Missions Foundation celebrates 30 years of making a difference  

DALLAS—The Texas Baptist Missions Foundation celebrated 30 years of encouraging giving to support missions and ministries with a luncheon held at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas.

Bill Pinson, former executive director for the Baptist General Convention of Texas.Bill Pinson, former executive director for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, described the time when the need to raise more funds first became apparent, and Texas Baptists developed what became the missions foundation.

In 1984, the BGCT launched the office that grew into the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation as a two-year experiment to raise funds beyond traditional sources to start churches as part of the Mission Texas emphasis, Pinson recalled.

In 30 years, the foundation has worked with more than 33,000 donors to support 250 mission projects throughout Texas and around the world.

David Hardage, current BGCT executive director, desribed the BGCT’s future as “challenging … uncertain … but an exciting adventure,” emphasizing the continued need for missions funding.

“God brought us to this place and is preparing us for what’s ahead. Join me in praying God will raise up a fresh spirit of generosity among Texas Baptists,” he said.

“It will take resources, and it will take you and me being good stewards of those resources.”

More than 160 missions foundation donors and friends attended the anniversary luncheon, where they heard beneficiaries of the foundation tell how funding has helped their ministries, churches and mission projects.

Ernest Baylor, a Dallas Baptist University graduate, described his experience working with Unlimited Partnerships and Cornerstone Baptist Church, a Dallas congregation in the inner-city area near Fair Park.

“What Texas Baptist Missions Foundation has done—not just for 30 years but 10,950 days—is contribute to students looking to make a difference in their communities,” he said.

Contributions from the missions foundation help Unlimited Partnerships connect college students with churches and universities to respond to the call of Christ, he explained.

Jay Lawson from Texoma Cowboy Church in Wichita Falls said gifts made possible through the missions foundation help Texans attracted to the western culture find a church home.

“The appeal of the cowboy church—whether it’s romantic in nature because of cowboy life, the music or the atmosphere—reaches those people that would not come to church for any other reason,” Lawson said.

Ernest BaylorAdditional video and in-person testimonials from Baptist Student Ministries, the Bounce program to involve students in disaster recovery, Texas Baptist Men, Vietnamese Baptist Church in Garland and others gave donors insights into how gifts continue to make a difference.

Bill Arnold, president of the missions foundation, said donations have and are continuing to fulfill the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation’s purpose: To the glory of God, develop innovative partnerships with people who want to use their resources to change the world.

“By keeping our focus on the cross, we’re going to be able to stay true to our purpose,” Arnold said.

Three things have helped guide the missions foundation in the past and will help guide it in the future—clear mission, a clear focus and freedom to support new ministries, he said.

“The funds given to the missions foundation are God-directed before we even get them,” Arnold said. “When we couple (the donations) with prayer, resources, ministry skills and God’s timing, then we get about our goal of making a difference for God’s kingdom.”

The missions foundation also introduced 30 Ways $1,000 Can Make a Difference, a booklet highlighting specific giving opportunities. To download the booklet and learn more about the missions foundation, visit texasbaptists.org/tbmf.