The Texas Baptist Missions Foundation announced July 30 the Mabee Foundation has awarded a $1.3 million Challenge Grant toward the construction of the new Baptist Student Ministry Center at Baylor University.

“This Mabee Challenge Grant is a strong endorsement of the BSM Center at Baylor project,” said Jerry Carlisle, president of the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation.

“Over the past 75 years, the Mabee Foundation has made strategic grants totaling over $1.5 billion for impactful buildings. Their process encourages increased generosity in every project,” Carlisle said. “We are grateful to partner with this kingdom-focused organization.”

Will Bowden, director of the Baylor BSM, said God is at work on the university campus.

“BSM at Baylor already engages over 6,000 students each year. This new 12,000 square-foot Baptist Student Ministry Center will give us room for incredible growth,” Bowden said. “The center will serve as a home for campus ministry to raise up student leaders who can articulate their Christian faith and be sent out to make a global impact for the gospel.”

Baylor University conveyed to Texas Baptists the deed for a one-acre parcel of land at the intersection of 4th Street and Daughtrey Avenue during an April ceremony in Waco. In keeping with a 2023 agreement, that transfer was initiated once the $3 million fundraising goal was reached.

Carlisle noted the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation has raised $3.253 million of the $7 million needed to construct the new center. To receive the Mabee Challenge Grant, an additional $2.447 million must be given or pledged within the next 11 months.

“The entire project depends upon the generosity of God’s people,” Carlisle said.

He urged those connected to the university and the BSM to consider participating “prayerfully and financially” in the days to come.

Once the $7 million cost of construction is met, the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation intends to raise a $2 million endowment fund to operate the building.

To learn more and make a gift, visit baylorbsm.com/bsm-building.

Texas Baptist Student Ministry engages 1.6 million Texas college students to follow Christ and transform the world. Texas BSM currently has a presence on 130 campuses around the state.

Headquartered in Midland, the Mabee Foundation has helped fund new construction and building renovations for nonprofit organizations since 1948. It funds projects in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.

Camp Fusion might look like any other summer camp to the casual observer. But there is more going on than meets the eye.

Mark Heavener, director of intercultural ministries in Texas Baptists’ Center for Cultural Engagement, built Camp Fusion on two pillars—spiritual formation and leadership experience. After 15 years, he is proud to see his efforts bearing good fruit for the international and intercultural churches he serves.

This year, 350 campers from 30 churches and 15 cultures attended Camp Fusion, which since its inception has been held at Latham Springs Camp and Retreat Center southwest of Hillsboro.

Camp Fusion is open to youth who have finished sixth through 12th grades. The leadership experience is designed for all ages.

“No one is left out,” Heavener said.

As an example, a member of the security team took under his wing a youth who struggled with social interactions when he arrived at camp this year. The team member gave the youth a security vest and a job, and within a day, the youth was interacting well with dozens of other campers.

In addition to the security team, Camp Fusion leadership includes a media team, rec team, adult sponsors and Camp Fusion counselors, or CFCs. Each group is populated by young adults—by design. In fact, these young adults—who usually were campers themselves—may have just graduated from high school. They often become leaders in their churches, also.

Becoming church leaders

Chris Sok gave his life to Christ in 2005 at the precursor to Camp Fusion. He had just graduated from high school and wanted to experience the same fun his friends had the year before.

Sok grew up the son of a pastor and knew about the Bible. When people at school asked him about Christianity, he said, “Oh, it’s just something my parents do.”

When the speaker said campers were lucky to get to go home and share with their friends who Jesus is, Sok was struck that he had missed so many opportunities to bring people “into the family of God,” eternity and hope. “What have I been doing with my life?” he wondered.

At that point, he committed to living for God and started serving his church. He returned to the camp the next year as an adult sponsor, was asked to serve as rec director in 2007 and eventually served in almost every leadership role possible at Camp Fusion. This year, Sok was the first camper to become camp speaker.

Sok, English pastor for West Houston Vietnamese Baptist Church, is one example among many of how Camp Fusion is raising new leaders for the church.

Leadership training

“Camp Fusion is our life,” not just one week of our lives, Lauren De La Calzada said.

De La Calzada, Camp Fusion rec director since 2020, was describing the time commitment leaders—who are almost exclusively young adults—make to Camp Fusion. As soon as camp ends, leaders begin preparing for the next year.

During a workshop on how to serve at Camp Fusion, De La Calzada, who started as a camper 11 years ago and joined the Camp Fusion core staff at age 19, and other leaders told campers interested in leading next year what to expect and how to prepare.

“These people become part of your life forever,” she said, explaining leaders hold regular Bible studies throughout the year to feed themselves spiritually in preparation for camp the following summer.

Youth who want to serve on the rec team or as a Camp Fusion counselor should expect weekly meetings by Zoom lasting two to three hours each. The meetings also are late in the evening to accommodate college, work and young family schedules. Monthly in-person meetings are held in Houston and Dallas.

Serving as a Camp Fusion counselor is a journey of making friends among brothers and sisters in Christ, Kurt Suello said. Camp Fusion counselors “build a community of godly people who give praise to God and support each other,” he added.

“We like to foster the growth of our leaders,” partnering new and younger leaders with older and more experienced leaders, Daniel Dipasupil, Camp Fusion counselor coordinator, said. Older leaders often are one or two years older.

Prospective leaders need to be aware of their weaknesses, because those are the areas veteran leaders will focus training and development. Leaders also are trained how to deal with disrespect, discouragement and spiritual warfare, and taught how to pay attention to people’s skills and aptitudes, energy levels, and facial expressions and other nonverbal cues.

Perspectives on Camp Fusion

Danny Aguinaldo, Camp Fusion assistant director, sees the intentional effort to find youth with leadership potential and to develop them as “the beautiful thing about Camp Fusion.”

“We’re able to … put them into our volunteer team, where we’re able to disciple them and be able to cultivate those skills” they can take home and to their home churches, Aguinaldo said. They’re “able to lead ministries … serve well [and] deal with conflicts,” he added.

A lot of the campers are second-generation immigrants, Aguinaldo noted. They’re navigating through life with a confusing identity: “My parents are African or Asian. I am that culture also, but I’m also American now.” Camp Fusion teaches they have a more encompassing identity in God’s kingdom.

Zach, a fourth-year camper who attended the leadership workshop, said he fell in love with Camp Fusion the first time he attended and comes back for the community and time away from distractions from focusing on God.

This year, Zach learned if you want a fire to grow and burn, you can’t just put twigs in it. You have to add logs. Spiritual growth and one’s relationship with God requires God’s word, he said. After being poured into by others and seeing the example of one of his friends serving as a Camp Fusion counselor this year, Zach wants to give back and serve next year.

Camp Fusion history

In response to requests from Texas Baptist Filipino pastors, the first Asian youth camp was held in 2003 and called Take Out Youth Camp. Soon after, Texas Baptist African churches requested a camp for their youth, leading to two separate camps—one for Asian youth and one for African youth. The last of these camps was in 2009.

Financing and staffing two camps were unsustainable. Texas Baptists Intercultural Ministries started holding combined youth events. In time, Heavener and Asian and African pastors saw positive results of the combined events and started Camp Fusion in 2010.

Most campers still come from Asian and African Texas Baptist churches, though the Brazilian American Baptist Church in Plano has sent youth in recent years.

During its annual July retreat, the Baylor University board of regents adopted a task force recommendation to make the board more representative of Baylor’s personnel, student body and expanded motto. The change comes in response to changing denominational demographics and the need to recruit the most qualified Christian leaders.

Regents expanded the university’s motto in May to “Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo.”

Baylor regents voted to lower the percentage of board members from Baptist churches from 75 percent to 67 percent. Baylor will continue “to be governed by a majority Baptist and entirely Christian board,” a July 29 memo to Baylor faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents and friends stated.

Regents “shared this change with Texas Baptist leaders and select pastors across the state, and they understand the rationale behind the change and remain supportive of the University and its continued role in Baptist higher education,” the memo explains.

The last time Baylor regents lowered the percentage of Baptists on its board happened in 2011. Up to that point, Baptists comprised 100 percent of Baylor regents. That percentage was changed in 2011 to 75 percent Baptist and 25 percent other Christians.

On July 29, regents also approved incorporating “other Christian leaders, including from outside Texas and internationally, given Baylor’s worldwide impact as a Research 1 university.”

Of the 33 current regents, only one—Paula Hurd of Atherton, Calif.—is outside Texas. She and her late husband Mark provided the lead gift for Baylor’s Give Light campaign, funding Baylor’s Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center that opened in September 2023.

Rationale for change

Baylor’s current Governance Review Task Force—as part of a regular five-year governance review—recommended changes to board size, structure, practices and policies “to help ensure the long-term viability and optimal effectiveness of the board and Baylor University,” according to a Baylor board of regents fact sheet.

The regents’ memo cited continuing change in the demographics within Protestant Christianity—and particularly among Baptists. Regents gave the same rationale in 2011.

“More than 20 percent of Baylor’s undergraduate students identify as non-denominational, followed by 19 percent Baptist and 16 percent Catholic,” the memo stated.

“Out of Baylor’s 14,401 undergraduate students enrolled for the Spring 2024 semester, 2,961 students identified as non-denominational (20.6 percent), 2,736 as Baptist (19.0 percent), and 2,313 as Catholic (16.1 percent). The balance of students represents a wide variety of denominational, religious and even non-faith backgrounds,” according to the fact sheet.

The memo and fact sheet also note declines in membership and number of churches within the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. Baylor relates to the BGCT by special agreement.

In addition to making the board more representative, the change in board make-up increases the “flexibility to incorporate other Christian leaders, including from outside Texas and internationally given Baylor’s worldwide impact as a Research 1 university,” according to the memo.

“This change permits the Board to recruit from a broader pool of highly qualified Christian leaders to serve as Regents and continues the progress made to date toward a Board that is as broadly experienced and diverse as its student, faculty and staff populations,” the fact sheet explains.

In other business

Regents also reduced the number of vice chairs from three to one, reviewed the authority of the board’s executive committee to strike an appropriate balance between items reserved for full board and items able to be delegated to the executive committee, and recommended keeping the number of regents between 24 and 35.

Four new regents announced in May were welcomed during the board’s July meeting: Andrew Arterbury, faculty regent and professor of Christian Scriptures in Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary; Kyle Deaver, Baylor Law School graduate and Waco attorney; Charles Williams, at-large regent and president of Baylor Scott & White DFW-West Region and Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center in Fort Worth; and Meghan Fletcher, student regent.

Of current regents, 29 of 33 (88 percent) “are either Baylor alumni, professors or current students.” Several are parents of current Baylor students.

Baylor University President Linda Livingstone also updated regents on the university’s admittance as a full member partner of the Baptist World Alliance during BWA’s 2024 annual gathering in Lagos, Nigeria. Livingstone noted the BGCT also is a full member partner of BWA.

BWA admitted Baylor as an associate member in 2022, “with the intent of seeking full membership once educational institutions were given access.” The first educational institutions —Dallas Baptist University and Howard Payne University—were given full membership during the 2023 BWA annual gathering in Stavanger, Norway.

Baylor regents’ next regular meeting is scheduled for November 2024.

(RNS)—In the latest legal defeat for a Republican-led investigation of Catholic migrant shelters, a Hidalgo County judge on July 24 denied a request from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to depose a Catholic Charities leader in the Rio Grande Valley.

District Judge Bobby Flores denied the petition after lawyers for Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, one of the largest migrant shelters on the U.S.-Mexico border, argued the nonprofit already had cooperated with the investigation by providing more than 100 pages of documents.

The lawyers for Catholic Charities also argued the attorney general’s request imposed “a significant expenditure of resources” on the Catholic agency and its ability to exercise its faith.

“We hope that we can put this behind us and focus our efforts on protecting and upholding the sanctity and dignity of all human lives while following the law,” Sister Norma Pimentel, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley’s executive director, said in a statement.

Pimentel, a member of the Missionaries of Jesus, was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020 for her three decades of work with migrants.

Deposition demand timing

According to filings by both Paxton’s office and Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, the attorney general’s office sent a notice to the nonprofit on March 25 demanding a representative of Catholic Charities sit for a deposition.

March 25 was the first weekday of Holy Week, when Catholic schedules are packed with events commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Paxton’s office did not respond to a request for comment. In explaining his request for the deposition, Paxton’s office cited Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Dec. 2022 call for an investigation into the “role of NGOs in planning and facilitating the illegal transportation of illegal immigrants across our borders.”

Abbott, a Catholic, launched the multibillion-dollar initiative Operation Lone Star in 2021, shortly after President Joe Biden’s election, arguing the federal government was failing to protect the state’s border.

The operation deployed thousands of Texas soldiers at the border, where razor wire, pepper balls and patrols with guns and drones have been used to prevent migrants from crossing. Abbott’s office claims the operation is responsiblefor at least 516,300 migrant apprehensions and more than 45,300 criminal arrests.

Paxton’s office also cited a Feb. 2022 letter by Texas Republican Congressman Lance Gooden to Catholic Charities USA—the national membership organization Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley belongs to—that accuses the national Catholic nonprofit of fueling “illegal immigration by encouraging, transporting, and harboring aliens to come to, enter, or reside in the United States.”

Gooden’s letter is part of a broader far-right campaign targeting Catholic Charities agencies that has resulted in several agencies receiving threats.

Paxton often participates in legal action through the Republican Attorneys General Association, which has received millions in donations from the Concord Fund, a dark money fund linked to conservative Catholic legal activist Leonard Leo.

Catholics, like Americans more broadly, have split views on immigration. In a Dec. 2023 poll by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, 43 percent of Catholics said immigration should be decreased, while 23 percent said it should be increased and 34 percent said it should be kept at its present level.

Nineteen percent of Catholics said their Catholic faith “very much” informed their opinions about immigrants and refugees, and 35 percent answered it informed their opinions “somewhat.”

Responding to Paxton’s request to the court, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley’s lawyers said, “The Attorney General’s investigation of CCRGV is based solely on CCRGV’S religiously motivated provision of charitable services to asylum seekers, which do not violate any law.”

The nonprofit emphasized it cooperates closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and that all migrants it serves have been processed by the federal government.

In a back-and-forth after Paxton’s initial request, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley provided sworn testimony in addition to documents to the office, but the attorney general’s office continued to press for a deposition, calling some of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley’s answers “non-responsive and evasive.”

Saying Paxton’s office failed to provide any evidence or “even concrete factual allegations” that would show the benefit of the deposition would outweigh its burden even after the Catholic nonprofit’s “extensive cooperation with his overreaching inquiry,” Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley’s lawyers said Paxton’s request represented “a fishing expedition into a pond where no one has ever seen a fish.”

The attorney general’s filing says its office is investigating the possibility Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley is assisting migrants who have not been processed by U.S. Border Patrol, a legal violation the office said would have “a cause of action to strip CCRGV’s right to operate in the State of Texas.”

Annunciation House lawsuit

In February, about a month before Paxton’s office requested the deposition from Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, the office sued to attempt to revoke the nonprofit registration of another Catholic migrant shelter organization, Annunciation House in El Paso.

Annunciation House had sued the state and sought a restraining order after Paxton’s office demanded it quickly turn over documents about its operations, which would have included identifying information about the migrants it serves. Paxton’s office framed the attempt to shut down the network of migrant shelters as a “consequence” of that legal action.

El Paso District Court Judge Francisco Dominguez ruled Paxton had violated the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, as well as the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Dominguez said the Paxton office’s request for documents was “a pretext to justify its harassment of Annunciation House employees and the persons seeking refuge.”

Dylan Corbett, executive director of Hope Border Institute, a Catholic organization that supports migrants across the El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, border, called Paxton’s legal strategy a “troubling attack on religious liberty” and part of a broader “escalation in the campaign of state leadership—not only to criminalize those who migrate but now to go after those who living out our faith seek to offer a compassionate response to those who migrate.”

Now that judges have ruled Paxton “out of bounds” in both El Paso and Hidalgo County, Corbett urged the state to “desist in its attack on what is actually working at the border and pivot to real, humane solutions that work for our state, our border communities and those who migrate.”

In Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley’s statement after Flores’ decision, the organization wrote: “A deposition would have been a waste of time, distracting CCRGV from its work serving all residents of the Rio Grande Valley.”

The nonprofit previously had written in its legal filing that Paxton’s inquiry was harming the individuals Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley serve by taking away resources to serve them.

The Catholic organization houses about 1,000 migrants a week, sometimes soaring to 2,000 women and children at once, who usually stay only a few days before moving on. In addition to migrants, the charity aids homeless people, veterans, people impacted by natural disasters, children who do not have access to school lunch during the summer and more.

“CCRGV will always strive to fulfill its legal obligations while continuing to steadfastly pursue its mission, inspired by Sacred Scripture and the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church: ‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,’” the organization wrote in a statement, citing Matthew 25:35.

STCH Ministries houseparents are on the frontlines of ministry daily, serving children who need a place to call home.

Many of the ministry’s houseparents initially felt called to serve children in another way. For some, it was as a teacher or a bus driver. For others, it was as foster families or pastors. However, for all of them, God eventually called their hearts to minister in a specific way—as houseparents caring for the children who call Boothe Campus home.

A little over 30 years ago, Mark and Becky Martin were unsure what God had in store for their family next. Mark had become disillusioned with working for Shell Oil Company, so he was becoming more open to God’s call.

The Martins stumbled across an ad in the Baptist Standard for STCH Ministries, expressing a need for houseparents. Shortly after, Becky attended a ladies’ conference in West Texas where two of the speakers at the conference were from STCH Ministries. Becky began to sense God’s calling and went home to tell Mark.

Sensing the call

Mark was not as receptive to the idea initially. “Miraculously, I was able to remain silent as God revealed the calling to Mark,” Becky said.

She did not want to pressure him, but she continued to feel the pull toward this type of ministry.

Every message they heard from multiple pastors in multiple churches all spoke of children in need—at least in the Martins’ eyes—which they understood as the Lord revealing his plan to them, Becky said.

Mark suffered a crisis of faith, because he did not want to become a houseparent, but Becky stayed steadfast in her pursuit of the Lord’s direction.

Over time, Mark’s heart opened to the idea of becoming a houseparent. He clung to the story of Jonah as he started to surrender to God’s will for their lives.

Slowly, every obstacle began to break, opening their path toward STCH Ministries. Both the Martins became joyously aware this was God’s plan for them. In August 1994, they moved to Boothe Campus.

Upon arriving, the Martins moved into Dimmick Cottage with their two biological sons, Caleb (7) and Jacob (5). They were anxiously excited about this new opportunity and went in with open minds.

Over the years, they have seen many children come and go from Dimmick Cottage where they have stayed throughout their 30 years of ministry. They watched as their sons grew up interacting with the boys in their cottage. Jacob is now on staff with STCH Ministries, serving as the social services director for Homes for Children.

Houseparent rewards

The Martins reflected on the most rewarding parts of being houseparents and how it impacts not just themselves, but the lives of those they serve.

“One of the most rewarding parts of being a houseparent is hearing from some of our ex-students about how their lives are now,” Becky said.

“It’s extra special to see them committed to being the best parents they can be, to know that their time at STCH Ministries is now something they can remember as a positive chapter that brought healing and growth.”

Mark included: “Seeing the families they are building trying to break the cycle that led to them being placed in care is special. It is also always interesting to hear what kind of memories they have of the time they spent here.”

When asked what being a houseparent means they shared, “It has always meant being an example, modeling a lifestyle that is centered on Christ.

“As older houseparents, I love the idea that we’re demonstrating what it looks like to stick with relationships even when it’s not easy—to stick with a job, stick with a marriage and to stick with Jesus through all that life brings your way. They see plenty of examples of disposable relationships. This isn’t that,” Becky continued.

Long-term call

When the Martins initially came to STCH Ministries Homes for Children, they did not know how long they would be staying. They shared their biggest prayer since before coming has been “that God would make it clear when it is time for us to go, just as he did that it was time for us to come.”

STCH Ministries has been blessed by the Martins’ dedication over the last 30 years, but not nearly as blessed as the children they have cared for.

They are the ones whose graduations, baptisms and weddings the Martins have attended—the ones who return for holidays or special occasions and whose lives were shaped deeply by the love and dedication they received while at Homes for Children.

“I am grateful to Mark and Becky for faithfully following their calling on the Boothe campus since 1994, providing loving care for children where they can thrive,” said Greg Huskey, vice president of campus ministries.

“If you feel called to serve as a houseparent at STCH Ministries Homes for Children, we would love to talk to you,” Huskey continued. Visit https://www.stchm.org for more information or to apply.

Sergio Ramos will join Texas Baptists to further develop and direct the emerging network of Great Commission and Great Commandment, or GC2, churches and ministries in Texas and beyond.

At the May meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board, Executive Director Julio Guarneri asked the board to affirm the intention to give this initiative a clearer definition and structure.

“As part of this process, an executive director’s appointed task force was affirmed by the board to engage in giving shape to the network. Additionally, the board affirmed the hiring of a staff member to direct this process,” Guarneri said in his weekly update to Texas Baptists.

These actions were needed in light of increasing inquiries from out-of-state churches, Guarneri explained at the May meeting.

The recommendation passed also allowed for a new staff position to explore ways to add structure to the movement.

In his new role, Ramos will develop and implement a plan to build a network of churches and ministries in North America to connect and collaborate on kingdom projects.

He also will serve as a liaison for pastors and leaders within and outside of Texas “who are interested in collaborating on mission projects, such as church starting, in North America and around the world. The director will engage pastors and church leaders in the various ministry and mission opportunities offered by the BGCT and encourage them to financially support the work of the BGCT and/or specific GC2 projects,” Guarneri also noted in his weekly update.

Called to serve

Ramos, who will assume his new role on Sept. 1, said he is looking forward to fulfilling his simple call to serve by relating to like-minded ministry leaders through Texas Baptists.

“I have always been, as a minister, someone that has done his diligence in every area that the Lord allows me to be a part of, to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. But I truly believe that for us to do that, we need to establish a greater collaboration, and that deals with intentional relationships,” said Ramos. “So, what excites me is how we can connect all the pieces together to genuinely fulfill the Great Commission.”

Before joining Texas Baptists, Ramos served at Buckner International for 16 years, holding 12 different positions during his tenure, including regional director for international operations in Russia, Albania, Peru, Dominican Republic and Honduras, and director of executive initiatives. He concluded his time at Buckner International as the church engagement, institution and denomination initiatives director.

Ramos is a product of Texas Baptist schools. He graduated from Valley Baptist Academy in Harlingen, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from East Texas Baptist University, a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a second master’s degree in leadership from Dallas Baptist University. He is working to complete his doctorate in cross-cultural competency from Southwestern Seminary.

Ramos’ strengths

Guarneri praised Ramos’ extensive ministry service, skillset and cross-cultural capacity.

“Brother Ramos brings a wealth of experience as a local church pastor, having served multiple churches in various pastoral roles. He also served in a strategic way on staff with Tarrant Baptist Association, as a key personnel member for Worldconnex, and most recently as church engagement, denominations and institutions leader with Buckner International,” Guarneri said.

“Sergio possesses natural gifts and skills in interpersonal relationships, networking and developing strategic partnerships. Having worked internationally and cross-culturally, Sergio Ramos is competent in relating to leaders and churches of various cultural backgrounds and with national leaders in various countries.”

As he begins his service, Ramos will work closely with the GC2 Study Group to clarify Texas Baptists’ relationship with more than 70 churches outside the state’s boundaries, explore how future GC2 churches and ministries will relate to the BGCT, and develop a user-friendly onramp for more like-minded churches and ministries to join.

“It’s exciting to be a part of an organization that I’m a product of,” said Ramos. “I feel like I’m coming home.”

DALLAS (RNS)—After the fire that all but destroyed the historic chapel at First Baptist Dallas on July 19, senior pastor Robert Jeffress promised congregants the church will rebuild.

“It’s not the building, it’s what that building represents. It represented the bedrock foundation of God’s word that never changes,” said the megachurch’s leader since 2007 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center at First Baptist’s Sunday service.

While the fire did not damage the church’s primary modern worship space, the six blocks of the campus remained blocked Sunday morning for first responders. Executive Pastor Ben Lovvorn said Tuesday the church campus will remain closed all week, but teams are currently “making great, great progress” to reopen the worship space for services on Sunday. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.

The damage to the historic sanctuary is extensive with a collapsed roof. The church still awaits repair estimates and expects insurance to cover the expense. Jeffress pledged to “rebuild and re-create that sanctuary as a standing symbol of truth.”

The commitment to rebuilding is no surprise. The 134-year-old two-story red brick Victorian chapel symbolizes the church’s relationship with the city and has become a point of pride for congregants and preservationists alike. Jeffress’ commitment echoes previous leaders who have helped the church grow into one of the largest Southern Baptist churches in the country, now boasting 16,000 members.

FBC Dallas history

The church was founded in 1868. Its 11 members initially worshipped in a nearby Mason Hall. According to the state historic marker at the site, an aggressive fundraising campaign “financed by weaving rugs, making hominy, preserves, and cheese to sell at fairs” eventually led them to build a one-room frame structure.

The current chapel opened in 1890 on the same site. It was designed by Albert Ullrich, a Presbyterian architect who lived in Dallas before moving to New York. It was a notable presence in the growing downtown, along with the red brick county courthouse, which opened in 1892. Eventually the chapel expanded to seat up to 3,000 people.

Dallas, like many cities in the mid-20th century, preferred tearing down older buildings to preserving them. But longtime pastors preceding Jeffress, George W. Truett and W.A. Criswell, who each served for 47 years, knew they could expand their downtown footprint while preserving the chapel.

At the church’s 75th anniversary celebration in 1943, a year before Truett died, a pamphlet declared its allegiance to downtown:

“There is a great work for our church yet to do. Every city needs a strong downtown church to keep the community church-minded. With the future growth of Dallas clearly assured, our church must meet the great challenge and carry on a large ministry to the people, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our divine head.”

Criswell, one of the architects of the Conservative Resurgence within the Southern Baptist Convention, oversaw the church’s massive downtown expansion, now spanning six blocks.

“We are downtown because we choose to be downtown,” said Criswell, a two-time president of the SBC.

Under Criswell’s leadership, the church became one of the largest landowners downtown. While expanding its reach, Criswell orchestrated an ambitious and controversial plan for the denomination as leader of the Conservative Resurgence. He also led an expansion of ministries throughout the region.

Present ministry

A second, glass sanctuary and corporate-style campus opened in 2013. Its $135 million fundraising drive under Jeffress was the largest campaign in Protestant history.

Jeffress is, like his predecessors, an ambitious, controversial pastor and political leader. He is a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump and appears regularly on conservative talk shows.

Throughout the years Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Trump have visited the church. Gov. Greg Abbott spoke at the church in 2018 during a 150th anniversary celebration.

When talking about the chapel and the church’s decision to stay downtown, Jeffress told The Dallas Morning Newsin 2013 that staying downtown was part of its identity and ministry. This commitment is why, unlike other megachurches, it did not move to the suburbs.

“I believe the downtown area will be a source of ministry,” Jeffress said. “We want to attract the growing number of people living in both Uptown and downtown. But we will continue to draw people from the entire region.”

At Sunday’s service, Jeffress said architects told him any new modern facility “would be an architectural monstrosity.”

Mark Lamster, the News’ architecture critic, agreed. He described the Beck Group’s expansion in 2013 as “more befitting of a commercial office building than a center for divine transcendence.”

But on Sunday, Jeffress defended it. “It was a theological necessity because we were painting a picture to people throughout the community and world that, yes, methods change for sharing the gospel, media changes, but the message never changes. The message remains the same,” he said.

“And having that old Victorian style building right next to a building filled with glass and all the modern technologies is a reminder, was a constant reminder, that the truth of God’s word never, never changes.”

A Bounce student missions team was prepared to serve in Mora County, N.M., assisting with recovery efforts resulting from the 2022 Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire and post-fire floods. However, recent water contamination and flooding steered them to be a different community’s “answered prayer.”

Earlier this month, 100 middle school through college students were redirected to Claremore, Okla., to assist in relief efforts following tornadoes that blew through the community in June.

God opened up another door

Noah Doley, a high school senior at Faith Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, said the most important part of his Bounce experience was being able to adapt to the week’s changes along with his team.

“I think we were all kind of excited that God opened up another door for us,” Doley said. “We were just excited to help out the community of Claremore in any way we could.”

The students helped the community with disaster response tasks such as debris and tree removal.

David Scott, director of Bounce, said the students’ adaptability and hard work was encouraging to see as they served the community.

“The kids have worked really hard and had a really great attitude just stepping in and helping, assisting with the community,” Scott said. “Our approach has always been, ‘We’re going to do whatever the community needs,’ and that’s what they’re doing.”

Missional their entire life

Celebrating its 10th year as a ministry of Texas Baptists, Bounce offers student ministry leaders the opportunity to mobilize their middle school, high school and college students to engage in challenging mission service and inspiring times of worship.

Bounce’s strategy always has been to do things that are going to encourage students to be missional beyond the week, Scott said.

“As we like to say, we want them to ‘Bounce’ back home and find opportunities to be missional their entire life,” Scott said. “That’s why we do worship. Through our worship experience, we’re trying to help them understand the value of mission service to cultivate a love for missions and ministry in their life.”

Doing this to show God’s love

Riley Cooper, another high school senior at Faith Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, said her team was OK with all of the changes and were willing to be flexibile because they recognized their work was all for God’s glory and none of their own.

“We don’t think that just because we’re teenagers that we can’t help in all the ways that we could. We’re doing this for God and doing this to show God’s love,” Cooper said.

Bounce offers two types of mission opportunities for students: disaster recovery/community rehab and church planting.

Student disaster recovery/community rehab opportunities allow students to help rebuild communities and reflect Christ in areas impacted by disasters or where homes are in need of rehabilitation through hands-on construction mission projects.

Student church planting opportunities allow students to serve with church plants for significant ministry that not only assists church plants and planters, but also cultivates an appreciation and love for church planting in the lives of participants.

Students also receive training in sharing the gospel, and Scott said his hope is that they would come out of the week able to share with confidence.

Scott extended his gratitude to the Bounce supporters in Oklahoma who helped coordinate service projects for the students and to First Baptist Church of Inola for opening up their facilities to house students that assisted with recovery efforts.

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.

DALLAS (BP)—The historic sanctuary at First Baptist Church Dallas burned Friday evening, July 19. The cause of the blaze is not yet known. The Victorian-style, red brick sanctuary building was erected 1890 and is a recognized Texas Historic Landmark.

According to media reports, Dallas Fire and Rescue received a call at 6:05 p.m., Friday evening regarding a building on fire in downtown Dallas. Firefighters responded. Within 15 minutes of the first call, a second alarm was requested. Then around 7:30 p.m., the scene was upgraded to a three-alarm fire. A fourth alarm was called in around 8:15 p.m.

The Dallas Morning News reported that “more than 60 units were dispatched to respond to the structure fire.”

The church released a statement on X at 9:34 p.m. saying the primary fire was extinguished but firefighters were still working at the scene.

First Baptist Church Dallas has an indelible history within the Southern Baptist Convention having been pastored by former SBC presidents George W. Truett and W.A. Criswell. Currently led by Robert Jeffress, First Baptist Dallas reported a membership of nearly 16,000 in 2023. The church currently worships in a state-of-the-art facility, which opened in 2013, adjacent to the historic sanctuary.

Jeffress posted on X Friday night asking for prayers for the church saying: “We have experienced a fire in the Historic Sanctuary. To our knowledge, no one is hurt or injured, and we thank God for His protection. He is sovereign even in the most difficult times.”

The historic sanctuary was home to First Baptist Dallas’ contemporary service each week, called the Band-Led Service. There was a special VBS service scheduled for this Sunday, June 21. The church hosted its annual Vacation Bible School this week.

“We are grateful that no life has been lost that we know of even though we just had 2,000 children and volunteers on campus for Vacation Bible School earlier in the day,” Jeffress said in a statement to Baptist Press.

“As tragic as the loss of this old sanctuary is, we are grateful that the church is not bricks and wood but composed of over 16,000 people who are determined more than ever before to reach the world for the gospel of Christ.”

The church campus consists of multiple buildings across a six-block footprint in downtown Dallas. At this time, it is unknown if any other buildings were damaged in the fire.

The congregation held services at Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center July 21. In a Facebook post following the service, the church quoted Jeffress from a special address: “We are going to rebuild the sanctuary as a symbol of truth!”

FREEPORT—Ken Anderson “rode out Beryl” in his Jones Creek home south of Houston. “We got hit harder than anybody, I believe. Lots of damage. Thousands of trees down.”

One of those trees uprooted by Hurricane Beryl landed on Anderson’s home.

“We’ve got a massive tree that fell on the house and went all the way across,” said Texans on Mission volunteer John Weber.

“Fortunately, it did not destroy the house,” said Weber, leader of the San Antonio team and a member of Shearer Hills Baptist Church.

The team went to work July 15 gradually cutting back the massive tree. Seven members of Anderson’s family, including a baby, are living in the house because of power outages where the others live, Weber said.

Anderson praised the chainsaw team.

“This is a great set of guys,” he said, adding that he couldn’t do the work without them because of a recent heart attack. “I appreciate everything they’re doing here. We need all the help we can get.”

Weber noted people have needs and are unable to do the chainsaw work his team provides.

“We’re trained, and we feel like we need to deal with people’s spiritual needs and their physical needs,” he said. “And sometimes, you need to do the physical before you can get to the spiritual.”

Heat, humidity and mosquitoes dogged all Texans on Mission volunteers working in Brazoria County as they cut up fallen trees, provided temporary roofs, washed laundry and went door-to-door responding to requests for help after the storm.

First Baptist Church in Brazoria is the hub of Texans on Mission ministry south of Houston, which includes some of the hardest-hit areas in a hard-hit region.

As Anderson indicated, downed trees are everywhere. Texans on Mission chainsaw crews are prioritizing situations where trees are on houses or vehicles or blocking access to homes.

‘Delivering help, hope and healing in Christ’s name’

Texans on Mission chainsaw units will come and go over the next few weeks. On July 16, 10 teams worked, including ones from Mississippi and Tennessee, part of the broader effort through Southern Baptist disaster relief.

“The damage from Hurricane Beryl is severe and widespread,” said David Wells, disaster relief director for Texans on Mision. “This relief effort is a powerful picture of what it looks like when the body of Christ works together. We are delivering help, hope and healing in Christ’s name.”

The hurricane knocked out electricity to millions, leaving large portions of the region powerless for days. Without refrigeration and air conditioning, residents struggled to get food.

The Texans on Mission state feeding unit stepped up to the challenge. Waking up early in the morning, volunteers cooked more than 60,000 meals for Houstonians. They were distributed to 26 locations across the city, focusing on areas of particular need.

In conjunction with Texans on Mission, Sugar Land Baptist Church helped meet the needs of preschoolers across the city. The congregation put together roughly 3,500 sack lunches to distribute.

One of the meals was given to a woman who hadn’t eaten in two days. When she lost electricity, all the food in her refrigerator went bad. She’s elderly and doesn’t drive, so she was silently suffering.

“Christ cares about the suffering,” Wells said. “He commands his followers to meet needs and share God’s love with those who are hurting. That’s what the feeding team is doing.”

HOUSTON—The city is hot, and it’s not just the temperature. People are angry and frustrated.

Five days after Hurricane Beryl swept across southeast Texas, large parts of Houston remain dark. Traffic lights, restaurants, homes all lack power in many places. Internet service is sporadic.

But the temperature is hot, as well, with the typical 95 degrees and high Houston humidity.

An electricity of frustration fills the air like the oppressive heat. People are on edge. It’s like having your wallet stolen, replacing your driver’s license and credit cards only to have the wallet taken again.

Waking up before dawn each morning, a group of Texans on Mission and church volunteers are ushering in a refreshing breeze of hope.

First they cooked 6,000 meals. The next day they did 7,500. Then 8,500. Soon, it’ll be 10,000 meals delivered across the city.

A reminder of God’s love

“A meal is more than just some food,” said David Wells, Texans on Mission disaster relief director. The ministry is cooking meals for Houstonians across the city. “It’s a gift. It’s a reminder people care about you. And when it’s prayed over by our volunteers and distributed by churches, it’s a way to show each person that God loves them.”

The Texans on Mission state feeding unit will continue breathing hope into Houston. The volunteers are working with the Salvation Army, which is distributing meals, and the National Baptist Convention of America and city leaders to identify distribution points.

Terry White, executive secretary and treasurer of NBCA’s Home Mission Board, is helping make sure the food is getting into often overlooked communities where suffering is at its worst.

On July 10, one of the meals cooked by TXM went to a woman who hadn’t eaten in two days. She had no electricity. She doesn’t drive. And her food spoiled.

“I hope this gives them hope that someone cares,” White said. “Trials and tribulations come, but they can count on the church. We are to be a beacon of hope. Hopefully, that will resonate in their hearts and minds.”

 New Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church distributed some of the meals. Pastor Ronald Smith wants people to know the congregation is there to minister to people in their time of need.

It is a resource and asset to the community, he said. Without the church, it’s doubtful this neighborhood would have much assistance.

“It is our desire to become a united front when disasters hit,” Smith said. “This church can be a place people turn to for help. There’s many people here who are still without power, without food. We are here to provide as much as we can to those who need it the most.”

In other places across the region, Texans on Mission chainsaw teams are cutting up fallen trees and limbs. They’re making it possible for people to enter their homes again.

Each job they do saves the family they serve thousands of dollars they don’t have, Wells said. The teams prioritize the uninsured, elderly and impoverished.

“Disasters turn everyone’s life upside down,” he said. “But they’re especially difficult for people who were struggling before the storm. By removing the trees, we’re clearing the way for people to recover from the storms.”

But chainsaw ministry is about more than saving people money and getting trees out of the way, Wells continued.

“The teams listen to what families are going through,” he said. “They pray with people and encourage them.”

And at the end of the project, each team presents a Bible to the family they serve.

“We serve because God loves us and the Bible tells us to love our neighbors,” Wells said. “That’s what we’re doing after Hurricane Beryl. We aim to transform homes physically with our hard work and equipment. While there, aim to be vessels through which God transforms homes spiritually with the gospel.”

HOUSTON—Texans on Mission has deployed two mass feeding units to meet needs in the shadow of the vast power outage caused by Hurricane Beryl in recent days.

The missions organization formerly known as Texas Baptist Men also has three chainsaw teams working to remove trees from homes and cars, as well as to give people access to their houses.

“The power outage is devastating for people, and the scope of this problem is hard to fathom,” said David Wells, Texans on Mission’s disaster relief director. “Because of the absence of power, it becomes very difficult for people to have adequate, healthy food.

“We’ve been asked to prepare 10,000 meals a day in the Houston area, and we are now ramping up to that level. This morning (Wednesday), our volunteers began working at 5 a.m. to serve in the name of Christ. As they cook, they’re praying over the meals, many of which are going to churches to share the gospel”

John Hall, Texans on Mission chief mission officer, said: “We are making sure that under-resourced communities are receiving the meals we are preparing. Right now, many people are suffering. We want to make sure to minister and care for as many people as possible. We’re thankful to partner with the National Baptist Convention of America to make that happen.”

Chainsaw teams are dealing with needs described as Priority 1—where trees have been downed on homes or cars or blocked access to homes. Priority 2 and 3 jobs will be done later.

“Three chainsaw teams in the area quickly deployed after the storm to help remove fallen trees and limbs from homes, cars and driveways,” Wells said. “These volunteers were quick on the scene, and others from throughout the state will be joining them soon because recovery from this storm is going to take a while.”

A Texans on Mission incident management team is being set up at First Baptist Church of Brazoria, along with a mobile shower and laundry unit to serve the chainsaw teams.

“God has blessed Texans on Mission with the equipment that helps our volunteers bring the love of Christ to people in need,” Wells said. “It is great to watch these men and women at work in service to others in the name of Christ.”