Tag: Trending

Church planting missionaries who lost everything blessed by Southern Baptists

It’s pink and purple, it has a Bible verse on it, and it’s understandably a little rough around the edges. It is, after all, one of the only items Send Network church planter Ronnie Rentz managed to rescue from his girls’ bedroom.

“Back in September when Hurricane Helene came through, we got hit with three feet of water,” Ronnie says. “And the first time I came back to the house after the storm, everything we owned was floating.”

That’s when he found the picture—the pink and purple one with Romans 8:28 written on it. Ronnie, who planted Covenant Hope Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., in 2022, attached it to the dashboard of his car because for someone who’d been through what he’d just been through, a Romans 8:28-kind-of reminder seemed like a good thing to keep nearby.

“We lost about 90% of everything we owned,” he says. “Even now, our 2-year-old says, ‘I want to go home,’ about 10 times a day. It rips your heart out. But I know God is going to work all this together for good. And I know that because I’ve already seen it.”

An eternal optimist

Ronnie Rentz is a self-described “eternal optimist.” Maybe that’s why when Hurricane Helene hit St. Petersburg on Sept. 26, 2024, he was nervous, but not frantically so—at least, not at first. “We lived on a canal and it flooded all the time,” he says. “My wife and kids were out of town that week, but when it looked like the storm was headed this way, we spoke and I told my wife, ‘I secured all the doors. We’ll be ok. It won’t be that bad.’”

That was Sept. 26, but then came Sept. 27. “When I went back to the house the next day, I couldn’t even get in at first because all the water had picked up our furniture and jammed it against the door. And then when I finally got in, it was sobering. The fridge was flipped over, baby dolls were floating by—I just sat there for a while before I called my wife. And all I could say was, ‘It’s bad. What do we do now?’”

Even an “eternal optimist” like Ronnie could’ve never guessed how quickly the answer to that question would present itself.

This picture, colored by Ronnie’s daughter, was one of the few items he was able to salvage from his home.

Send in the cavalry

On Thursday, Helene hit. On Friday, Ronnie waded thru what was left of his home. And then on Saturday, the cavalry arrived.

“Small armies of people from our sending church, from our church plant started showing up,” Ronnie says. “They started grabbing clothes, toys, anything they could save. We had a crew in the backyard cleaning Legos. We had a lady who owns a jewelry shop take what she could salvage of my wife’s jewelry to get it professionally cleaned. They worked in shifts—morning, afternoon, and evening—it was amazing to see. Our church has always operated as a family and to see that in a real way was just a beautiful thing.”

News travels fast when you’re a Send Network church planter, and as Ronnie’s church family was in his backyard salvaging what they could of the Rentz’s possessions, a call for financial help went out to a much more widespread family.

“Our Sending Church reached out to NAMB and Send Network to see what could be possible,” Ronnie says. “And before we even knew what was happening, they took care of us. They supported us with half our rent for the home we’re staying in now. I really don’t know how we could’ve survived without that.”

Part of the family

Send Network, the church planting arm of the North American Mission Board, says they’re “a family united by a mission.” Ronnie never had any reason to doubt that was true. But now, he and his family have experienced “family” in an unforgettable, Romans 8:28 kind of way.

“With Send Network there’s always been constant encouragement and a real feeling of, ‘You’re not alone,’” Ronnie says. “And there’s always been financial support that we couldn’t survive without. But now I know for certain that I can pick up the phone and call brothers out there who will do anything they can to help us. It’s so amazing to be connected at every level with something greater than yourself. I mean, I’ve seen those NAMB luncheons every year where somebody gets blessed and it’s awesome. But now to be one of those people, it’s just a beautiful thing. We’re eternally grateful.”

Tragedia convertida en Triunfo

Cuando una muerte espantosa amenazó con romper su corazón, Dios redimió la vida de Maribel Chávez y cambió la eternidad de algunos en el proceso.

24 de julio de 2024.

Ese fue el día en que el mundo entero de Maribel Chávez cambió.

Su esposo, José, había salido de casa un lunes del pasado mes de julio para hacer lo que ella esperaba que fuera un encargo relativamente rápido. Pero a medida que pasaban las horas y él no había regresado a casa, ella empezó a preocuparse.

Pasó un día. José seguía sin aparecer. Un día se convirtió en dos. La familia denunció su desaparición a la policía. Pasaron tres días, luego cuatro y nada. Siguieron buscando desesperadamente entre amigos y conocidos para ver si alguien le había visto.

Finalmente, tras cinco días de búsqueda, Edwin, el hijo mayor de Maribel, que ahora tiene 19 años, localizó a José en un hospital de la zona, adonde lo habían llevado después de encontrarlo inconsciente en una calle tras sufrir un derrame cerebral. Cuando la familia llegó al hospital, encontró a José conectado a máquinas que lo mantenían con vida.

“Cuando lo vimos conectado a tantas máquinas, nos quedamos muy sorprendidos», recuerda Maribel. «Lo primero que hice fue abrazarlo y decirle que por favor no me dejara”.

Él estaba inconsciente, pero ella sabía que podía oírla; porque lágrimas comenzaron a brotar de sus ojos mientras ella hablaba.

José falleció el 24 de julio de 2024.

Un testimonio poderoso

Maribel, miembro de la Iglesia Bautista Travis en español, sabe que Dios ha estado con ella y su familia mientras han navegado por el dolor provocado por la muerte de José. Incluso dijo que siente que Dios la había estado preparando desde principios de año.

Aunque había estado asistiendo a Travis en español durante dos años, dijo que no se había sentido muy conectada con la iglesia o con el Señor. Ella estaba, en sus propias palabras, «sólo usando una silla».

“Había dejado de orar y clamar a Dios, pero en enero de este año, tenía la urgencia y la necesidad de sentir la presencia de Dios”, dijo, “así que empecé a buscarlo en oración con todas mis fuerzas”.

Mientras José estaba en el hospital, lo único que Maribel recuerda haber hecho es orar. A través de sus intercesiones, el Señor le ayudó a darse cuenta de que el deseo que tenía de empezar a buscarle con urgencia era un llamado que Dios le hizo para que volviera a Él porque se acercaba una época de adversidad.

Se dio cuenta de algo más: la familia de la iglesia, a la que anteriormente no se sentía unida, en cambio se acercó a ella, proporcionándole lo que necesitaba material y espiritualmente y dándole ánimo continuamente.

“No tenemos familia cerca, pero tenemos una familia de fe que no nos ha dejado “, afirmó.

“En enero de este año, tenía la urgencia y la necesidad de sentir la presencia de Dios, así que empecé a buscarlo en oración con todas mis fuerzas”.

—Maribel Chávez Tweet

Maribel dijo que el ministerio de la iglesia hacia su familia hizo que una amiga suya, que no era cristiana, notara algo diferente. Esa amiga vio cómo los líderes y los miembros de la iglesia amaban incondicionalmente a Maribel y a su familia. El pastor principal de enseñanza de Travis Avenue, Ben Bolin, se mantuvo en contacto. También lo hicieron el pastor de la congregación en español, José Rodríguez, y su esposa, Lea. Bobby Bridge, el ministro de atención pastoral de la iglesia, también estuvo allí, mostrando una compasión y preocupación que le hacen sentir una profunda gratitud.

La amiga, francamente, no entendía lo que estaba viendo.

«¿Quién es toda esta gente que viene a visitarte?», le preguntó repetidamente a Maribel.

La respuesta de Maribel era siempre la misma: «Son mis hermanos [y hermanas] de la iglesia».

La amiga tampoco entendía cómo, incluso ante la tragedia, Maribel era capaz de mantener la calma. Maribel dijo que eso le preparó oportunidades para testificar sobre la paz que sólo Dios puede dar a través del don de la vida eterna por medio de Jesús.

“Estoy tranquila porque sé que mi esposo está con Dios”, le dijo Maribel a su amiga, girando la conversación hacia el propio estado espiritual de su amiga.

“Y tú, ¿estás preparada para ir con Dios?”, le preguntó a su amiga. “¿Sabes a dónde vas a ir [cuando mueras]?”.

“No lo sé”, respondió la amiga, “pero quiero estar con Dios”.

La amiga ahora ha escuchado el evangelio y asiste regularmente a Travis en español.

El Señor ha seguido usando a Maribel para hablar a otros de Jesús. Ella ha llevado a dos familias a Cristo, así como a sus tres hijos. Su hija Amy de 11 años fue impactada al ver la paz que Maribel tenía al saber que su esposo está con el Señor. Esto hizo que Amy viera su propia necesidad de Dios, así que aceptó a Cristo como su Salvador. Una semana después, Amy, Edwin y su otro hijo, Joshua, de 15 años, fueron bautizados.

Maribel dice que aprovecha todas las oportunidades posibles para hablar a los demás del Señor, dejando que sus momentos de dolor y ansiedad por «perder un pilar tan importante de su hogar” desencadenen conversaciones evangelísticas que calman su tristeza.”

“Cuando estoy muy ansiosa, voy a la calle en mi vecindario y evangelizo a la gente de la calle, incluidos alcohólicos y drogadictos», dijo. “Hacer eso me quita todo lo que estoy sintiendo en ese momento.”

Una iglesia, una misión

Para Rodríguez, el pastor de Travis en español, fue impactante ver cómo Maribel y sus hijos han estado testificando de Cristo y cómo Dios está obrando en sus vidas.

Él ha pastoreado Travis en español desde agosto de 2022, cuando comenzó a servir como pastor interino antes de ser instalado oficialmente en octubre. Él dijo que una cosa que le encanta de su iglesia es que el ministerio en español de Travis tiene la misma visión que la iglesia principal.

Desde que comenzó su ministerio allí, el enfoque ha sido en el discipulado. Como resultado, Travis en español ha visto un grupo de unos 45 asistentes florecer llegando a recibir hasta 140 asistentes por la gracia de Dios. La iglesia busca proyectar una visión en su comunidad de fidelidad bíblica, servicio y expansión del reino, enviando personas en misión al otro lado de la calle y alrededor del mundo.

Personas como Maribel y su familia.

“Uno piensa que una familia no volverá por un tiempo después de una experiencia tan difícil”, dijo Rodríguez, “pero ha sido maravilloso ver al Espíritu obrando en ellos, testificando de Cristo y perseverando en la fe”.

10 reasons we should all resolve to take care of ourselves in 2025

I confess I don’t always take care of myself as I should. I have to work hard to maintain a healthy weight, keep my blood pressure down, etc. In fact, I’m re-posting this blog from 2019 as a way to hold myself accountable to you, my readers. I don’t want to give guidance that I myself don’t follow in 2025.

As a Christian, I see this issue of exercise and bodily well-being as more a spiritual one than a physical one. Here are some reasons believers need to take care of ourselves:

1. We are created in God’s image.

The Bible is quite clear here—we are made in the image of the Creator. That image was marred in the fall of Adam and Eve, but not destroyed. That fact alone should give us reason to take care of ourselves.

2. This body is the only one we have.

This point might sound silly, but sometimes we live as if we have bodies to spare. When this one is worn out, we don’t have a replacement until the day of resurrection.

3. Poor discipline is a bad witness.

It’s hard to tell people to be disciplined in their Bible study, prayer life, giving, etc., when they can look at us and see we are undisciplined in exercise and eating. A lack of effort in one area of life is often indicative of problems in other areas.

4. Bad health is costly.

Eventually, the costs of poor health add up. Medical bills pile up. Insurance costs increase. Moreover, bad health makes us less productive at work. Others are forced then to carry some of our load.

5. Our families deserve better.

Frankly, it’s unloving not to take care of ourselves. Our families worry about us when we struggle to climb steps or find clothes to fit. Our love for them ought to motivate us to do better.

6. Being out of shape might indicate idolatry.

Those words might be difficult to hear, but they’re necessary ones. If we cannot push away from food in order to take care of our bodies, we must ask if something other than God has become our god. On the other hand, it’s also possible to idolize exercise because we’ve become our own god—so balance is in order.

7. Better health = more energy to do God’s work.

God’s work is not easy. Those of us in ministry know the burdens are sometimes heavy. The hours are often long. Being out of shape makes the work only that much more difficult.

8. Proper care requires rest—and it’s biblical to get rest.

God expects us to take time off, focus on Him, and enjoy His blessings. In fact, nottaking time to rest can be self-centered (that is, we think we must be doing everything). I struggle here, but I’m learning.

9. We might be called to the mission field.

Many missions organizations will not consider sending someone who is out of shape. The work is often rigorous, and the stresses of cross-cultural living are only compounded by poor health.

10. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

This truth is difficult to comprehend, but God really does live within us (1 Corinthians 6:19). He who created us and indwells us expects us to be wise stewards of the body He gave us.

This article originally appeared at ChuckLawless.com.

5 minutes with Rocky Weatherford

In 2020, Rocky Weatherford returned to First Baptist Church Tool for a second stint as pastor. He has also pastored four other churches in Texas over the last 37 years and served local Baptist associations in several positions. He has been a Lifeway trustee and served the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention as vice chairman and chairman of the executive board. Weatherford was among those who were instrumental in helping found the SBTC a quarter century ago. He and his wife, Marsha, have been married for almost 48 years. They have three adult children and three grandchildren.

What is something you’ve been able to celebrate at FBC Tool recently?

Over the last five years, in spite of the challenges of the pandemic, the economy, and the secularization of society, we have seen people respond to the gospel. We have baptized an average of eight people each year. We are seeing real spiritual growth in our youth, as well.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your ministry lately?

Honestly, there have been two: encouraging our people to grow spiritually and the problem of church insurance. Our premiums have tripled since I came back to the church. A lot of churches around here are being forced to either drop insurance coverage or opt for liability coverage only.

What’s a lesson you’ve learned to this point of your ministry you know you’ll never forget?

The best lesson I have learned is to remember that I am called to whatever God desires me to do. Sometimes that’s been serving in a church and sometimes a college. I always thought I was called to pastor a church, but a friend told me, “No. You are just called. You have to do what God tells you to do.”

What’s one thing you’d like to see God do specifically at FBC Tool this year?

This year my goal is to build spiritual leadership. There is a desperate need for men and women to grow spiritually and to step up and lead under the Lord’s direction in the various ministries of the church.

How can the other churches of the SBTC be praying for you?

My prayer is that God would become real to us. I am amazed at how many Christians will say they have never heard God speak. I want to see God become personally real to each member of FBC Tool. When He becomes real in our lives, we are much more effective in sharing Him with others.

Connection, refreshment found at inaugural Español planters’ wives retreat

MARBLE FALLS—Forty-nine church planters’ wives gathered for a time of retreat and training Oct. 31-Nov. 1—marking the first such event as part of Send Network SBTC’s growing Español initiative.

The theme of the event was “Foundations for the Planter’s Wife.” Speakers were Carolina Santander from Georgia, Carla Cox from Arizona, and Marjarie Hernández from New York.

The wives enjoyed a time of teaching, fellowship, fun, and refreshment. Sessions included “Heights and Valleys”—where women were given space to share how they turned to the Lord in low and high moments in their lives—as well as “Knowing God” and “My Identity in the Gospel.”

“Situations in life will challenge our faith, and how well we know God will determine how we respond,” Hernández said. “The heart cannot love what the mind does not know. To truly love God, we must truly know Him.”

Attendees also learned about “Understanding My Husband” and “Your Unique Imprint in Ministry,” where they were able to dig deeper into their unique roles as a planter’s wife and the ministries to which God has called them.

“It is important to try to understand our husbands … our words of affirmation or criticism and disapproval affect [them] deeply,” Santander said. “It is wise to control our tongues and use our words to encourage and not to destroy.”

The women were challenged to love, care for, and support their husbands. They were also encouraged to embrace their identities in Christ and to exercise their role as a planter’s wife with wisdom. The closing was a beautiful time of committing to pray for one another.

“We all need to recharge, but I didn’t realize I needed it so much and it was my time,” said Mariu Covalt, a planter’s wife who attended the retreat. “The grace and love of God was palpable. I laughed, I cried, I worshipped—all in two truly wonderful days. I am recharged, I am full, I have new strength to continue and even to begin again.”

A group of pastors’ wives and SBTC en Español staff helped coordinate and conduct the event, including Carla Arriola, Karina Velázquez, Zoila López, Wendy Contreras, Alicia Violante, Juani Shelton, and Aurora Cruz.

“I felt very loved by God, my sisters, and each one of the leaders of the activity,” said Leidy Fernandez, another planter wife who attended the retreat. “It was a blessing to meet such precious people and to make friendships that will last forever, women who love Christ deeply and who also have much in common with me. We learned useful things, confirmed important things, and were encouraged to invest ourselves in God’s work.”

AM24: Spanish session draws hundreds for equipping, encouragement

HOUSTON—About 300 attendees gathered for the Spanish sessions of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting Nov. 10-11 at Sagemont Church in Houston.

The pastors, leaders, and church members who attended the Spanish sessions—gathering in a spirit of unity and affirmation in fulfilling the “Side by Side” theme of the meeting—represented double the average attendance compared to the past five years, according to Jesse Contreras, SBTC en Español associate.

“From the beginning, the reception was warm and emotional. Each ministry that gathered in the lobby set the mood for a special event,” said Juan Camilo Del Valle, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Getsemaní in McAllen.

On Sunday, Champion Forest Baptist Church worship pastor Job Gonzalez opened the event with a concert to prepare the hearts of the attendees. After a time of fellowship, the general session began, this time led by Sagemont Encuentro’s worship ministry.

The keynote speaker was Tony Miranda, an author, international speaker, and pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Austin. Miranda challenged God’s servants to encourage one another in Christ, to believe in them, and to spur them to move forward in their calling.

“To be side by side, you must believe in the Lord with all your heart, but you must also love your neighbor and believe in him … because you cannot do the mission alone,” Miranda said.

SBTC Executive Director Nathan Lorick expressed his joy and appreciation for the convention’s Hispanic churches.

“I want you to know how much we love you and are grateful for the ministry God has called you to,” Lorick said. “This year, our theme is ‘Side by Side,’ and this is exactly what we want to do at the SBTC with you and your church. We want to come alongside you as you fulfill the mission that God has placed on your heart and to resource your church to help you fulfill that calling.”

Also during the session, Jorge Diaz was awarded the Dr. Michael Gonzalez Ministerial Legacy Award. Diaz credited the grace of God for giving him what he called an “underserved honor.” Said Diaz: “I want to encourage all my fellow pastors to stand firm, side by side, because the Lord will sustain us.”

The first day of the Spanish session concluded with a commissioning service for church planters led by Julio Arriola, director of Send Network SBTC. Arriola said the commissioning service served as tangible evidence of God’s movement among the family of churches known as the SBTC.

The second and final day of the Spanish sessions continued with workshops for men and women offering deep edification, both theological and practical. Lazaro Riesgo, pastor of Sagemont Encuentro, spoke on the topic of “Contrasts: The Value of Being Different,” based on his recent book. He challenged attendees to be different in the midst of a society that values decadence by standing firm in Christ-centered principles and purpose.

Liván Quintana, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Vida en Cristo in Nassau Bay, led another workshop on restoring pastoral integrity. He challenged pastors to raise their standard of integrity and become aware of their need for accountability.

The workshops for women were led by Inés Pacas, speaking on the theme of “Keeping the testimony,” and Karina Vázquez, who spoke about “A life with purpose.”

The Spanish session culminated with an interview with Esteban Vazquez, Spanish associate pastor of Champion Forest, during the lunch break. Arriola led the interview, which was characterized by a time of inspiring testimonies of how God works to fulfill His plan.

“If you want to run fast, run alone,” Arriola said, “but if you want to go far, go together. Let’s keep giving Christ to His church.”

AM24: ‘On mission together’: Panelists talk about importance of connections

HOUSTON—A capacity crowd of 450 filled Sagemont Church’s Student Building Worship Center on Tuesday, Nov. 12, to hear four pastors speak about the challenges of ministry during the President’s Lunch Panel held each year at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting.

The panel was moderated by SBTC President Danny Forshee, lead pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin. It consisted of Gregg Matte, senior pastor of Houston’s First Baptist; Jason Crandall, lead pastor of CityView Church in Pearland; Joe Ogletree, lead pastor of Image Church of Cypress; and Levi Skipper, lead pastor of Sagemont Church. Ogletree and Crandall planted their churches, while Matte just celebrated two decades at Houston’s First. Skipper was called to Sagemont earlier this year.

The need for pastors to connect and encourage one another was discussed at length. Forshee began by reading a social media post by Champion Forest Senior Pastor Jarrett Stephens congratulating Matte on 20 years at Houston’s First.

“It was awesome,” Matte said, noting the love shown by the church and also by fellow pastors like Stephens. When contemplating the next 20 years of ministry, Matte said he couldn’t imagine doing it without the support and friendship of fellow pastors.

“We talk, we hang out. Levi [Skipper] and I are part of a group that meets quarterly,” he said.

Forshee praised Crandall for his “heart for planting churches and reaching people” and asked him about the importance for planters to have strong relationships and receive encouragement from other pastors.

“It is vital,” Crandall said. “We can’t do this alone. We can’t be on mission together [yet] alone. It just doesn’t work. … Planters desperately need relationships. They need to know that they are loved, cared for, prayed for.”

Forshee commended Ogletree on the disciple-making emphasis at Image Church, a plant in the Fairfield neighborhood of northwest Houston. Ogletree, who is bivocational, admitted opportunities to connect with other pastors can be rare.

“At this season, [relationships] are not about the quantity but the quality,” Ogletree said. Even so, he stressed the importance of finding a few people with whom “you can talk about life” and said encouraging texts always seem to come at the right time.

“If you don’t have people in your life, you’ve got to get them,” Skipper said. “Jesus had them. Paul had them. All of us need people in our lives who are strong encouragers.”

Offering a personal illustration of the importance of having people to come alongside, Forshee told of the near loss of his unborn son 32 years ago. “I don’t remember much about that night,” he said, but he vividly recalls the two men who sat with him in the hospital as his son received a risky and, at the time, rare in utero blood transfusion.

“God works when we are vulnerable,” Ogletree added. “The enemy works through shame.” He said he answers honestly when asked how he is. “Be vulnerable,” Ogletree urged.

The audience had questions, too, such as how to encourage yourself in the Lord when there’s nobody to come alongside you?

Crandall said he journals about things for which he is grateful, reflecting on Scripture and keeping a record of how God has acted in the past. Ogletree praised pastors’ wives and said his wife is a constant source of encouragement. Pastors’ wives, he said, “do not get enough credit.”

Panelists also emphasized the importance of rest—physical and emotional.

Regarding spiritual warfare, Ogletree cautioned pastors to maintain awareness of the devil’s schemes, to learn to prioritize, and to avoid distraction.

“I have to get Scripture in my heart first,” Crandall said. Matte described his routine of sermon preparation in which, before Sunday, he places his sermon notes on a prayer bench at home in a symbolic offering to the Lord.

Forshee urged pastors to not forsake personal time with the Lord.

“Suit up. Resist the devil. Put on the full armor of God,” he said.

Nathan Lorick, SBTC’s executive director, closed the meeting in prayer and offered a final word of encouragement.

“We are in this together,” Lorick said, “side by side.”

Nueva Vida en Dallas continúa haciendo valiosas inversiones del evangelio a través de colaboración en México y más allá

Dando, Yendo y Enviando

DALLAS—Cuando Vicente Acosta habla, la gente de Motho—un pequeño pueblo en el estado de Hidalgo, México—escucha.

Acosta es un líder respetado en Motho, una pequeña ciudad (con una población de unas 350 personas) de mayoría católica. Hubo un tiempo en que utilizó su influencia para impedir que se predicara el evangelio en su pueblo, ya que se oponía firmemente a que los cristianos vinieran a difundir algo que pudiera oponerse a su religión católica.

Pero eso era antes. Las cosas para Acosta—y para Motho—han cambiado.

“Yo me oponía a que vinieran a mi pueblo a predicar el evangelio”, dijo Acosta, “pero ahora que he entregado mi vida a Cristo, tengo la misión de llevar el evangelio en mi pueblo”.

Hace tres años, Acosta unió fuerzas con la Primera Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida de Dallas para dar a conocer el nombre de Jesús en Motho. El verano pasado, Nueva Vida realizó un viaje misionero a Motho, impulsando un avance evangelístico que ha estado sucediendo desde hace varios años.

Nuevo compromiso, Nueva Vida

A la edad de 18 años, Acosta comenzó a viajar a los Estados Unidos para trabajar durante la temporada de calor antes de regresar a casa con su familia en México. Muchas personas compartieron el evangelio con él durante esos años, lo que poco a poco fue ablandando su corazón y le llevó a aceptar a Cristo. Era algo por lo que su esposa, Marisela, había estado orando desde que se casaron.

Acosta empezó a asistir a una pequeña iglesia que se reunía en una casa cada vez que venía a Estados Unidos, pero en el 1999, esa iglesia dejó de existir. Ese mismo año, estaba trabajando en una casa cuando un vecino hispano le invitó a la Iglesia Nueva Vida de Dallas. Allí, Acosta volvió a dedicar su vida al Señor, fue bautizado y se comprometió a hacer todo lo que Dios le llamara a hacer.

Una de las cosas en el corazón de Acosta era llevar el evangelio a su gente en Motho. Así que se acercó a los líderes de Nueva Vida para compartir su corazón por su ciudad natal. Juntos, empezaron a orar sobre la manera de hacer trabajo misionero en Motho.

Una de las principales formas en que se sintieron guiados a hacerlo fue a través de la plantación de una iglesia, Misión Bautista Nueva Vida, llamada así en honor al apoyo y la asociación con Nueva Vida de Dallas. El verano pasado marcó el tercer año en que Nueva Vida de Dallas ha enviado un equipo a México para ayudar a la misión a extender el alcance del evangelio en Motho.

Nueva Vida se unió a esta misión para promover el trabajo que ya se está haciendo en Motho a través de la formación, la educación y la evangelización. La misión tiene un pastor interino, Agustín Velásquez, que predica allí una vez a la semana, y la iglesia se reúne en la casa de Acosta hasta que pueda encontrar un lugar permanente.

Irónicamente, no es la primera vez que Velásquez y Acosta se cruzan. Velásquez enseñó durante un tiempo en un seminario local y enviaba estudiantes a evangelizar a Motho, esfuerzos que a menudo se veían frustrados por Acosta.

Ahora Acosta aprovecha cualquier oportunidad para difundir el evangelio. Durante el viaje misionero, organizó una fiesta de cumpleaños para su nieta, alquilando una carpa, proporcionando comida e invitando a la comunidad. Se presentaron unas 200 personas y, en medio de la celebración, escucharon el evangelio.

No sólo dar, sino enviar

El pastor principal de Nueva Vida de Dallas, Nelson Fonseca, predicó varias veces durante el viaje misionero y, junto con el líder del viaje, Oscar Sáenz, enseñó a los miembros de la misión en Motho a compartir el evangelio. La iglesia también celebró una escuela bíblica de vacaciones e invitaron a niños y familias de toda la ciudad.

“A diferencia de otros viajes misioneros en los que he tenido la oportunidad de participar, pudimos experimentar un mover de Dios especial en la calle al tener conversaciones espirituales con propósito”, dijo Fonseca, también señalando que los niños estaban especialmente llenos de alegría después de ver decoraciones vibrantes y materiales que les enseñaban acerca de Jesús durante varios eventos. “Se proclamó el evangelio y pudimos compartir el amor de Cristo con los más pequeños”.

Dios está obrando con poder entre los niños de Motho, dijo Sáenz. Un día durante el viaje, dijo que Fonseca preguntó a un grupo de niños si alguno se sentía llamado a servir a Dios o incluso a ser pastor algún día. Un niño se levantó con valentía y dijo que se sentía llamado a servir a Dios.

Nueva Vida de Dallas está haciendo grandes inversiones en el evangelio, no sólo en lugares como Motho, sino también en las personas. La iglesia apoya a misioneros y plantadores de iglesias en lugares como Dallas y Arlington, en países como Nicaragua, y a través de México en lugares como Durango, Actopan, e Ixmiquilpan.

“No sólo creemos en dar”, dijo Fonseca, “sino que también enviamos y oramos por ellos y sus familias todos los días en nuestra oración de la mañana”.

Sáenz, quien dirigió el ministerio de solteros en Nueva Vida, además de servir en funciones de enseñanza y discipulado, dijo que ahora se siente llamado por Dios para servir en la evangelización.

“Hay que ser fieles al llamado de Dios”, dijo Sáenz. “Habrá persecución en muchos lugares, pero no hay que enfocarse en eso, si no en el impacto que Dios va a hacer.”

5 minutes with Sharonda Cooper

Sharonda Cooper is a Bible teacher whose passion is evangelism. With degrees in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she is now working toward an M.Div. in apologetics and philosophy from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition to her work for a Christian non-profit, Cooper is a workshop leader, fitness instructor, and author who has contributed to Fruitful: Cultivating a Spiritual Harvest That Won’t Leave You Empty and Unto Us: 25 Advent Devotions About the Messiah. She has served on the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee and is currently the convention secretary. Cooper is a wife, mom, and active member of Emmaus Church in Georgetown, where she enjoys serving on the praise team.

What victory has your church been able to celebrate lately?

One huge victory is Sports Camp, which we run every summer. We had a record number of children—185—from the area attend in 2024. Response from the community was positive. Lots of parents want their children to participate in church activities over the summer. At Sports Camp, kids receive a meal, solid Bible training, and select a sport and train in that sport all week. The theme this year was “None Greater,” where we taught kids about the attributes of God. Non-believing parents come to [a wrap-up] event. They get to hear the gospel as a pastor gets up, explains why we do this, and invites them to church. The whole church helps.

As a member of Emmaus Church, what’s one thing your congregation is praying will happen over the next year?

One thing we really desire is an elder who is older. We are a young church … a church plant. We also have young pastors. It’s wonderful. We are asking the Lord to send us a man who has been in ministry for many years with that wisdom and life experience.

Based on your experience as a curriculum writer, what’s the connection between one-on-one Bible study and evangelism?

After I married and moved to Texas … I was teaching a fitness class at an Austin gym and joined a conversation with participants who complained about having to go to church on Easter because they were Catholic. [Eventually] I asked one woman if she would like to start reading the Bible with me. Over the course of the next two years, we met off and on. At the end of the time, she came to faith. Now she is a Bible study leader. Her husband and children are saved. An entire family was transformed simply because God gave me the courage to start reading the Bible with a non-believer. Most people will agree to it if you’ll ask.

What’s one lesson you’ve learned to this point of your life and ministry you know you’ll never forget?

The easiest way to share the gospel with another person is through one-on-one Bible study. People need an encounter with the Word. They need to know the real Jesus, not the one they’ve seen depicted in the media.

How can other SBTC churches be praying for your church?

Pray that we would be mobilized to share the gospel with the lost in Georgetown, where over 60% would check “none” on a questionnaire about religion. Pray that we Christians at Emmaus will have compassion for the lost and find winsome ways to engage people who don’t have Christ on their radar.