Hispanic Baptist Fellowship embraces Texas Hope 2010

HOUSTON – With hands raised, more than 300 Hispanic Texas Baptists old and young prayed, worshipped and fellowshipped in their heart language of Spanish, celebrating what God has done in and through them during the past year.

Will your church respond to the coming ‘tsunami’?

In the wake of thinking about the 2,400 imprisoned people who made spiritual decisions this weekend through City Reach – including 1,405 professions of faith, I came across David Valentine, pastor of Covenant Fellowship in Huntsville, during tonight’s Texas Baptist Men rally. He explained that there is a coming ‘tsunami’ that calls for Texas Baptists to respond.

70,000 people will be incarcerated in Texas next year. Another 70,000 people will be released from prison. Assuming each of those people is part of a family of five, that’s 350,000 people who are affected each year by the prison system. Each of those families are in conflict. Each of them are in crisis as they work to deal with missing a family member.

90 percent of these people are non-Christians. And 70 percent of people who come out of jail as non-Christians return to prison within 36 months.

But if they become Christians, only 10 percent of them return to prison. Believers have a chance to have a definitive impact on the lives of people and families across the state. So how do you respond to what David has to see below?

Sharing Christ through celebrating cultures

HOUSTON – As a group of 10 men and women dressed in brightly colored robes and dresses performed a tradition Korean dance to the rhythms of drum music, more than 500 people at Lansdale Park participated in the International Festival hosted by 19 Asian Baptist churches representing the Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian and Vietnamese population in the area.

Prison ministry weekend sees 1,405 people accept Christ

HOUSTON – As a row of volunteers emptied their pockets, filed through the metal detectors and stepped behind the heavy security doors of the Harris County Jail, they walked forward with chaplains and armed guards through the stark white halls with one mission – to share the hope of Christ with the offenders there.

Annual meeting to be streamed online

We realize not everyone can make it to Houston Monday and Tuesday for the Annual Meeting of Texas Baptists, but we’d still like you to have the opportunity to know what is taking place during the gathering.

For the second year, we’re going to stream the general sessions of the meeting on this site. Streaming begins Monday at roughly 1 p.m.

To provide a bit more background, here is who has been announced as officer candidates. At this point, each position only has one person who has made their candidacy public.

President: David Lowrie, pastor of First Baptist Church in Canyon and current president

First Vice President: Ed Jackson, member of First Baptist Church in Garland

Second Vice President: John Ogletree, pastor of First Metropolitan Baptist Church in Houston

As often as I can during the Annual Meeting, I’ll be posting items in this space. If you’re looking for something related to the meeting but can’t find it, leave a comment here and I’ll do my best to help you.

Randles to become lead evangelist consultant

DALLAS – Jon Randles, director of the Evangelism Team of Texas Baptists, has announced his resignation effective Dec. 31 to pursue new opportunities in evangelism and discipleship nationwide. He will continue to assist the convention as lead evangelist consultant and will provide some evangelism services under the leadership of Wayne Shuffield, director of the Evangelism/Missions Center of Texas Baptists.

“I came to this post in May 2007 with the goal of seeing evangelism and intentional outreach return to a place of priority in the hearts and actions of all Texas Baptist churches,” Randles said. “Building on the past work of great evangelism leaders, I believe we have made solid progress in returning in our churches to a hunger for reaching the lost. We have miles to go, but winning the 22 million people of Texas to a relationship with Christ is again a priority and Texas Hope 2010 has been a significant part of empowering that vision. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had and it’s been a lot of fun working with a great team.”

Randles will continue his work as an evangelist and revivalist through the Jon Randles Evangelistic Association formed in 1993 as well as his ministry with student groups, college, students and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Two opportunities to write nationally have also played into his decision. Through the new role of lead evangelism consultant, he will continue to aid the convention through the work of the Evangelism/Missions Team.

“It has been a great honor to serve with the BGCT as director of evangelism, and I believe my work in this role is done. There are a number of opportunities that I believe that I must pursue for me to continue in God’s will,” Randles said, “I look forward to continuing to help Texas Baptist churches achieve success in leading Texans to a relationship with Jesus and aiding the convention as a consultant.”

The convention’s evangelism efforts took significant steps forward under Randles’ leadership. The Hispanic youth and singles evangelism event, Congreso, has attracted record numbers of participants, with 731 making decisions for Christ at this year’s event. The Hispanic Evangelism Conference doubled to two major events with more expansion planned in the future. The 2009 Super Summer enrollment was the highest since 1999, growing from four sessions to five with a sixth week planned for 2011.

The Engage evangelism conferences were launched across the state, increasing the number of sites each year as well as the number of participants. Roughly 6,700 persons received evangelism training at the 2009 Engage events with an expanded number of conferences set for 2010. Texas Baptists Executive Director Randel Everett praised Randles’ work as evangelism director and looks forward to continue serving alongside him as lead evangelist consultant.

“Texas Baptists have always had a strong commitment to evangelism, and Jon Randles has continued to lead the BGCT in that direction,” he said. “He has been a strategic leader among our churches and institutions in equipping us for Texas Hope 2010. I believe we will see growth in baptisms because Randles has renewed our commitment to this foundational discipline.”

Wayne Shuffield, director of the Evangelism/Missions Center of Texas Baptists, thanked Randles for his friendship and ministry, believing Randles will continue to play a vital role in helping Texas Baptists share the gospel in days ahead.

“I deeply appreciate Jon as a friend and know him as one the top evangelists of our generation,” Shuffield said. “Jon has provided leadership during his tenure among Texas Baptists as director of evangelism with intentionality and focus to reach Texas for Christ. I am grateful we will continue to benefit from his zeal and influence through his new role with the evangelism/missions center. The evangelism priority continues to be imperative to all Texas Baptists, and Jon will continue to play a vital role for us in this priority.”

Randles encouraged Texas Baptists to make evangelism a priority.

“I deeply believe that virtually all of our leaders and churches believe in the importance of evangelism,” Randles said. “We just need to help and encourage them to make it a priority. I look forward to continuing to help Texas Baptist churches get it done. Texas needs to know Jesus.”

Cowboy flair on the square

GLEN ROSE – This fall, there was a cowboy flair on the square, thanks to Happy Trails Cowboy Church.

The church brought its cowboy hats, western wear and hand-operated bucking bull to the square for a recent fall festival that brought together all the city’s churches to minister to the roughly 2,500 people who came to the event.

The congregation participated in the event as part of its involvement in Texas Hope 2010, an initiative of Texas Baptists to share the gospel with every Texan by Easter 2010. Church members gave away about 70 cowboy Bibles and had the opportunity to share their faith with many people.

“There were 11 salvations right there on the square,” said Pastor J.J. Jennings.

The fall festival is the latest expression of the congregation’s evangelistic spirit. In the past year, the congregation has baptized 27 people, the oldest of whom is 69. The church is seeking to accomplish two tasks – connect people with Christ and help believers grow in their relationship with the Lord. One of the ways the church does this is through weekly events at its roping arena.

“Every Sunday after church, we’ll have a sorting or roping,” he said. “But everything we do in our arena, we start with prayer, and we have a 5 minute sermon in the middle of it. The people that come, they hear the word of God.”

Thanks Living

Thanksgiving is fast approaching.  Americans have more to be grateful for than any other nation on the planet and yet somehow gratitude often escapes us. 

This morning I received an email that brought a whole new perspective to Thanksgiving.  Have you seen it?  It has pictures that show the sharp contrast between what we have (and often don’t appreciate) and what the rest of the world deals with every day.  As I scrolled down the images I was convicted of my ingratitude.   We have so much to be thankful for and yet we often think it is not enough. 

How much is enough?  Years ago a friend serving in West Africa told the story of three sisters who came from a poor family.  The girls would take turns coming to church on Sundays because they shared one pair of shoes.  And yet they offered to give their pair of shoes to someone who had none. 

Perhaps this Thanksgiving instead of asking,  ”What you are thankful for?” the question could be, “In light of all we have, what are we willing to give to someone who doesn’t have?”  Now that might be an interesting conversation around the Thanksgiving table and it could lead to “thanks living.” 

Be blessed and then bless someone else! 

 

Seeking solace in the wake of tragedy

FORT HOOD – In the wake of tragedy, Texas Baptists are helping people find comfort in Christ.

Four chaplains endorsed by Texas Baptists are ministering directly to victims of Nov. 5’s shooting at Fort Hood that left 13 dead and 29 wounded. Lt. Col. Jon Tidball, retired deputy installation chaplain, and a currently enlisted Texas Baptist chaplain have been ministering in the intensive care unit where victims are being treated.

Another Texas Baptist chaplain’s brigade sustained injuries and casualties, and he continues to care for the families that have been affected. A fourth Texas Baptists chaplain also is working with families who have been affected by making arrangements.

Bobby Smith, director of Chaplaincy Relations for Texas Baptists, said chaplains are seeking to help people emotionally and spiritually, working long hours and taking on extra duties to provide needed ministry. Chaplains are helping people work through their hurts and pains and are also responding to larger questions about life.

“When adversity hits, people always turn to their faith for comfort, but along with comfort there are always questions about good and evil,” he said. “Chaplains are not only having to meet the emotional needs of soldiers and their families, they are dealing with bigger questions of good and evil.”

Tidball said serving in the wake of the shooting is weighing on personnel physically and emotionally.

“It seems like everyone is really exhausted because not only of the volume of care and the immediacy of care … but because it’s our own,” he said.

The shootings have shaken the base at its foundation, according to the retired chaplain. The military is based on trust – trusting people to do what they say, trusting people to act honorably and trusting people to be there for each other. To have one of their own violate that trust is forcing soldiers and the families to be more guarded.

“This is their safe haven,” Tidball said of Fort Hood. “This is their castle. They never expected someone to pillage their castle. This is where their families are supposed to be safe.”

Chaplains are helping military families deal with that reality, Smith said. They are there to help people sort through their feelings and put things back together in a cohesive worldview.

“They’re all focused on making sure ministry is meeting the needs of everyone involved – not just for the soldiers and families involved, but for all the soldiers on post,” he said. “The soldiers, chaplains and families of Fort Hood and the surrounding areas continue to need our prayers.”

On Nov. 8, First Baptist Church in Killeen held a communitywide prayer service. More than 500 people, including Gov. Rick Perry, attended the service. Pastor Randy Wallace said though no one in First Baptist Church was directly related to any of the victims, people there have been affected. One woman saw the alleged gunman, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, every week. Another person was to go clean out Hasan’s office this week.

The service allowed people to begin to open up about how they were feeling in the wake of the shootings and presented an opportunity to point people to the hope that Christ offers, Wallace said.

“It was a sober assembly, yet it was Christ based,” he said. “Knowing we have a foundation, we know we’re down but we’re not out.”

Multiplying the fish and loaves

Fred Ater and I had the pleasure of spending yesterday afternoon at Redeeming Grace Christian Church in San Antonio. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the congregation provides food for those in need. People drive more than 30 minutes to pick up food from the church, coming from as far away as New Braunfels. They’re senior citizens; They’re single mothers; They’re people who have lost their jobs; They’re people who are down on their luck; They’re people like you and me.

This year, Redeeming Grace Christian Church has fed more than 25,000 people.

Each person that walks through is enveloped by the hope of Christ. It starts with a warm greeting, continues through the smiles of the church’s host of volunteers and carries through to the end as church members load the food into people’s cars. Spiritual conversations take place organically over tables of food as believers share their faith with those who come, 90 percent of whom are not church members.

The effeciency, friendliness and generosity of the food outreach was amazing to watch. In the coming weeks, the congregation will provide baskets of Thanksgiving food, including turkeys, to at least 300 families.

To help the congregation with its food ministry, the Christian Life Commission recently awarded the congregation a Texas Hope 2010 care grant through the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger.

Church Administrator Marion Thomas, who coordinates the food ministry, said the hunger needs of state are begging every church to get involved in helping those who do not know where their next meal will come from. And while Redeeming Grace’s ministry is extensive, she said there are a number of ways congregations can easily get involved in meeting the needs of the hungry.