Posted: 6/11/04
Church starts in Belton, San Antonio
get boost from CBF, BGCT, local associations
By Craig Bird
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
DALLAS–Two innovative church-starting efforts in Texas recently got a $60,000 boost from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
A weeks-old congregation promoting itself as “a unique Baptist experience” in Belton received $10,000, and a church launch effort in the late stages of planning in San Antonio received $50,000.
“These are just two more opportunities God has given us to join with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and with local associations in planting strategic churches,” said Phil Hester, the Fellowship's associate coordinator for church starts. “We are excited to be able to partner in this way.”
The San Antonio project was sparked by the San Antonio Baptist Association, which approached the BGCT Church Multiplication Center with the need.
Hester conducted a focus-group study to identify the prime location–a booming area in the northwest part of the city.
“This church's evangelism focus will be among the professional, English-speaking Hispanics,” said Abe Zabaneh, director of the Church Multiplication Center.
“We have done a few other plants like this, including Northwest Baptist Church in San Antonio.”
The BGCT has invested $50,000 in the project.
Hope Community Church in Belton held its first service the Sunday after Easter. The 66 who attended included numerous “boosters” from other congregations, according to Pastor Mike Bergman. The next two Sundays, attendance leveled off to a core group of 35.
The church will be built around small groups heading up various ministries, such as global outreach, resource management, students and discipleship.
Some of the grant from the Fellowship helped fund a pilot program to train small groups with Lifetogether Ministries, an organization dedicated to launching and sustaining a healthy small-group movement in churches of all denominations across the country and around the world.
The BGCT earlier made a $10,000 grant to the church, in addition to providing monthly support.
Bell Baptist Association also provides monthly support.
Hope Community Church just signed a contract to purchase a 10-acre tract of land in a prime location.
The BGCT Church Multiplication Center is expected to provide funds to underwrite part of that expense.
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