pastors Connection

Texas Baptists en Español made 565 total pastoral touchpoints, including meetings, conferences (general and evangelism), leadership development sessions, strategic planning meetings, graduation celebrations, pastoral installations, and ongoing coaching and collaboration. We also maintained monthly Cooperative Program engagements to ensure pastors are informed and equipped to share the importance of this vital support system with their churches.

EntrenaT Graduation Celebrations

Graduation events were celebrated in three key locations: 21 in Gainesville 14 at High Pointe 7 at El Buen Pastor

These events saw over 150 attendees, representing 12 churches, honoring the commitment of leaders completing ministry training

Equipping Ministry Fellowship Cohort

A second cohort was hosted in collaboration with the Center for Public Justice and the El Paso Baptist Association. Six impactful sessions were delivered to a group of 30 pastors, focusing on ministry effectiveness and public engagement.

Summer Missionaries

10 summer missionaries were enlisted, trained and supervised. These young adults served across various ministries and roles for 8 weeks, offering meaningful support to churches and gaining valuable ministry experience.

Christmas Leadership Banquet

Held in December, this banquet brought together over 300 pastors and leaders to celebrate, reflect and prepare for continued Kingdom work.

Men’s Retreats

Marked the 15th year of ministry through the annual men’s retreat at Glen Rose. Three separate retreats were held, with a combined attendance of 650, providing opportunities for discipleship, worship and fellowship.

TXB en Español Celebration during Annual Meeting

A special gathering during the Annual Meeting brought together 200 attendees, including 40 pastors, to celebrate the work and victories of Hispanic churches.

PAVE en Español

Training in the PAVE process was provided to 60 pastors in group sessions which focused on revitalizing and strengthening local churches.

Campamento at DBU

A powerful youth camp was held at Dallas Baptist University with 400 participants. The camp resulted in 13 professions of faith and 20 students surrendering to vocational ministry.

Compañerismo Collaborations

Texas Baptists en Español actively collaborated with 22 Compañerismos across the state. Each partnership included focused training in evangelism, discipleship and leadership development, helping regional networks deepen their local impact.

It is remarkable the linguistic diversity within Texas Baptists. While Texas officially recognizes around 130 languages. Currently, we have approximately 80 different language groups affiliated with Texas Baptists. I believe this incredible diversity is a powerful reflection of God’s kingdom at work, and it’s something truly worth celebrating in light of our GC2 focus!

Our mission at Intercultural Ministries is to foster a gospel movement in every language, establish healthy churches in every culture and promote discipleship and missions in every church. Our ministry priorities include continuously creating contextualized and holistic strategies and resources through relationship networks, and growing immigrant and refugee churches by connecting intercultural churches with the support they need to achieve their God-given vision.

We are deeply grateful for your support of the Mary Hill Davis Offering, CP, Worldwide CP and the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation. Your contributions have enabled us to partner with our Intercultural Churches in significant ways, supporting contextual outreach, ethnic-specific training, resources and retreats.

With your support in 2024, we have been able to serve various cultures, including Chinese, Korean, Native American, Nigerian, Congolese, Iranian, Arabic, Brazilian, Naga and Vietnamese communities. Additionally, we have supported international church planting, missions, and humanitarian work in countries such as Congo, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Burma, India, Iraq, Uganda and Rwanda. Our refugee resource center, Project: Start, has also assisted approximately 300 refugee families.

Our signature event, Camp Fusion, continues to grow, serving our intercultural churches in reaching and developing leadership among their youth. This year, we had 350 attendees from 30 churches, representing about 10% of our intercultural churches and 15 different cultures. The impact of Camp Fusion is evident in the responses from our campers’ decision cards:

* 13 committed to following Christ for the first time.

* 90 recommitted to Jesus.

* 162 personally committed to spiritual growth.

* 110 committed to helping lead their youth group.

* 104 committed to inviting someone to Bible study this year.

* 49 committed to full-time Christian service.

* 28 committed to cross-cultural missions.

Thank you again for your invaluable support in advancing our mission.

Personal Note:

As I was writing the 2024 Book of Reports, I believed it would be my final one. The cancer within me had run its course, and my doctors encouraged me to seek comfort care. During that time, I reflected on the powerful lessons I had learned throughout my cancer journey.

My journey began with a choice between faith and fear. When I chose faith, it allowed me to fix my eyes on Jesus and move towards His embrace. With that mindset, I was able to move forward.

The next reflection involved my relationship with the Texas Baptists Intercultural churches. Due to the strong bond our office shares with these churches, I began to worry about how my passing would impact them and their faith. The Intercultural churches fervently prayed for my healing. As I reflected on this, God helped me understand the answer through their perspective.

Through their unwavering faith, I began to see things as they did. Their prayers were not solely dependent on healing in this life; the answer to their prayers could be here or in Jesus’ arms. This realization helped me voice my testimony of God’s miraculous work. On August 9, 2024, my scans surprised my doctors when they found no trace of cancer masses in my lungs. This was truly a miracle from God, a testament to the faith of His people and it led me to a deeper understanding of our Jesus.

More next year, Mark Heavener Director of the office of Intercultural Ministries

MARK HEAVENER Director

LINDA HOWELL Intercultural Ministries Specialist

ARIANNA BAILEY Ministry Assistant

TODD COMBEE Director/ Endorser

JIM BROWN

Associate Endorser for Chaplain Training and Education

DONALD LACY

Associate Endorser for Pastoral Care and Support

ORAN LEE

Associate Endorser for Pastoral Care and Support

GREG

SCHANFISH Associate Endorser for Calling and Endorsement

BILL BRYAN Ministry Assistant

Baptist Chaplaincy Relations (BCR) has been endorsing, training and serving Texas Baptists chaplains for 23 years! During that time, we have endorsed a total of 1,216 military, health care, corrections, public safety, work place, lifestyle and disaster response chaplains who relate to the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) and the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV). The BCR Endorsement Council is elected by the BGCT Executive Board and serves as the endorsement agency on behalf of the BGCT and the BGAV. The Council establishes guidelines for endorsement requirements.

• We endorsed 23 new chaplains and had 5 transfer their endorsement to BCR this year. [Greg Schanfish & Bill Bryan]

• We currently have 570 active chaplains serving in 40 states and 6 foreign countries.

• This summer, for the first time, we have chaplains attending all three military chaplain basic courses (2 Air Force, 3 Army and 2 Navy).We have a total of 166 military chaplains currently serving on Active Duty, the Reserves or National Guard; as well as Chaplain Candidates preparing to become chaplains: 89 Army, 57 Air Force and 20 Navy.

• We average 25 zoom meetings and 35 phone calls per week as part of our pastoral care and support with individual chaplains. [BCR Team]

• [Oran Lee] mentored 10 healthcare chaplains who received their national board certification with APC; mentored an additional 16 chaplains working on their board certification; led a monthly board certification cohort with an average of 6 attendees.

• Conferences attended in support of our chaplains: the National Conference for Ministry to the Armed Forces (NCMAF) in January [Todd Combee]; Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) in June [Oran Lee and Todd Combee], American Corrections Association (ACA) in August [Don Lacy]

• 67% of our chaplains are in Texas; approximately 11% of our chaplains are on the East Coast, 6% on the West Coast and 16% in the central part of the U.S.

• 50 participants (including 12 local clergy) attended our April 6-9 training event in Richmond, VA (at the BGAV Building). [Jim Brown]

• 128 participants attended the September 17-20 training event in Dallas, TX (at the Doubletree Hotel-Love Field). [Jim Brown]

Texas Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) exists to engage the 1.6 million college students in Texas to follow Christ and transform the world. BSM missionaries are on approximately 135 campuses, intentionally engaging the collegiate culture by making and multiplying disciples of Jesus. It is both exciting and challenging at Texas universities, where over 300 exist statewide. Junior College attendance is also a large part of the student population. Major universities are also establishing new campus sites to meet the needs of students in different areas.

Reach the Campus, Reach the World

Texas BSM prayed and developed a strategy to send collegiate workers to multiple targeted areas. In July 2021, Texas BSM introduced Reach the Campus, Reach the World (RCRW), a strategy of sending 100 workers to nine different locations.

In the first four years of RCRW, campuses have taken multiple vision and mission trips to the nine locations. At the end of spring 2025, 54 gospel workers have been commissioned and sent to pioneer and strengthen collegiate ministry in these areas.

One Texas RCRW priority location is the Basin Area (Midland and Odessa). Tyler and Cindy McMurry lead ministry on campus in cooperation with local churches. In the fall 2025 semester, two Campus Missionaries will join the team and continue serving Midland College and UT Permian Basin. The team will extend the work at Odessa College. The ongoing work in the Basin prioritizes daily engagement of the campuses, sharing the gospel and starting discipleship Bible studies.

On the Campus

BSM staff and students are experiencing an increased openness to spiritual conversations and a willingness to explore an understanding of the gospel. Intentional efforts for BSMs statewide prioritize prayer as a foundational piece in seeking revival and renewal on the campus. Many groups host multiple-day prayer tents and invite all students to pray for life needs, national/world concerns, campus needs and numerous other needs shared by students.

Student response to missions opportunities

BSM students are responding to the call to serve with a record number participating in state, national, and international GoNow Missions opportunities. 495 students have responded to the call to serve this year.

MARK JONES State Director BILL NOE Associate State Director

MEG CRAIG Ministry Partner Development Associate Director

BETH SMITH Ministry Partner Development Director

GARY STIDHAM Director of Training

GINGER BOWMAN Campus Consultant/ Program Specialist

JOE OSTEEN East TXBSM Regional Director

BECKY BARNES Administrative Assistant

KATE BEAN Ministry Assistant, Campus Missionaries and Support Raising Staff

KATIE COLEMAN Ministry Assistant - Communications and Administration

CINDY ZOLLER Ministry Assistant - Receptionist/ Finances

BRENDA SANDERS Missions Consultant

JOURDAN POLLOCK Assistant Director

KAITLYN

KALISEK Ministry Assistant

Texas college students responded to the call to serve as Go Now Missionaries in record numbers in 2025. 593 students served as Summer, Impact, Christmas, Semester and Campus Missionaries. The served in 24 countries, 16 states and 33 Texas cities. These students were challenged to “carry the gospel face to face.” Here are some stories of how they lived out this calling.

Abby Simbana (MSU BSM) shares an encounter with a “man of peace” in South Asia. “Earlier this week, as our team was prayer-walking, we met a woman with a tea stand. We shared the gospel with her and later returned, since she doesn’t have a phone, hoping to follow up and study the Bible with her. As we walked toward her stand, I spoke to another woman using the few words I’ve learned in their language. Meanwhile, a man came to us and said, ‘Yeishu’ (Jesus). He pointed us to another man who invited us to his home. His family welcomed us and said a fellowship of believers had been forming months ago but had stopped when foreign workers left. I immediately thought of the ‘man of peace’ Jesus spoke about when he sent out his disciples to share the good news. We returned to the house on Saturday with long-term workers from our organization. His family had invited others, and soon eleven women and one man gathered in the room. We read the parable of the sower from Mark 4 in their language. We asked what type of soil they believed they were and how they could apply it to their lives. Everyone said they were good soil and wanted to share the gospel, but when asked what the gospel was, they didn’t know. My partner shared the good news with them! Eleven people heard the gospel! We prayed for them and encouraged them to share with their husbands, families and friends. Praise God that people are hearing the good news!”

Isaac Garcia (TAMU Kingsville BSM) and Todd Smith (MSU BSM student) found a creative way to serve the community of Alpine, TX and share the gospel. “We felt led to serve the community in a practical way—by mowing lawns. On Tuesday, we mowed the yard at the BSM, and on Thursday and Friday, we were able to bless a few elderly widows from the church by taking care of their lawns as well. The weather was hot, but the gratitude we received made it all worth it. Looking ahead, we’re planning to go door to door in the coming weeks with what we’re calling our ‘Mow and Tell’ outreach—showing God’s love through service, and sharing the gospel as opportunities arise.”

Madison Hartley (TCU BSM) was part of Adventure Camp for children in Montana. “Throughout adventure camp, we had lessons attached to a fun activity. One of the lessons was about casting your worries on the Lord and how with Jesus you don’t have to worry about anything. At the end, the teacher shared the gospel and asked if any of the kids wanted to accept Jesus into their hearts. She explained what that meant and 6 of the kids went over to her to pray. She asked if I wanted to lead them and God gave me the words, and I led all of them in a salvation prayer! Later in a small group we had an amazing conversation about the gospel and what Jesus did. I was encouraged that God is working in little children everywhere! Matthew 19:14, Praise God!”

In convention life, as it is in the rest of life, times are ever-changing. The old proverb, “You never step into the same river twice,” certainly rings true, this year especially. The work and responsibilities of the Treasurer’s Office have gone through many changes this year. These necessary changes have allowed us to take on new challenges and transition some responsibilities to new places.

The most noteworthy of these changes has been the preparation for the anticipated launch of the Texas Baptists Indemnity Program (TBIP). This groundbreaking captive insurance company has been a blessing to form, and we are excited about the relief it will help to bring to many churches struggling to find and maintain good insurance coverage for their churches and ministries. At the time of this publication, we are on the cusp of finalizing our necessary approvals and partnerships, with an anticipated launch date of October 2025.

In addition to having management responsibility for TBIP, our office continues to oversee the Convention’s $250M of endowments and investments, coordinate with our general counsel on all legal matters and give executive oversight on budgetary and financial matters, information technology and building operations. Our ministry slogan is “financing and supporting the ministries of Texas Baptists.” To give us enough margin to adequately manage these areas, our office transitioned oversight responsibility for Human Resources, Conference and Events and Texas Baptist Missions Foundation to others.

The variety of responsibilities it takes to accomplish this is only possible by great creativity and productivity from our incredible staff. God has been at work through it all, however, as you will easily see in the reports that follow. In it all, we remain committed to respond to the needs of BGCT staff and to the needs of our churches.

Technology, and its continual upgrading, remain a critical piece in helping us strengthen our efficiency and productivity through the automation of our processing, better manage our costs and increase our investment earnings. These improvements have helped us battle against inflationary challenges and financial market volatility.

For our office and all departments under our umbrella, we remain committed to the purpose that “every dollar earned and every dollar saved are more dollars we have to do ministry.” Through and in it all, we continue to work diligently to improve to do this in support of Kingdom work through Texas Baptists.

Thank you for allowing us to serve the churches and ministries of BGCT!

WARD HAYES Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer

Years ended Dec. 31, 2024

REVENUES

Gifts

Cooperative Program $ 26,853,491

Mary Hill Davis Offering for State Missions 2,072,700

Other gifts and contributions 13,502,680

Total gifts 42,428,871

Other ministry income 2,076,697

Investment interest and other income 14,763,380

Realized and unrealized losses on investments, net 17,043,288

Change in value of beneficial interests in trusts held by third parties (4,081,142)

Gain (loss) on sale of property and equipment (53,154)

Total revenues before release 72,177,940

Net assets released from restrictions 489,577

Total revenues 72,667,517

EXPENSES

Ministry Expenses: Cooperative Program 16,857,111 Mary Hill Davis Offering for State Missions 2,085,173

ministries 22,739,712 Total ministry expenses 41,681,996 Supporting activities:

Years ended Dec. 31, 2023

12/31/2024

COLEEN WALL Director

ABIGAIL

KENDALL Planning Coordinator

SHARRON BRADLEY Ministry Assistant

The ministry of the Conference & Event Planning Team is to serve the Convention to provide the most effective events that deliver synergy with maximum value for minimum costs. Serving in the background to the many events of BGCT, we support our ministry office staff as they share God’s Word, by creating an environment that is creative and effective.

C&EP uses “lessons learned” and meeting industry knowledge in developing and implementing meeting design strategies as well as assisting to align our resources and expertise to provide the convenience of full-service planning capabilities.

A primary role that the C&EP office assists the organization through the development and implantation of best practices, organizational compliance, standardization of protocols, crisis management and reduction of risk management, labor and liabilities. Additionally, C&EP works on obtaining corporate discounts and preferred vendor services related to production, decorators (pipe/drape), catering, transportation, transient hotel rates and event equipment to minimize costs.

Serving in numerous ways, from consulting with a ministry office to dream at the beginning stages, guiding through details of each element to assisting in the implementation. CE&P can deliver fully produced events and training, all the way down to being the one that turns out the lights when an event is over.

Some services that we offer our ministry offices include but are not limited to the list are set up and manage an exhibit hall, schedule meals and work with caterers, be the liaison with bands and keynote speakers, assist in script writing, be a stage manager for worship sessions, volunteer management, organize and manage workshops, develop timelines and worship schedules, or assist in stage design.

In the case of the Annual Meeting, CE&P serves as the executive producer, managing the many tasks, volunteers, workflow and partner relationships to provide a successful event.

During the last year

• CE&P supported over 90 + events of the Convention in numerous ways that include large scale conferences like Annual Meeting, medium scale like Executive Board, all the way to a 10-member committee meeting and everything in between – workshop and training events, summer camps, retreats, conventions and meetings.

• Researched all aspects of meeting/event planning and negotiated contracts to assist in securing over 100+ locations and over 450,000 sleeping room nights.

• Negotiated future and multi-year events with convention centers, churches, hotels, production, transportation, catering, creative productions and exhibit companies that allow for additional long term cost savings.

• Negotiations, management and liaison for Speakers, Special Talent and Bands/ Musicians.

• Creative Production, Stage Design, Event Production, Sound & Lights, Audio Visual, Stage Management, Live Streaming, Archival Recording and Basic Editing.

• Provided staff training for organizational compliance for contracting, risk management and organizational purchase power.

With the ever-changing landscape in the meeting industry, the CE&P event staff has continued to seek out training and learning about advances in technology and industry standards to better support and impact the ministry offices of the Convention.

The Conference & Event Planning team thrives by serving in the background fueling our passion that many will come to know the Savior, to grow deeper in their relationship with Him and to be assured of the hope that is found only in a relationship with Christ.

The Finance & Accounting Department (F&A) of Texas Baptists exists to serve the Lord by supporting churches, ministries and our Texas Baptists staff as they share Christ and show love to others by providing accuracy, efficiency and integrity in reporting and protecting the assets and financial gifts of the convention and our churches and by providing expert help in the areas of church and religious non-profit finance and taxes.

F&A serves as the processing arm of Texas Baptists, processing receipts from voluntary contributions, mission gifts, event registration fees and GC2 product sales, “taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man” (2 Corinthians 8:21). F&A also provides assistance with budgeting and accounting information on the corporate and individual level.

The primary ministry emphases are cash receipts, accounts payable, general ledger and financial reporting. During the past year our ministry team:

• Received and recorded more than 120,000 contributions, product sales transactions, event registration payments and other miscellaneous receipts.

• Processed over 49,000 cash disbursement checks, credit card transactions and electronic payments.

• Budgeted for, recorded information into and prepared reports from more than 60,000 accounts in the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers.

• Processed bi-weekly payrolls for approximately 300 full and part-time employees for Texas Baptists and Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) of Texas.

• Provided church tax information and financial best practices to our churches upon request.

• Continued to provide accurate financial reporting for the yearly audit.

• Coordinated the preparation of the 2025 and 2026 annual budgets.

• Provided church training in the areas of non-profit accounting, tax and best practices to our Baptist Associations and churches upon request.

• Evaluated and informed staff and churches about the impact of changes in tax law and wage and hour law.

• Provided accounting services and facilitated the annual audit for Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) of Texas.

The financial statements of Texas Baptists are audited annually by an independent certified public accounting firm. Also, the controller ensures proper internal controls are in place to avoid financial improprieties.

Upon request, we assist churches affiliated with Texas Baptists by providing evidence of their exemption from Federal income tax.

All members of the Finance & Accounting staff consider our work a great joy and a ministry to Texas Baptists churches and staff. Please let us know how we can help! Thank you, Texas Baptists, for allowing us to serve you!

KRISTEN RAY Controller/ Assistant Treasurer

ESTELA ESCOBAR Administrative Assistant

SARAH MUNDY General Ledger Manager

CADELRO FRANK Accounting Manager/Payroll Specialist

INDY AXTON Senior Accountant

NOLAN HAYDEN General Ledger Accountant

SCOTT RABB Accounts Payable Technician

NATHAN DUNN Accounting Technician

MALACHI JONES Generalist

JEANNIE MILLER Accounting Assistant

DAVE LYONS Director

Information Technology and Support Services empowers Texas Baptists and WMU of Texas ministries through innovative technology and logistics solutions. Our core mission is to enable, equip and support these vital ministries. Our department has three key teams: User Support, Information Management Team (IMT) and Support Services.

IT User Support

IT Operations - 4 FTE

Our IT Operations team ensures robust IT security, efficient network administration, and comprehensive user support.

1. Standardized Computing Environment: Successfully transitioned to Macs as our standard computer platform.

2. Enhanced Security Measures:

• Managed Okta for Single Sign-On and Multi-Factor Authentication across critical platforms: Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT, Paylocity and eSPACE Event Scheduler.

• Utilized Grip software to monitor and detect SaaS applications used by staff.

3. Centralized Device Management: Implemented Kandji for unified device management across 170 Macs.

4.Infrastructure Upgrades: Completed Fortinet firewall, switches and wireless access point upgrades across all offices, improving network performance and reliability.

5. Ongoing Technology Support: Provided and maintained essential technology solutions to achieve ministry goals, ensuring systems are usable, current and protected. This encompasses:

• Google G Suite and Microsoft Office 365

• Salesforce, Blackbaud FE NXT

• Zoom Meetings, Webinars, and Phones

• Wireless networking and managed printing solutions

• Helpdesk Support and IT training for staff

• Provision and support of laptops, tablets and desktops

• Comprehensive Windows and Mac support

• Support for 3 remote locations and dozens of mobile workers

Information Management Team

The IMT administers Salesforce, manages critical data,and provides staff training. Our three primary responsibilities are application development to enhance Salesforce functionality, data maintenance for accuracy and generating custom reports and analytics. In the latest reporting period, IMT achieved the following:

1. Streamlined Annual Meeting Processes: Completed online registration and in-person systems for the Annual Meeting.

2. Expanded Payment Options: Selected and implemented Classy with payment alternatives, including Apple Pay, Google Wallet, PayPal and donor-covered processing fees.

3. Automated Gift Processing: Completed Check21 implementation to efficiently process incoming gifts, orders and loan payments.

4.Automated Scholarships: Successfully automated scholarship processes.

5. Improved Contracts System: Enhanced the existing contracts system for better management.

6.Cost-Saving Event Registration: Migrated all active events to a new event registration process, resulting in significant savings on event registration fees.

7. Email Marketing System Migration: Initiated migration to a more user-friendly and functional email marketing system, projected to save $10,000 annually in licensing fees.

8.Continuous Application Enhancement: Performed numerous updates to existing applications to adapt to evolving ministry needs.

9.Sustained Operational Excellence: Consistently performed regular assigned tasks, including:

• Managed and updated hundreds of thousands of account and contact records..

• Handled or routed over 3,000 incoming phone calls.

• Successfully processed:

o 4,468 GC2 Press and other orders

o 48,526 online donations (33% increase over previous period)

o1,601 ACPs

• Managed over 1,000 active reports, providing crucial data insights.

IMT partners with Texas Baptists ministries, offering comprehensive software solutions, process improvements, data entry, custom reports and tailored data collection/analytic support.

Support Services

Our Support Services team delivers essential logistical and operational support, ensuring smooth day-to-day functions. Key services include:

• Events support.

• Warehousing services, including staging and management of pallets for major events (SuperSummer, Texas Baptists Annual Meeting, BOUNCE, WMU Annual Meeting).

• Efficient handling of incoming and outgoing mail.

• Comprehensive shipping and receiving operations.

• Meeting management, including kitchen and refreshment services.

• Timely repairs, maintenance and adjustments at our Rambler office and warehouse, plus Waco office oversight.

• Ensuring facility safety and compliance across all locations.

• Materials transportation (bank deposits, pickups/deliveries for printed materials).

• Managing office moves with minimal disruption.

• Implementing, directing and managing high-quality, impactful golf tournaments.

Past Key Projects:

• Upgraded our van to enhance support for events and materials transportation.

This team operates with a steadfast commitment to customer service, proactively addressing the varied and fast-paced needs of our Texas Baptists ministry teams.

Our Impact Information Technology and Support Services serves the ministries of Texas Baptists and WMU of Texas, playing a crucial role in their Kingdom impact. We are grateful for our Kingdom roles..

ABRAHAM JAQUEZ President

2418 W Ansley Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78224

bua.edu

Baptist University of the Américas (BUA) is an affordable, Christ-centered university committed to developing global Christian leaders for both ministry and the marketplace. Since 1947, BUA has prepared students with a strong biblical foundation, enabling them to serve churches, communities, and organizations throughout Texas, the United States, and the world.

With small class sizes, a low student-faculty ratio, and a Christ-centered, multicultural campus, BUA offers high-quality education through Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, English as a Second Language programs, and the Baptist Bible Institute (BBI), welcoming students from all backgrounds and nations.

This year has marked pivotal growth in alignment with BUA’s 2023–2027 Strategic Plan, which focuses on expansion, student success, and global impact. A major highlight is the launch of the Baptist Bible Institute in English, extending theological training to a wider audience while continuing to offer the original Spanish-language Instituto Bíblico Bautista.

We also celebrate the establishment of BBI Africa, a milestone that brings affordable, incontext ministry training to new international communities.

Another key initiative is the continued success of Proclama, a Spanish-language preaching program funded by a $1.2 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. In 2025, we introduced Mentorías, a mentorship model designed to reinforce the principles of Scripture-centered preaching taught in regional Proclama workshops. The most recent event took place on June 28 at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Cedar Hill, TX, led by Dr. Rudy González, Director of Proclama.

As part of BUA’s commitment to holistic student development, we continue to create meaningful pathways for students to engage in hands-on learning opportunities that connect academic preparation with real-world ministry and marketplace contexts. These practicum experiences allow students to deepen their skills, build confidence, and cultivate practical readiness for service beyond graduation.

BUA’s continued collaboration with Texas Baptists, Texans on Mission, and the Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas is vital to our impact. In response to recent disasters in the Hill Country, BUA is working with Texans on Mission to coordinate the collection of essential hygiene and relief items—reflecting our ongoing commitment to serve as the hands and feet of Christ.

Looking forward, we draw inspiration from Nehemiah 2:18: “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So, they began this good work.” At BUA, we are rebuilding, expanding, and equipping the next generation of Christian leaders—through God’s grace and with faithful partners beside us.

We remain thankful to Texas Baptists for their generous support of Baptist University of the Américas.

BAPTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE AMÉRICAS STATISTICAL INFORMATION

2024 - 2025 Enrollment, Fall

Spring

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating revenue

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 359,634 Institution funded scholarships & financial aid

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $

Endowment and

LINDA A. LIVINGSTONE

President

One Bear Place #97096

Waco, Texas 76798

baylor.edu

Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas and affiliated with the BGCT, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Baylor’s mission is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.

The 2024-2025 academic year included several milestones:

• Announcement of the new Baylor in Deeds strategic plan – drawn from Matthew 5:14-16 – that gives Baylor a unique opportunity to shine God’s light around the world;

• Expanding the University motto to add Pro Mundo (For the World) to Baylor’s longstanding Pro Ecclesia (For the Church), Pro Texana (For Texas) call;

• Truett Seminary’s 30th anniversary;

• National Top 10 recognition from U.S. News & World Report for First-Year Experiences, noting Baylor’s emphasis on Christian faith and service, and Learning Communities where students “get to know one another and their professors especially well”; and

• The largest graduating class in University history.

Baylor also welcomed new University Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life, Dr. Charley Ramsey, in a leadership position bolstered by Dr. Ramsey’s deep Baptist roots. In addition, Baylor Spiritual Life completed the second year of required Chapel experiences, informed by Baylor’s longitudinal student Faith and Character Study. Students can choose from more than 70 Chapel options, including traditional worship, profession-specific chapels, special-interest chapels and more, experiencing Christian discipleship, learning and the flourishing Christian life within a supportive community.

In Fall 2024, Baylor enrolled 20,789 students, including 3,427 freshmen. More than 18% of students are Baptist and 25.1% non-denominational. 6,714 students enrolled in religion courses, including Common Core classes Christian Scriptures and Christian Heritage, 448 students majored/minored in religion, 49 were enrolled in graduate programs and 10 earned a Ph.D. in religion. At Truett, enrollment rose to 387 students pursuing theological education in the context of a Christ-centered community.

In July, Baylor joined Texas Baptists and Baptists from around the world at the 23rd Baptist World Congress, a powerful time of worship, prayer, fellowship, and teaching in Brisbane, Australia. Ahead of the World Congress, Baylor announced a Baptist World Alliance Program – the first-ever university-based, graduate-level center devoted to the study of the life, history and ongoing mission and ministry of the BWA – will be housed at Truett Seminary. To support this work, a $2.5 million gift from alumni Susan and Lee Bush established the Lampsato Endowed Chair of Baptist World Missional Engagement and the Lampsato Endowed Fund.

In April, Baylor researchers revealed first findings from the Global Flourishing Study, the most comprehensive undertaking ever to uncover the roots of human flourishing through a longitudinal study of 200,000 individuals in over 22 countries. Led by Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program, Gallup and Center for Open Science, researchers found:

• Many middle-income developing countries were doing better in meaning, purpose and relationships than the richer developed world.

• Younger people appear to not be doing as well as older people when compared to past generations .

• Across almost all countries, religious service attendance appears to be an important element related to flourishing, even in the most secular societies.

In addition, Baylor launched the Institute for Global Human Flourishing, positioning Baylor as a global leader for research on faith and human flourishing.

On campus, corporate prayer – ranging from President Linda Livingstone’s Community Prayer events to the three-day spring FM72 prayer vigil to special commissioning ceremonies to pray over hundreds of students serving on mission trips and as Christian camp counselors – regularly reflects Baylor’s mission in Christian higher education and its roots in Baptist evangelism.

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

2024 - 2025

Enrollment, Fall 20,626

Enrollment, Spring 19,613

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 18,734

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants* 283

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry* 1,238

Approximate percentage of Baptist students 17%

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year..

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

May-2024 (12 Months from 6/1 - 5/31)

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 983,094,000 Institution funded scholarships & financial aid 426,802,000 Auxiliary enterprises 75,463,000 All other expenses -

Endowment and net assets Total endowment (market value) $ 2,174,802,000

assets Unrestricted $ 1,326,545,000 Temporarily Restricted 830,325,000 Permanently Restricted 1,096,851,000 Total net assets $ 3,253,721,000

DR. ADAM WRIGHT President

3000 Mountain Creek Parkway

Dallas, Texas 75211-9299

dbu.edu

Dallas Baptist University is a nationally ranked, comprehensive, liberal arts institution that remains the college of choice among students seeking an excellent Christ-centered education with a mission to produce servant leaders and transform lives. The Lord continues to bless DBU as academic programs are expanded, new campus facilities are being added, and its global reach inspires lives around the world.

This spring, DBU officially launched its new 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, “A Better Way.” Developed through a year-long process of prayer, listening sessions, and institutional review, the plan outlines a bold vision for the University’s future, centered on three key pillars: elevating transformative education, enhancing operational stewardship, and expanding Christian influence. Approved by the Board of Trustees and embraced by our faculty and leadership, A Better Way reaffirms DBU’s historic mission while providing a clear roadmap for the years ahead.

This year, we celebrated a historic milestone with the largest single gift in University history, a generous $20 million donation from Linda Carter and her children, Ron Carter and Christi Carter Urschel. This transformational gift led to the naming of the Don and Linda Carter School of Business, honoring a legacy deeply rooted in Christian leadership, entrepreneurship, and generosity. In conjunction with this momentous gift, we launched the “Stand Firm. Stand Out.” capital campaign, a bold $60 million initiative designed to propel the Carter School forward through a new state-of-the-art facility, expanded scholarships, innovative programming, and faculty investment. These efforts will help shape a new generation of Christ-centered business leaders equipped to stand firm in their faith and stand out in the global marketplace.

This year, DBU enrolled more than 4,200 students and celebrated a growing network of over 40,000 alumni faithfully serving across the globe. The University sustained its longstanding commitment to financial stewardship, concluding the fiscal year in the black for the thirty-seventh consecutive year. The University also launched several new academic programs and accelerated pathways designed to meet the needs of today’s marketplace and ministry landscape, continuing our effort to prepare students to lead with integrity and excellence.

Among the many areas of growth and impact this year, DBU Athletics stood out as a hallmark of both competitive success and spiritual transformation. Our Women’s Golf team brought home its third NCAA Division II National Championship title in the last five years (2021, 2023, and 2025). Men’s Basketball set a single-season wins record, captured the program’s first-ever Lone Star Conference Championship, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four, a historic milestone. Senior Graham Kroll, a math and computer science major, was honored with the NCAA Elite 90 Award, marking the first time a DBU student-athlete has received this prestigious recognition. Our baseball team began the 2025 season ranked No. 17 in the nation and extended its streak to 10 consecutive NCAA Regional appearances. Meanwhile, DBU Cheer not only celebrated national success in Daytona Beach but also witnessed several team members profess their faith publicly through baptism during the trip. Five members of the men’s soccer team professed faith in Christ and were baptized in DBU’s newly constructed Pool of Bethesda prayer garden.

In May, we celebrated more than 550 graduates at Commencement, launching them into the world as servant leaders in business, education, ministry, healthcare, and beyond. Our faculty and staff continue to exemplify a deep commitment to discipleship and academic distinction.

This year also marked continued growth in our leadership and global engagement initiatives. The NEXUS Ministry Leadership Conference entered its second year, exploring the intersection of theology, service, and leadership. Through the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), we welcomed leaders from across the globe to speak on issues ranging from international religious freedom to moral leadership in times of conflict. In addition, DBU students participated in numerous global service trips to countries such as Spain, South Korea, and Costa Rica, integrating academic study with hands-on mission work.

We also welcomed more than 600 new students through SWAT (Student Welcome and Transition) Week, cultivating a culture of discipleship and belonging from the moment they stepped on campus.

We remain deeply grateful to Texas Baptists for your continued partnership in the work God is doing at DBU. Together, we are shaping future leaders to be Champions for Christ— academically strong, spiritually grounded, and globally minded.

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 3,621

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships

Excess

Endowment and net assets

J. BLAIR BLACKBURN President

One Tiger Drive Marshall, Texas 75670 etbu.edu

East Texas Baptist University celebrated continued strong enrollment throughout the 2024–2025 academic year. ETBU welcomed 1,813 students in Fall 2024, the secondhighest enrollment in the University’s 112-year history. Spring 2025 enrollment also remained strong, with 1,658 students, reflecting the University’s sustained growth and commitment to Christ-centered higher education.

ETBU advanced its academic offerings with the introduction of a new Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. The program is designed to meet a critical need for speech and communication professionals across East Texas and has received Candidate for Accreditation status from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. ETBU awarded 202 degrees during the Fall 2024 Commencement and conferred 218 degrees in Spring 2025. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia delivered the keynote address during the December ceremony, encouraging graduates to lead with conviction, service, and purpose.

The University received significant grant funding to enhance academic excellence and student support. A $2.2 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Program Grant will support student success, while a $333,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will bolster ETBU’s Teague School of Nursing in addressing the regional nursing shortage.

ETBU celebrated its Christ-centered mission and legacy of leadership through the 10th Anniversary Presidential Gala honoring Dr. J. Blair Blackburn. With the generosity of sponsors and attendees, the event raised more than $400,000 in support of ETBU student scholarships. A report from the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) reveals that ETBU contributed $120 million to the East Texas regional economy, emphasizing the University’s role as a vital driver of local economic growth, job creation, and workforce development. The University introduced the ETBU Shield, a brand renewal designed to strengthen brand recognition and communicate the University’s mission of integrating biblical faith and academic scholarship.

Demonstrating support for Texas Baptists churches, ETBU launched the BGCT Promise Scholarship, which provides full tuition to the children of Texas Baptists senior pastors beginning in Fall 2025.

The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation received the ETBU Good Samaritan Award in recognition of its transformational generosity to the University, including support for academic buildings, campus enhancements, and student scholarships.

Dr. Antay Waters, a professor at the Teague School of Nursing, was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas Perinatal Advisory Council, recognizing her expertise and leadership in women’s health.

Tiger Athletics achieved numerous accolades, including six American Southwest Conference (ASC) Tournament Championships. Softball swept the ASC regular season and tournament titles, while advancing to win its fifth NCAA Regional. Senior Tristen Maddox was named NCAA Division III Softball Player of the Year for the second consecutive year and won ASC Athlete of the Year for the third time. ETBU Volleyball won the 2024 ASC Tournament Championship. Tiger Baseball secured its fourth consecutive regular-season ASC Championship, hosting its third straight NCAA Regional. ETBU Women’s Basketball, along with the Tiger Women’s and Men’s Tennis teams, each earned ASC Championships.

The Tiger Athletic Mission Experience marked its 23rd trip this year, with ETBU Hockey visiting Sweden, Bass Fishing serving in Alaska, and ETBU Acrobatics and Tumbling, Cheer, and Pom ministering in Northern Ireland.

East Texas Baptist University values its faithful partnership with Texas Baptists and is committed to developing Christian servant leaders, equipping students to fulfill their callings through faith-integrated learning, servant leadership, and community impact.

Spring

of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution*

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 28,938,578

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $42,036

Endowment and net assets

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

ERIC BRUNTMYER President

2200 Hickory Street

Abilene, Texas 79601

hsutx.edu

Rooted in more than 130 years of Christ-centered heritage, Hardin-Simmons University is a vibrant community where faith and learning meet to prepare servant leaders for a changing world.

The Lord’s provision is evident as we broaden academic opportunities, enhance campus life, and send out graduates who make a Kingdom difference across Texas and around the globe.

HSU enrolled 1,665 students this year, with thousands of graduates serving worldwide. We achieved an 88.5% persistence rate for fall 2024 first-time freshmen — 12% above the national average—while opening Prichard Hall, a new suite-style residence hall that reached capacity immediately and helped drive a 6% increase in on-campus living. Our Master of Physician Assistant program ranks No. 93 out of 311 ARC-PA-accredited programs nationwide, and we launched an online doctor of medical science degree to serve working healthcare professionals. Continued financial stability allowed HSU to reinstate tenure and attract top Christian scholars while expanding healthcare offerings with a new on-campus nursing school.

Institutional Strength & Recognition

HSU was named a College of Distinction for the 2025-26 academic year in the categories of business, education, nursing, international studies, and career development, recognizing its hands-on learning, faculty engagement, and strong outcomes. We were again named an “Affordable College of Distinction,” one of only 124 schools nationwide—and five Texas universities—to earn the honor. HSU also received the 2025-2026 Military Friendly® School designation for exceptional support of military-affiliated students.

Academic Excellence & Research

HSU’s six colleges offer over 50 undergraduate majors and minors, as well as 13 graduate degrees, across a range of fields, including business, physical therapy, theatre, and engineering. We lead metal additive manufacturing (3D printing) research in partnership with Pantex, a Department of Energy/NNSA site.

The Board of Trustees elevated the Logsdon School of Theology to its own college this past spring, offering a Christian Studies major with courses in biblical studies, church history, ministry, and theology, as well as a minor in Christian Studies.

Spiritual Formation

Spiritual formation is central to life at HSU. We believe spiritual growth is just as essential as our students’ academic journey, and we are intentional about creating spaces for students to grow in faith, find community, and use their God-given gifts.

Twice a week, the campus community gathers for chapel—an opportunity to pause, worship, and reflect together. Worship teams from the School of Music lead with excellence, and in Spring 2025, HSU celebrated its first graduate from the four-year Worship Leadership program—a milestone in preparing future ministry leaders. Student-led ministries like the Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) invite students into Bible studies, prayer nights, mentoring, and service projects.

The newly launched LiveSent Mission Initiative builds on our already existing mission trips and will mobilize its first cohort in Spring 2026, equipping students, faculty, and staff to serve locally, nationally, and globally as ambassadors for Christ.

Athletics

HSU Athletics excelled in the 2024-2025 season, winning championships in football, men’s basketball, and both men’s and women’s soccer. The Cowboy football team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, while women’s soccer captured its 26th ASC title. The Cowboy basketball team made a historic run to the NCAA Sweet 16 — just the second appearance in the program’s Division III history.

286 student-athletes were named to the Academic All-ASC team, leading the league. HSU is excited to celebrate the future of the American Southwest Conference (ASC) following a 10-year agreement ensuring stability and growth. With McMurry University and Schreiner University returning in 2026-2027, the ASC is poised for a vibrant next chapter.

Looking Forward

HSU remains steadfast in our mission. We are deeply grateful to Texas Baptists for your partnership and support. Together, we are raising up the next generation of Christian leaders who will transform lives and communities across Texas and the world.

2024 - 2025 Enrollment, Fall 1,665 Enrollment, Spring 1,432 Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 1,419

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants* 4

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry* 10

Approximate percentage of Baptist students 31 %

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating revenue

Tuition and fees $ 47,533,097

BGCT appropriations 497,757

Auxiliary enterprises 8,771,956

All other sources 23,299,046

Total operational revenue $ 80,101,856

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 34,439,786

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid 27,040,351

Auxiliary enterprises 8,543,962

All other expenses 19,900,064

Total operational expenses $ 89,924,163

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $ ($9,822,307)

Endowment and net assets

Total endowment (market value) $ 263,527,875

Net assets

Unrestricted 220,461,955

Temporarily restricted 54,955,159

Permanently restricted 147,257,490

Total net assets $ 422,674,604 HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL INFORMATION

ROBERT B. SLOAN President

7502 Fondren

Houston, Texas 77074-3298

hbu.edu

hbuonline.com

Houston Christian University continues to grow in mission, academic reach, and student impact. As we look back on the 2024-2025 academic year, we are filled with gratitude for God’s provision and the faithful support of our community of donors, churches, and alumni who walk alongside us in our pursuit of excellence in Christian higher education.

On April 8, 2025, HCU broke ground on the Smith Engineering, Science and Nursing Building, a 71,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility made possible by a $20 million lead gift from Sherry and Jim Smith. With Houston Mayor John Whitmire in attendance, the event celebrated the groundbreaking of the $60 million, 71,000-square-foot, multidisciplinary facility. Slated for completion in Fall 2026, the building will strengthen HCU’s academic mission and prepare students for careers in STEM and healthcare. Designed by Kirksey Architecture, built by Tellepsen, and managed by Churchworx, the project reflects the extraordinary generosity of HCU’s donors and partners.

A major milestone was reached in February 2025 with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Founders Hall II, which completes the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty and showcases Independence Hall. The Center stands as a national model for civic education and we were honored to welcome guests, trustees, and donors for this historic occasion.

Our commitment to academic innovation was demonstrated through the launch of four new programs in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025: a Bachelor of Science in Learning, Technology, and Design; a Bachelor of Social Work; a Master of Science in Leadership; and a Master of Science in Data Science. These additions reflect our ongoing responsiveness to the needs of today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce.

The heart of our mission lies in our students. In May 2025, HCU surpassed a cumulative total of 27,391 degrees conferred, celebrating graduates across undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels. These numbers represent real lives transformed through a Christcentered education, an enduring legacy made possible by the prayers and generosity of our faithful supporters.

Houston Christian University also continues to excel in athletics, where students demonstrate excellence both on and off the field. In Fall 2024, 114 student-athletes earned recognition on the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. In one of the year’s most thrilling highlights, HCU Baseball captured the 2025 Southland Conference Championship. The Huskies completed a perfect 5–0 run through bracket play and the championship series, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament and showcasing the grit, skill, and determination that define HCU Athletics.

Philanthropic momentum continues to shape HCU’s future. This year, the Endowed Scholarship program awarded over $1.7 million in support, thanks to the generosity of more than 380 donors. Scholarship donors and members of the Covenant Society were honored at the second Legacy Luncheon in April 2025, an event that not only celebrated generosity but reaffirmed the enduring vision first cast by Dr. Stewart Morris in 1969 with the creation of the University’s first endowed scholarship.

At the May 2025 Commencement, HCU proudly celebrated the awarding of its first Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degrees, a significant milestone for the University’s growing doctoral offerings. Launched in 2021–2022, the DMin program was made possible in part by a generous scholarship endowment from Colonel Newton V. Cole, whose vision and support helped pave the way for this momentous achievement.

As we close another extraordinary year, we remain steadfast in our mission: to provide students with a transformative, Christ-centered education that prepares them for lives of purpose and leadership.

HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution*

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry* 431

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 73,501,426

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $

Endowment and net assets

CORY HINES, PH.D. President

1000 Fisk Street

Brownwood, Texas 76801

hputx.edu

For the past 136 years, Howard Payne University has remained committed to the mission of preparing students for intellectual inquiry, personal and professional integrity and service to God and humanity. Each individual called to serve at HPU strives to demonstrate commitment to the University’s five core values including Centered on Christ, Focused on Community, Called to Service, Committed to Excellence and Dedicated to Stewardship.

Faith is woven into every aspect of the student experience at HPU. Students grew in their faith and understanding of their vocational callings through discussions in classrooms; chapel services; Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) Bible studies; mission trips to Honduras, Ireland, East Asia and more.

Service is emphasized through campus-wide initiatives like the William B. Dean, M.D. Community Impact Day with more than 500 volunteers working on 27 service projects within the community. Each week, the BSM serves Free Lunch to an average of 150 students through the support of local churches. The Jacket Food and Essentials Pantry served more than 300 students, providing basic food and necessities throughout the year.

The University is thankful for God’s provision through the financial support of alumni and friends. In fiscal year 2024-2025, Howard Payne University saw the largest giving year in the University’s recorded history, totaling $12.4 million including over $4.2 million raised for both endowed and non-endowed scholarships. HPU was a recipient of a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education over five years as part of the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions program. These efforts were aided by the second annual Robnett Founder’s Dinner, which raised over $150,000 for student scholarships.

HPU continues to invest in campus improvements to provide updated classroom and working spaces for students. In April, the new Ben and Bertha Mieth Outdoor Pavilion and Woody and Miki Martin Sand Volleyball Courts were dedicated on campus. The new facilities include a 8,700 square foot covered gathering space for students, alumni and the community, as well as three NCAA-regulation size sand volleyball courts to launch the new beach volleyball program in the spring of 2026. The new HPU Athletics Hall of Fame was also dedicated in the Brownwood Coliseum, featuring zinc plaques for all 143 Hall of Fame members and a digital screen to search athletes and their accomplishments.

Upgrades were made to Veda Hodge Hall, the female residence hall, along with several classrooms in Newman Hall, and a new classroom for the Center for Student Success. Stadium lights were added to the Don Shepard Baseball Park.

Academically, HPU students were recognized for several research projects and competitions both nationally and internationally. The HPU Model UN Team also participated in a national competition in Oregon, receiving the Outstanding Delegation Award. HPU Student Speaker Bureau speech and debate team hosted the National Christian College Forensics Invitational in March with 130 students participating from 13 universities across the U.S.

One hundred thirty student-athletes were named to the American Southwest Conference Academic All-Conference list for 2024-2025. Additionally, HPU students Sydney Tate and Cade Rochinski were recipients of the 2024-25 ASC Community Service Athlete of the Year.

HPU values the support of Texas Baptists for their investment in the mission to produce Christ-centered leaders who will make a difference around the world.

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTUNAUDITED

RANDY

O’REAR

President 900 College Street Belton, Texas 76513

umhb.edu

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor prepares students for lives of leadership, service, and faith-informed discernment in a global society. Academic excellence, personal attention, broad-based scholarship, and a Baptist vision for education distinguish our Christ-centered learning community.

ACADEMICS

UMHB offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 65 undergraduate majors, ten master’s degree programs, and four doctoral degrees. Launching in 2026, UMHB’s Master of Science in Anesthesiology program, developed in collaboration with Baylor Scott & White Health, will be the second anesthesiologist assistant program in Texas. Students will receive training at both UMHB and Baylor Scott & White facilities, enhancing educational offerings and building the healthcare workforce pipeline.

UMHB will also launch a new 28-month entry-level Occupational Therapy doctorate program, with the first cohort starting in the spring of 2026. Expanding on UMHB’s Occupational Therapy master’s program that began in 2020, it allows students an advanced pathway to receive a doctoral degree.

CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

Construction on the Jane and Mac Hickerson Crusader Golf Club for the men’s and women’s golf teams is complete, with a planned dedication in the fall of 2025. The clubhouse was designed by one of the world’s most widely acclaimed sports venue designers, Earl Santee of Populous, and the practice facility, officially called The Mac Golf Practice Course, was designed by legendary golfer and world-renowned golf course architect Ben Crenshaw.

STUDENT LIFE

Global Outreach launched winter teams in Amarillo, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Hawaii, India, Moldova, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico, as well as summer teams in Indonesia, Kenya, Montana, Nepal, and the Rio Grande Valley. This spring, UMHB hosted the seventh annual Psalms women’s conference with 365 registered, the second annual “Called Week” – a weeklong, student-led celebration of exploring and pursuing God’s purpose for them, and the Baptist Student Ministry took 21 students and staff members to serve at Beach Reach on South Padre Island during Spring Break.

In April, UMHB hosted its 86th annual Easter Pageant. The three pageant performances attracted thousands of people in person and through live streams. More than 350 UMHB students, children, and grandchildren of faculty and staff participated in the planning and production of the pageant, which chronicles moments from the Gospel story.

UMHB hosted its 26th annual spring revival in April, and hundreds of students attended each of the three evening sessions. The featured speaker was Xavier Maryland, Campus Pastor at the Missouri City campus of Sugar Creek Baptist Church. Jarryd Foreman, a Worship Pastor at Austin Stone Community Church, and his band led worship.

ATHLETICS

The 2024-25 school year was another successful year for UMHB athletics. Acrobatics and Tumbling won its third consecutive NCATA DIII Tournament title and advanced to Nationals as the only Division III program for the second year. Beach Volleyball defended its AVCA Small College Division III National Championship. Women’s Golf won its 14th ASC championship as senior Izzy Crow won the individual title. UMHB Men’s Golf also won its respective ASC championship with freshman Cole MacMillan finishing as the individual medalist. Women’s Cross Country won its second ASC title and qualified for NCAA Regionals, while the men’s team also sent two runners to regionals. Women’s Tennis recorded its best season, earning the program’s first regular-season title, while Men’s Soccer earned its third regular-season championship. Football finished its season in the NCAA Quarterfinals for the sixth time in program history. Volleyball, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Tennis, and Men’s Basketball all advanced to the championship match at the ASC Championship Tournament.

MANY THANKS

Many thanks to Texas Baptists and others who support UMHB’s efforts to prepare students for lives of Christian service and leadership!

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR STATISTICAL INFORMATION

2024 - 2025

Enrollment, Fall

Spring 3,015 Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution*

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 77,052,089

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $

Endowment and net assets

Total endowment (market value) $ 243,868,531

Temporarily restricted

Permanently restricted

Total net assets $ 346,000,000

DONNA HEDGEPATH President

1900 West Seventh Street Plainview, Texas 79072

wbu.edu

Wayland Baptist University experienced a landmark year marked by historic leadership, spiritual renewal, academic growth, and one of the most successful fundraising efforts in university history.

A Vision Fulfilled: The Thrive Campaign

In June 2025, Wayland celebrated the successful conclusion of the Thrive Campaign—one of the most ambitious fundraising initiatives to date. Launched in 2022 with a goal of $18 million, the campaign exceeded expectations by raising more than $19.5 million. This historic achievement touched every corner of the university and is already bearing fruit across Wayland’s campuses.

The Thrive Campaign focused on academic excellence, campus improvements, athletics, and student recruitment through the Ignite Wayland initiative. Gifts funded new academic programs, scholarships, campus renovations, and enhanced technology infrastructure. One highlight was the launching of the Doctor of Strategic Leadership program, developed to meet the growing need for ethical leaders across industries.

Wayland also saw major gains in donor engagement and planned-giving during the campaign. Three of the top four years for donor participation occurred during the Thrive era, and the number of planned gifts rose by more than 100 percent. The Wayland Advancement Council, formed in 2023, exceeded its $1 million fundraising goal and played a key role in expanding the university’s philanthropic reach.

“The Thrive Campaign has shaped the future of Wayland,” said university president Dr. Donna Hedgepath. “The generosity we’ve received is already transforming lives and equipping our students to thrive in this generation and the next.”

Academic Excellence and Prestigious Grants

Building on this momentum, Wayland introduced 33 new academic programs, including bachelor’s, master’s, certificate, and accelerated degree options. These reflect the university’s responsiveness to the evolving needs of today’s students and workforce. Wayland received a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant to fund immersive language and cultural training for K–12 educators in Costa Rica—furthering its mission to impact education on a global scale.

Student Research and Achievement

Wayland students continued to shine in research, particularly in the sciences. Students Haley Fossett and Dylan Dodd presented tuberculosis research at the Welch Conference, while Alice Conely and Dodd won first-place honors at the Texas Academy of Science meeting, reinforcing Wayland’s growing reputation for undergraduate research excellence.

Commitment to Military and Community Outreach

The university reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to military students, earning the Silver Military Friendly® School designation for outstanding service to veterans and activeduty personnel. Wayland celebrated 50 years of service in Wichita Falls and 40 years in San Antonio.

Spiritual Life and Global Missions

The university experienced spiritual renewal through Encounter Week, weekly chapel, and mission efforts. Six students were baptized during an April chapel service, and summer missions took students to Alaska, the Dominican Republic, and underserved Texas communities. More than 600 Bibles were given to first-year students—planting seeds for a lifelong walk of faith.

Athletic Excellence and Innovation

Wayland launched women’s beach volleyball this year, debuting five new sand courts and earning a third-place national finish in the AVCA Small College Beach Championships. The baseball team captured the Sooner Athletic Conference Championship, while the Flying Queens women’s basketball team went undefeated at home and returned to the NAIA National Tournament. The Pioneers won their first SAC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship with a big finish in the 4x400-meter relay.

Celebrating Legacy and Leadership

The university honored alumna Sarah Wennersten, Texas Game Warden of the Year, and welcomed back President Emeritus Dr. Paul Armes to present the annual Willson Lectures. As Wayland moves forward with bold vision and deep gratitude, it does so with continued support from Texas Baptists. Our mission is clear, and our resolve is strong. Together, we are better—and stronger—than ever before.

2024 - 2025

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 1,126

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants* 24

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry* 195

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating revenue

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 49,114,662

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid 11,042,448

Auxiliary enterprises 3,800,723

All other expenses

Total operational expenses $ 63,957,834

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $318,921

Endowment and net assets Total endowment (market value) $ 126,430,928

net assets $ 160,164,700

BRIAN N. GUENTHER President

2801 Ranch Road 12 San Marcos, Texas 78666 smabears.org

San Marcos Academy (SMA), nestled in the picturesque Texas hill country, is a fully accredited Private Christian school for PreK 3 through the 12th-grade students, with a boarding program for 6th – 12th grade students. Our curriculum is thoughtfully designed to engage and inspire students, preparing them for success in life and college. We take pride in our diverse student population, which hails from around the world, across the United States, and all over Texas. Since 1907, San Marcos Academy has been a beacon of excellence in private Christian school education, fostering a global community of learners.

Over the past year, San Marcos Academy’s leadership has diligently continued to implement the strategies outlined in Pathways to the Future, SMA’s comprehensive 10year strategic plan. This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to solidify our 118year legacy of excellence in Christian education through intentional growth, innovation, and stewardship. Guided by the plan’s three strategic objectives—academic excellence, spiritual formation, and community engagement—departments across campus are working collaboratively to bring these goals to life.

Academic Affairs continues to expand curriculum opportunities, strengthen instructional practices, and enhance student support systems. The Spiritual Life and Student Development teams are deepening discipleship opportunities, service learning, and chapel programming to nurture faith formation. Meanwhile, the Advancement, Admissions, and Communications departments are focusing on expanding outreach, strengthening alumni and community relationships, and building sustainable resources to support the Academy’s future.

These coordinated efforts testify to our shared vision of ensuring that San Marcos Academy continues to uphold its storied tradition while expanding its Kingdom Impact for generations to come.

San Marcos Academy continues to partner with other Texas Baptist institutions and organizations to strengthen the role of Texas Baptists in the lives of students and families. The Academy continues to offer dual credit courses through the University of Mary Hardin–Baylor (UMHB). This partnership allows students to earn up to 33 hours of college credit with them upon graduation. San Marcos Academy also partners with Hardin Simmons University (HSU). Through this relationship, a tuition exchange program has been established, allowing full-time faculty and staff children to exchange tuition through the Academy for tuition at HSU, ever strengthening the network of students earning the credit and attending Texas Baptist universities.

Not only has our partnership with Texas Baptists experienced Kingdom impact, but students have also had the opportunity to continue their academic and spiritual growth at San Marcos Academy. This has most recently been confirmed through being awarded Accredited status by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). Additionally, the Accreditation Commission of the Texas Association of Baptist Schools (ACTABS) has recommended that Grades PreK–12 continue under a 10-year-accredited cycle through 2034.

SMA celebrates these victories and joins Texas Baptists in prayer for the future of our students.

2024 - 2025

Enrollment, Fall 359

Enrollment, Spring 361

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 178

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants* -

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry* -

Approximate percentage of Baptist students 15

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating revenue Tuition and fees

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 5,891,497

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid 1,190,753

Auxiliary enterprises 1,460,209 All other expenses 1,190,347 Total operational expenses $ 9,732,806

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $ (1,217,024)

TONY CELELI President

7000 Ocean Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78501 stark.edu

Mission & Vision

Stark College & Seminary (Stark) is proud to be a Texas Baptist partner and continues to live out its mission to equip educationally under-served followers of Christ for service in the church and community. Located in South Texas with campuses in Corpus Christi and McAllen, Stark serves students across the state and the U.S. The uniqueness of Stark’s students is that over 60% are non-traditional students over the age of 40 who are already serving in ministry. Additionally, Stark reflects the rich diversity of God’s Kingdom—not only within its student body, but also among its trustees, faculty, and staff.

Academic Overview & Accreditation

Stark offers certificate, diploma, bachelor, and master’s programs in ministry, as well as the Master of Divinity. Those programs are delivered in multiple modalities (online and hyflex settings) to offer the greatest flexibility for our students. SCS holds accreditation with the Association of Biblical Higher Education for all educational programs. This accreditation ensures that Stark meets rigorous academic standards and provides highquality theological education. In addition, the seminary holds associate membership in the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and has its next comprehensive accreditation visit scheduled for Spring 2026.

1. Accreditation Milestones: This year the institution prepared for a comprehensive accreditation site visit, scheduled for Spring 2026, in pursuit of full ATS accreditation.

2.Educational Partnerships: Stark has expanded dual-credit offerings with schools such as Annapolis Christian Academy, enhancing both college readiness and spiritual formation for high school students.

3.Articulation Agreements: Stark renewed and extended transfer pathways with Texas Baptist universities, easing transitions to advanced degree programs.

4.Graduate Momentum: Stark graduates serve as pastors, Bible study leaders, and in local nonprofits across Texas.

5.Campus & Community Events: Commencement and spiritual formation events— including the 2025 graduation, Hand and Dove Scholarship Banquet, and the Self Bible Symposium—celebrated student achievements and drew broader community engagement.

6.Endowments: Stark is excited to announce the establishment of two new endowments by legacy builders who believe in God’s transformative work at Stark. The Peggy Pair Bivens Worship Ministry endowment will provide scholarships for students involved in worship ministry. The second endowment will fund a Black Church History Faculty Chair.

Gratitude & Acknowledgment

We are deeply grateful to Texas Baptist churches, associations, and individual partners whose prayerful support, financial investment, and collaboration make Stark’s mission possible.

Together, we are training faithful servant leaders who are equipped to engage successfully in diverse ministry contexts across Texas.

2024 - 2025

Enrollment, Fall 193

Enrollment, Spring 206

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 241

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants* 152

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry* 290

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*”Non duplicating” totals for the 2024-25 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

general,

Excess

Endowment and net assets

STARK COLLEGE & SEMINARY

3700 E. Harrison

Harlingen, Texas 78550

vbmec.org

No Report Given This Year

The Center, located in deep South Texas, in an area just west of the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico bordered by the Nueces River to the north and the rolling Rio Grande to the south. This area has become one of the great crossroads of the world uniquely centered between two literal halves of the Western Hemisphere.

The Center is poised to serve the Christian community with our missions training and housing facilities. The Center has been a part of Baptist missions training since 1947. Educating and inspiring hundreds of young men and women for service was the original mission of this institution and that message is the same today.

MARK HOTMANN President/CEO & CFO

701 Park Place

Amarillo, Texas 79101

baptist community services.com

Baptist Community Services (“BCS”) is a multi-organizational system that operates and provides a variety of facilities and services to the Panhandle region of Texas. BCS’ primary focus is on the provision of quality, spiritual-based services to senior adults.

PARK CENTRAL COMMUNITY

The Park Central campus near Downtown Amarillo is comprised currently of eight facilities which provide independent living services, assisted living services, memory care services, and long-term care nursing services to senior adults. Apartment facilities and services are provided at Park Place Towers, The Continental, The Harrington, The Talmage Apartments, and the Plemons Court Apartments. Park Place Towers, The Continental, and The Harrington facilities provide a wide array of services to their respective residents, including a Nurse Navigator program (health care access services), a chaplaincy program, dining services, housekeeping, and transportation services. The Talmage Apartments and the Plemons Court Apartments provide affordable housing facilities for lower income senior adults, with access to the services of the Park Central campus. A complete range of assisted living services are provided at the Winfred and Elizabeth Moore Assisted Living Center. The Sycamore is another assisted living facility operated by BCS which provides specialized memory care/dementia services. BCS also provides a complete range of long-term care nursing services at its nursing home facility, The Ware.

ROVING CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM

This chaplaincy ministry consists of 12 chaplains provided by BCS, who provide spiritual care for residents and families, as well as the staff/employees of 20 senior living facilities (i.e. nursing homes, assisted living centers, etc.), a senior adult low-income housing complex, a free health care clinic, and a senior community center in the Amarillo area (each or which are not affiliated facilities of BCS).

SNACK PAK 4 KIDS

This feeding ministry feeds more than 13,000 children and teenagers in the Texas Panhandle, who are experiencing food insecurity on weekends (not only during the school year, but also when school is out). Nutritious food packs are delivered each week for weekend use for these children and their families.

2024-2025

Provided on-campus or residential care 6,238

Served in own homes and off-campus care

Provided financial aid only

Provided college education or special training

Served through other ministries

Total number of served through ministries (non duplicate)

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

ALBERT L. REYES President/CEO

700 N. Pearl Street, Suite 1200 Dallas, Texas 75201

buckner.org

Transformation doesn’t happen overnight. Each statistic on the following page reflects an individual’s story: a story of a person overcoming adversity in their life one day at a time; a story of a Buckner employee walking alongside them; and your story as you invest in making the world better for vulnerable children, families and seniors.

Those stories are played out day by day. Moment by moment. Everyday hope is what we all need to continue moving forward – especially when we face challenges in our lives.

I was recently reminded of Jesus’ offer to share his yoke. When oxen are used to pull a heavy load, often, an older, wiser ox is yoked with a younger ox to guide them.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus reminds us we are never alone. He walks alongside us and shares our burden to make it lighter. Each day, he is a source of hope for us, and as such, we can be a source of hope for others.

While I’m proud of our 2024 milestones like the 25th anniversary of Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls® and the 20th anniversary of Buckner Guatemala, I’m even more proud to know 5-year-old TJ in Houston loves his new shoes and Nidia Aguirre is meeting the financial goals she set during classes at a Buckner Family Hope Center® in Guatemala.

That is the everyday hope we provide together through our partnership with Texas Baptists and the churches making up the convention. Thank you for your continued support.

Great Place to Work

Buckner is Great Place to Work Certified, again. The certification applies to employee survey ratings for Buckner International, Buckner Children and Family Services, and Buckner Retirement Services.

The 2024 survey results yielded an overall score of 79 on the trust index, close to the Fortune 100 benchmark for the year, with exceptional ratings in pride and camaraderie. Trust breeds a sense of security and an inclusive environment where people feel valued and respected – and that’s what we’re continually striving to create at Buckner.

Pillars of Ministry – Each pillar guides our programs to ensure missional alignment

Protect children. Strengthen families. Transform generations. Serve seniors.

Core Programs – Details available at Buckner.org

Foster Care and Adoption: Sometimes children need protection, and families are unable to stay together, resulting in 28,000 Texas children in foster care in 2024. Buckner Foster Care and Adoption steps in and provides safe, loving homes for vulnerable children. Additional support is provided through counseling and resources.

Buckner Family Hope Center®: When families are strong, children can grow up empowered and safe. Buckner Family Hope Centers offer parenting classes, financial training, afterschool opportunities, and family coaching that strengthen families and help them become self-sufficient. Every Family Hope Center (11 domestic, 15 international) is tailored to meet the unique needs of the community where it is located.

Buckner Family Pathways®: Generational change starts with one person. Buckner Family Pathways allows single parents in seven Texas cities to discover their independence and strength as they pursue their education and live in safe, affordable housing with their children. Each of the 161 families in 2024 were empowered to transform the course of their future and impact their family forever.

Buckner Retirement Services: From independent living to skilled nursing and memory care, each Buckner senior living community offers a continuum of care to support more than 3,600 seniors per year through all stages of the aging process. In addition, our seven communities provide a wide array of experiences to inspire happiness.

Protected children through Texas foster care and adoption, transitional case management, Buckner Family PathwaysTM and through international foster and kinship care.

Strengthened families through the Buckner Family Hope CenterTM model, family initiatives, Universal Child Abuse Prevention programs, client assistance and early childhood support programs

Transformed generations by supporting single mothers and fathers through the Buckner Family PathwaysTM model and families through Camp Buckner

Humanitarian aid not captured through programming

Served seniors through Texas senior living communities

Total

ministries (non duplicate)

CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES RETIREMENT SERVICES BAPTIST CENTER MEMORIALS MINISTRIES

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

TODD ROBERSON President & CEO

1301 N. Mays Round Rock, Texas 78664- 2945 cahm.org

Serving children. Strengthening families.

Thanks to our partnership with Texas Baptists, Children At Heart Ministries continues reaching families across Texas with the love of Jesus. God has empowered us to support the most vulnerable, giving them the structure and care they need to find hope, heal, and rebuild their lives.

As we look back on last year, we celebrate many little things that add up to substantial changes and great outcomes for the children and families that the Children At Heart family of ministries is privileged to serve. Gracewood, Miracle Farm, and Texas Baptist Children’s Home are in various stages of program expansion to meet the growing needs in each community.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

In 2024, Gracewood continued our mission of offering home, hope, and healing to single mothers and children. Last year, our Houston campus served 52 children and 23 single mothers who hit the pause button to refocus their future toward safety, happiness, and independence. The ministry also helped over 38 families in Aftercare, providing food, clothing, counseling, and a steadying hand as these families transitioned into selfsufficiency. Gracewood increased programming with the launch of our Family Relief Program and relaunched the Volunteer Program, but the highlight of the year was the grand opening of the Recreation Center. This newly repurposed space is a safe haven for children and teens with daily activities ranging from Bible study to crafts to sports tournaments. Gracewood reported its greatest successes came with the number of families that grew in their faith – with 7 decisions for Christ and baptisms!

Miracle Farm Boys Ranch, our Brenham campus, offered home and the chance of a lifetime to 28 teenage young men during 2024, providing academic recovery, vocational training, the horse program, and spiritual development to help them overcome challenges and face the future with confidence. Miracle Farm operates at full capacity and saw a record number of applications last year. We believe God wants us to build more homes so we can serve more boys by providing a safe, Christ-focused place to call home, so we are excited to report that a new cottage is under construction and should be completed by spring of 2026! God is at work in the lives of the boys and the staff. Professions of faith, baptisms, graduations, community service hours, driver’s licenses, and life skills lessonsall these built a solid foundation for the boys’ futures.

Last year, Texas Baptist Children’s Home (TBCH) in Round Rock served 93 children and 58 single mothers in residence with its Family Care program and 27 young adults in residence with its Home Base program for emerging adults. TBCH HOPE Program counselors delivered 10,712 hours of free professional counseling to residential and community clients. We opened our Welcome Home Drop-In Center to meet the needs of young people age 18-24 who needed support and direction. This includes GED classes, case management, certification courses, life skills, hot meals, and sharing the good news of Jesus. One of the most exciting updates to share is that we had 17 professions of faith, 5 baptisms, and 55 rededications last year. Our moms, children, and young adults experienced spiritual guidance in the form of campus mentors, Bible studies, and attending local churches.

God’s faithfulness was unmistakable throughout 2024 in providing the strength we needed in each moment and by allowing us to witness lives transformed through His provision. We are confident that God will continue to provide as we expand our ministries and reach additional people for Christ. We are deeply grateful for our Texas Baptists family who walk alongside Children At Heart Ministries as we work together to honor God and build a better world by serving children and strengthening families.

CHILDREN AT HEART MINISTRIES

STATISTICS ALL MINISTRIES

Counseling and other ministries

Assisted

GRACEWOOD

MIRACLE FARM

BGCT

1,596,417

TEXAS BAPTIST CHILDREN’S HOME

Funds available for continuing ministry (305,475) Total net assets $ 5,344,870

ERON GREEN President

PO Box 1210

Beeville, Texas 78104-1210

stchm.org

Small Seeds, Big Rewards

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.’” Matthew 13:31-32 (NIV)

I am certainly no gardener or farmer, but I do know a few ways to get plants to grow. For plants to grow, they need water, light, air, proper temperature, nutrients, space and time, to name a few. As humans, we have many of the same needs as plants, in addition to many more needs. If you are familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you know that we have physiological needs, safety needs and love and belonging needs. So, while plants and humans have dramatically different needs holistically, the parable communicates well what can emerge from something so small. A small seed can grow into a tree, and a small act of kindness can change someone’s eternity.

Over this year, we have seen how when small seeds of faith and opportunity were given, the Lord took them and grew them into great accomplishments. The growth part for us all can be very difficult. We can fight our selfish desires and motivations, but as we learn to trust and focus on God, we will grow into the “trees” He so desires us to be. Here at STCH Ministries, we see God moving in dramatic, life-changing ways!

In our lives, we fall into the trap of thinking that we have to do great things to make an impact for the kingdom of heaven, but this parable shows us otherwise. We can’t make seeds grow. Yes, we can provide ideal conditions such as good soil, appropriate sunlight and water, but we can’t make a seed grow. In the same way, we can’t make the kingdom of God grow. We can provide ideal conditions for that faith to grow through devotions, Bible study, regular worship, mission trips and sharing our faith with others. But the results aren’t up to us; they are up to God. Please join us in prayer for those in our ministries. What a privilege it is to be a part of their story!

1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”

Our Ministries

Campus Ministries - Campus Ministries provides safe, Christ-centered homes where children and families can live as they find healing and transformation.

Community Ministries - Community Ministries recognizes that life’s challenges are often intertwined, so we are here to help connect individuals with community resources and educational services.

Counseling Ministries - Counseling Ministries provide hope and direction for individuals, couples and children who need help navigating life’s challenges.

International Ministries - International Ministries takes our mission overseas by partnering with established local churches and organizations that serve children and families. We specialize in taking American teams on safe, affordable and family-friendly mission trips.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Texas Baptists appropriations through BGCT $ 487,060

“Appropriations from supporting corporations (South Texas Children’s Home and STCH Land Management)” 12,714,453

income 1,255,952

income $ 14,457,464

expenses $ 14,180,161

net assets $ 2,844,275

MATT STONE President

215 E. Quincy, Suite 200 San Antonio, Texas 78215

baptisthealth system.com

Baptist Health System continues to grow, expanding critical healthcare services to our neighbors in San Antonio, New Braunfels and surrounding communities. Some of our recent clinical additions include the opening of a hybrid operating room and telemetry unit at North Central Baptist Hospital along with the addition of single-incision robotic lung surgery at the hospital. Our new ION platform improves diagnosis of lung cancer as well. We have added five new DaVinci surgical robots to our hospitals, bringing more surgical capacity for minimally invasive procedures. We are the first health system in San Antonio to offer the PTAB procedure for peripheral artery disease, enhancing and expanding our vascular capabilities. PTAB is offered at Northeast Baptist Hospital, which has also upgraded its trauma care to Level III. St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital in the South Texas Medical Center is undergoing much needed expansion of its Emergency Department.

We have opened two new Baptist Neighborhood Hospitals, one in Converse, just North of San Antonio along Interstate 35, and another on the East side of San Antonio. Our new acute care hospital, Westover Hills Baptist Hospital, is growing by leaps and bounds with additional beds and new services already being added just one year after opening.

Our efforts to provide compassionate, high-quality care have been recognized nationally by U.S. News & World Report, which recently named Baptist Health System as a Best Regional Hospital, recognized for excellence in 13 types of care.

The Mission & Ministry Team of chaplains, CPE educators and Pastoral Care volunteers continue to grow in the pursuit of touching more lives with deep rooted and fullhearted spiritual care for the holistic health of our patients, families, colleagues and the community. The BHS Mission is “We help people achieve health for life through compassionate care inspired by faith.” And our 2025 complimentary statement to the Mission is by Maya Angelou, “If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded.” Thus, the M&M team participates in various activities that help our BHS colleagues and leaders remember that it takes an integrated heart in health care service to create a whole-person-care culture where every patient, family and visitor receives our holistic best on their journey to restore their well-being.

Finally, we have new leadership at the helm of Baptist Health System. Matt Stone, our former group CEO, is now leading our ambulatory surgery hospitals, heading up Tenet’s USPI division. Baptist veteran leader Bill Waechter replaces Matt as our Market CEO. Bill is also CEO for North Central Baptist. In taking on the new role Bill said, “My focus will remain on upholding the high standards of care, operational excellence, and clinical innovation that have made Baptist Health System a leader in healthcare. The path to success has already been set, and I am confident that, together, we will reach even greater heights in providing exceptional care to our patients and community.”

Thanks to our dedicated employees, physicians and leaders, Baptist Health System continues to provide critical health and wellness services for the people who entrust us with their care.

Enrollment in Professional Educational Programs

Number of employees (FTE) 6,034

Amount of discounts allowed:

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Income from patients $ 1,654,366,123 BGCT appropriation

income 13,336,482

income $ 1,667,702,605

expenses 1,267,394,664 Funds available for continuing ministry 400,307,941 Total net assets $ 2,789,432,808

JUSTIN DOSS President/CEO

3080 College Street

Beaumont, Texas 77701

bhset.net

For 75 years, Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas (BHSET) has remained committed to providing high-quality healthcare services while upholding the spiritual values upon which the hospital was founded. With a deep-rooted belief in our Sacred Work mission, BHSET continues to serve as a trusted and faith-driven partner in improving the health of the communities across Southeast Texas.

Over the past year, employees and partners of BHSET have extended their commitment far beyond the walls of the hospital, engaging in a variety of community-focused activities. Through generous donations, BHSET contributed over $100,000 to organizations that make a meaningful difference in our region. These included the Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, Cardiovascular Foundation of SETX, and members of our Partners in Education program.

BHSET also took an active role in community education and health promotion. We served as the title sponsor for the third annual BBB Professional Women’s Conference, reaching over 400 women with presentations on healthy lifestyles and the emerging role of AI in the workplace. Additionally, our team educated more than 3,300 local students about careers in healthcare, participated in several business-sponsored health fairs, and sponsored the annual Senior Expo, educating 1,700 senior citizens on topics ranging from breast health and GERD to recovery options such as inpatient rehabilitation following a stroke or other adverse events.

We demonstrated our commitment to improving mental health and providing emotional support by proudly participating in the first-ever Mental Health Fair at Hardin Jefferson High School, where approximately 400 students engaged in open and meaningful conversations about mental health and its effects on their families and friends. BHSET also took part in the community Suicide Prevention Walk, reinforcing our shared responsibility in supporting those in crisis. We sponsored a community-wide baby shower to equip new and expecting families with essential resources, and in December our employees came together for our annual Angel Tree initiative, providing Christmas gifts to 150 children and adults in need.

BHSET celebrated the opening of a new primary care clinic in Vidor, marking a significant step toward increasing access to care in an underserved area. Cancer awareness and prevention remained a key focus of our outreach efforts. In partnership with the Julie Rogers Gift of Life Program, we provided 1,329 free mammograms to women in our region. At a Lamar University baseball game, employees and community members gathered to honor cancer survivors and raise awareness for colon cancer.

As a faith-based institution, BHSET continues to support families and individuals at every stage of their healthcare journey, providing monthly support groups for patients recovering from bariatric surgery and cancer treatment, as well as for expectant families in need of childbirth and lactation education. Our preventive care programs also included administering 138 free flu shots, conducting screenings for prostate cancer, and offering free testing for HIV and Hepatitis C and linking positive patients to long-term care programs.

The Department of Religion at BHSET continues to play a vital role in caring for the spiritual and emotional needs of both patients and the community at large. Through the Chaplain’s Emergency Fund, more than $30,000 was distributed among 600 patients and family members, offering vital assistance with food, medicine, housing, and transportation. The department also expands its reach by providing individualized pastoral counseling and hosting a roundtable series aimed at equipping local pastors with education on healthcare issues that affect their congregations.

Throughout all these efforts, our purpose remains clear. We recognize that true health encompasses the body, mind, and spirit—and we are humbled to play a role in advancing that vision through both service and stewardship.

BAPTIST HOSPITALS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS STATISTICAL INFORMATION

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

PETER MCCANNA Chief Executive Officer

301 N. Washington Avenue

Dallas, Texas 75246

baylorhealth. com

Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White Health’s mission is to promote the health and well-being of all individuals, families and communities.

As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White is empowering customers to live well by reimagining traditional healthcare—creating more convenient, personalized and informed experiences. It serves more than three million customers through 53 hospitals, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple; the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute; 1,300+ access points; 57,000+ team members; and its leading digital platform—MyBSWHealth. The system’s award-winning employer solutions include Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and Levanto—a company offering digitally enabled health products.

Baylor Scott & White is nationally recognized:

• Led the state with more awards from U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-2025 Best Hospitals list than any other not-for-profit health system for the seventh consecutive year.

• Named one of America’s 200 most innovative companies in 2025 by Fortune Magazine.

• Rated A+ in culture by Comparably based on independent input from team members across 18 different metrics.

Office of Mission & Ministry at Baylor Scott & White

The Office of Mission & Ministry (OMM) includes two divisions that illustrate the powerful role faith plays in our system—Pastoral Care and Pastoral Education. Each division ministers Christ’s healing love to people whose lives have been disrupted by illness, injury or death.

Pastoral Care’s impact on the front lines

Driven by a deep sense of purpose, the Pastoral Care team made a profound and measurable impact through compassionate presence, innovative spiritual care delivery and professional leadership.

• 197,627 pastoral encounters with patients and families.

• 129,580 supportive visits were made to hospital staff.

• Nationally leading the way in chaplaincy—chaplains presented a Pastoral Care Department Staffing project at the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) national conference.

• 15 chaplains achieved APC Board Certification, reflecting their commitment to excellence.

• Participated in fostering a Canine Companion in training as a source of comfort and support for staff during high-stress situations.

Pastoral Education making a difference

Education for spiritual care underscores our commitment to professional chaplaincy and service excellence—both today and tomorrow.

• 80 Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) students completed training across our system—the highest number among major Texas healthcare providers.

• To enhance the program, a new bilingual CPE educator was welcomed.

• Launched single CPE units in the Greater Austin Region through our Virtual CPE program.

• Achieved reaccreditation for all CPE levels after successful site visits to the Dallas and Fort Worth centers, receiving high praise for program management and quality.

• Reinstated stipend for CPE interns.

Faith in Action and Community Care

Part of BSW’s new Community Investment team, Faith in Action Initiatives extends BSW’s mission beyond hospital walls and into communities we serve. Amplifying BSW’s community impact, FIAI provides needed assistance through critical equipment, supplies, resources and volunteers to local and global communities as part of our service to others.

Spiritual Culture and Innovation

With a focus on the well-being of all individuals, families and communities, our Department of Spiritual Culture and Innovation achieved significant milestones that positively impacted the culture of our health system and service to local churches in the past year.

• Trained 14 new Sacred Vocation facilitators and reached the milestone of 6,000 trained in the life of the program.

• Chief of Mission and Ministry Officer Mike Mullender joined the system Executive Leadership Team, giving a greater voice to the spiritual commitments of the organization.

• Secured a $100K grant from the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWISH) to study interventions for spiritual distress in the outpatient setting.

• Our Digital Spiritual Care Team successfully expanded outpatient offerings to serve patients in Marble Falls, McKinney, Pflugerville and Taylor.

• Faith Community Health has seen remarkable growth, reaching 19,895 patient visits during the past year. This initiative program supports isolated patients with in-home visits and phone calls from volunteers in local congregations.

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE HEALTH STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Estimated value of total charity care 1,391,934,066

Enrollment in professional educational programs 1,606 Enrollees/ 2,343,685 Hours

(FTE)

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

12,047,000,000

3,472,852,808

15,520,000,000

14,296,000,000

available for continuing ministry 1,224,000,000 Total net assets $ 11,536,000,000

BRAD HOLLAND President/CEO

1900 Pine Street

Abilene, Texas 79601

hendrickhealth. org

In the early 1920s, Rev. Millard A. Jenkens, the pastor for Abilene’s First Baptist Church, had a vision to fulfill the call of the healing ministry in Abilene through a community and Baptist brotherhood. On September 15, 1924, Rev. Jenkens watched as the five-story hospital opened its doors to the public. By the end of the first year, West Texas Baptist Sanitarium had admitted and cared for 800 patients. On September 15 of this past year, the Hendrick Health family gathered at Abilene’s First Baptist Church to begin our centennial year with a worship and convocation service.

Since the first patient was treated in 1924, Hendrick Health has continuously transformed healthcare in West Central Texas. As a vital regional non-profit institution, any funds earned after operating expenses are reinvested back into our services, community and patients.

Now, a three-hospital system – Hendrick Medical Center and Hendrick Medical Center South in Abilene and Hendrick Medical Center in Brownwood – Hendrick Health offers a comprehensive range of services, including women’s health, orthopedics, rehabilitation, oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular, neonatal intensive care and children’s services. The healthcare organization also consists of Hendrick Hospice Care, Hendrick Home Health and Hendrick Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as Hendrick Clinic and Hendrick Center for Research.

Through community health education and support, our outreach activities help address identified community healthcare needs. Hendrick Health has a long history of working with regional healthcare providers and hospitals for the benefit of rural communities. Through specialty care outreach clinics, such as cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, urology and nephrology, as well as pathways to transfer patients to our facilities when higher acuity care is needed, we continue to support our regional healthcare partners.

With new facilities, technology and increased access, a healthy working environment is still key to attaining and retaining employees. The workforce at Hendrick Health has grown to more than 5,400 employees and has been the proud recipient of the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award every year since its creation in 2007. Our employees regularly volunteer their time, talents and abilities to many civic and religious organizations.

As a faith-based institution, our chaplains have played an integral role in serving Hendrick Health, striving to meet the spiritual needs of diverse populations who seek prayer, counsel and resources to cope during times of crisis and illness. In 2022, the Pastoral Care Department was renamed Mission and Ministry, capturing the more expansive and inclusive delivery of spiritual care programs and people throughout our system.

As our chaplains continue to engage patients and their families, they remain mindful of Hendrick Health employees, often seeking opportunities to promote the connection between spirituality and the workplace. With a specific focus on the sacredness of healthcare, Mission and Ministry offers employees opportunities for spiritual growth and wellness through the Blessing of the Hands, Grief Recognition Services, daily devotionals and weekly chapel services, better equipping employees to manage burnout and their own spiritual wellness. Mission and Ministry is committed to upholding the values of personal spiritual wellness and advancing the community value of holistic care.

Hendrick Health recognizes that all employees are vital to the ministry of the organization, and offers qualified employees up to 40 hours a year of paid time off to participate in mission endeavors locally and around the world.

As we conclude our centennial year, we are forever grateful for our partnership in ministry with Texas Baptists. Our mission, created a century ago, continues today, and it will remain so as Hendrick Health moves into the future striving to deliver high quality healthcare emphasizing excellence and compassion consistent with the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

Enrollment in professional educational programs

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Income

1,054,542,758

1,140,428,826

GERALD R. JAMES, JR. President/CEO baptist churchloan.org

Dear Friends,

Over the past 25 years the Baptist Church Loan Corporation (“BCLC”) has supported the Southern Baptist Convention, Denominational-Investors and Loan Administrators, Southern Baptist Convention of Associational Leaders, International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities, Kentucky Baptist Convention, Tennessee Baptist Convention, North Carolina Baptist Convention, Alabama Baptist Convention, Baptist General Convention of Texas, Truett Seminary, Southern Baptist Business Officer’s Fellowship, North American Mission Board, and Acts 29 Network.

Our ministry efforts provide financial opportunities for those churches that need gathering facilities. Most of the entities shown above have given us the relationships we need to help serve our churches. God is with us!

In 2001, the BCLC began providing loan funds for a new kind of church - the Cowboy Church of Ellis County. In the years that followed, we had the privilege of supporting more than 110 Cowboy churches across Texas. Almost all these churches were BCLC church plants. God is with us!

In 2007, the BCLC hired Bob Gage and Landon Yeager to help grow our ministry. Both men have been very successful to serve our churches and manage our financial needs. The BCLC is grateful, and God is with us!

In 2009, both the BCLC and the Baptist General Convention of Texas agreed to change BCLC’s ownership structure in a manner that allowed the BCLC to reach churches both inside and outside of Texas. This change also gave us the opportunity to grow and increase the financial status of the BCLC. God is with us!

In 2014, the BCLC believed that we could help the North American Mission Board (“NAMB”) with its church planting. After a few meetings, an agreement was reached to purchase loans from NAMB. In 2017, a second round of NAMB church loans were added to the BCLC loan portfolio. These two purchases helped us play a key role in strengthening church planting efforts and furthering our mission into multiple states outside of Texas. God is with us!

In 2022, the BCLC began working with The Summit Collaborative, a church planting network started by J. D. Greer, pastor of the Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. They were instrumental in helping us reach and serve more churches. God is with us!

Without God’s guidance we would not be able to spread our ministry. Thank you, Lord, for the men and women who give their time to serve on the BCLC Board of Directors and for the churches that we are privileged to serve.

To God Be the Glory!

Gerald R. James, Jr. President / CEO

In 2024, Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio awarded $9,413,250 in grants and contributions. These gifts were given with prayerful consideration to nonprofit organizations in Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, and Wilson counties, to improve the health and lives of our neighbors.

Those grants varied in size from a few thousand dollars to host a summer of youth programs to half a million dollars to study diabetes. BHFSA maintains a balance of being flexible and responsive to community needs, while also remaining a stable, consistent source of funding that nonprofits can easily approach.

BHFSA also continued to release our 30-minute weekly radio show and podcast featuring local nonprofit and church leaders called “Together for Good.”

In 2024, 38 organization leaders and nonprofit experts were able to share important information with the community regarding the challenges and opportunities of their neighbors. Together for Good episodes can be found at bhfsa.org/togetherforgood and all major podcast streaming platforms.

As we leave 2024 behind and embrace 2025’s joys and challenges, let’s keep in mind the words of Paul in the book of Galatians to “not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

750 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 325 San Antonio, Texas 782123107

bhfsa.org

CODY S. KNOWLTON President

ERIC BLACK Executive Director/ Publisher

P.O. Box 259019 Plano, TX 75025-9019

(214) 630-4571 baptiststandard. com

About the Baptist Standard

Our mission is to connect God’s story and God’s people through news, opinion, and resources to grow God’s kingdom.

Our core commitments are the redeeming and reconciling work of Jesus Christ first and then historic Baptist principles and responsible journalism. We are accountable to our readers when we miss the mark on these commitments.

We are funded through donations, advertising, and endowment earnings. We receive no subsidy or subscription revenue.

And so, we are grateful to celebrate the many Connector churches supporting the Baptist Standard financially with a gift of at least $100 a year. They have exceeded our expectations this year. Thank you!

Though we date back to 1888, the Baptist Standard has been published under that name since 1892 and publishes today Monday through Friday. Throughout our history, we have been a close partner of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. We are grateful for this 137-year partnership.

The special agreement approved by messengers to the 2023 BGCT annual meeting in McAllen clarifies the independent partnership between the convention and Baptist Standard Publishing Co. without changing the financial or board relationship between the two organizations.

Content areas

We publish news about the ministry and missions of individuals, churches, and institutions affiliated with the BGCT, as well as news related to religious liberty and other Baptist concerns around the world.

Our opinion features Texas Baptists and other Christians expressing their views on current events in relation to Scripture and the good news of Jesus Christ.

Our resources include Bible studies and book reviews. Articles can be printed or saved as PDFs.

How to stay connected

The Baptist Standard is published five days a week at www.baptiststandard.com, redesigned for easier reading and better service to our advertisers.

The Baptist Standard weekly edition is delivered by email each Thursday. You can sign up for our weekly edition at www.baptiststandard.com/email.

You also can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We need you

For us to succeed in keeping Baptists connected, we depend on people like you—faithful readers and financial supporters. Faithful readers share and discuss our content with family, friends, fellow church members, co-workers, and others. They also partner with us financially to ensure we are able to connect God’s story and God’s people to grow God’s kingdom around the world.

To further this mission, you can support us by visiting www.baptiststandard.com/donate/ or by mailing us at P.O. Box 941309, Plano, Texas 75094.

Advertising in the Baptist Standard

We offer classified ad space for churches and ministry organizations seeking candidates, as well as display ad space to those serving Baptist churches, ministries and institutions. Classified ads can be placed at www.baptiststandard.com/classifieds/.

For more information about advertising in the Baptist Standard, please contact Heather Davis at heather.davis@baptiststandard.com or 214-630-4571, ext. 1017.

Our team

• Eric Black, executive director, publisher, editor: In addition to oversight of operations, Eric oversees donor development and our opinion content. He can be reached at eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

• Ken Camp, managing editor: Ken, a veteran reporter, oversees all our news and resources. He can be reached at kencamp@baptiststandard.com.

• Kendall Lyons, news reporter: Kendall works with Ken to cover and report news. He can be reached at kendall.lyons@baptiststandard.com.

• Heather Davis, digital communications manager: Heather takes care of our website, social media profiles, weekly edition distribution and advertising. She can be reached at heather.davis@baptiststandard.com.

• Kelley Trimble, operations director: Kelley handles administration and finance. She can be reached at kelley.trimble@baptiststandard.com.

Denison Ministries was founded in 2009 in Dallas, Texas, by Dr. Jim Denison and Jeff Byrd to encourage spiritual awakening and equip believers to engage culture biblically. What began as Denison Forum has grown into a family of brands: Denison Forum, First15, Christian Parenting, and Foundations.

Our mission is to equip and disciple followers of Jesus Christ with biblical truth, empowering them to think critically, live faithfully, and serve intentionally to cultivate flourishing communities. We deliver Christ-centered content through the digital platforms people already use, making biblical encouragement and insight accessible anytime, anywhere.

In the first quarter of 2025, Denison Ministries hit over 28 million content experiences across all platforms. Our goal is to reach 100 million by year-end, creating a ripple effect of transformed lives who reflect Christ in homes, churches, and communities.

We envision a world fueled by faith, not fear, where believers of all ages are grounded in Scripture, walk in the Spirit, and sow integrity and compassion in a divided world. Through relevant, accessible, and biblically sound content, we help the church champion justice, pursue righteousness, and point others to Jesus.

Since June 2024…

Denison Forum (DenisonForum.org) increased its average monthly content experiences to 3.3 million. The Daily Article email is averaging over 1.9 million opens each month. Denison Forum website content is viewed approximately 383,889 times per month and has over 798,668 monthly social media engagements. Denison Forum released the Culture Brief podcast, a weekly show featuring Conner Jones and Micah Tomasella and the book Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why It Matters by Dr. Mark Turman and Dr. Ryan Denison.

First15 (First15.org) continued providing its 15-minute daily devotionals, averaging approximately 3.5 million monthly content experiences. We launched a new podcast called Guided Prayers: Simple, Intentional Prayers for Everyday Life, a weekly podcast designed to help believers slow down, center their hearts, and connect deeply with God through Scripture-based prayer and reflection. Finally, First15 Worship released its third instrumental album Songs for Prayer Vol. 3

Christian Parenting (ChristianParenting.org) with its focus on reaching parents through audio is averaging 1 million content experiences each month. The Christian Parenting Podcast Network added Parenting IQ and Midlife Momma to its lineup. Additionally, we released the Family Meeting Guide and Marriage Simplified, digital resources that help create thriving families. Finally, A Great Cloud of Witnesses, our annual parent’s prayer journal by Stephanie Thurling was released in advance of the new school year. urage kids in their faith, identity, and personal life!

Foundations with Janet Denison (FoundationswithJanet.org) continued seeing strong growth in content experiences this past year. Since June 2024, Foundations has averaged over 99K monthly content experiences. Foundations released a new in-depth Bible study, Restoring Vintage Faith, along with a shorter study, Lord, Teach Us to Pray, a study on the Lord’s Prayer. We also published our 2024 Christmas devotional, The Perfect Christmas

We are living in an unprecedented day with an unprecedented opportunity to share biblical truth with God’s people and our larger culture. Jesus is just as alive and active as when he first rose from the dead. As part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), Denison Ministries is joining him in advancing his kingdom in America and around the world.

JIM DENSION Chief Executive Officer

17304 Preston Road Suite 1060 Dallas, TX 75252 denisonforum. org

HANCE DILBECK

President

5005 LBJ Freeway, STE 2200 Dallas, TX 75244

1-888-98-GUIDE (888-984-8433) GuideStone.org

In 2024, we conducted our first pastoral wellness survey, which confirmed what many of us already knew: 80% of pastors surveyed sometimes sacrifice their own well-being in their ministerial roles, and over half sometimes sacrifice their family’s well-being. Pastors identified financial, physical, and mental health as their top challenges. To support pastors on their path toward financial security and resilience, we created GuideStone.org/resources, offering free videos, articles, and other materials. We hope pastors will utilize these resources and direct their key leaders to ministerial compensation and benefits materials.

In early 2025, more than 60 pastoral wellness leaders from across the Southern Baptist Convention — representing the four historic boards and all six seminaries of the SBC, along with many local associations and state conventions — gathered at GuideStone to collaborate on identifying and finding solutions to pastors’ top challenges and well-being needs.

2024 was also a significant year for GuideStone’s retirement areas, primarily consisting of the retirement accounts of Southern Baptist pastors and church workers, where we received more than $1 billion in new assets, driven by increased contributions, rollovers, and the addition of over 2,000 new churches we began serving.

GuideStone received the 2024 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA). This award recognizes the most engaged workplace cultures in the world.

Gallup found that GuideStone — one of 59 organizations nationwide to receive the honor — continued to engage and develop our team in innovative ways.

Since 1918 GuideStone has been on a mission to help retired ministers, denominational workers, their spouses, and widows live with dignity in their retirement years. The Mission:Dignity ministry is at the heart of that endeavor. Over 60 percent of Mission:Dignity recipients are widows of pastors, and one in four is over the age of 85.

Individuals who meet guidelines for income, assets and 10 or more years of paid Southern Baptist service are eligible for $275 per month, if single, or $375 per month, if married.

Applicants who meet the additional guidelines of poverty-level income and 25 or more years of ministerial service are eligible for $550 per month, if single, or $750 per month, if married.

Within Mission:Dignity, we had another outstanding year, launching 13th check arrangements in 20 state conventions. Mission:Dignity recipients in these states receive extra assistance, thanks to the cooperative efforts of Baptist state conventions, foundations and GuideStone.

A total of $10.4 million was paid out in financial assistance in 2024. Of the total granted, Mission:Dignity paid out $2.1 million in extra assistance-emergency grants, extra checks from state agreements, and Christmas gift checks of $300, a tradition since 1945.

Donations from churches and individuals provide the funding for the Mission:Dignity program. Fully 100 percent of direct annual gifts received by GuideStone Financial Resources is used to provide financial assistance to retirees in need and is not utilized for any of GuideStone’s operating expenses or overhead.

The following is the 2024 statistical report of the insurance plans (excludes non-Southern Baptist entities).

• Life Claims – $15,334,487

• Disability Claims - $1,977,797

• Dental Claims - $12,945,071

• Medical claims (including pharmacy) - $287,324,162

Texas Baptists Statistics as of June 30, 2025:

Number of active churches in the Church Retirement Plan: 1,336

Number of persons receiving retirement benefits: ..........................................................4,663

Number helped by Mission:Dignity ministry: 264

If you want more information about the products and services of GuideStone, visit our website at GuideStone.org. We want to serve you.

Founded in 1930 as the Baptist Foundation of Texas, HighGround Advisors advances the important work of churches, ministries and other nonprofits by providing investment management and charitable gift planning services. With our flexible investment platform, we design solutions to fit the unique goals and needs of our client partners, and our gift planning solutions help charitably minded individuals steward their financial resources for Kingdomadvancement. The services we provide at HighGround Advisors enable our clients, who are actively making a difference today, to make an even greater difference tomorrow.

Fast facts:

• Over $3.0 billion in assets under management

• 95 years serving nonprofits and charitably minded individuals

• $1.1 billion distributed to client partners & income beneficiaries as directed over the last decade

• Over 550 client partner organizations and beneficiaries served

2024 Investment management highlights

• HighGround offers a flexible investment platform with pre-built solutions, proprietary funds, and/or third-party mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Many of these solutions come with the added benefit of ancillary services, such as consolidated reporting, sub-accounting and unique spending policy calculation and implementation.

• HighGround invests in asset classes beyond stocks and bonds, providing additional diversification, improved performance and reduced volatility. HighGround’s Capstone Fund posted positive returns in Q4 2024 and exceeded its benchmark across all time periods.

• HighGround acknowledges the significance of maintaining stable endowment distributions for our client partners. Our objective is to deliver consistent payout rates from our established investment solutions over time. The 2025 payout levels increased by $1.00 per unit for the Capstone, Cornerstone and Keystone Funds.

2024 Charitable giving highlights

• HighGround opened 311 new client accounts for a total of nearly 7,500 client accounts.

• We distributed $143.4 million to client partners and income beneficiaries in 2024.

• HighGround assisted donors in contributing $29.6 million in new gifts for charitable purposes.

• Donors granted over $5.4 million from donor-advised funds held at HighGround.

GIVE. GROW. GRANT. WITH A DONOR-ADVISED FUND

Donor-advised funds (DAF) are one of the fastest-growing and most flexible giving vehicles. Sponsored by public charities like HighGround Advisors, DAFs are funded by a donor’s taxdeductible contributions of cash, stock, mutual funds or other assets. These contributions have the potential to grow, tax-free, over time, and donors can recommend grants from their DAF to eligible nonprofits of their choice. HighGround does not charge an administrative fee for DAFs, ensuring that more dollars go directly to our ministry partners and their life-changing work.

Our online client portal allows donors to open a DAF, make contributions, review contribution and grant histories, monitor balances, and recommend grants to charitable causes, including churches and ministries, at their convenience. Learn more at www.highgroundadvisors.org/ donoradvisedfunds.

LOOKING AHEAD AS WE CELEBRATE 95 YEARS

“First Denton’s mission is to be changed people, changing lives through Jesus Christ, and it is refreshing to have a financial partner that strengthens our mission through asset management and donor stewardship while still embracing our Christian faith and beliefs.” – Jeff Williams, Senior Pastor, First Denton

This year we are celebrating 95 years of stewardship. We are honored to serve the Baptist General Convention of Texas and many of their affiliated churches and ministry partners. Join us as we reflect on nearly a century of dedication, partnership and excellence through our client testimonial series, available at www.highgroundadvisors.org/celebrating-95-years.

PROTECT. STRENGTHEN. GROW.

We are proud to champion the important work of our Baptist institutions and churches and are humbled to be their trusted partner. HighGround works with innovation and vigilance to steward well the funds and assets entrusted to us by the nonprofits and generous individuals we serve.

We are proud to champion the important work of our Baptist institutions and are humbled to be their trusted partner. Working with innovation and vigilance, we wish to steward well the funds and assets entrusted to us by the nonprofits and generous individuals we serve.

JEFF W. SMITH President/CEO

1717 Main Street, Suite 1400 Dallas, Texas 75201

highground advisors .org

MICKEY B. LENAMON Executive Director

5351 Catron

Dallas, Texas 75227

A Stark Reminder of Tragedy... and Hope

I recently visited a makeshift memorial to the victims of the tragic July 4 Kerrville flood. During that solemn visit, I fully realized how the Texas Hill Country flooding disaster will leave its mark on our hearts and memories for years.

The memorial was a stark reminder that disasters can occur at any time, to anyone, but it also served as a reminder of how much Texans on Mission is needed to deliver help, hope and healing in the name of Christ to survivors and our neighbors in the state of Texas. You are part of this ministry through your volunteerism, advocacy or support. Thank you for the significant role you play in the work of Texans on Mission.

But we can never forget that just as suddenly as this summer’s floods affected our state, there will be other disasters on the horizon. We can never sleep. Too many people need to hear Christ’s message of hope. I encourage you to always be ready to respond with our historic two-pronged approach: With our trained, effective, time-tested disaster relief, and with the empathy, hard work and love of Christ that brings hope into survivors’ lives.

In recent months, Texans on Mission volunteers have served thousands of hours after:

• Tornadoes

• Hurricanes

• Wildfires

• Windstorms

• Floods

• And more

They have served in:

•Texas, including Gordon, Lone Star, Houston, Fritch, Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, San Angelo, Canyon Lake, Menard, San Saba, Weslaco, Fredericksburg, Brazoria and Dallas

• Missouri

• New Mexico

• North Carolina

• Oklahoma

• Tennessee

Same Calling. New Vision.

For almost 145 years, WMU of Texas has been on a mission to reach the lost for Jesus Christ in Texas and beyond. We have been led by faithful, fervent, forward-thinking leaders with the fortitude and foresight to chart an appropriate path for the organization to weather the seasons. Those before us were called to reach the masses for Christ and were courageous enough to adapt their methods as necessary. In 2025, we are boldly moving forward with the same calling, walking in our new vision to see every believer across every culture and community compelled to live missionally.

Stewarding financial gifts for missions, especially through the Mary Hill Davis Offering® for Texas Missions, and practical community outreach continue to be elements of our service, while we also emphasize missional discipleship in all aspects of the ministry. Our Christian Job Corps sites continue to thrive and offer spiritual growth and relevant technical skills for participants in Texas. You are supporting and volunteering with our ministry efforts meeting the needs along the Texas/Mexico border and our network among the growing cultural landscape in Texas continues to grow.

As we partner with churches, missions-minded organizations and individuals, our core strategy leads us to equip all ages to be disciple-makers. We empower God’s people to advance the Gospel through missional discipleship. Thank you for joining us in the effort to call out, to equip and to encourage missional disciple-makers.

2024 Impact at a Glance

• Raised $3,284,598.61 through the Mary Hill Davis Offering® for Texas Missions

• Trained over 500 leaders in missions discipleship.

• Maintained 46 Christian Job Corps sites in Texas.

o 1,976 people served

o 1,665 graduates

o 108 new believers

o 60,455 volunteer hours

• Built the 14th home for the South Texas Women’s Build

• To date, housed 7 stateside missionary families in Mary’s House, the on-campus housing at SWBTS for Missionaries in Residence (MIRs)

• Celebrated 1 National Acteens panelist representing Texas.

• Connected with and resourced 15 cultural groups for missional disciple-making.

• Responded to 369 requests to start new WMU missions discipleship groups at Texas churches.

Thank you for your generosity and willingness to partner in missions!

TAMIKO JONES Executive DirectorTreasurer 10325 Brockwood Rd, Dallas, TX 75238 wmutx.org

Abilene Callahan Baptist Assoc

Larry Tarver PO Box 5228

Abilene, TX 79608 325-673-8349 www.acbaptists.org

Amarillo Area Baptist Assoc

Bryan Houser 2123 S Van Buren St Amarillo, TX 79109 806-372-6566 www.amarilloareabaptistassociation.com

Asociacion Bautista Hispana Norte Central De Texas

Sammy Garcia PO Box 87 Denison, TX 75021 903-815-6598 zgarciaps@yahoo.com

Asociacion Bautista Latino Americana

Bulmaro Luna Hebreo PO Box 111698 Houston, TX 77293 713-851-8550 Alba.publicidad@gmail.com

Austin Baptist Assoc

David Smith PO Box 4978 Austin, TX 78765 512-454-2558 www.austinbaptist.org

Bell Baptist Assoc

Tom Henderson PO Box 1447 Belton, TX 76513 254-939-0761 www.bellchurches.com

Bi-Fork Baptist Assoc

David Couch PO Box 2125 Vernon, TX 76385 827-424-7578 www.bifork.org

Bi Stone Baptist Assoc

Lowell Warren 519 S. McKinney Mexia, TX 76667 817-939-1142 www.bistonebaptist.org

Big Bend Baptist Assoc

Gary Lamar PO Box 6 Fort Davis, TX 79734 940-736-9559 www.bigbendbaptistassociation.net

Blanco Baptist Assoc

Eddie Saunders, Moderator 3901 Charco Rd Beeville, TX 78102 361-358-9420 www.blancobaptistassociation.org

Bluebonnet Baptist Assoc

John Minton PO Box 312257

New Braunfels, TX 78130 830-629-7674 www.bluebonnetbaptist.org

Bosque Baptist Assoc

Keith Blanton PO Box 391 Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-8381 bosqueassociation.com

Bowie Baptist Assoc

Forest Taylor PO Box 7740 Texarkana, TX 75505 903-831-5140 www.bowiebaptist.com

Brazos Valley Baptist Network

Steven Doyle 410 Tarrow St STE 101 College Station, TX 77840 979-846-1788 www.bvbn.org

Burnet Llano Baptist Assoc

Richard Ray 950 County Road 227 Hico, TX 76457 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistsarea.com

Caprock Plains Baptist Assoc

Lester Griffin 2301 Utica St Plainview, TX 79072 806-296-2751 Caprockplains.org

Collin Baptist Assoc

Jared Maier 7300 TX-121 STE 300 McKinney, TX 75070 972-529-5222 www.collinbaptist.com

Colorado Baptist Assoc

Barry Barnet 1515 Briar Ln Wharton, TX 77488 903-227-9019 www.coloradoba.org

Concho Valley Baptist Assoc

Keith Durham 825 N Main St San Angelo, TX 76903 325-653-4898 www.cvba.org

Cooke County Baptist Assoc

Hollis Parsons PO Box 842 Gainesville, TX 76241 940-665-4082 www.cookecountybaptistassociation

Corpus Christi Baptist Assoc

Richard Taylor PO Box 7806 Corpus Christi, TX 78647 361-215-1397 www.ccbaptistassociation.org

Coryell Baptist Assoc

Richard Ray 502 E. Main Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistarea.com

Crossroads Baptist Assoc

Glenn Faris 1311 Goliad St Big Spring, TX 79720 432-263-1673 www.troads.org

Dallas Baptist Assoc

Ryan Jespersen 8001 E R L Thornton Fwy Dallas, TX 75228 214-324-2803 www.dba.net

Del Rio Uvalde Baptist Assoc

Cynthis Huerta, Secretary 117 E Commerce St Uvalde, TX 78801 830-278-5351 www.ddruba.net

Denton Baptist Assoc

Morgan Malone 1406 N Corinth St Ste 408 Corinth, TX 76208 940-498-5200 www.dentonbaptist.org

Dogwood Trails Baptist Assoc

Alan Small PO Box 949 Jacksonville, TX 75766 903-586-5156 www.dtbatogether.com

Double Mountain Baptist

Rodney Watson PO Box 1112 Stamford, TX 79553 325-665-9503 watson.rodney@yahoo.com

East Texas Baptist Area

Lewis Edwards PO Box 546 Mt Enterprise, TX 75681 936-552-4027 etba@eastex.net

East Texas Baptist Network PO Box 9067 Longview, TX 75604 903-753-9900 office@getba.info

El Paso Baptist Assoc

Larry Floyd

10061 Rushing Rd El Paso, TX 79924 915-544-8671 www.elpasoba.org

Ellis Baptist Assoc

Richard Cody PO Box 532 Waxahachie, TX 75168 972-937-9320 eba.life

Enon Baptist Assoc

Chas Carlisle PO Box 928 Linden, TX 75563 903-650-1952 www.enonbaptistassociation.org

Erath Baptist Assoc

Richard Ray 502 E. Main St. Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistsarea.com

Esperanza Fellowship

Michael Barrera PO Box 3301 Alice, TX 78332 361-207-0682

Fannin Baptist Assoc

Darrel Hathcock 1505 Silo Rd Bonham, TX 75418 903-583-2210 www.fanninbaptistassociation.com

FIRM Baptist Area

Patrick Knowlton PO Box 192 Cameron, TX 76520 254-697-6505 www.firbaptistarea.org

Frio River Baptist Assoc

Tom Revilla PO Box P Pearsall, TX 78061 830-334-2061 www.frba.net

Galveston Baptist Assoc

Jim Grant 705 FM 517 East Dickinson, TX 77539 409-938-8942 www.galvestonbaptist.org

Gambrell Baptist Assoc

Matt Singleton PO Box 181 Kenedy, TX 78119 361-392-0662 www.southcentralarea.net

Golden Triangle Baptist Network

Jim Turnbo PO Box 7300 Beaumont, TX 77726 409-832-1110 www.gtbn.us

Gonzales Baptist Assoc

Matt Singleton PO Box 181 Kenedy, TX 78119 361-392-0662 www.southcentralarea.net

Grayson Baptist Assoc

Austin Lambert PO Box 1806 Sherman, TX 75091 903-868-9361 graysonbaptist.com

Guadalupe Baptist Assoc

Walter Jackson 2601 N Ben Jordan St Victoria, TX 77901 361-575-5281 www.guadalupeba.com

Gulf Coast Baptist Assoc

Chuck Beem 2700 E Highway 35 Angleton, TX 77515 979-849-2477 www.gulfcoastbaptist.org

Hamilton Baptist Assoc

Richard Ray 502 E. Main St. Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistarea.com

Harmony Pittsburg Baptist Assoc

Jeremy Randolph 403 Daingerfield St Pittsburg, TX 75686 903-856-6696 www.harmonypittsburg.com

Harvest Baptist Assoc

Ryan Alexander PO Box 1735 Decatur, TX 76234 940-627-0723 www.harvestba.org

Heart of Texas Baptist Network

Zachary Harrel PO Box 1646 Brownwood, TX 76804 325-643-1348 www.heartoftexasmissions.org

Hill Baptist Assoc

Kenneth Coleman PO Box 1606 Hillsboro, TX 76645 817-648-6645 broken22@windstream.net

Hill Country Baptist Assoc

Robert Wheat PO Box 294718 Kerrville, TX 78029 830-445-4222 Hcba.life

Hunt Baptist Assoc

Jim Gatliff PO Box 8848 Greenville, TX 75404 903-883-0001 www.huntbaptist.com

Independence Baptist Assoc

Patrick Knowlton PO Box 193 Cameron, TX 76520 254-697-6505 www.firmbaptistarea.org

Kauf-Van Baptist Assoc

Donald Myers PO Box 708 Terrell, TX 75160 972-563-8023 www.kaufvanassn.org

Lake Ivie Baptist Assoc

Keith Simpson PO Box 639 Ballinger, TX 76821-0639 325-456-0928 lakeiviebaptist@yahoo.com

Lamesa Baptist Assoc

Dennis Adams PO Box 1373 Lamesa, TX 79331 806-201-0595 Dradams1164@gmail.com

Lampasas Baptist Assoc

Richard Ray 502 E. Main St. Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistarea.com

Laredo Baptist Assoc

Hector Almanza PO Box 1634 Laredo, TX 78044 956-791-0410 Hector.almanza@hotmail.com

Leon Baptist Assoc

Stephen Brazzel PO Box 246 Centerville, TX 75833 713-907-0891 steve@leonbaptist.org

Lubbock Area Baptist Assoc

Jerry Joplin 4207 34th St Lubbock, TX 79410 806-791-4442 www.lubbockbaptist.com

Neches River Baptist Assoc

William Jones PO Box 995 Crockett, TX 75835 936-544-3754 www.nechesriverbaptist.org

Palo Pinto Baptist Assoc

Ferel Gage PO Box C Mineral Wells, TX 76068 940-452-1336 palopintobaptist@gmail.com

Paluxy Baptist Assoc

Boots Hubbard 1844 Acton Hwy Granbury, TX 76049 817-579-5111 www.paluxybaptist.org

Parker Baptist Assoc

Tracy Cook 118 E Park Ave Weatherford, TX 76086 817-599-6586 www.parkerbaptist.org

Pecos Valley Baptist Assoc

Dudley Mullins PO Box 1105 Kermit, TX 79745 432-586-6601 www.pecosvalleyba.com

Red River Valley Baptist Assoc

Guille Seigler 2320 Clarksville St Paris, TX 75460 903-785-2890 www.redriverbaptist.com

Rehoboth Baptist Assoc

Danny Caldwell 1139 Industrial Dr E Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 903-885-2868 www.rehobothonline.com

Rio Grande Valley Baptist Pedro Pena 617 W Expressway 83 Weslaco, TX 78596 956-968-3161 asalazar@rgvbaptists.com

Sabine Neches Baptist Area

Jimmie Neel PO Box 159 Kirbyville, TX 75956-0159 409-867-2322 www.snbarea.org

San Antonio Baptist Assoc

Darrell Horn 5807 W IH 10 San Antonio, TX 78201 210-525-9954 www.sabatx.org

San Felipe Baptist Assoc

Jon Davis

1105 San Jacinto St Rosenberg, TX 77471 281-232-8556 www.sanfelipeba.org

San Jacinto Baptist Assoc PO Box 1533 Baytown, TX 77522 281-422-3604 www.sanjacintobaptist.com

Smith Baptist Assoc

David Jones

3226 Old Jacksonville Rd Tyler, TX 75701 903-581-6139 www.smithbaptist.com

Soda Lake Baptist Assoc

Danny Warbington PO Box 1088 Marshall, TX 75671 903-938-0756 www.sodalakebaptist.com

South Central Baptist Area

Matt Singleton PO Box 181 Kennedy, TX 78119 830-672-3830 www.southcentralarea.net

Southwest Metroplex Baptist

Scott Whitson

601 N Nolan River Rd Cleburne, TX 76033 817-645-8222 www.swmba.net

Tarrant Baptist Assoc

David Bowman 4520 James Av Fort Worth, TX 76115

Top O Texas Baptist Assoc

Byron Williamson PO Box 300 Pampa, TX 79066 806-665-3152 www.topotexasassociation.com

Tri County Baptist Assoc

Glenn Clark PO Box 1151 Cisco, TX 76437 254-442-4568 Tri-countybaptistassociation.com

Trinity River Baptist Assoc

David Williams PO Box 1269 Liberty, TX 77575 936-336-9232 www.trbatexas.org

Tryon Evergreen Baptist Assoc

Roger Yancey PO Box 2408 Conroe, TX 77305 936-856-2001 www.teba.org

Union Baptist Assoc

Josh Ellis 2916 W T C Jester Blvd Ste 200 Houston, TX 77018 713-957-2000 www.ubahouston.org

Unity Baptist Assoc

Stephen Brazzel 105 Weber Street Suite B Diboll, TX 75941 936-526-2023 www.unityba.com

Waco Regional Baptist Assoc

Terry Johnson PO Box 1848 Waco, TX 76703 254-753-2408 www.wacobaptists.org

Wichita Archer Clay Baptist

Darrell Brown PO Box 4110 Wichita Falls, TX 76308 940-224-9136 Dbrown940@gmail.com

Williamson Baptist Assoc

Kirk Wooldridge PO Box 607 Georgetown, TX 78627 512-930-0965 www.wbatexas.org

Alto Frio Baptist Encampment

P. O. Box 468

Leakey, TX 78873 (830) 232-5271 www.altofrio.com

Aspendale Mountain Retreat Center P. O. Box 287 Cloudcroft, NM 88317 (800) 959-2605 www.aspendale.org

Big Country Baptist Camp 201 FM 142 Lueders, TX 79533 (325) 228-4542 www.bigcountrycamp.com

Big Red Ministries And Camp 34179 FM 1577

San Benito, TX 78586 (956) 204-0069 bigredministries.org

Camp Buckner Hill Country Retreat 3835 FM 2342 Burnet, TX 78611 (512) 756-7540 www.campbuckner.org

Camp Chaparral

3784 Church Camp Rd. Iowa Park, TX 76367 (940) 855-4182 www.campchaparral.org

Camp Copass

8200 E McKinney St. Denton, TX 76208 (940) 565-0050 www.campcopass.com

Camp Menard PO BOX 1385 Menard, TX 76859 (915) 396-2162 www.compmenard.org

Camps On The Rio The Hacienda/The Oasis 1600 E. BUSINESS HWY 83 MISSION, TX 78572 (956) 585-4393 www.campsontherio.com

Circle Six Baptist Camp P. O. Box 976 Stanton, TX 79782 (432) 458-3467 www.circle6camp.org

East Texas Baptist Encampment 178 Private Rd. 7005 Newton, TX 75966 (409) 379-2737 www.etbe.org

Heart Of Texas Baptist Camp & Conference Center 8025 North FM 2125 Brownwood, TX 76801 (325) 784-5821 www.heartoftexascamp.com

High Plains Retreat Center 18511 City Lake Rd Canyon, TX 79015 (806) 499-3429 hpretreatcenter.org

Highland Lakes Camp & Conference Center 5902 Pace Bend Rd. N Spicewood, TX 78669 (888) 222-3482 www.highlandlakescamp.org

Lake Lavon Baptist Camp 8050 COUNTY ROAD 735 Princeton, TX 75407 (972) 736-2273 www.lakelavoncamp.com

Lake Tomahawk Baptist Camp 408 Lake Tomahawk Livingston, TX 77351 (936) 563-4644 www.laketomahawk.org

Lakeview Baptist Assembly & Conference Center PO BOX 130 Lone Star, TX 75668 (903) 656-3871 www.lba1948.com

Latham Springs Camp And Retreat Center 134 Private Rd 223 Aquilla, TX 76622 (254) 694-3689 lathamsprings.com

Mount Lebanon Retreat & Conference Center 1701 Texas Plume Rd. Cedar Hill, TX 75104 (972) 291-7156 www.mtlebanoncamp.com

Paisano Baptist Encampment 91872 W HWY 90 Alpine, TX 79830 (432) 837-3074 www.paisanoencampment.org

Panfork Baptist Encampment 4530 County Rd 210 Wellington, TX 79095 (806) 447-2627 www.panfork.org

Pineywoods Baptist Camp 6272 East US 287 Woodlake, TX 75865 (936) 642-1723 www.pineywoodscamp.com

Plains Baptist Camp & Retreat Center 3001 Love Rd. Floydada, TX 79235 (800) 581-3954 www.pbcamp.org

Riverbend Retreat Center 1232 County Rd 411B UNIT C Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 897-4011 www.riverbendretreat.org

Tejas Camp & Retreat 1038 P.R. 2191 Giddings, TX 78942 (979) 366-2422 www.mytejas.org

Texas Baptist Encampment PO Box 1265 Palacios, TX 77465 (361) 972-2717 www.texasbaptistencampment.org

Timberline Baptist Camp & Conference Center 15363 FM 849 Lindale, TX 75771 (903) 882-3183 www.timberlinecamp.com

CAMPS

Trinity Pines

Conference Center

4341 FM 356

Trinity, TX 75862 (936) 594-5011 www.trinitypines.org

Zephyr Baptist Encampment 151 FM 3162 Sandia, TX 78383 (361) 547-2448 www.campzephyr.org

Article I – Name and Nature

Section 1. The name of this corporate body shall be The Baptist General Convention of Texas, hereafter Convention.

Section 2. This Convention is and always shall remain, only and solely a medium through which Baptist churches may work harmoniously in cooperation with each other, promoting the work and objects set forth in this constitution. It has not, to any degree, and shall never have any ecclesiastical authority. It shall not have and shall never attempt to exercise a single attribute of power or authority over any church, or over the messengers of the churches in such wise as to limit the sovereignty of the churches, but shall recognize the sovereignty of the churches under the one Sovereign, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Article II – Object

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 III – Membership

Section 1. This Convention in session in all its meetings shall be composed of messengers elected by Baptist churches that shall voluntarily cooperate with the Convention. All messengers must be members of the church by which they are elected. A messenger must be enrolled at the Convention in session to be qualified to vote. The messengers have no right to act except for annual or special meetings constituting the Convention in session for which they have been elected by their cooperating churches.

Section 2. Each church cooperating with this Convention shall be entitled to:

A Two messengers for the first one hundred (100) members or fractional part thereof. Two additional messengers for the first two hundred fifty dollars ($250) given during the previous fiscal year to the Texas budget as adopted by The Baptist General Convention of Texas in annual session, and

B. One additional messenger for each additional hundred members and each additional one thousand dollars ($1,000) given during the previous fiscal year to the Texas budget as adopted by The Baptist General Convention of Texas in annual session, and

C. If, as calculated under B above, a church’s giving surpasses its membership, then one additional messenger for each two thousand dollars ($2000) given during the previous fiscal year to the Texas budget as adopted by The Baptist General Convention of Texas in annual session, not to exceed six additional messengers, provided, however, that

D. No church shall be entitled to more than twenty-five messengers.

E. A mission church shall be considered a church under the Constitution solely for the limited purpose of electing messengers to the Annual Meeting if it is identified as a body of believers separate from its sponsoring church; it contributes to the BGCT in an identifiable way either directly or through the sponsoring church from its own resources; it exists to address some specific mission need, such as language, culture or location, it regularly practices baptism and the Lord’s Supper separate from its sponsoring church; and it identifies itself with, aligns itself with, and endorses, generally, the purposes and work of the Convention. The total number of messengers a mission may qualify for is four (4) as specified in Article III, Section 2.A. 1st Adoption by

Article IV – Meetings

Section 1. The Convention shall meet annually at such a time and place, based on Convention site guidelines, as determined by the messengers at least two years prior to the annual meeting.

In case of emergency, the Executive Board is empowered to change the time and place of the meeting. The minutes of the annual meeting of The Baptist General Convention of Texas are to be approved by the Executive Board of the Convention at the first meeting of the Executive Board following the Convention.

Section 2. No notice of annual or regular meetings of The Baptist General Convention of Texas shall be required. Notice of a special meeting shall be given at least 10 days prior to such meeting by publication in any newspaper of general circulation in the community in which the principal office is located.

Section 3. The right to vote is limited to the duly elected and enrolled messengers who are actually present in the session at the time the vote is taken. There will be no proxy or absentee voting.

Section 4. The quorum for conducting business during any session of the annual meeting of The Baptist General Convention of Texas shall be a minimum of 25% of the enrolled messengers.

Section 5. Special meetings of the Convention may be called by the Executive Board by a two-thirds vote of the votes entitled to be cast by directors of the Board. The call for a special meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and the date, time and place for the meeting. The special meeting shall be limited to the purpose stated.

Article V – Officers

Section 1. The officers of this Convention shall be a president, a first vice president, a second vice president, a secretary of the Corporation, a recording secretary and a registration secretary. With the exception of the recording secretary who serves by virtue of serving as Treasurer, these shall be elected annually by ballot not later than the second day of the annual meeting. By unanimous consent any officer of this Convention may be elected by acclamation. Officers shall hold their offices until the end of the last session of the Convention meeting at which their successors are elected. In case of the death, resignation, or disability of the president, or if the president is no longer a member of a cooperating church, the vice presidents shall automatically succeed to the office of president in the order of their election.

Section 2. In any election for office, the nominee who receives the vote of a majority of the enrolled messengers present in the session shall be elected. If on the first ballot no nominee is elected, there shall be a run-off election between the two nominees who received the greatest number of votes on the first ballot.

Section 3. No one shall be eligible for the office of president or eligible for the same vice president’s office for more than two successive years.

Article VI – Committees

Section 1. The committees of the Convention shall be: (1) Committee on the Annual Meeting, (2) Committee on Credentials, (3) Committee on Committees, (4) Committee on Resolutions, (5) Committee on Memorials, (6) Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors, (7) Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries. The duties of the committees are included in the Convention Bylaws.

Section 2. Special committees may be established by action of the Convention to serve for specified periods of time to perform specific duties that in the judgment of the Convention cannot be effectively performed by one of the regular committees of the Convention or by the Executive Board.

The Convention shall specify the number of members to be appointed to each special committee and the method to be followed in selecting members. In the absence of other provisions, the president and the two vice presidents shall jointly appoint the members.

1st Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article VII – Executive Board

Section 1. Functions

The Executive Board speaks for the interest of the Convention and has authority and accountability over the work of the Convention in the interim between annual meetings, except for that which is reserved for the Convention in session as noted in the Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution and the Bylaws.

A. The Executive Board shall have charge and control, except when otherwise directed by the Convention, of all of the work of the Convention, including missions, education, and beneficence, in the interim between its sessions.

B. The Executive Board has authority to elect and employ, to evaluate performance and set compensation for the Executive Director who shall serve as chief executive officer of The Baptist General Convention of Texas and its Executive Board.

C. The Executive Board also has authority to elect an Associate Executive Director and a Treasurer/ Chief Financial Officer, both of whom shall serve under the direct supervision of the Executive Director. The Executive Director is authorized to employ other staff as provided by the plan of work and the financial plan of the Convention. The Board shall approve a compensation plan for Convention employees.

D. The Executive Board shall hold in trust and shall administer all the properties, annuities, trusts, and invested funds of this body except as otherwise provided for by the Convention, and the Board shall report annually to the Convention the state of all funds which the Board administers.

E. The Executive Board provides the Convention annually with a report of its work and with a complete financial accounting of all funds received and disbursed, including properties, trusts, and invested funds which the Board administers.

F. The Executive Board determines the organization, functions, responsibilities and working relationships of the Executive Board committees.

G. The Executive Board maintains an official organization manual setting forth the plan and organization of the Convention and its programs. It shall also maintain a policy manual (including business, financial and personnel) for those policies adopted by the Convention in session and by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Membership

A. The authorized number of elected directors shall be 90 directors from 30 sectors in the Convention. The sectors are based on resident church membership in counties, and such sector criteria will be included in the Bylaws upon recommendation of the Executive Board.

A minimum of three directors will be elected from each sector. The number of elected directors of the Executive Board will exceed ninety (90) until expiration of the terms of directors elected prior to the effective date of adoption of this amended Constitution.

B. One-third of the number of directors is elected each year to serve a three-year term. Directors are eligible for election to a second three-year term but are not eligible to serve more than six consecutive years.

C. Voting directors of the Executive Board shall be the elected directors, the convention president, and the two convention vice presidents, and the presidents of the Convention-recognized fellowships, provided that these presidents are members of churches supportive of the BGCT. Non-voting directors of the Executive Board shall be the executive director, recording secretary, and the presidents of Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, Texas Baptist Men and Baptist Student Ministry.

1st Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014

Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

D. All Executive Board directors, including the ex officio directors, must be members of churches that are supportive of The Baptist General Convention of Texas.

E. No one who is an employee of the Convention or member of the immediate family of an employee, except an ex officio director of the Board, shall be eligible for membership on the Executive Board.

F. The membership of the Executive Board shall be generally representative of the Baptist membership in the Convention and shall include men and women, Anglo and non-Anglo persons, persons who are members of larger membership churches and smaller membership churches, and those who have abilities and experience needed by the Board. There shall be a minimum of forty percent (40%) of the persons elected each year who are church/denominational employees and a minimum of forty (40%) who are non-church/denominational employees.

Section 3. Officers

A. Officers shall be chairperson, vice chairperson, recording secretary and other such officers as the Executive Board may determine needed from time to time.

B. Term of service for elected officers is one year. A person is limited to a maximum service of two consecutive years in the same office. The exception to these provisions is the recording secretary who serves by virtue of serving as Treasurer.

C. Nominations for election of officers are from the floor. A person must be elected by majority vote.

If on the first ballot no nominee is elected, there shall be a run-off election between the two nominees who received the greatest number of votes on the first ballot.

Section 4. Committees

The Executive Board has the authority to establish and dissolve committees as required to carry out their responsibilities. Duties of the committees will be included in the Executive Board Policy Manual.

A. The Executive Committee plans, coordinates and monitors the general progress of the Executive Board, including the budget and financial affairs. The Executive Committee will be composed of the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board, the president and vice presidents of the Convention, and the chairperson of each Executive Board committee. The chairperson of the Executive Board will serve as chairperson of the Executive Committee. The executive director and the recording secretary will serve as ex officio members, without vote.

B. The Audit Committee is to oversee the financial audit function.

C. The Institutional Relations Committee is to give broad oversight of the institutions related to the Convention, recognizing that the institutions are managed by a separate board of trustees according to their articles of incorporation and bylaws.

D. The Church Ministries Committee shall set the direction for the operation of core ministries of the Convention.

E. The Administration Support Committee shall set direction and recommend general policies for the administrative functions of the Convention. The committee shall include a finance subcommittee for budget development and general financial oversight.

Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article VIII – Affiliated and Related Ministries

Section 1. General Provisions

A. Institutions or agencies which associate with this Convention in compliance with this Article are affiliated. Institutions or agencies which associate with this Convention pursuant to an adopted Special Agreement are related.

B. A new agency or institution may be established or a change in relationship with an agency or institution may be approved by a majority vote of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers when the vote is taken without regard to the total enrollment at any meeting of the Convention upon the recommendation of the Executive Board, and must be considered by the Executive Board not later than a September meeting of the Board preceding the annual meeting of the Convention. In the case of a new agency or institution, the recommendation must include a comprehensive plan of development, a set of proposed articles and bylaws, and a proposed annual budget.

C. An affiliation or relationship with an agency or institution may be discontinued by the Convention upon recommendation by the Executive Board and by majority vote of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers present when the vote is taken without regard to the total enrollment at any meeting of the Convention.

Section 2. Affiliated Ministries

A. Trustee Membership of Boards

1. Each institution affiliated with this Convention shall have a board consisting of thirteen (13) or more trustees of which at least a simple majority shall be elected by this Convention in its annual meetings. When the charter of such institution provides for a specific number of trustees, the number so provided for shall be elected. Those persons elected by the Convention to serve as members of these boards shall be active members of cooperating churches of The Baptist General Convention of Texas.

2. No person shall be eligible for concurrent membership on more than one affiliated board or board of related institutions or agencies.

3. Each institution affiliated with this Convention shall be eligible to elect those members of its trustee board not elected by the Convention in accordance with criteria adopted by its board. All trustees so elected shall be active members of a Baptist church and shall meet other criteria established by the Executive Board.

4. Trustees of affiliated institutions shall be elected in classes so that the terms of one class only shall expire with each Convention year. The term of office of each member of the boards of affiliated institutions shall be three years. A member who has served three full successive terms shall not be eligible for re-election until he or she shall have been out of office for one Convention year.

5. The board of trustees and the administrator of an institution may request that a trustee, whose continued service is considered imperative to meet an emergency or a special need, be elected for an additional year. Such an exception must be approved by the Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries. No more than two exceptions may be made for any given term for any one institution. In the event of such an exception, the position filled by that trustee shall revert to its previous class at the completion of the extra year.

6. No Trustee shall be allowed to name his or her successor by resigning in favor of another person.

1st Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

7. No elected trustee of the board of an affiliated institution who resigns from that board before the expiration of his or her current term shall be eligible for nomination to another board of the Convention until one year after such resignation is filed. A trustee elected by the Convention who no longer meets the qualifications for service set forth by the Convention as determined by the Executive Board, shall cease to be a trustee and that place shall be deemed vacant, or the Executive Board upon a 75 percent vote of those present may recommend to the Convention the removal of a trustee.

A vote of 75 percent of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers when the vote is taken without regard to the total enrollment at any annual meeting of the Convention is necessary for removal. The Articles of Incorporation and bylaws of affiliated institutions shall not contain provision inconsistent with this Section 2 (A)(7).

8. The Recording Secretary of the Convention shall be notified immediately of vacancies that occur on an institutional board for any cause. Should a trustee position elected by the Convention become vacant for any cause, the Convention shall name a replacement trustee for that position through its adopted processes

B. The board of each institution affiliated with this Convention shall submit any and all changes or amendments to the institution’s charter to the Executive Board for approval. Any changes that significantly alter the mission of the institution or the institution’s relationship to The Baptist General Convention of Texas shall be referred to the Convention for approval.

Section 3. Related Ministries

A. The institution’s Articles of Incorporation and Special Agreements with the Convention shall guide the election and terms of trustees.

B. No person shall be eligible to concurrently serve on more than one related ministry board or affiliated ministry board.

C. The board of an institution may request, with a 75 percent vote of its board, that the institution relate to the Convention through a contractual Special Agreement rather than as an affiliated institution. Such agreements must be approved by the Convention at its annual meeting and may be considered only after favorable action by the Executive Board. Special Agreements must be negotiated in accordance with policies established by the Executive Board.

Section 4. Reports and Reviews to the Convention

A. The board of each agency or institution affiliated with or related by Special Agreement to this Convention shall submit to the Convention at each annual meeting such written reports as will keep the Convention fully informed concerning the activities, plans, resources, financial condition, and legal status of the institution.

B. The board of each agency or institution, except general acute care hospitals and health care systems, affiliated with this Convention shall submit for review and approval to this Convention, or to a committee designated by this Convention, each and every project or policy that involves a level of indebtedness of the institution beyond the policies of The Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014

Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article IX – Contributions and Funds

Section 1. The Cooperative Program shall be the chief means through which this Convention shall support its missionary endeavors. The mission causes shall be reviewed and the Cooperative Program Budget through which they are supported shall be adopted annually.

Annual adoption of the budget shall be voted at the Annual Meeting held in the fall. The Executive Board will be responsible for budget adoption at its fall meeting in years when a summer Annual Meeting is held.

Section 2. All funds of this Convention shall be raised by voluntary contributions provided this does not prevent acquiring funds, or property, by bequest or use of any income on property that may be bequeathed to or purchased by the institutions or agencies hereof.

Section 3. All designated offerings or special gifts shall be strictly applied according to the expressed will and direction of the contributor.

Article X – Offices

The Convention shall maintain a principal office within the State of Texas and shall continuously maintain in the State of Texas a registered office which is identical with the principal office and a registered agent who is the recording secretary of the Convention as required by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act. The Executive Board shall, from time to time, amend the Articles of Incorporation of the Convention as necessary to reflect the then current address of the registered office and the registered agent.

Article XI – Amendments

Any alterations may be made in these Articles by two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers present when the vote is taken without regard to total enrollment at any annual meeting of the Convention, provided (1) no amendment may be considered after the second day of the Convention and (2) that an amendment shall be so approved by two successive Conventions.

1st Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article I – General Provisions

Section 1. For purposes of usage in the Constitution and these Bylaws, a church is deemed to be affiliated with the Convention if such church (1) identifies itself with, aligns itself with, and endorses, generally, the purposes and work of the Convention, and (2) is otherwise eligible to send messengers to the annual meeting of the Convention. For purposes of usage in the Constitution and the Bylaws, “supportive” and “cooperating” shall have the same meaning as “affiliated” has in these Bylaws.

Section 2. All Convention officers, members of Convention committees, all Executive Board directors, and all non-director members of any special committee, subcommittee, group, team, council or other entity created under or permitted to be created under these Bylaws shall be members of affiliated churches. An exception will be made for members of groups, teams, councils or other entities who are Baptists and live outside the state of Texas.

Section 3. If a person named in Section 2 is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, or otherwise vacates the position, the position will be deemed vacant and the vacancy will be filled according to the provisions of these Bylaws.

Determination of vacancies and the date of such vacancy will be made by the Executive Board or a committee of the Board so authorized by the Executive Board.

Article II – Messengers

Section 1. Each messenger shall register with the Registration Secretary by presentation of proper credentials prior to being seated as a messenger to the Convention.

Section 2. The credentials of a registered messenger may be reviewed by the Credentials Committee as deemed necessary.

Section 3. Any challenges to the seating of the messengers of a church will be presented in writing to the Credentials Committee during the Annual Meeting.

Section 4. Any challenges to the ability of a church to have the opportunity to send messengers to the Annual Meeting will be presented in writing to the Executive Board.

Article III – Meetings

Section 1. The annual meeting of the Convention shall be a gathering for the purpose of worship, fellowship, mobilizing, encouraging, informing and uniting Texas Baptists to accomplish the Great Commission, as well as to elect officers; receiving recommendations and reports of officers, committees and boards; and for any other business that may arise or be scheduled.

Section 2. The Convention shall determine its order of business at the first session of the annual meeting.

Section 3. Special meetings may be called according to the provisions of the Constitution.

Section 4. In all questions covering the proceedings of the Convention in both annual and special meetings, Robert’s Rules of Order (latest revised edition) shall be the authority used by the presiding officers and by the Convention, unless the Constitution or the Bylaws have special rules of order that apply.

Article IV – Duties of Convention Officers

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the president to preside over the deliberations of the Convention and to discharge such other duties as are usually incumbent on the presiding officer of a deliberative body.

If the president is no longer a member of a church cooperating with the Convention, a vice president shall succeed to the office according to provisions of the Constitution, and this fact shall be so recognized by a resolution of the Executive Board.

Section 2. The vice presidents shall discharge such duties as requested by the president. In the absence of the president from a Convention session, a vice president in the order in which he or she was elected shall preside.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the recording secretary to keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Convention, and to file and keep all papers in order deemed important to be preserved.

Section 4. The registration secretary shall be responsible for registration of all messengers of the Convention.

The registration secretary shall report to the chairperson of the Committee on Credentials the number of messengers registered as of the hour the Convention convenes and periodically thereafter as prescribed by the chairperson of the Committee on Credentials.

Following the Convention the registration secretary shall provide the recording secretary the number of messengers registered, arranged by associations.

Section 5. The duties of the secretary of the Corporation shall be to attest legal papers of the Convention.

Article V – Convention Committees

Those committees that use sector criteria for membership shall use the same sectors as used for the Executive Board membership in the Bylaws, Article VI, Section 1, A.

Section 1. The Committee on Annual Meeting shall be responsible for recommending the time and place of future annual meetings of the Convention, for selecting the worship leaders and for formulating the agenda for the annual meeting and submitting the agenda to the messengers for approval at the opening session.

The committee shall have eighteen members appointed for three year terms with six appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly.

The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

A. This committee shall provide periods of time during the early sessions of the Convention annual meeting for the introduction of all matters requiring a vote not scheduled on the agenda and when introduced shall fix times for consideration for the same, unless the Convention gives its unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

B. This committee shall be responsible for formulating and recommending the Standing Rules of the Convention to the Convention for adoption. The Standing Rules of the Convention may be amended without notice by majority vote.

It also shall be responsible for recommending the disposition of motions made during consideration of miscellaneous business but not finally disposed.

Section 2. The Committee on Credentials shall be responsible for verifying credentials of prospective messengers, enrolling messengers, for investigating any contention arising out of the enrollment of messengers, and for reporting its findings to the Convention. Any challenges to the seating of messengers of church that are based upon the assertion that a church is no longer in harmonious cooperation with Texas Baptists will be referred to the Executive Board and not reported on until the next Annual Meeting. At the time scheduled by the Committee on Annual Meeting, the chairperson of the Committee on Credentials shall report the number of messengers registered as of the opening of the annual meeting or special meeting and periodically thereafter.

The committee when established shall have ten (10) members appointed for two years with five (5) appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

Section 3. The Committee on Committees shall be responsible for nominating persons for election by the Convention to serve on the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors and the Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries, and for such special committees as the Convention shall designate. The committee shall have fifteen (15) members appointed for three-year terms with five (5) appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

Section 4. The Committee on Resolutions shall be responsible for receiving all resolutions proposed by messengers and for reporting its findings to the Convention.

The committee shall have ten (10) members appointed for two-year terms with five (5) appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

All resolutions shall be automatically referred to the Committee on Resolutions without public reading or discussion.

This committee is directed to report back to the Convention such resolutions as it deems proper, whether submitted to or prepared by the committee.

Section 5. The Committee on Memorials shall be responsible for preparing and presenting to the Convention suitable memorial statements in remembrance of active Baptists whose death occurred during the year preceding the Convention session.

The committee shall have five (5) members appointed for one-year terms by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

Section 6.The Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall be responsible for nominating persons for election by the Convention to serve on the Executive Board.

A. The committee shall have fifteen (15) members, five (5) of whom shall be elected each year to serve for three-year terms. Members of this committee shall be elected by the Convention on the nomination of the Committee on Committees.

A member may serve one three-year term and is not eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed. No two members of this committee shall be from churches in the same sector.

The committee shall publish its list of nominees at least two full days prior to the day on which directors of the Executive Board are to be elected by the Convention

B. All members should be persons with experience in Convention affairs. In the election of the fifteen (15) members, a minimum of six (6) shall be church/denominational employees and a minimum of six (6) non-church/denominational employees. Spouses of church/denominational employees shall be considered in that category. Retired persons and their spouses who served as church/ denominational employees shall be considered in that category.

C. If a member moves from a church in one sector to a church in another sector that is already represented on the committee, the member shall continue to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

If a member resigns or is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees may nominate to the Executive Board at its next meeting a person who shall be elected on a temporary basis to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the membership shall be terminated.

Thereafter, the persons or committee charged with nominating the members of such committee shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

D. The committee shall conduct its work in accordance with a policy adopted by the Executive Board. The policy adopted shall provide for the committee to seek information and suggestions from persons in all sectors.

Section 7. The Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries shall be responsible for nominating persons for election by the Convention to serve on the boards of trustees and boards of directors of all Convention institutions, agencies, and affiliates.

A. The committee shall have fifteen (15) members, five (5) of whom shall be elected each year to serve for three-year terms.

Members shall be elected by the Convention on the nomination of the Committee on Committees. A member may serve one three-year term and is not eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed. No two members of this committee shall be from churches in the same sector.

B. All members should be persons with experience in Convention affairs. In the election of the fifteen (15) members, a minimum of six (6) shall be church/denominational employees and a minimum of six (6) non-church/denominational employees.

Spouses of church/denominational employees shall be considered in that category. Retired persons and their spouses who served as church/denominational employees shall be considered in that category.

C. If a member moves from a church in one sector to a church in another sector that is already represented on the committee, the member shall continue to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

If a member resigns or is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees may nominate to the Executive Board at its next meeting a person who shall be elected on a temporary basis to serve until the succeeding Convention, at which time the membership shall be terminated.

Thereafter, the persons or committee charged with nominating the members of such committee shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

D. The committee shall conduct its work in accordance with a policy adopted by the Executive Board. The policy adopted shall provide for the committee to seek information and suggestions from persons in all sectors. The policy adopted also shall provide for the committee to establish one nominating subcommittee for each institutional board, agency, and affiliate to assist the committee by suggesting names of persons who shall be considered for nomination for election to boards. The committee shall determine the composition of each subcommittee and select the members of each subcommittee.

E. The subcommittee shall develop the lists of suggested nominees in accordance with criteria established by the Executive Board. The committee shall develop its list of nominees on the basis of the list of suggested nominees presented by the subcommittee, screening those lists to eliminate duplications and to assure compliance with established criteria.

The committee shall publish its list of nominees at least two full days prior to the day on which members of institution boards, agencies, and affiliates are to be elected by the Convention.

Article VI – Executive Board

Section 1. Membership

A. The elected membership of the Executive Board shall be ninety (90) directors from thirty (30) sectors in the Convention. At least three directors will be elected from each sector. The composition of the Executive Board shall be that as defined in the Constitution. Additionally, at least thirty percent (30%) of the membership shall be non-Anglo persons.

The sectors are based on resident church membership in counties with additional consideration given to the number of churches and Cooperative Program giving for Texas causes. The drawing of sector boundaries is based on the following weighted criteria by county: resident church membership, fifty percent (50%); number of churches, twenty-five percent (25%); and Cooperative Program giving for Texas causes, twenty-five percent (25%).

Large population counties may contain multiple sectors, and smaller population adjacent counties may be grouped into one sector. Counties containing more than one sector will not be subdivided.

Sector boundaries will be evaluated every five years by the Executive Committee of the Board and any changes recommended to the Board for approval.

B. The Executive Board shall have ex-officio directors in addition to the ninety (90) elected directors. The ex-officio directors shall be divided into these two classes.

Class 1. The president and vice presidents of the Convention and presidents of the recognized fellowships, provided that these presidents are members of churches supportive of the Convention. These persons shall by virtue of office serve with all rights, privileges, and duties of, and shall in all matters be treated as elected directors.

Class 2. The non-voting directors named in the Constitution, Article VII, Section 2, C. These persons shall by virtue of office serve with all rights, privileges, and duties of, and shall in all matters be treated as elected directors, except these persons shall not have the right to vote in regard to actions of the Executive Board or in regard to actions of any committee of the Executive Board, and shall not be counted for purposes of ascertaining a quorum of the Executive Board or of any of its committees nor in the number needed for adoption of certain actions.

C. If a director of the Executive Board moves from a church in one sector to a church in another sector, the director shall continue to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the membership shall be terminated and the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall make a nomination to fill the unexpired term.

In order to achieve the purposes and structure dictated by the Constitution, as each incumbent director completes the term to which he or she was elected prior to the adoption of these Bylaws, or in the event any director, prior to the expiration of his or her term, dies, resigns, is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, is removed by the Convention, or otherwise vacates the office of director, such director’s position on the Executive Board determined by the previous provisions shall be deemed eliminated and no vacancy shall be deemed to exist, except as follows: if a sector has less than three directors on the Executive Board or after the time the number of directors positions has been reduced to ninety (90) elected directors, then when a vacancy occurs for any reason outlined in the foregoing sentence, the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall nominate to the Executive Board at its next meeting a person who shall be elected on a temporary basis to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the membership shall be terminated and the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall make a nomination to fill the unexpired term.

Should an ex-officio director resign, be unable to continue to serve, or no longer be a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, the position will be deemed vacant.

The Executive Board shall give the entity responsible for the election of such person written notice that such person’s position as a director has been deemed vacant and that such director position shall remain vacant until it is filled by such entity’s presentation to the Executive Board of another person qualified to serve as such entity’s ex-officio director under the Constitution and these Bylaws.

D. The Constitution and Bylaw provisions in regard to the composition of the Executive Board directors pertain to directors elected under these Bylaws and not to previously elected directors continuing during the transition period.

Section 2. Elected Officers

The Board shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson annually. The treasurer/chief financial officer of the Convention shall serve as recording secretary. The officers shall have the following duties:

A. Chairperson

1. Presides at all meetings of the Board.

2 Chairs the Executive Committee.

3. Assists the executive director as the director provides leadership in the planning and implementation of Convention operations and ministries.

4. Consults with the executive director and secretary prior to each meeting to set the agenda.

5. Appoints special committees as authorized by the Board.

6 Represents the Board in meetings of Convention agencies as invited to do so.

7. Serves the Board by carrying out responsibilities assigned to the chair.

B. Vice Chairperson

1. Assists the chairperson throughout the term as may be requested.

2. Presides at meetings of the Board and Executive Committee in the absence of the chairperson or at the request of the chairperson

C. Recording Secretary

The recording secretary is to keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Executive Board and to file and keep in order all papers deemed important to be preserved.

Section 3. Election of Officers

A. Nominations

Nominations shall be made from the floor at the last regular meeting of the year. Nominations shall be made in this order: chairperson and vice chairperson.

B. Voting

The election of officers shall be the first order of business on the agenda at the last regular meeting of the year.

Election shall be by show of hands unless the chairperson with the appointed parliamentarian shall agree that the vote be by ballot. A majority of votes cast shall determine the person chosen.

C. Terms

Officers of the Board shall serve one-year terms and be eligible for one additional term. Terms begin immediately following the close of the last session of the annual meeting of the Convention. Should for any reason the office of chairperson be vacated prior to completion of the term, the vice chairperson shall become chairperson for the remainder of the term.

In such case, the vacancy of the vice chairperson would be filled at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board.

Section 4. Meetings

A. Authority

The Board shall meet at times and on a schedule that it adopts. The meeting date of the Convention should be a strongly influencing factor in the determination of when the Board meets.

The meetings should be calendared so as to supplement and facilitate the total work of the Convention in support of all Convention-adopted programs.

The meeting schedule of the Board shall be recommended to the Board by the Executive Director.

B. Meeting Times

The Board shall determine three-to-five years in advance the three times during each calendar year it meets.

C. Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the Board shall be the one conducted prior to but not necessarily in conjunction with the annual Convention meeting. At this meeting, the Board will elect officers, may appoint committees, and consider other business as may come before the meeting.

D. Place of Meeting

The Board may designate any place within the State of Texas as the place of meeting.

E. Notice of Meetings

Written notice stating the place, day, and hour of any meeting of directors shall be delivered either personally, by mail, or by electronic means to each director, not less than 10 days or more than 60 days before the date of such meeting by or at the direction of the chairperson.

F. Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the executive director and/or the chairperson with the consent of two of the following: the vice chairperson of the Board and the president and vice presidents of the Convention; or may be called by not less than twenty percent (20%) of the directors.

The call for a special meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting, and the time, date, and place for the meeting. The special meeting shall be limited to the purpose stated.

G. There will be no proxy voting.

Adopted by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session, November 14, 2016

Section 5. Committees

Descriptions of the committees and duties of the Executive Board Committees will be described in the policy of the Executive Board as adopted by the Executive Board.

Section 6. Voting by Mail or Electronic Means

Any action required by law to be taken at a meeting of directors or any action which may be taken at a meeting of directors may be taken without a meeting if consented to and signed by a requisite number of directors of the Executive Board who are entitled to vote, either in writing, by mail ballot, by electronic means, or by some combination of both, with respect to the subject matter thereof.

The requisite number is the number that would be necessary to take that action at a meeting at which the directors were present and voted. Where a specific business item may need action prior to a regular meeting, the chairperson, or the vice chairperson in his absence, may conduct the voting by mail or by electronic means, or by some combination of both.

No vote shall be taken by electronic means or by telephone unless notice of such proposed vote to be taken has been communicated by electronic means, in person, by mail, by telephone, or by any of these means, to all members of the Executive Board or to the committee or subcommittee proposing to take a vote at least three (3) business days prior to the first day on which votes will be accepted. Notice by mail shall be deemed properly given if deposited in the U.S. Mail at least five (5) business days prior to such first day.

Voting by fax, email, dedicated website, any similar technology, or any combination of such means shall constitute “electronic means” for purposes of this and the following section.

“Signing” of a ballot or other confirmation of a vote by way of electronic means shall be broadly construed to permit effective utilization of such means.

In addition, committees and subcommittees of the Executive Board, together with any group authorized under Section F. of this article, but not the Executive Board as a whole, may take votes telephonically as a part of a committee or subcommittee meeting via conference telephone call or any other electronic conferencing media (and without necessity of a signed ballot). Written memoranda or minutes shall be made of all meetings and votes undertaken by electronic means or telephonically or by mail, and shall be entered into the records of the Executive Board or the appropriate committee or subcommittee as of the next meeting in which the members assemble in person.

There will be no proxy voting and therefore voting by mail or by electronic means shall not be considered to be voting by proxy.

Section 7. Quorum

The directors holding one-half (50%) of the total votes which may be cast at any meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 8. Compensation

Directors shall not receive any salaries for their services but may receive reimbursement for appropriate travel expenses.

Article VII – Convention Employees

Section 1. Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer Recruitment

The Executive Board is to establish a search committee composed of seven (7) members of the Executive Board appointed by the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board and eight (8) members of the Convention-at-large appointed by the president and vice presidents of the Convention.

The chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board and president and vice presidents of the Convention will nominate a chairperson of the Search Committee from among the fifteen (15) members. The Executive Board is to approve the Search Committee and the chairperson.

Section 2. Associate Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer Recruitment

The executive director with the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board and the president of the Convention shall compose the search committee for the associate executive director/chief operating officer and the treasurer /chief financial officer as needed.

Section 3. Other Employees of the Convention

The executive director is authorized to employ other staff as needed in the plan of work and as provided by the financial plan of the Convention.

Article VIII – Amendments

These Bylaws may be changed or amended at any regular session of the Convention’s annual meeting, except the last session of the meeting, provided said change or amendment is offered at the first session of the annual meeting, and carries over to some subsequent session during the same meeting, and then receives a two-third’s majority of messengers present and voting in the session.

by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session, November 14, 2016

African American Ministries, 41

Area Representatives, 23

Associate Executive Director, 13

Associations, 102

Associational Relations, 7

Baptist Church Loan Corporation, 94

Baptist Community Services, 78

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio, 95

Baptist Health System, 86

Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, 88

Baptist Standard, 96

Baptist University of the Américas, 54

Baylor Scott & White Health, 90

Baylor University, 56

Bivocational Pastors Ministry, 24

BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery, 31

Buckner International, 80

Bylaws, 114

Camps, 105

Center for Church Health, 16

Center for Collegiate Ministry, 45

Center for Cultural Engagement, 36

Center for Ministerial Health, 22

Center for Missional Engagement, 30

Chaplaincy Relations, 44

Children at Heart Ministries, 82

Christian Life Commission, 37

Church Architecture, 15

Church Health and Growth, 16

Church Starting, 32 Communications, 8

Conference & Event Planning, 50

Constitution, 107

Cooperative Program, 7

Counseling Services, 25

Dallas Baptist University, 58

Denison Ministries, 97

Discipleship and NextGen, 17

East Texas Baptist University, 60

Ethics & Justice, 38

Evangelism, 18

Executive Director, 4

Executive Board Report, 5

Finance and Accounting, 51

GC2 Press, 19

Go Now Missions, 46

GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, 98

Hardin-Simmons University, 62

Hendrick Health System, 92

HighGround Advisors, 99 House Churches, 33

Houston Christian University, 64

Howard Payne University, 66

Human Resources, 9

Hunger & Care, 40

Information Technology and Support Services, 52 Institutions, 54

Intercultural Ministries, 43

Millenial/Gen Z Network, 29

Missionary Adoption Program, 34

Music & Worship, 20

Pastoral Health Networks, 27

Public Policy, 39

River Ministry/Mexico Missions, 35

San Marcos Academy, 72

STCH Ministries, 84

Stark College & Seminary, 74

Statement of Activities, 48

Statement of Financial Position, 49

Texans on Mission, 100

Texas Baptist en Español, 42

Texas Baptist Heritage Center, 10

Texas Baptist Historical Collection, 11

Texas Baptist Missions Foundation, 12

Treasurer/CFO, 47

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 68

Valley Baptist Missions Education Center, 76

Wayland Baptist University, 70

Western Heritage Ministries, 28 Women’s Ministry, 21

WMU of Texas, 101