TOGETHER: Together, Texas Baptists touch lives

June 22, 2007

Posted: 6/22/07

TOGETHER:
Together, Texas Baptists touch lives

Here’s a potpourri of reasons to rejoice in the ministries we are able to do together as Texas Baptists:

• Camps. Each year, between 6,000 and 7,000 older children and youth are saved on the 31 campgrounds that relate to our convention. Pray for all those who administer the camps and all the church leaders who go as sponsors.

wademug
Executive Director
BGCT Executive Board

An exciting development over the last five years has been the camp program for Asian young people sponsored by our intercultural ministry. This year’s camp was the largest, with 240 campers, sponsors and staff attending. All the recreation and media staff were Asian-American young people who have been “raised up” in the previous years of camp. There were seven professions of faith, 19 rededications and 10 commitments to full-time ministry.

For the first time, we had an African camp. Forty students and sponsors from Nigeria and Kenya participated. There were six professions of faith, several rededications and at least one commitment to vocational ministry.

• Disaster relief. Whenever I hear that a flood, fire, tornado or hurricane has touched communities in Texas, I breathe a prayer of gratitude for the thousands of Texas Baptists who are prepared to go at a moment’s notice to serve in affected areas.

Haltom City, Gainesville and Sherman have experienced flooding and loss of lives in recent days. Texas Baptist Men volunteers were there. First were the victims relief chaplains, then the feeding and shower units.

Congregational Strategist Richard Mangum spent three days with the pastors and churches helping to assess damages, encouraging cooperation, being a shoulder of support and praying. Our pastors in the area have reached out to encourage cooperation with the other churches in town, so the unity we have in Christ can soften and bless the hearts of the people.

You can send donations through the BGCT to provide help for those who have lost so much and to replenish the funds that make it possible for TBM to be there immediately and for our strategists to offer help to families and churches in their time of need. Your generosity has become a powerful witness to Texans that Texas Baptists will be there whatever the need.

• Breckenridge Village. I wish you could have been present. We crowded the chapel at Breckenridge Village in Tyler to celebrate the raising of sufficient funds to retire the debt incurred in building the beautiful facilities to serve the special-needs adults who live there.

When one of the residents stood to sing, “Thank you for giving to the Lord,” and another signed the words, you would have trembled inside for the privilege of being a part of this unselfish, sacrificial, Jesus kind of ministry.

Texas Baptists can praise the Lord for the wonderful people who work there with such love and devotion. My deep appreciation goes to Baptist Child & Family Services, which has worked to make this dream possible, and to all of the churches and individuals who have helped make the vision real.

We are loved.

Charles Wade is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.

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