Month: October 2025

Reach Texas giving tops $1.6 million for 2024-25

GRAPEVINE—Southern Baptists of Texas Convention churches generously gave $1,632,403 during the latest Reach Texas State Missions Offering campaign. The offering period spanned September 2024 through August 2025.

One-hundred percent of Reach Texas giving is used for missions and evangelism, funding efforts such as church planting, disaster relief, missions mobilization, and the SBTC’s annual Empower Conference. This year, the impact of giving was felt as disaster relief volunteers responded to historic flooding that claimed more than 100 lives in the Hill Country and across Central Texas.

“This offering is vital to our strategy as we work to reach millions across Texas,” said Tony Mathews, SBTC senior strategist for Missional Ministries. “With more than 30 million people living in our state—and millions who are lost—the Reach Texas offering provides every SBTC church with the chance to help reverse the growing rate of spiritual lostness.”

The goal for the current campaign, which will continue through August 2026, is $2 million.

To help us reach our goal, visit sbtexas.com/reachtexas.

Pastor, are you ready to thrive?

Would you wish your life in Christ on anyone?

That’s a question I often ask pastors when I meet with them, whether in groups or one on one.

Every time, the question seems to land like a gut punch. It’s not about whether we would share the gospel. It’s deeper: Is God doing such a work in you—are you so abiding in Him, so enjoying Him—that you would want anyone else to experience what you’re experiencing in your walk with Christ?

Sadly, many pastors would answer “no.” Recent Barna research shows that only 21% of pastors over 45 say they are thriving in their well-being, and among pastors under 45, the number drops to just 7%. That’s sobering. The very shepherds entrusted to care for the flock are often running on empty themselves.

I’ve developed a talk entitled “Do This and Live” based on Luke 10, where Jesus affirms the two greatest commandments: to love God with all we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. When Jesus said, “Do this and you will live,” He used a word that doesn’t just mean “exist.” It means to thrive, to flourish, to live with zeal. I believe Jesus was pointing us to the abundant life He promised in John 10:10.

“We can—and must—tend to our own souls. Wouldn’t you rather face conflict, discouragement, or even criticism from a place of health rather than from depletion?”

Jeff Lynn Tweet

That’s why this matters. At the end of the day, the only thing we can truly control is our walk with God. We can’t control who shows up on Sunday, who gives, or what people think of our sermons. But we can—and must—tend to our own souls. Wouldn’t you rather face conflict, discouragement, or even criticism from a place of health rather than from depletion?

Here’s the truth: Too many pastors reach out for help only when they’re already in crisis—burned out, ready to quit, or spiritually dry. In our Church Health and Leadership department, we want to meet pastors upstream—before burnout takes root.

That’s why we’re launching a six-month initiative called THRIVE. These cohorts bring together 5–10 pastors in a region once a month to focus on five key areas of wellness: spiritual, marital, physical, financial, and personal uniqueness. Each month, pastors read a book, process it together, and hold one another accountable in a peer-to-peer setting. It’s real, relational, and refreshing.

Right now, we’re beta testing THRIVE with groups across Texas, gathering feedback before rolling it out statewide in 2026. Our prayer is simple: healthier pastors leading healthier churches.

So let me return to the question: Would you wish your life in Christ on anyone? If not, it doesn’t have to stay that way. You can thrive in Christ, and we want to walk with you as you do.

For more information about THRIVE, or to explore how you can be part of a cohort, email jlynn@sbtexas.com.

Investing in the future of the church

Editor’s note: In celebration of the Cooperative Program’s 100th anniversary, each issue of the Texan this year will include a testimony from a pastor explaining why his church gives through and believes in CP. 

I believe church-planting churches sustain the health of a God-centered church. 

Having stepped into the role of leading one of the biggest Korean immigrant churches in the U.S. in my mid-30s, the Lord inspired me that His desire was not in the size of the local congregation, but the scope of which the church reaches with the gospel locally, nationally, and globally. Therefore, early on in my role as senior pastor at Semihan Church in Carrollton, I proclaimed to our congregation that my desire was not to fill every seat, but once the church hits a certain capacity, to multiply it. 

Through much time in God’s Word, I examined the ministries of Peter, a local pastor, and Paul, a traveling evangelist. As I did this, I couldn’t help but wonder how I, a senior pastor of a local church with a desire of sharing the gospel with the lost world, could be used locally and globally at the same time. Through much prayer, I came to believe that God’s heart is for His church to encourage and engage its members in furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.  

It is up to the local church to prioritize the Great Commission. The church accomplishes this priority by being intentional and mindful about encouraging the congregation to plant more churches. 

Therefore, for healthy churches to equip their congregations well, we need to equip doctrinally and theologically sound pastors. To equip doctrinally and theologically sound pastors, we need to invest in theological education. We genuinely believe the best way to make these investments is to invest through the Cooperative Program. 

“The Cooperative Program reflects the commitment of all the affiliated churches of the SBC to be obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.”

Ryan Lee Tweet

Semihan Church is proud to be a part of the Southern Baptist Convention and its Cooperative Program. The Cooperative Program reflects the commitment of all the affiliated churches of the SBC to be obedient to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. 

As of late, we have heard sad news of great seminaries in the U.S. dissolving due to a lack of funding and investments. This saddens us, as many of these seminaries have equipped and educated some of the greatest leaders in evangelical Christianity. 

As a healthy church committed to the Great Commission through investment in healthy leaders, we are committed to both invest and call others to invest in the Cooperative Program. We pray that by these efforts, the future of my children and their children after that through the generations will be secure with healthy, Bible-loving protectors of the church that our Lord and Savior has paid for with His own precious blood. 

Until He comes again, we at Semihan Church are committed to invest in our next generation of leaders as we desire for Korea, America, and the world to be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Grateful to serve, ready to gather

It has been an honor and privilege to serve as president of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention the past two years. What a joy to have a seat at the table to see the inner workings of our denomination. God has been so kind and blessed us with faithful and godly leaders. The men and women who serve the SBTC do an excellent job giving their all for Christ and His churches.

I am especially grateful for our executive director, Nathan Lorick. Nathan leads us so very well from a place of humility and strength granted to him by the Holy Spirit. I feel very confident in saying that with him as our leader, we are in for more great years of service to our Lord through the SBTC.

We are anticipating a powerful annual meeting Oct. 27-28 at Southcrest Baptist Church in Lubbock. Pastor David Wilson and his staff have worked diligently in preparation for our arrival. Some of the key leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention will be with us at the annual meeting. Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board, and Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, will join us. Many are looking forward to Monday evening, when Chitwood will lead us in the commissioning of many men and women to serve as full-time IMB missionaries overseas. It will be a special night.

I am proud of the SBC and the SBTC. God continues to pour out His favor upon us in many ways, but these four come to mind: church planting, pastoral health and care, leadership development, and disaster relief. Of course, there are many other important ministries in our convention, but these stand out. For example, did you know the SBC Disaster Relief ministry is the third largest disaster relief organization in the U.S. behind only the Red Cross and the Salvation Army? I learned this at our last SBTC Executive Board meeting. I thought this was neat—in some instances, our disaster relief prepares the meals the Red Cross hands out! Thank you, Lord, for blessing and using us to reach many people with the gospel of Jesus and to meet physical and emotional needs as well.

Please pray for our annual meeting gathering in October. Ask the Lord to protect us in every way. Pray that God would grant us an unprecedented spirit of unity and a laser focus on reaching the state of Texas, North America, and the world with the gospel. Pray for the messengers, that they would come to the annual meeting with a readiness and eagerness to do all we can to the get the message of Jesus to as many as we can.  

Thanks for allowing me to serve you these past two years. See you in Lubbock!

Ripkens reflect on lessons learned over a lifetime of serving Jesus on the mission field

LOUISVILLE , Ky. (BP)—As retired International Mission Board missionaries Nik and Ruth Ripken speak in a variety of small group settings, churches and conferences, they desire to share practical insights with prospective missionaries about what to expect mentally, physically and spiritually.

They especially want to prepare people for those areas where believers face extreme persecution and suffering. That’s a story they know all too well.

Originally from Kentucky, the Ripkens were appointed by the then-Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) in August 1983. Through the course of their ministry, they lived in seven countries: Malawi, South Africa, Kenya, Somalia, Germany, Ethiopia and Jordan.

Ripken’s 2013 best-selling book, The Insanity of God, chronicles the hardship his family endured on the field but also shares the stories of dozens of Christians living in persecution around the world. Ripken traveled to some of the world’s hardest places to find those stories.

He and Ruth now say they would like to have done more.

‘Worth it’

“We wish we could have gone earlier in our lives, and we wish we could’ve stayed longer,” Ripken said.

When people ask why, their response remains steadfast—Jesus is worth it.

“If I could condense down approximately 650 interviews in 72 countries, this is what I would dare speak on behalf of believers in persecution,” he said. “Believers in persecution are immensely grateful for our prayers. They often say that the one debt they can never repay the church in the West is the debt of praying for them during their suffering and persecution. Yet they ask us, ‘Do not give up in freedom what we never give up in persecution,’ and that is our witness to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Despite the dangers of missions in hard places, Ripken believes those at home have the worst part.

“First of all, we would say to those who send—churches, parents, grandparents and siblings—that you are the ones who have the hardest job,” he said.

“Which is harder, dying on a cross or sending your only Son to die on the cross?” he asked. “It’s in the nature of God to be both a sender and one who goes. We never understood until recently how hard it is to be a sender. We should’ve shown more grace to the families and churches that send. Obediently, often with tears flowing endlessly, those who send watch their children and grandchildren board planes to go to the ends of the earth.”

And hardship is to be expected.

“In the Bible persecution is normal,” he said. “As we look at believers in persecution, we feel pity for them and often want to use money and rescue as a way to alleviate and solve their suffering and persecution. They say that their persecution is like the sun coming up in the East. What was true in the Bible is true for them. In John 15:20, Jesus tells His followers to ‘remember the word that I said to you: a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.’”

Telling their stories

The couple’s research on the subject and personal accounts have resulted in three books, The Insanity of God, The Insanity of Obedience, and 90-day devotional, The Insanity of Sacrifice. In 2016, The Insanity of God was made into a feature film from Lifeway Films and co-sponsored by the IMB.

Next year marks the film’s 10th anniversary, and the Ripkens have been greatly impacted by the testimonies they have received in response to the book and the film.

“Ruth and I continue to be amazed and humbled by the response of those who have read the ‘Insanity of God’ or have watched the documentary based upon the book,” Ripken said. “Many say that because of the book or movie they have committed themselves to both going and witnessing across the street and across the oceans—anywhere Jesus commands them to go. We talked with a 91-year-old man who had read the book and promised God that he would give a gospel witness to at least one person every day. Years later, before going to heaven, he kept that promise.

“Churches have used the Insanity of God movie and rented out part of movie theaters. They invite their neighbors and church members to watch the movie together, combining witness and worship within that movie theater—all for the price of a bag of popcorn and a soda.

“The actor who played myself in the movie was a pastor’s son, whose faith was renewed by the contents of the movie. An ethnic Chinese man who was used in the movie as an interpreter stated that his father had been persecuted as a leader of a house church in South Asia.

“A clear gospel witness was given to the 77 Ukrainians and Russians who made up the actors in one of the prison scenes. Witness and discipleship continue among them. Often we meet university, college, seminary students who are preparing for the mission field who share what precipitated their journey was either reading the book or watching the movie.”

Today, the Ripkens are frequent speakers at events, especially ones designed to equip missionaries. They also provide teaching tools and trainings on their website.

The website features their latest project, Insanity Unleashed, which is a video-based, multi-hour resource focused how to do effective ministry in places of intense persecution. Insanity Unleashed provides a rare, in-depth look at the struggles and personal accounts of the depths of persecution that believers face around the globe for the sake of the gospel, reminding believers that Jesus is worth it.

“In the depths of our hearts, we wish that those who had mentored us had insisted that we read the Bible in present, active tense,” Ripken noted. “The Bible is not only a clear authoritative record of what God has done, but it is also a clear authoritative record of what God is doing today. In essence, everything that God has recorded in the Bible, God is still doing. He is a present, active tense God.

“Secondly, we wish that we had gone with greater humility—understanding that going across the street and across the oceans was as much God’s investment in us as it was our investment and others. Neglecting to cross the street and to cross the oceans with the good news of Jesus Christ is to miss much that Almighty God has for all of us.

“Ruth often says that we need to go humbly and needy to the peoples of the earth. We have seen multitudes come to Christ in East Africa. Conversely, we’ve seen most of the believers in Somalia killed for their faith in Jesus. We wish that we had understood what it meant to be New Testament servants of God within an Old Testament environment.”

The fruit of persecution

Their quest for understanding began after the death of their son, Timothy, in Nairobi, Kenya, on Easter Sunday 1997. Timothy died at age 16 from cardiac arrest brought on by an asthma attack.

Describing the day of Timothy’s death in The Insanity of God, Ripken wrote, “I was overwhelmed by my own loss. Ruth used the word ‘resurrection’ that night; I was fixed on the crucifixion. The pain was unbearable.”

Later, when he interviewed believers in hard places, he could relate to their stories.

“Believers in persecution ask us not to feel sorry for them,” Ripken said. “Often they have said to us, ‘Never have we felt so close to Jesus as when we were persecuted for our faith.’

“What would be a modern-day response if we discovered that our Joseph had been arrested and thrown into Pharaoh‘s prison?” he asked and then answered his own question—our response would be to bring the full force of our might to bear in demanding Joseph’s release.

“To rescue Joseph from Pharaoh’s prison is to condemn the Egyptians and the Jews in Egypt to die of starvation as there would be no one left in Egypt to interpret Pharaoh’s dream,” he said.

Ripken noted the dividing line between daily, serious persecution and little or no persecution is being a witness.

“If we give our lives to Jesus, are baptized, and then keep our witness to ourselves then persecution is unlikely,” he acknowledged. “The reason there’s little persecution in the West is because, sadly, most professed Christians have not shared Christ with even one person. The question we should ask is not why are they persecuted, but why are we not persecuted?”

Ripken said one of the greatest lessons he’s learned from believers in persecution has been to see himself in the Bible’s narrative.

“When we read the Bible, we are to ask ourselves, ‘Who am I in this story? Where’s my family in this story? What role would my country and culture of origin play in this biblical narrative?’

“That’s why our ministry is committed to providing biblical resources, as defined by believers in persecution, that prepare us to finish the task. There’s approximately 3 billion souls on earth of whom 63% are oral communicators, 6% Deaf in each people group, with 95 to 99% of all these people having no access to eternal life.

“Nik Ripken Ministries believes that the worst persecution on earth is to have no access to the kingdom of God.”

This article was originally published by Baptist Press.

Reaching Europe: Finding opportunity in the uttermost parts

ZSÁMBOK, Hungary

Though it was nearly 30 years ago, Feri Olah remembers the question. He was playing soccer in a field when he was approached by a young evangelist on a mission trip.

“Have you heard of God’s love?” the young man asked him.

Olah—still mourning the recent death of his mother—became angry. 

“If God loves me so much,” he fired back, “why did He allow my mother to die?”

Olah rejected the gospel that day, but seeds were planted. As the group of young evangelists continued to visit, he eventually gave his life to Christ. 

Olah is a pastor now, leading worship and preaching to about 15 people out of a basement in his home in Zsámbok, a rural village about 35 miles outside the capital city of Budapest. He is also pastoring another church in Apc, a village curled up at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains about 20 miles to the northeast.

Budapest—a bustling urban center—is one of seven cities included in a partnership between the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and the International Mission Board called Reach Europe. The initiative aims to mobilize SBTC churches to help IMB personnel and local churches multiply disciple-making movements around the world. 

Those movements will also happen in outlying areas such as Zsámbok and Apc.

Olah is a boulder of a man with tight, sandbag arms and a solid frame that appears to be made less by dumbbells and more by hay bales—or as Texans might say, he’s country strong. But he wears a disarming smile on a kind, round face and, beneath it all, has a tender heart for reaching the Roma people with the gospel.

“Week to week, we are spreading the gospel and sharing about His grace. It’s a wonderful miracle when we can see the change that God brings about in people’s lives."

—Feri Olah Tweet

The Roma are descendants of the nomadic tribes of Romania tied together by the Hungarian language. About 1.5 million of them have fanned out into Hungary’s more rural sectors, where most live in extreme poverty—especially by western standards. Many inhabit shacks tacked together from repurposed garbage and discarded construction materials. That poverty, coupled with a longstanding prejudice tied to their ethnicity, drives many who might help the Roma in other directions. 

But not Feri, who wants his people to have an opportunity to rest in the same salvation that cradles him. He’s so committed to them he said he now feels called to leave his home of seven years in Zsámbok to live closer to the church plant in Apc so he can evangelize more.

“That’s what we need,” Olah said. “We need people who have accepted God’s love to be willing to give it away unconditionally.”

In May, the SBTC led 39 pastors and church leaders on a vision tour of Europe. The team was divided among the seven reach cities so they could view the ministry being done there and consider future partnership opportunities. The Budapest group saw churches in three phases among the Roma people: the established church in Zsámbok, the fledgling church in Apc, and in Szirák, where there is no church and relatively no gospel presence.

The work in Hungary—a country of 11 million people, roughly a third of the population of Texas—will be both rural and urban. Lamar Schubert, a Texas transplant who has been serving the IMB there for five years—said church partnerships can happen in the short and long terms, with events such as medical clinics and sports camps opening doors for the gospel to be shared. Greg Pickering, who pastors Brazos Pointe Fellowship in Lake Jackson and who was among the Budapest group on the vision trip, said missions teams could also host retreats for pastors who are nearing burnout.

“A lot of these Hungarian pastors could really use some soul care and know that they’re cared for by us,” Pickering said.

That would benefit pastors like Olah, who are willing to exhaust themselves for the cause of Christ. But the toil is well worth the reward.

“Week to week, we are spreading the gospel and sharing about His grace,” Olah said. “It’s a wonderful miracle when we can see the change that God brings about in people’s lives.”

Interested in impacting Europe with the gospel? Learn more about the SBTC’s Reach Europe initiative. 

‘Dad, I have something to tell you …’

Late this summer as I was at church with my family, I noticed something different about my youngest son. As we worshiped, he began to slightly raise his hands as he sang to the Lord. 

The next day, I walked outside and saw him on the back porch with pen and paper reading the Scriptures. Later, as we were riding in my truck, I asked him, “What is God doing in your life?” 

I was grateful to hear his response:

“Dad, I’m glad you asked. I have something to tell you.” 

He told me that one night as he was lying in bed, he became overwhelmingly convicted of his sin. “I cried out to God and asked Him to save me and forgive me of my sins,” he told me. “Dad, I now know I am saved, and Jesus has changed my life!” 

Let me tell you—those are the greatest words a parent can ever hear. On top of that, there has been a drastic change in his life. He is on fire for Jesus and has already led two of his friends to faith in Christ!

“There is no one out of reach of the mercy and love of God. Let us stay focused on sharing the gospel every single week and pray God uses it to draw people to Himself.”

Nathan Lorick Tweet

As I think about this summer and that conversation, I am reminded there are lost people in our lives, in our neighborhoods, in our communities, and across our state. God has given us the greatest opportunity we’ve ever had to live on mission and be intentional about sharing the gospel.

However, we must be intentional. My son being saved has rekindled my passion to share the gospel. If you are a pastor, allow me to encourage you with three suggestions to lead your church members to share their faith:

Share the gospel every week in your worship services. 

We never know who is walking in the door and what stage of life they’re in. We don’t know the hurts or obstacles they are facing. What we do know is Jesus can save anyone. There is no one out of reach of the mercy and love of God. Let us stay focused on sharing the gospel every single week and pray God uses it to draw people to Himself.

Give a gospel invitation. 

As people come into your church, there is a reason they are there. Perhaps someone invited them, or maybe they are searching for hope they’ve not found yet. As you proclaim the gospel, give people who hear the gospel a chance to respond to what God is doing in their lives. The Holy Spirit could be working in their hearts, and they may feel a real sense of urgency to give their lives to Christ.

Help new believers with their next steps. 

Many people who come to faith in Christ don’t know what to do next. They have no idea how to live out their faith and be on mission. Walk with them as they begin to take those first steps in following Jesus. There is nothing like seeing someone come to Christ and be on fire for Him!

Texas is full of people without Christ. Let us be broken and burdened for them. Let us be intentional to live out the mission God has given us! I believe as we do these things, we could see a movement of God across our state like we’ve never seen before.

I am praying for your church to engage with a new energy and passion for evangelism. I love you and I’m honored to serve you!