Month: October 2025

What a zebra—yes, a zebra—taught me about cooperative work

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. 

What was the most impactful church service you’ve ever attended? I can remember mine as if it were last Sunday. 

I walked into the same church, through the same vestibule, passing the same water fountain. I smelled the same iconic church smell as I approached the same old glass door to the sanctuary. Looking through that door, I saw the same adults fellowshipping in the same way. 

But this time, I noticed something different. 

I had seen this different something before. I had seen it on TV and in books, but never in person, because it’s typically located in parts of the world I never imagined visiting. 

What was it? It was a zebra lying across the back pew. Technically, a zebra skin—but for this little kid in Portsmouth, Va., it was a zebra. I was mesmerized!

Something else happened that day. The man who brought that zebra to church was the guest preacher. From Matthew 28, he challenged the church to spread the gospel and make disciples throughout the entire world, including places with zebras! 

I got it. As a fifth grader, I clearly understood the assignment. I acquired the burden to do my part, and since I could not go to the world physically, I knew I had to do something. I committed to giving 50 cents every Sunday to missions. 

Nearly 40 years later, that burden has become greater. As a stand-up comedian, I look for ways to reach and help more people in the places I can’t otherwise reach. My wife and I have consistently led our six kids to live and give on mission. And if the call to lead my family in mission efforts wasn’t enough, I became lead pastor of North Garland Baptist Fellowship. 

The pastor’s heavy responsibility to teach others to see and live out the Great Commission can literally cause my heart to fear and tremble. In those moments, remembering Jesus said His burden is light, I have to ask myself if I’m carrying an unnecessary burden. 

The answer is “yes.” 

I once thought I had to come up with a plan to do the work of the Great Commission individually or with my local church/group. But when I saw all we can do through the collective efforts of the Cooperative Program, not only did my heavy burden turn into a light one, but it also gave me a sense of ministerial confidence. I no longer have to take the same approach to local and global missions. 

I join forces and resources with like-minded brothers and sisters across the globe. Additionally, I know that I, along with so many others, have access to training and equipping to do the massive work we are all called to do. 

This has allowed me to stand as the leader of a church with a clear conscience and say, “Yes, by giving through the CP, we are doing our part in fulfilling the Great Commission.” Through the Cooperative Program, we’re all doing things we never thought we’d do, reaching those who don’t know about the saving grace of Jesus or who simply need to grow in that same grace. 

Whether it’s places with zebras or places where they’ve never seen zebras, we are seeing God do things we never thought of or imagined for His glory. 

A truly unique calling

Editor’s note: October is Pastor Appreciation Month.

I love serving as a pastor.

Since a calling that came at age 17, the joy of my life has been training for and working in the local church to build up the body of Christ. With all sincerity, I cannot imagine doing anything else, and I am grateful for the privilege of representing the Lord in this way.

May I also make a small confession? Serving as a pastor is not for the faint of heart.

Numerous scriptural metaphors hint of the challenges that sometimes come with leading a congregation of believers. While admonishing the young pastor Timothy, Paul instructed his ministerial protégé to be strong in the grace of God like a soldier willing to suffer hardship, like an athlete who competes according to the rules, and like a farmer who works hard to bring in a crop (2 Timothy 2:1-6). Taking his agricultural analogy further, Paul also reminded the Corinthians that some of the Lord’s servants plant and others water, but only God can grow His church (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Elsewhere we read that pastors must at times lead with the gentleness of nursing mothers and the strength of instructive fathers (1 Thessalonians 2:7,11). They are to labor as workmen who do not need to be ashamed, having handled the Word of truth accurately (2 Timothy 2:15). Perhaps the most vivid of all, ministers should operate as shepherds who guide, guard and grow the sheep of God’s fold (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:1-4).

In addition, the New Testament describes the various functions that caring for the flock requires. These include providing a godly example (1 Peter 5:3), preserving the doctrine and unity of the body (Acts 20:29-31), managing the operations of the church (1 Peter 5:2), and equipping the saints to do the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). All of these must occur as the pastor devotes himself to prayer and the declaration of the Word (Acts 6:4). Tasks like these are challenging, even for the most mature Christ follower.

So what is the key to thriving in ministry? And how can you encourage your spiritual leaders as they keep watch over your soul (Hebrews 13:17)? Two reminders provide the necessary focus needed on both sides of the pulpit.

When writing to believers in Corinth, Paul explained, “Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1).” These complementing descriptions provide both a word of reassurance to every pastor and a clarifying reminder for every believer under his care.

A servant is one who receives orders from his master. In a similar way, a steward is one who manages the affairs of another. In both instances, the abiding principle for ministry is that a pastor must live with ambition for Christ, he must live in accountability to Christ, and he should long for approval from Christ. Though it is certainly counterintuitive, a minister is of better service to his congregants when he cares less about their opinions and more about what God thinks and knows. A supernatural accountability governs the life of every overseer in the church.

Those who lead by public consensus rather than personal conviction often miss the unbridled joy that comes with the stewardship of ministry. God’s workmen should seek to please Him no matter the consequences (Galatians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:4-6).

I am not suggesting pastors should be free from all human evaluations. Jesus clearly warned that there will be false prophets among us (Matthew 7:15-20); therefore, we should test every spirit by carefully examining the doctrine of teachers in the church (1 John 4:1-3). Like the Bereans in the book of Acts, we should judge the quality of all teaching by the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). Refuting those who contradict the Bible is of utmost importance (Titus 1:9).

Furthermore, turning a blind eye to the character standards required for ministry is a grave mistake (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9). Congregations should rebuke pastors who live in open transgression as a demonstration of sin’s gravity and as a deterrent from it (1 Timothy 5:19-21). Assuming, though, there is no doctrinal error or ethical breach, believers should rally around God’s chosen leaders with the conviction that each will make a unique contribution to the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:4-11). Tragically, many of the difficulties of ministry are less about Scripture and more about personal preference.

So pray for your pastor. Thank God for him. Follow his leadership. Realize the weight he carries. Love him. Appreciate him. Support him. Bless him. Be a friend to him. Honor him (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, 1 Timothy 5:17).

And dear pastor, remember—only God has the final say about the quality and effectiveness of your ministry (1 Corinthians 4:5). Do not grow weary in well doing, because the harvest is coming (Galatians 6:9).

‘Watching God work’: FBC Bastrop celebrates 175 years of faithful ministry

BASTROP—Kevin Adare serves First Baptist Church in many ways.

He’s chairman of the deacons, he teaches Sunday school, and he sings with the praise team and choir. When the church went to work calling its next senior pastor, he chaired the search committee. He even mows the lawn—a task he said he thoroughly enjoys.

When Adare, 61, reflects on how God has used his life, he’s humbled and grateful.

And surprised.

“I never would’ve seen myself at the point that I’m at,” Adare said. “It’s just been amazing to see how God has worked.”

Adare is among the countless number of people who have been impacted by the ministry of FBC Bastrop, which celebrated its 175th anniversary this summer. The church was founded by G.G. Baggerly on Aug. 3, 1850. Texas was five years into statehood at the time, and America consisted of only 30 states (California would become the 31st about a month later).

Roots run deep

Many of FBC Bastrop’s first pastors were “pioneer circuit-riding pastors who helped establish the churches and institutions that still guide Baptist work in Texas today,” according to Joshua Hebert, who was called to pastor the church in February.

In a report published in the Southern Baptist Missionary Journal in June 1848, Robert Taliaferro—a native of Kentucky who traveled to Texas as a missionary—noted the need for churches to be planted in Austin and Bastrop.

“Previous to last year, there had never been more than three or four sermons preached in Austin by ministers of our denomination,” the report noted. “In fact several grown persons had never heard a Baptist preacher; and many had never witnessed the ordinance of baptism.”

Among FBC Bastrop’s first pastors were P.B. Chandler, who Hebert said was a key denominational leader in the state convention in the mid-19th century; J.A. Kimball, who helped form the San Marcos Baptist Association which continues to minister to Baptists in the region today; W.W. Harris, who went on to serve as the founding pastor of First Baptist Dallas; and Paul Bell, who started a school and orphanage for Hispanic children in Bastrop and in the 1920s launched a seminary to train Hispanic pastors.

In 1998, FBC Bastrop was among the 120 charter churches that formed the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention—which has grown to more than 2,800 affiliated churches in 2025.

FBC Bastrop has also grown, from 11 charter members in 1850 to more than 200.

Today, the need for a consistent, sturdy gospel witness is as great as ever. Bastrop, located about 30 miles southeast of Austin, has doubled in size over the past 25 years. Known as the “Most Historic Small Town in Texas,” it’s a city balancing its evolving identity as both quaint and quickly expanding. Bisected by the Colorado River—the site of many of the church’s baptisms—Bastrop is becoming known as much for being a destination as one for recreation.

Hebert proudly notes FBC Bastrop is multi-generational, ranging from members who have been there since World War II to young families that have recently joined the church.

“In good times and through the tougher times, God has sustained us, and we are just super thankful for that,” he said. “There are not a ton of churches our age—and that’s not anything special about us. That’s just God’s grace and His kindness.”

God’s grace and kindness were two prominent themes at the church’s anniversary celebration in August. People with deep ties to the church were among those in attendance, as well as a representative from the SBTC. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent an official recognition to the church lauding its impact on the community:

“Since 1850, First Baptist Church in Bastrop has witnessed watershed historical moments and seismic shifts in our society. Though much has changed in the previous 175 years, your commitment to the timeless tenets of the faith has not.”

‘Sit back and watch God work’

Adare couldn’t agree more, as FBC Bastrop has played a crucial role in the seismic shift that changed his life. He was born in the church, saved at the church, and baptized by the church—as were many members of his family.

But after graduating high school, Adare said he began to drift away from the church. He married his wife, Lynn, and they had children. Work was demanding and often took him away on Sundays. Though Lynn always kept the kids involved in church, Adare felt dry and disconnected.

In his 40s, around 2000, something began to change. He began to long for the things the church had once brought to his life: intimacy with the Lord through His Word and community among His people. As he prayed for God to work in his life, Adare began a new career that didn’t require him to work every Sunday and still provided the benefits he needed to take care of his family.

That November, he served on the team preparing a churchwide Christmas program. It sparked something within him, so he began attending a prayer class on Sunday evenings. His personal devotional time increased, and before long, he was saying yes to the many opportunities he saw to serve the church.

“I’m just blessed,” Adare said. “We’re a church that will knock each other over to serve people and to try to make them feel comfortable and to feel loved. … Just seeing the excitement we have in the church—I just sit back and I don’t say anything and just watch sometimes. It’s [fun] to just sit back and watch God work.”