Month: January 2023

Dios fusiona el sueño de un hombre de emprender con alcanzar a otros en la PIB de Forney en Español

Trabajando en los negocios del Padre

El ministerio pastoral siempre ha sido una parte importante de la vida de Eduardo “Eddie” López. Creció como hijo de pastor y vio a muchos otros miembros de su familia respondiendo al llamado de Dios a predicar y pastorear.  

Puede que ejercer ese llamado fuera bueno para ellos, pero López tenía otros planes para su vida. Siempre quiso ser empresario. 

“Pídeme lo que quieras,” le decía López en oración a Dios hace muchos años, “excepto ser pastor.” 

Pero cuando López empezó a emprender, sintió un vacío que sus negocios no podían llenar. Ese vacío, según él pudo comprender, provenía por estar huyendo de lo que sabía que era la voluntad de Dios para su vida: servir en el ministerio pastoral. 

“El Señor me permitió cumplir todos mis sueños para mostrarme que nada de eso llenaría mi vida,” dijo López.

Finalmente, López respondió al llamado de Dios al ministerio pastoral y dedicó tres años a prepararse para servirle en esa capacidad. Fue durante ese tiempo que recibió una llamada de Richard Pile, el pastor de misiones de la Primera Iglesia Bautista (PIB) de Forney, quien le presentó una propuesta para iniciar una iglesia hispana. La ciudad de Forney, situada a unas 25 millas al este de Dallas, tiene una población de unas 24,000 personas, de las cuales el 20% son hispanas. 

El sueño de plantar una iglesia hispana comenzó cuando el pastor de la PIB de Forney, Jimmy Pritchard, quien falleció en el 2021, vio la necesidad de ministrar a un grupo de creyentes hispanos que trabajaban en la cocina de la iglesia. Ese grupo de trabajadores recibía estudios bíblicos a través de un misionero hispano que había venido a la iglesia, pero Pritchard sintió que necesitaban más que materiales de estudio. 

Necesitaban un pastor que hablara su idioma.

“Cuando conocí al pastor principal, él supo de inmediato que yo era la persona que Dios estaba llamando para iniciar la obra hispana en Forney,” dijo López.

López comenzó a trabajar junto a su esposa Zoila, a quien describe como una “ayuda incondicional y pieza esencial” de su vida y ministerio. El grupo hispano comenzó a reunirse en una capilla propiedad de la PIB de Forney con capacidad para unas 50 personas. Con su esposa a su lado, López hizo un poco de todo, desde dirigir el culto hasta enseñar. También empezó a trabajar con el grupo hispano en la cocina de la iglesia, ganándose su confianza y enseñándoles a invitar a sus amigos no creyentes a sus celebraciones o reuniones habituales.

“Como pastores, a veces dudamos de lo que Dios nos está llamando a hacer. Pero si Dios nos ha llamado, Él proveerá todos los recursos y las personas para el momento indicado.”

“Es más fácil que [personas no creyentes] vengan a una celebración que a la iglesia,” les decía López. De este modo, cuando López asistía a las actividades de los miembros de la iglesia, se presentaba como el pastor de la iglesia hispana y se hacía amigo de ellos. Esto, a su vez, abrió la puerta para compartir el Evangelio. Muchos comenzaron a entregar sus vidas a Cristo y la naciente iglesia hispana comenzó a crecer.

Hoy, las misiones y la multiplicación son el enfoque de López y la PIB de Forney en Español. Sin embargo, López dijo que su preocupación no es multiplicar el número de miembros que tiene la iglesia. En vez de eso, su enfoque es plantar iglesias y extender el alcance del evangelio para expandir el reino de Dios. 

“En nuestra iglesia hay dos tipos de personas: los que van [al campo misionero] y los que envían [misioneros],” dijo López, quien recientemente fue elegido vicepresidente de la Convención de los Bautistas del Sur de Texas. Esta mentalidad misional, añadió, ayuda a los miembros de la iglesia a dedicar más tiempo de sus vidas a centrarse en los demás y no en sí mismos.

Una de las oportunidades que el Señor ha dado a la congregación para centrarse en los demás en la comunidad es a través de un evento anual llamado Celebrando la Herencia Hispana. Como parte del evento, la iglesia invita a miembros de la comunidad de diversas nacionalidades—incluyendo, no sólo hispanos, sino también asiáticos, indios y otros—a confraternizar y degustar aperitivos de diferentes países. El evento ha tenido tan buena acogida que las congregaciones en inglés y español de la PIB de Forney se han comprometido a organizarlo conjuntamente el año que viene.

Además de procurar alcanzar a la gente que se encuentra al cruzar la calle, López dijo que la PIB de Forney en Español ha plantado tres iglesias en diferentes ciudades del Metroplex – Dallas, Seagoville y Mesquite.

Además, Dios ha abierto las puertas para que la iglesia opere un ministerio internacional llamado “Semilla de Vida” en México. El ministerio brinda apoyo gratuito a iglesias marginadas que no tienen los recursos financieros para continuar predicando el evangelio y ofrece entrenamiento y cuidado a pastores y sus familias. Forney en Español proporciona recursos a tres iglesias en pueblos muy remotos de México y también ha apoyado a congregaciones y pastores en Cuba y Puerto Rico. López dijo que la PIB de Forney en Español está orando para que algún día pueda establecer el ministerio en los Estados Unidos. 

“Como pastores, a veces dudamos de lo que Dios nos está llamando a hacer,” dijo López, quien, además de ser pastor, es dueño de un restaurante Tex-Mex llamado Tino’s en Sunnyvale. “Pero si Dios nos ha llamado, Él proveerá todos los recursos y las personas para el momento indicado.”

Atlanta-area church plans pregnancy home for unwed teens

Editor’s note: Jan. 22, 2023, is Sanctity of Life Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention.

DACULA, Ga. (BP)—Not every church is debt free with nearly 100 acres of unutilized land, but glorifying God with the land was an early priority of lead pastor Landon Dowden at Hebron Baptist Church.

“My question was how can we use this property for the glory of God and for the good of our community,” Dowden told Baptist Press. “After all the research, there’s not a single maternity home (for mothers under age 18) in the metro Atlanta area. The closest one is in Savannah, which is about four hours away.”

Other homes exist, such as Sheltering Grace Ministry in Marietta for woman at least 21 years old, and House of Dawn in Jonesboro for women as young as 18. But the nearest home for unwed pregnant women regardless of age is The Living Vine in Savannah.

Since beginning at Hebron in November 2018, the pastor has led the church in planning The Haven, envisioned as a residential pregnancy home for women under the age of 21, with admission allowed at any stage of their pregnancy until eight weeks post-partum. Under Georgia law, the women cannot stay at the home past eight weeks after giving birth.

“If you have a young lady who’s 21 and pregnant and has no place to go, we want them to know we’re building a place for you,” Dowden said. “Which means stricter requirements from the state of Georgia, but we’ve all just had a burden this is the best route to go, to provide a safe place that would be for the most vulnerable, the youngest ones who may get kicked out of their home, or these sorts of things.

“The Lord has blessed us with property and we are in a highly populated area, and there’s a need for a ministry like this. Our folks couldn’t be more excited. … We want to be a blessing.”

Hebron Baptist member Leah Manning, The Haven’s executive director, joined the work in its investigative phase as an answer to prayer, she said.

“I felt like I needed to be involved more in a ministry. I wanted to serve more. I was serving in the preschool, but I just felt like God was calling me to do something more, and I didn’t know what that was,” she said. “I just made it my personal prayer request. I basically said, ‘Put a door in front of me, if you open it, I’ll walk through it.’ I just made that commitment.”

She had worked for the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services immediately after college, and was still drawn to social work.

“I’ve always felt my heart was back in social work, and I didn’t know how I was going to get back there. That’s when Pastor Landon started at Hebron, but he had mentioned something about a maternity home, just on a Sunday morning during church,” Manning said. “He mentioned, maybe that’s something we should start. I touched my husband’s shoulder. Hey, I think that’s what I’m supposed to do.

“God opened the door and I walked through it.”

Hebron Baptist, which averaged 2,000 in Sunday attendance before the COVID-19 pandemic, ended 2022 within striking distance of its $3 million fundraising goal for the home to be built on a 20-acre site with room for expansion adjacent to the church. The congregation owns an additional 80 acres across the street from its campus, Dowden said.

“We have just seen the Lord provide. We’ve been blessed,” he said. “Within two days the Lord brought in $300,000, and so we are within about $200,000 of that $3 million goal. It’s just been really incredible to see.”

The original home, with groundbreaking anticipated this winter, will house up to eight pregnant mothers. The church will be heavily involved in the home’s being built as a separate non-profit, Dowden said, with plans to help the young mothers thrive either in parenting or through placing their children for adoption.

“We won’t pressure them either way,” he said. “We want to meet them where they are, and then figure out what are the next steps we need to do to help them for what’s coming. That’s our goal. It’s not an easy ministry.”

Dowden participates in annual pro-life community prayer walks, and sees the ministry as a logical extension of that work.

“It certainly is easier to walk and pray and get money, and talk,” he said. “And it’s certainly easier to provide care and then send them back to their car or wherever, versus opening up a home where you’re going to care for them around the clock.”

The Haven is partnering with Obria Medical Clinics of Gwinnett, a network of accredited, non-profit and faith-based educational and humanitarian centers for women and their children, as well as fathers who wish to be involved.

Expectant mothers will be screened for admission to the home and then mentored by a live-in married house couple, will attend Bible study and weekly worship services, and will receive training in basic life skills.

“The reality is I have no idea how it’s going to turn out,” he said. “But the Lord gave us a burden and we’re trying to be diligent with our research. He knows already how He will use this ministry, and our responsibility is to be obedient. His responsibility is results.”

The church is studying the possibility of building additional homes on the 20-acre site, perhaps a transitional home to help mothers after they leave the Haven, or a home for elderly widows, thereby impacting both ends of the life spectrum.

“My hope is that there are a lot of lives that are saved,” he said, “not just the babies, but the moms, and that there’s a lot of gospel impact beyond what we can ask or imagine. Even as we pray, that the Lord knows the little ones that He’s knitting together and the purpose that He has for them here.”

This article originally appeared in Baptist Press.

Empower speaker Ripken says Christianity is safe—until we tell others about Jesus

ripkens

Nik Ripken is a pastor, missionary, and author who is considered one of the leading voices in advocating for and spreading the message of believers who live in persecution around the world. He and his wife, Ruth—who have interviewed more than 600 persecuted believers in 72 countries—will be among the guest speakers at this year’s Empower Conference. Ripken recently spoke with the Texan about why faith in America isn’t often risky and why not sharing our faith is a form of persecution in itself.

TEXAN: You’ve said believers in persecution have often told you they’ve never felt closer to Jesus than when their faith costs them something. In America, faith isn’t often risky, costly, or sacrificial. Why is that? 

NIK RIPKEN: It gets risky when people share their faith. It gets risky when they cross the street [to share their faith]. Believers in persecution tell me that they are holding Satan hostage in his own backyard so that we are more free [to share our faith] here. And when they hear that they’re suffering in persecution and I am not taking advantage of that spiritual freedom that they’ve bought for me, that’s more devastating than anything their persecutors do to them. They cannot understand how we can be so silent in our witness when it doesn’t cost us anything.

Satan wants two things: he wants to deny people access to Jesus, and if he cannot keep them from Christ, he wants believers to be marginalized. In other words, he wants them to be silent in their witness. Generally, you can avoid most persecution just by keeping Jesus to yourself. 

TEXAN: In your many decades of experience, what have you learned about how believers in other parts of the world view persecution compared to how believers in the western world view it? 

NR: As Ruth and I go from church to church, 99% of the time someone in leadership is going to say to us, “You know Nik, persecution has come or is coming to America” … because of their stance on a social issue like homosexuality or abortion. I’m a very conservative Christian and I have very biblical stances on social issues … but there’s not a believer I have met out of over 600 I’ve interviewed that’s ever been persecuted for a stance on a social issue. They’re persecuted because they are living and sharing the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We’re from a faith system that sees persecution as bad and as something to be avoided. What we’ve learned from believers [in other parts of the world] is that persecution is normal. It’s neutral. It’s not good or bad, and it’s what you do with it that gives it value. … When we look at it through the lens of some of the greatest movements of God, where there is a bold witness that leads to a great harvest, there’s great persecution. 

Believers in persecution understand that the number one reason, or cause if you will, of persecution … is when large numbers of people come to Christ. And they don’t want us to feel sorry for them, because they say they have never felt so close to Jesus as when their faith is costing them something. It is not that they’re being flippant or that they’re throwing themselves away—it’s just something Jesus does when you put yourself in His hands with no reservation.

"We’re from a faith system that sees persecution as bad and as something to be avoided. What we’ve learned from believers [in other parts of the world] is that persecution is normal. It’s neutral. It’s not good or bad, and it’s what you do with it that gives it value."

TEXAN: What have you learned on the mission field that can help us here in America be more missional in our daily lives?

NR: There are pastors who are super evangelistic and they’re baptizing hundreds of people, but they’re doing it through something that’s attracting people into the church for the most part. But the number one way people in other parts of the world, especially Muslims, come to Christ is by sharing meals with believers like you and me in our home.

Believers are taught that witnessing is a drive-by [event] rather than loving people. Acts 2 tells us how those early believers were meeting daily in homes and how they were breaking bread, how they were sharing the Word, and how, as a result, people were being added to the kingdom and being baptized daily. What if, in Dallas, Texas, a Pentecost-like movement is predicated by how many times we share meals in our homes and in the homes of lost people? 

TEXAN: What do you want those who hear you and your wife speak at Empower to better understand about missions and persecution when they walk away from the event?

NR: One thing we’re going to emphasize at the Empower Conference is that sending is much harder than going. I often ask churches the question, “Which is harder, dying on a cross or sending your only Son to die on a cross?” We know we only do this for one reason and that is for Jesus Himself. And if I don’t believe Jesus is worth my life, the life of my wife, and the lives of my children … [the question is] not only why would I go, but the harder thing is why would I send?

I think when we come to Christ and we share our faith, we identify with our brothers and sisters in chains. When we supposedly come to Christ and keep Jesus to ourselves, we identify with those who chain our brothers and sisters. Because when we withhold our witness from our family and our friends and our colleagues, we persecute them through eternity. The worst persecution on Earth is not having access to Jesus. So when I keep Jesus to myself, I have persecuted those around me.

Ripken’s documentary, “The Insanity of God,” will be screened at the Empower Conference. For more information on the film, visit nikripken.com/film.

Roe reversal, election of leader highlight ERLC’s year

NASHVILLE (BP)—The long-sought-for reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion and the election of its new president highlighted 2022 for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

The commission celebrated the overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and continued to promote protections for preborn children and their mothers as a vital part of its work this year. The ERLC’s pro-life ministry included the most successful year yet of ultrasound machine placements at pregnancy resource centers through the Psalm 139 Project.

In other features of 2022, the Supreme Court issued multiple opinions requested by the ERLC in support of religious liberty, and the commission advocated for human dignity and freedom in the United States and overseas in countries such as China and Ukraine.

The ERLC gained a new president when its trustees elected Brent Leatherwood unanimously to the post in September.

Leatherwood told Baptist Press as the year neared its end, “I suspect it will be many years before we fully understand all the ramifications stemming from the events of 2022. From the high of Roe being struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court to the low of the immoral invasion of Ukraine by [Russian President] Vladimir Putin’s forces playing out before our eyes, this year was buffeted by dramatic cultural moments.

“Through it all, this commission has sought to be a steady voice of conviction bringing a John 8:12 ‘light of life’ to the public square on behalf of our churches,” he said in written comments for Baptist Press. “Through the numerous resources and various assets our team has developed, we conclude another year having served and assisted our pastors, ministers and fellow Southern Baptists who are navigating these complex times.”

Here are 10 key news items involving the ERLC in 2022, with links to reports by BP:

Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade decision

The Supreme Court overruled in June the Roe opinion that struck down all state abortion bans and legalized the procedure throughout the country. The decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization upheld a 15-week ban in Mississippi and brought to an end a nationwide abortion regime that resulted in the deaths of more than 60 million preborn children. The ERLC signed onto a friend-of-the-court brief that urged the high court to overturn Roe. Since the Dobbs ruling, the ERLC has continued to work to safeguard pro-life policies, including through its opposition to the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), a bill that would expand abortion rights beyond Roe. While the U.S. House of Representatives approved the WHPA in July, the U.S. Senate had previously refused to consider it.

Leatherwood elected ERLC’s ninth president

After a year as acting president, Leatherwood gained the unanimous endorsement of the commission’s trustees at their annual meeting in September. Todd Howard, chair of the presidential search committee, told the trustees the months of Leatherwood’s “solid leadership through the turbulent waters of the current Southern Baptist Convention” proved compelling for the committee. Leatherwood joined the ERLC staff in 2017 after nearly 14 years of service primarily in the public policy and political arenas.

Psalm 139 Project expands ultrasound placements

The Psalm 139 Project — the ERLC’s ministry to provide ultrasound technology to pregnancy centers and train staff members in its use – placed, or committed to be placed, 27 machines in nine states in 2022, surpassing the previous annual high of 25 in 2021. The total of 52 exceeded the goal of 50 placements established leading to January 2023, which would have been the 50th anniversary of the Roe decision had it not been overruled. The ERLC partnered with Baptist state conventions in Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia in making placements, as well as former pro football player Benjamin Watson and his wife Kirsten, the North American Mission Board and the Tennessee state government.

High court supports religious liberty in 3 rulings

In three opinions during the year, the Supreme Court delivered victories for religious freedom requested in friend-of-the-court briefs signed onto by the ERLC. In an 8-1 opinion, the high court ruled in favor of a condemned Texas inmate’s request to have his Southern Baptist pastor lay hands on and pray aloud for him when he is executed. The justices decided in a 6-3 opinion Maine violated the free exercise of religion by barring faith-based schools from participation in a tuition-assistance program. In another 6-3 decision, the court ruled the post-game, midfield prayer of a high school football coach did not violate the ban on government establishment of religion.

Digital Public Square completes first year

The Digital Public Square, a project of the ERLC, provided multiple resources intended to help churches, as well as government and business leaders, to respond to technological challenges in ways that support religious freedom and free expression. The project’s production in its inaugural year included a book, as well as a weekly podcast and newsletter, with more books and other resources on the way.

ERLC comments on administration policies

The commission provided public comments in opposition to Biden administration policies. The ERLC called for the retraction of a rule proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services that would require doctors and hospitals to perform and insurance companies to cover procedures to which they object, including gender transitions and abortions. It also expressed opposition to an interim final rule by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide abortions in certain cases for military veterans and family members.

Commission maintains advocacy for Uyghurs

The ERLC continued to call for action countering China’s genocidal campaign against the Uyghur people, a primarily Muslim group. The effort included a letter and a webinar urging NBC to report on the human rights abuses in its coverage of the Winter Olympics and letters calling for presidential and congressional actions in support of the Uyghurs.

Webinars sponsored on variety of topics

The ERLC hosted various online events during the year, including conversations on racial reconciliation, refugees and sexual ethics, as well as a prayer gathering in advance of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs abortion case.

ERLC advocates for Ukrainian people

The commission promoted policies in support of Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, joining other evangelical organizations in thanking the Biden administration for granting protected status to Ukrainians in this country and commenting on reports of war crimes and of attacks on religious sites.

Same-sex marriage becomes law

The Respect for Marriage Act — which requires federal and state recognition of any same-sex marriage considered legal in the location where it took place – became law over the opposition of the ERLC and other defenders of religious freedom and the biblical view of the institution.

Churchgoers value time alone with God, practice varies

NASHVILLE—Most Protestant churchgoers spend time alone with God at least daily, but there’s a range in what they do in that time and what resources they use.

According to a study by Lifeway Research, nearly 2 in 3 Protestant churchgoers (65 percent) intentionally spend time alone with God at least daily, with 44 percent saying daily and 21 percent saying more than once a day. Meanwhile, 17 percent of churchgoers say they are alone with God several times a week, and 7 percent say once a week. Others admit to being alone with God a few times a month (5 percent), once a month (2 percent), less than once a month (3 percent) or never (1 percent).

This time looks different for different churchgoers, but they are more likely to talk to God through prayer than to listen to Him through His Word. Churchgoers most often pray in their own words (83 percent), thank God (80 percent), praise God (62 percent) or confess sins (49 percent). Fewer than 2 in 5 read from the Bible or a devotional (39 percent). Fewer repeat a set prayer (20 percent), consider God’s characteristics (18 percent) or something else (1 percent).

But if churchgoers were to read something during their time alone with God, most would read from a physical Bible (63 percent). Others would read the Bible in a different format such as a Bible that includes additional commentary or devotional thoughts (25 percent) or Scripture from an app (20 percent). Fewer than 1 in 3 say they would read from a devotional book that prints some Scripture (32 percent), and even fewer say they would read from a devotional book that doesn’t print Scripture (8 percent). Still, others say they would read a devotional from an app (7 percent) or read something else (3 percent).

Quiet time frequency

When it comes to spending time alone with God, females (48 percent) are more likely than males (38 percent) to say this is a daily habit for them. Those in the South (49 percent) are also among the most likely to say they spend time alone with God on a daily basis. One in 4 Baptists (25 percent) say they have alone time with God more than once a day. And those with evangelical beliefs (30 percent) are more likely than those without evangelical beliefs (15 percent) to say the same. Church attendance is also an indicator of quiet time frequency. Those attending worship services at least four times a month (26 percent) are more likely than those who attend one to three times a month (13 percent) to say they spend time alone with God more than once a day.

“We see a pattern in Scripture of followers of God withdrawing to spend time alone with Him. Jesus Christ Himself also did this,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Most Protestant churchgoers continue this relational interaction with God and use a variety of resources as they do.”

Preferences on prayer

When spending time alone with God, some prefer to pray in their own words, while others would rather repeat a set prayer. Younger churchgoers – ages 18-34 (31 percent) and 35-49 (26 percent) – are more likely than those 50-64 (16 percent) and over 65 (11 percent) to say they repeat a set prayer during their alone time with God. And those ages 50-64 (85 percent) and over 65 (89 percent) are more likely than those 18-34 (77 percent) and 35-49 (77 percent) to say they pray in their own words.

“There are many reasons to pray a set prayer. Whether someone is praying the model prayer Jesus gave or repeating the same request to God each day, these can be meaningful,” McConnell said. “At the same time, Scripture also records Psalms and prayers within its narrative accounts that show how personal and forthright we can be when talking to God in our own words.”

Females (86 percent) are more likely than males (79 percent) to pray in their own words. And those in the South (86 percent) are more likely to pray in their own words than those in the Northeast (77 percent).

Evangelical beliefs and the frequency of church attendance are also factors in how a person prefers to pray. Those who attend worship services at least four times a month are more likely than those who attend less frequently to pray in their own words (85 percent v. 79 percent). But those who attend a worship service one to three times a month are more likely than those who attend more frequently to repeat a set prayer (24 percent v. 16 percent). Those with evangelical beliefs are more likely than those without such beliefs to pray in their own words (92 percent v. 76 percent), while those without evangelical beliefs are more likely than those who hold those beliefs to repeat a set prayer (22 percent v. 16).

Preferences on practice

What it means to spend time alone with God varies from person to person. But there are some indicators of which practices are most important to different demographics of people. While females are more likely than males to say they praise God (66 percent v. 57 percent) or read from the Bible or a devotional (42 percent v. 36 percent), men are more likely than women to say they consider God’s characteristics (21 percent v. 16 percent) when spending time alone with Him.

Older churchgoers – those 50-64 (45 percent) and older than 65 (42 percent) – are more likely than those 18-34 (32 percent) and 35-49 (34 percent) to say they read from the Bible or a devotional when spending time alone with God. And those over the age of 65 are the least likely to say they consider God’s characteristics (10 percent).

Evangelical beliefs and church attendance frequencies are also indicators of a person’s preferences in spending time alone with God. Those who attend worship services the most (four or more times a month) are more likely than those who attend one to three times a month to praise God (67 percent v. 53 percent), confess sins (55 percent v. 38 percent) or read from a Bible or devotional (46 percent v. 28 percent). And those who hold evangelical beliefs are more likely than those who do not hold evangelical beliefs to thank God (87 percent v. 74 percent), praise God (76 percent v. 51 percent), confess sin (64 percent v. 38 percent) or read from the Bible or a devotional (52 percent v. 29 percent). But those without evangelical beliefs are more likely than those with evangelical beliefs to consider God’s characteristics (20 percent v. 15 percent).

“An earlier discipleship study from Lifeway Research showed that praising and thanking God is one of the top five predictors of high spiritual maturity,” McConnell said. “This is a widespread practice among churchgoers when they are alone with God.”

Preferences on resources

Several factors play into what a churchgoer wants to read when spending time alone with God. The youngest adult churchgoers (ages 18-34) are the most likely to read Scripture from an app (40 percent) and the least likely to read from a devotional book that prints some Scripture (21 percent). And females are more likely than males to say they would prefer to read a devotional from an app (9 percent v. 4 percent).

“Today’s Christians have more resources than ever to aid them in spending time with God and His Word,” McConnell said. “As new resources are created, they can encourage someone who, without that innovation, wouldn’t have spent time with God. But there is also a strong relationship between spending time alone with God’s Word and worshiping frequently with others who may encourage you in your walk with God.”

Those with evangelical beliefs are more likely than those without evangelical beliefs to say they would read from a Bible (78 percent v. 52 percent) if they were reading something in their time alone with God. And those without evangelical beliefs are more likely than those with evangelical beliefs to say they would read from a devotional book that doesn’t print Scripture (11 percent v. 3 percent) or Scripture from an app (22 percent v. 17 percent). While those who attend a worship service at least four times a month are more likely than those who attend one to three times a month to say they would read the Bible in their quiet time (70 percent v. 52 percent), those who attend one to three times a month are more likely than those who attend more often to say they would read a devotional from an app (9 percent v. 5 percent).

What if?

If you are like me, at the end of the year I begin to reflect and look forward. It has been said the reason the rearview is smaller than the windshield is because you are not supposed to spend as much time looking back as you are to be focused on looking forward. 

As I look forward to 2023, I find myself getting excited about the possibilities. I get excited thinking about what goals and dreams I should set and how to accomplish them. As I began thinking through the next year as a family of churches known as the SBTC, I kept coming back to the question: “What if?” Allow me to share with you some “what ifs” I am dreaming about for the SBTC in 2023:

What if we could see more lost people come to Christ than ever before?

As we enter 2023, I want to be more aware of the lostness around me and more diligent to take every opportunity to share Jesus with others. What if, as a family of churches, we focused on taking the gospel into our communities with a renewed passion to see people saved?

What if we could experience a movement of God through a prayer movement in our state?

As you may have heard, one of our goals this year is to see at least 500 SBTC churches across Texas holding consistent prayer gatherings. I know there are many churches that currently have prayer meetings and many that desire to start one. I believe prayer could help us see God move in our churches and state like never before.

"I believe if we dream together, stay focused on the mission, and cooperate together, the greatest days are ahead of us."

What if we planted more churches than any other time in our history?

In our first year of Send Network SBTC, our family of churches planted more churches than we have since 2005. It was an incredible year, and we believe it’s just the beginning. What if this year, many SBTC churches decided to help plant churches across the Lone Star State? I believe we could very well see more churches planted together than any other time in our history.

What if more churches were strengthened and more pastors encouraged?

One of the greatest joys we have in our calling at the SBTC is to walk alongside churches, pastors, and leaders as they seek to fulfill the Great Commission in their context. We are expecting great things to happen as we walk with churches through our newly launched church health and revisioning process, Regenesis.
It is our deep desire to see churches strengthened as pastors and leaders are encouraged and work through a process together to bring new life, vision, and energy into their contexts. I am asking God to allow this to be a catalyst for church health and leadership. 

As I look through the windshield and ask these “what if” questions, I get excited about the possibilities. As we have the honor of serving you and adding value to your church, we are seeing God do great things. However, I believe if we dream together, stay focused on the mission, and cooperate together, the greatest days are ahead of us. 

I have thought a lot about the questions listed above. I have dreamed about what could be and, in the midst of my dreaming, the question began to change. I am no longer asking, “What if?” for 2023. I am now asking, “Why not?” As you make your “what if” lists for the next year, let your mind and heart then ask, “Why not? Why not here? Why not us? Why not now?”

I love you and consider it an honor to serve our family of churches!

What I’ve learned about pastoring senior saints

I recently visited with some of the senior saints in the church I pastor. I have been asking them this question: “What do you wish young pastors knew about pastoring senior adults?”

The responses have been interesting, but perhaps not that surprising. I want to share some insights from these conversations and provide some practical ways we, as pastors, can love and lead our senior saints better.

I sat with the wife of the longtime pastor of our church. Her husband has since gone to be with the Lord. She has remarried, but this sweet 90-year-old saint shot straight with me. She said, “I’m old, not dead!” During our conversation, I realized the danger of solely focusing on children, students, and families. The Lord has been blessing our church in recent months, and we have seen good and healthy growth. This growth has mostly come from families with young children. As we have seen this growth, we have intentionally invested in children’s ministry. I fear we will unintentionally create age-specific silos if we are not careful. Your seniors have wisdom and experience, not just in life but in their walk with the Lord. They do not want to feel like the old bull being put out to pasture, and sometimes this is the message we send when we focus exclusively on the young families in the church.

Another sweet widow, a woman who is nearly 85 years old, shared with me the reality of loneliness. She lives on a substantial piece of property just west of town. Her husband passed away several years ago, as well as her only child. She has no close relatives and lives alone on her property. I visited her on a Friday and took my wife and three-year-old daughter. This sweet lady was so happy to have someone spend time with her. It is easy to get caught up in the craziness of our pastoral schedules, but dear pastor, do not miss the joys of visiting with your senior saints!

Finally, just a few days ago, I was sitting in a hospital room with our last remaining charter member. She is 95 years old, and her mind is still sharp as a tack! She was joking with me about the music she wants to be played at her funeral. She said, “Don’t play any of the new stuff; I want the old hymns!” Our church does an excellent job at blending hymns of the faith with new, theologically sound music. Her statement was not out of displeasure for what worship sounds like at our church. Instead, it was a glimpse into her fond memories of church as a child. The reality is we will all be there one day. We will think back about how things used to be and will likely have specific songs of the faith we want to be sung because they hold a special place in our hearts. This is OK!

Out of these conversations, I want to give you three pieces of practical advice as you pastor older saints. These three points are areas I have been convicted of over recent months as I have had these conversations. I hope you will find them edifying and encouraging.

Do not forget about your seniors

They are at a point in life where they are being dismissed. They are losing their physical mobility and freedoms, such as living alone and driving. These are huge aspects of life that, as a young pastor, I tend to overlook. Remember what it was like when you wanted a seat at the table? Now think about how you would feel if the chair you had waited for was pulled out from under you. I believe that is how many of our seniors feel, and our job is to pastor them through this challenging season.

Make time for your seniors

We must remember our older saints are often raised with the idea that the pastor is a big deal. We must also not forget our older saints are often alone. If they think you are a big deal because you are their pastor, and if they are generally alone, 30 minutes of your time can significantly impact them. I feel so convicted about this takeaway that my wife and I are committing to spend intentional time with every one of our senior saints in 2023.

Be gracious to your seniors

Generational gaps are significant because each generation has its own culture. This is why we hear things like “back in my day” and “this is how we have always done it.” These are cultural cues. Be gracious to your seniors as you navigate change. Our identity is connected to our cultural realities, and when you change the church’s culture (which is often needed), you threaten identities. Be gracious.

I am so grateful for the senior saints the Lord has blessed me with at our church. They are the cream of the crop! I desire to pastor them well—for their good and God’s glory. Amen!

Newly affiliated FBC Caldwell sees God’s faithfulness through cooperative mindset

When First Baptist Church of Caldwell affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention last August, it brought a rich history into the youngest Southern Baptist state fellowship. First Baptist is older than the SBTC and, actually, older than the state of Texas.

First Baptist Caldwell was founded during the Texas Republic in 1843. That central part of the state is rich in Texas history as the Republic’s capital moved back and forth between Washington-on-the-Brazos, southeast of Caldwell, and Austin, west of Caldwell, during the 10 years of independence. Southwestern Seminary’s founding president, B.H. Carroll, was one of the church’s early pastors. 

“I think that the history of the church tends to give us a picture of God’s faithfulness over the years. It wasn’t just in those beginning days,” Pastor Shane Dismuke said. “He remained faithful in the midst of the body over the years. The people love their history, and they love their building, and they love the community. But what makes this place impactful has been God’s faithfulness.”

Missions is a big part of church’s story. They have an ongoing missionary project in Matamoros, Mexico, and have planted a Spanish-speaking congregation just down the road. This in addition to faithful contributions through the Cooperative Program. 

“God seems to have spurred an excitement among our people for the gospel; the church has a rich history of missions,” Dismuke said. “We’ve done two [mission] trips in the last six months. We have another one in March and another one in June, which are all in a partnership with Matamoros. We still have a partnership with Uruguay that we’re helping down there as well. And the church has historically planted other churches.” 

A love for missions is also what drew the church to the SBTC. Dismuke said the commitment of the convention to emphasize worldwide outreach and statewide needs was appealing to his church. 

Shane Dismuke and his wife, Shannon.

“I did the research,” he said, “and I found out that the SBTC was sending the majority of its money to the SBC for missions efforts and the furthering of the seminaries, the furthering of NAMB, the furthering of IMB. For me, that was where I wanted our money going.”

Dismuke came to Caldwell about 15 months ago with his wife, Shannon, and two teenage daughters. He’s seeing some growth and excitement at First Baptist Church as it recovers from the COVID slump. He describes his work there as one of revitalization. 

“This is kind of what we’ve done in ministry for over 26 years. And every church we’ve served at, it’s been a process of revitalization,” he said. “Some of them we’ve helped after splits and got them back going well and done more like a transitional thing. 

“I don’t think there’s a church in the country that doesn’t need revitalization. If we stop renewing, we stop growing, and renewing doesn’t mean changing our goal. Giving a new challenge, a new direction, a new vision on a regular basis is part of what keeps us as a people thriving in the right direction.”

In a sermon last October, during the Independence Baptist Association’s annual meeting, Dismuke described cooperation between churches as part of “church health.” 

“So, if one of the churches that is struggling needs help that we can address financially, we don’t want to just put our words towards it. We want to put our finances behind it, our people behind it."

“And not just health in the church alone,” he added, “but in the overall gospel message.
I preached [to our associational meeting] from Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 and I talked about [cooperation] producing a better outcome and an accountable encouragement and a sustainable ministry, and basically being engineered to carry us through opposition within our churches.”

One way that First Baptist Church has expressed its love for missions and cooperation is by helping sister churches in the area. The church’s 2022 budget included what they call a “fostering fund” for local needs. 

“So, if one of the churches that is struggling needs help that we can address financially, we don’t want to just put our words towards it,” Dismuke said. “We want to put our finances behind it, our people behind it.

“Last summer, we did two vacation Bible schools for other local churches. Not to outreach for First Baptist, but to outreach for them. We funded those, and we sought to reach folks in their community for that body of believers. That’s the point. We are all on the same team and we have one purpose and that’s to give God glory.”

Galveston pastor, family head west to reach college students for Christ

Chris and Kristyn Cummings started the new year with a new address, as they moved their family of six from Texas to Tucson to plant a new church.

Even before the move, Kristyn, a pediatrician, started working at a medical facility near the University of Arizona. Chris preached his last sermon as discipleship and college pastor of Coastal Community Church in Galveston on Dec. 18. With their children’s school semester at an end, the couple packed up their four kids—ages three to seven—and headed from the beach to the desert.

Why Tucson?

Despite its educational, natural, and cultural assets, Tucson—the second largest city in the state after Phoenix—can be as spiritually dry as its Sonoran Desert surroundings.

The city landed on Cummings’ radar after Kristyn’s sister relocated there for a job in the aerospace industry. As Chris wrapped up his master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary via its Houston extension in May, the couple began praying in earnest for the opportunity to plant a church. They wanted a college town and considered Corpus Christi and other Texas locations. 

Then Kristyn started investigating out-of-state possibilities and “couldn’t get Arizona off her mind,” Chris said. 

They saw a need.

Barna Research in 2019 surprisingly ranked Tucson, with a population of more than a half million, as the 16th most post-Christian city in the U.S., Chris said, noting that by comparison, New York City ranked 20th and Los Angeles 30th. 

The native Texan, used to seeing churches on every street corner, said they seem to be in short supply in Pima County, where Tucson is located. Whereas the state of Georgia has one church for every 300 people, Marana—a suburb northwest of Tucson—has only one church per 1,700 people, he explained. 

“Unless you are looking for a church in Tucson, you don’t find one,” Cummings said.

Chris and Kristyn Cummings at the University of Arizona campus.

With the couple’s commitment to collegiate outreach, proximity to the University of Arizona (UA)—which enrolled more than 49,000 undergraduate and graduate students in 2021—was also a factor in deciding where to plant a church.

“We have found maybe at best 2,000 students engaged in a ministry or church at the university,” Cummings said. Not many local churches have UA ministries, he added, calling the school vastly “underreached,” and college campuses in general, the “most strategic mission field on the planet.”

The plan 

Chris and Kristyn aren’t undertaking the Tucson venture alone. Coastal Community, their primary sending church, will provide both financial and leadership support. In the summer of 2023, 10-12 adults from the church are expected to move to Tucson, get jobs, and help by serving. Among the first official hires will be a college pastor. At least one student currently at Texas A&M Galveston is considering transferring to the University of Arizona to help, also.

“Because my wife is a doctor, we don’t have to depend upon my salary at first,” Cummings said, noting that vacation rental income from the couple’s Galveston home will prove useful as well.

As the Texas transplants move into apartment complexes and neighborhoods, they will start engaging students and Tucson residents alike, developing missional communities following the Acts 2:42 model used at Coastal Community.

“We have found maybe at best 2,000 students engaged in a ministry or church at the university.”

The family’s Tucson home is adjacent to the university, near enough for them to walk to UA basketball games. It’s a convenient location for them to start neighborhood outreaches soon after they get settled: block parties, family movie nights at local parks, and other informal events. They will also host a Sunday gathering at their home or a nearby park for volunteers.

“We do want our people to gather together,” Chris said, but Sundays will be “low key” for the first year.

As the community groups get established and start to grow, a more traditional church launch should occur sometime in 2024, Cummings said.

In addition to Coastal Community, the North American Mission Board and Redeemer Church in Lubbock will partner with funds and volunteers.

“Redeemer has planted more than 20 churches, and they have shifted their focus to planting collegiate churches,” Cummings said.

Because of the college emphasis, Cummings said he anticipates the Tucson plant will need a “long financial runway” since college students are often short of funds. He said he hopes the new church is financially stable within five years.

Spring in Tucson is when the desert blooms. With a new mission field and new address, Chris and Kristyn Cummings have uprooted their family and are praying confidently that their ministry flourishes as well.