PROGRESO– In the midst of the picturesque fields and flocks of sheep that surround this valley town struggling for survival, Iglesia Bautista Sublime Gracia, is offering hope and help to more than 1,600 people a month through the church's food pantry.

Rather than being discouraged by unemployment and poverty, the church is imitating the actions of the early church in Acts, according to the Pastor, Ismael Gaspar. The congregation lives by an active faith that gives sacrificially and trusts God will provide all of its needs. 

"My vision and my purpose are to be more direct in presenting the Lord Jesus as their Savior," Gaspar said. "If I can help them in that way, that is the best way. And then I can help them with some kind of food each week or when it is necessary." 

Each month, the 150-member church supplies food and basic necessities to 1,600 people in the community. The Baptist General Convention of Texas is partnering in this ministry with a monthly grant through the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, and BGCT Local Transformational Missions provided a refrigerator and freezer. 

The majority of food comes through offerings and donations that church members sacrificially give. Ladies in the church sort the food and distribute it Wednesday and Friday nights.

"If anyone has a need, he should put it in the hands of God," said Laura Mireles, a member of the church and leader of the women 's ministry. "If you feel like He will never answer, He knows when to answer. Just have faith in the end He will keep you." 

For the past two years since she, her husband and 10 children joined the church, Mireles said the congregation has encouraged her and helped her family after their house burned down.

"We had only the clothing we had on, but the church here at Progreso gave us clothing, " Mireles said.  "They gave us love and food. They have never left us alone, and they have always cared for us. This is proof that God lives, that Christ lives."

After the Mireles' house burned, a mission team from Austin helped repair a small house so the family would have a place to live. When they lived in their original home, many people in the community would come to visit. Now that they have a smaller house, only the pastor comes to visit, Mireles said. 

"We cried over that house for one night," Mireles said. "Then we held hands and said we are not going to cry anymore because God is in our hearts. And those are just two-by-fours. It 's just lumber. And since that very day, I serve my God day and night."

Iglesia Bautista Sublime Gracia in Progreso helps more than 1,600 people a month through the church's food pantry.

The BGCT is in the early stages of Texas Hope 2010, an evangelistic effort to provide every non-believer in Texas the opportunity to respond to the gospel in his or her own language and cultural context. 

Iglesia Bautista Sublime Gracia is an example of what the BGCT hopes to see happen across the state. Since the beginning of the church, Gaspar and the members have been active in meeting the physical needs and sharing the gospel with those around them. 

Although the church is currently growing, it has not always been this way. Growth and fruit in the congregation took much time and effort.

Gaspar, who started 15 other churches, had a dream four years ago to start a second Baptist church in Progreso, one that would be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people there. Going door-to-door on his horse, Gaspar invited his neighbors to come to the church and offered children a ride to church. Later, Gaspar sold the horse to purchase property for the church building.

"At the very first service, I only had one person in the congregation," Gaspar said. "Little by little, people started attending the services and people were getting saved. Then we began to baptize people."

Building a sanctuary has been a long journey of a couple of years. Church members began holding services and opened a food pantry in a small building on the property while plans were made for a new sanctuary. They prepared the foundation for the new sanctuary and prayed that God would send a way to finish the rest of the building. 

"Vashti Baptist Church in Bellevue sent the money for the rebar, bricks and cement needed to build the 10-foot walls," said Domingo Quintanilla, ministry associate for the Rio Grande Valley Baptist Association. "Cheyenne Solis with Buckner was able to get another church to come down and build the roof on the church."

Now, the sanctuary is finished and filled with pews donated by Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio. Outside the sanctuary, children play on a playground given by the Buckner International Colonia Program. 

Growing the church came at a sacrifice, with the pastor working nights at the school district to provide for his needs and the needs of the church. 

"We are working bivocationally, but God has met our needs," Gaspar said. "I work with the school district here in Progreso and I also work as a nurse. My employment with the school district has really been a blessing. All the students see me there, and they know I am a pastor here."

The members also continue to expand the ministry, praying for direction on how to better reach the spiritual and physical needs of the people in their community. Gaspar is also praying for a way to obtain a warehouse for the food pantry so that they will have space to meet more of the needs in the community.

GARLAND—During this year’s Baptist General Convention of Texas Youth Evangelism Conference, prayer was a mere text away.

Participants were able to text-message their prayer requests and see them projected onto a screen at the event—just one example of the changes the conference has undergone in its 40-year history.

Youth Evangelism Conference grew out of the vision of Wade Freeman, BGCT evangelism director in 1968. He appointed Theron Farris as first youth evangelism director, and the initial conference at Travis Avenue Church in Fort Worth drew about 5,000 students.

The conference rose out of a need to minister to young people, said George Worrell, who followed Farris as director. Organizers decided the best way to do that was by getting young people together.

“Young people inspire other young people,” he said.

Worrell later began a similar program in Missouri, and it spread to Oklahoma, Arkansas and Georgia.

Through the years, up to 20,000 students attended each conference to hear speakers ranging from Miss Texas to NFL star Terry Bradshaw. Venues have included Reunion Arena in Dallas and San Antonio’s Alamodome. This year, the conference was held at the Special Events Center in Garland.

“We try to have quality Christian bands and quality communicators,” said former director Chuck Flowers. “It has been a tremendous blessing.”

Each event has included a call to commitment, and thousands of students have responded during the public invitation, Worrell said.

The number of students attending the event has decreased in recent years as other organizations offer similar conferences—some scheduled on the same weekend.

But Flowers said he doesn’t look at it as multiplication, not competition.

“When you put it all together, there are more young people being reached than ever before,” he said. “We are excited about what God is doing.”

This year’s conference drew about 6,000 young people. At the event, 32 made professions of faith in Christ, 62 renewed their commitment to Christ, 17 expressed their sense of calling into ministry—and 32 responded to the invitation for more than one of those reasons.

During the conference, Jon Randles, BGCT Evangelism Team leader, said Texas churches and Christianity are so easy to access that people are hardened to it. People take the Christian message for granted.

“It is so cheap you don’t hear it,” he said. “It makes you knowledgeable, but it doesn’t change your heart.”

Randles challenged students not to get stuck in that mentality. He encouraged students not only to give God their hearts, but also give him their minds.

“You men and women, as young people, are a generation that lives on the cusp of what could be the most important generation since the book of Acts 2,000 years ago,” he told the students. “We could possibly be the greatest revival generation of all time.”

Anohter keynote speaker, Wes Hamilton, a teaching pastor at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, used Moses to illustrate that there is no excuse for not doing as God calls.

Moses offered excuses for not doing what God asked, but God had an answer for every excuse, he noted.

If students feel like they don’t know enough about God to share their faith with others, they need to get to know him better, Hamilton said.

There are two types of people—those without a story because they have not allowed God to come into their lives, and those who need to tell their story, Hamilton noted.

“It is our belief that every student can have a story of their own,” BGCT Youth Evangelism Director Leighton Flowers said.

See the story and photos from the 2008 YEC.

CARROLLTON—Joey Witham’s musical journey has taken many twists and turns.

But Witham sees that journey as the fulfillment of his dual calling—to lead Christians into meaningful worship and to engage nonbelievers in asking the right questions.

Soon after enrolling in Dallas Baptist University, Witham and three friends started a band called Screwtape Letters, named for C.S. Lewis’ classic work of fiction.

“We were trying to be there for those people who would go into clubs to hear music,” Witham said. “People asked questions about the band and its name, so it was a way to open some doors and start a conversation.” 

In time, the band members parted ways, but that just marked the beginning for Witham, who believed God was preparing him for a full-time music ministry.

“I think God just got a hold of me and said: ‘I’ve given you this gift, and you have a passion for me. So, get out there, and use it.’ I started out by myself doing small things and then formed a band.”

Today, Witham and his band maintain a busy schedule performing concerts and leading worship at events around the country, including youth camps, retreats, conferences and Disciple Now weekends. In addition, Witham serves as worship leader at The Ridge Church in Carrollton.

When preparing for an event, Witham carefully selects songs he feels will best suit the target audience, with the goal of leading others to Christ. 

“First and foremost, we make sure that our goal is to lead people to the throne of God,” he said. “Worship is our response to God, for who he is and what he has done in our lives. When we’re really approaching worship and our time with God the way we’re supposed to, it opens us up to express our love, praise and thanksgiving to God. Music can also be the gateway to listening to God, as we open our ears, minds and hearts.”

During his travels, Witham enjoys spending time off the platform—meeting people and hearing stories about how God is working in their lives. 

“I have a heart for students and missions,” he said. “I feel there are teenagers in our society blinded by what’s around them, and they have no idea what they are searching for. As Christians, we must relate to them and give them a solid foundation—Jesus Christ. In missions, it’s the same way. Whether it to be locally or abroad, there are simply people lost and empty.”

While working with student ministries, Witham has found the walls holding some students away from worship can be attributed to the “busyness” of their everyday lives.

“I’ll often notice that some kids aren’t really focusing on worshipping God,” Witham said. “Some people might say that a lot of these youth have ADD (attention deficit disorder), but I think they’re so cluttered with what’s going on in their lives, with school and other stuff, that church becomes another ‘thing’ for them to check off.” 

“When they come to church, they don’t know how to relax and just be receptive to the Holy Spirit, and we’re talking about Christian kids here. I think a lot of it is the distractions that they’re faced with.”

Witham wants to bring students back to the heart of worship and help them understand what that entails.

“I think we need to be more creative in finding ways to reach youth while transitioning to an attitude of worship. For a lot of them, I don’t think they’ve been taught what worship really means or maybe they don’t understand what it means and that God is the audience.  We have a great obligation to youth and to leave them a legacy that conveys the attitude of worship.

“Students have so much thrown at them daily, and I have a desire for them to rest in Christ and his love.”

For Witham, the musical journey has come full circle—leading worship on a regular basis and recording albums that not only are relevant to believers, but also spark conversations and pose questions for non-Christians. 

“One of the e-mails I received was from a girl that said, ‘I’m not a Christian, but I wanted to tell you that I’ve been listening to your CD, and one of the songs is really speaking to me.’ We corresponded through e-mail, and she wrote back five weeks later and said, ‘I’m now a Christian, and I want to thank you.’ Things like that encourage me to press on, keep doing what we’re doing and impacting lives for the kingdom.”

MISSION—Ruben Reyes, his wife and their four children live in a small, leaky 33-year-old trailer on the edge of town. Unable to afford costly repairs or to purchase a new house, Reyes prayed for a way to find a home that will keep his family safe and dry.

Reyes’ prayers were answered when a group of 11 college students helped finish a new three-bedroom home for his family. The students armed themselves with paintbrushes and bright blue paint and set to work to finish the house Buckner International built for the Reyes family.

Nearly three weeks earlier, the students from the Baptist Student Ministries at the University of Texas-Pan American packed their bags and headed 19 miles from their school. They had one mission—sharing the hope of Christ in the Rio Grande Valley.

“A year ago, we started to think about the best way to mobilize students and have a way to grow them in their faith and share community,” said Robert Rueda, director of the BSM at UT-Pan American. “We wanted to give them a local taste of missions and a global picture at the same time.”

The group led Vacation Bible Schools and youth rallies at Baptist churches in the area, served at a women’s shelter, repaired houses for families in need and shared the love of Christ with anyone they met.

The Valley summer project started June 1 and ended July 1 after a 12-day mission trip to Valencia, Venezuela. The mission encounter was a combined effort of the BSM at UT-Pan American, the Baptist General Convention of Texas and its Go Now Missions program, and Rio Grande Valley Baptist Association.

Texas Baptists support Go Now Missions through the BGCT Cooperative Program and gifts to the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions. Students also raise some of their own support.

The 2008 Mary Hill Davis Offering allocations include $15,000 to enable college students to serve as summer or semester missionaries by assisting with their travel expenses, as well as ministry costs as they share the gospel around the world.

Since the UT-Pan American students are bilingual and from South Texas, they were able to share their faith in culturally sensitive ways, leaders noted.

“At one church the group was working at, the pastor and all the hermanas (sisters) of the church were blown away to see that all the students spoke Spanish,” Rueda said. “They were even more amazed to learn that they are all from the Valley. They had never seen that before.”

The BGCT is in the early stages of Texas Hope 2010, an evangelistic effort to give all Texans the opportunity to respond to the gospel in their own language and context by Easter 2010.

The student group rotated leadership positions, so each team member was stretched in his or her abilities and challenged to serve in different ways.

“This is a beautiful picture of missions in our backyard that leads to missions to the nations,” said Brenda Sanders, director of Go Now Missions.

In order to be prepared for ministry, the group went through a day of training, learning how to lead Vacation Bible School—a first for many on the team.

“We started off our first week with a Vacation Bible School in Hidalgo,” said Belinda Arredonda, a senior music education major. “I was teaching some of the older kids, and it was kind of challenging because I don’t really work with kids. I had to get out of my comfort zone and actually come down and share the love of Christ with them.”

Even though the group experienced frustration when they thought the children weren’t paying attention to the lessons at times, they continued to love and share the hope of Christ with them.

“It’s a little frustrating because you weren’t sure they were listening or paying attention,” Arredonda said. “But then at the end, they were just giving me the entire summary of the story and giving me things I didn’t even know I had mentioned in the story. It’s been such a blessing.”

The group included missions veterans, as well as others having their first missions experience. But the goal of the summer project was for all students involved to grow in Christ and in Christian community so they can share the hope they have with those who do not know Christ.

“Once you come to know God, service just comes naturally,” said Arnulfo Garza, a junior communications major. “Once you begin to know everything God has done in you, it produces in you a wanting to serve. I hope (my team) gets a sense of what missions is. This is something you do every day. It is part of your daily routine, your daily life. You are just telling people about the hope that we have.”

For first-person accounts of the students’ experiences, visit the team’s blog at www.bsmglobalimpact.com.

Garlands of Baylor awarded grant. David and Diana Garland, husband and wife deans at Baylor University, have been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to educate and equip indigenous church leaders for effective, holistic ministry in their home cultures. David Garland, dean of Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary, and Diana Garland, dean of Baylor’s School of Social Work, said the grant will help enable the academic units they lead to develop global leaders for missions and ministries and influence the vision and effective of churches for worldwide ministry. Students in the program will obtain a dual master’s degree in social work and theological studies. The initiative also provides a unique opportunity for individual churches to partner with Baylor School of Social Work and Truett Seminary to cover costs for an international student. The School of Social Work will seek a director of global mission leadership, who will examine the school’s curricula and guide the faculty’s infusion of cross-cultural content throughout the dual-degree courses of study.

Doctoral program partnership launched. The Texas Baptist Universities Scholars program has been established at Baylor University’s Graduate School, in partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and eight related schools—Baptist University of the Americas, Dallas Baptist University, East Texas Baptist University, Hardin-Simmons University, Houston Baptist University, Howard Payne University, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Wayland Baptist University. Through the program, Texas Baptist universities will identify promising undergraduate or graduate scholars for doctoral studies in multiple disciplines offered through Baylor. The program is designed to retain the best doctoral students in Texas Baptist universities as students and—subsequently—faculty. The BGCT will provide $1,000 per scholar, the sponsoring college or seminary will contribute $1,000, and Baylor’s Graduate School will provide the balance of tuition and a stipend for each student. Currently, Baylor has 24 doctoral students from BGCT partner schools.

Foundation grants scholarships. Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio awarded a $109,248 scholarship grant for summer school students at Baptist Health System School of Health Professions. The grant will assist 94 summer school students enrolled in nursing and allied health educational programs at the school. Earlier this year, the foundation granted $162,900 to 154 School of Health Professions’ students enrolled in the spring semester. Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio funds not-for-profit health care services throughout Bexar County and contiguous counties in South Texas and healthcare-related scholarships at institutions selected by the foundation trustees.

Bivocational/small-church conference slated. “It Begins with Me” is the theme of the 22nd annual statewide Texas Baptist Bivocational and Smaller Church Ministers’ and Spouses’ Conference, July 11-13 on the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor campus in Belton. Featured speakers include Tom Echols, pastor of Eagle’s Wing Baptist Church in Crowley, and Randel Everett, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. For more information, call (214) 828-5387 or (956) 371-4782.

WACO—Record enrollment at George W. Truett Theological Seminary highlighted a series of achievements reported by Baylor University at the end of its 2007-08 fiscal year this summer.

Truett Seminary—the largest of three theological schools affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas—enrolled 402 students. The seminary also recorded an increase in the number of students who intend to go into vocational ministry.

During the 2007-08 fiscal year, Baylor made “tremendous progress on multiple fronts,” university President John Lilley said.

“While the enormity of our potential prevents us from ever being completely satisfied with our efforts, faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of Baylor University should be greatly encouraged with our remarkably strong trajectory,” Lilley said.

Baylor closed the year with the fourth consecutive operating budget surplus, according to a survey statement released by the university.

Baylor’s list of “most significant developments” included:

• Increasing endowment to $1.1 billion while the nation experienced financial uncertainty. The university received more than $80 million in gifts and pledges, including more than $21.9 million given specifically to endowment.

• Adding 46 faculty and staff positions.

• Establishing the first doctoral degree in the Hankamer School of Business.

• Enrolling the most “academically qualified” freshman class in university history, with a record average SAT score of 1219. Incoming freshmen pushed overall fall enrollment to 14,174 students, the university’s second-highest student total.

• Increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the student body. Baylor’s goal is for 33 percent of undergraduates to be persons of color.

• Rising six places—to No. 75—in the U.S. News & World Report rankings among national doctoral-granting universities.

• Competing in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for the first time since 1987.

• Hiring Art Briles, a former Conference USA and national coach of the year and new inductee into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, to coach the football team.

• Adding Burt Burleson, pastor of DaySpring Baptist Church in Waco, to serve as university chaplain, and hiring Wes Yeary, a national leader in training and developing Fellowship of Christian Athletes college team chaplains, as sports chaplain.

• Producing a school-record 449 student athletes who were named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the fall and spring semesters. For the second consecutive year, Baylor recorded the Big 12’s highest graduation success rate.

• Electing Bob Baird, a philosophy professor and master teacher, to be the faculty university ombudsman. He will “facilitate resolution of problems, questions or disputes for faculty in an informal, impartial and confidential manner.”

• Paisano Baptist Encampment will hold its 88th general encampment July 20-25. The camp begins Sunday evening and continues through Friday noon. The camp encourages family togetherness and spiritual renewal. Alternating preaching duties will be Dennis Wiles, pastor of First Church in Arlington, and Stephen Wells, pastor of South Main Church in Houston. Todd Still will be the Bible study leader. Jerry and Debby Smith will be the featured missionaries. Between services, there are numerous activities. The camp is located between Alpine and Marfa. For more information, see www.paisanoencampment.org.

• Howard Payne University has presented awards to several faculty and staff. Glenn Hopp, professor and chair of the department of English, was named the outstanding faculty member. Mary Hill, administrative assistant for the school of business, received the outstanding staff member award. Excellence in teaching certificates were presented to Athena Bean, Stephen Goacher, Russell Wheelington and Julie Welker. Sergio Herbert and Marcie Drew received excellence in service awards.

• Dennis Robertson has been named vice president for student services at East Texas Baptist University. For the last three years, he has been chair of the department of communication at ETBU.

• Vic Schmidt, retiring president of San Marcos Baptist Academy, has been presented the Exemplary Service Medal, the school’s highest award. The award, “given in recognition of distinguished service to God and man through Christian education,” was presented to Schmidt as he prepares to conclude his 16 years of service to the academy, seven of those as president.

• Two staff members and three faculty have retired at Houston Baptist University. Ken Rogers, director of scholarships, worked at the school 41 years. Frances Curtis, dean of student affairs, served the school 40 years. Retiring faculty include Sally Phillips, professor of bilingual education; Pat Varvel, assistant professor in nursing; and Robert McElroy, director of instrumental activities.

• Ron Bowles has been named dean of the College of Fine Arts at Dallas Baptist University. Prior to joining DBU in 2005, he was minister of worship and communications at First Church in El Paso 22 years.

Anniversaries

• Phil Flournoy, 20th, as associate pastor of education and outreach at Bulverde Church in Bulverde, May 18.

• Wheatland Church in Wheatland, 50th, June 29. A celebration meal will follow the morning service. Richard Garrett is pastor.

• Chad Minne, fifth, as pastor of Providence Church in Paris, July 1.

• Lone Pine Church in Palestine, 100th, July 6. Former pastors John Green, Steve Melton and Ray Biggerstaff will participate in the 10:30 a.m. service. Lunch will follow the service. Games, a history presentation and music from The Ray Brothers are planned for the afternoon. Ron Sloan is pastor.

• Lennie Wilson, 15th, as pastor of Rosedale Church in Beaumont, July 6.

• Mark Gossett, 10th, as pastor of First Church in Clarksville, July 19.

• Elmwood Church in Abilene, 75th, July 26-27. Call (325) 677-7524 for more information. Joel Tobey is pastor.

• Mark Mitchell, fifth, as pastor of First Church in Denison, July 27.

• Belinda Frazier, fifth, as children’s minister at First Church in Denison, July 27.

• Parkway Drive Church in Lubbock, 50th, Aug. 2-3. Festivities will begin Saturday with a picnic at the church at 11 a.m. A special service of remembrance will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday with former pastor Richard Rush as guest speaker. Former music ministers also will present special music. Deshun Avery is pastor.

• First Church in Corpus Christi, 130th, Aug. 17. A combined worship service at 11 a.m. will feature former pastor Hulitt Gloer. A meal will follow. Cost is $5 per person or $15 per family. Call (361) 888-8228 for more information.

Retiring

• David Renfrow, as minister of music and administration at First Church in Bonham, May 22. He served the church 29 years.

Deaths

• Verne Philpot, 89, May 17 in Georgetown. She and her pastor husband served churches in Hearne, Eddy, Odessa, Fort Worth and Georgetown. When they came to serve Crestview Church in Georgetown, she was appointed as the city’s first librarian, and under her direction, the first library building was constructed. She held the position 21 years. She was preceded in death by three brothers and a sister. She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Jarvis; daughters, Sharon Thomason and Brenda Fry; sister, Bobbie Pryor; and three grandchildren.

• Ken England, 99, May 22 in Austin. He served as pastor, associate pastor or interim pastor to churches in Pond Springs, San Gabriel, Jonestown and Round Rock. He also was associational missionary for Atascosa Association and preached revivals throughout Texas, Louisiana and Missisippi. He recently was named pastor emeritus of First Church in Round Rock. Since coming to the city in 1958, he was involved with Texas Baptist Children’s Home. He also was part of the group which brought the first hospital to Round Rock. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Elsa, and brother, Olan. He is survived by his son, Joe; daughter, Ruth Davis; and four grandchildren.

• Marie Sutton, 100, June 7 in Waxahachie. While a student at Southwestern Seminary, she was secretary to W.T. Conner and typed the manuscript for his book Christian Doctrine. She married Baptist pastor Milton Cunningham in 1939. They served churches in Texas, Arizona and California. While they were in Arizona, she was the assistant to the editor of the Arizona Baptist Beacon, and she also was executive director of Arizona Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union. After her husband’s death in 1951, she became director of children’s ministries at First Church in Oklahoma City for nine years. She later directed children’s ministries at Park Place Church in Houston and Wilshire Church in Dallas. For more than 10 years, she was assistant dean of students and director of housing at Dallas Baptist University. She married her second husband, Roy Sutton, in 1987. He had been pastor of churches in Texas and Arizona. He preceded her in death in 2004. She also was preceded in death by her brother, Benton Tatum, and sisters, Maudie Tatum and Sibyl Edwards. She is survived by her son, Milton Cunningham Jr.; sister, Inez Webb; brothers, James Tatum and Scott Tatum.

• Dan Kent, 72, June 26 in Fort Worth. A graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Seminary, he also studied at Oxford University. He was a pastor 15 years and taught at Wayland Baptist University five years and Southwestern Seminary 19 years. He was preceded in death by six brothers and three sisters. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; son, Blake; daughters, Barrett Border and Leslie Cappo; and three grandchildren.

• O.D. Oliver, 77, June 27 in Gilmer. He had been pastor of Acton Church in Acton, First Church in Saint Jo, Ash Creek Church in Azle, First Church in Gilmer, Baptist Temple in San Antonio, First Church in Kilgore and First Church in Bowie. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jean; sons, Jim, Dan and David; four grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Events

• First Church of Castle Hills in Azle will hold special services July 13 to mark the church’s 56 years of service to the community. The Revelations will present a music concert from 10:30 a.m. until noon. After a recognition of charter members, lunch will be served. Jim Turner is pastor.

Ordained

• Winnie Nkhoma to the ministry at Gambrell Street Church in Fort Worth.

• Brett Pennington and Todd Henry as deacons at First Church in Kyle.

Revivals

• County Line Church, Point; July 13-16; evangelist, Billy Foote; music, Winky Foote; pastor, Wayne Darty.

• Midway Church, Dayton; July 13-16; evangelist, Paul Cherry; music, The Cherry Family; pastor, Phil Loving.

• Oaklawn Church, Groveton; July 13-16; evangelist, Herman Cramer; music, Paul and Christy Newberry; pastor, Lester McAdams.

• Airway Church, Houston; July 13-16; evangelist, Sam Craig; pastor, Edwin Parker III.

• Posey Church, Sulphur Springs; July 20-23; evangelist, Billy Foote; music, Winky Foote; pastor, Darryl Davis.

• Central Church, Daisetta; July 20-23; evangelist, Paul Cherry; music, The Cherry Family; pastor, Jimmy Van Dorn.

• Pleasant Grove Church, Trinity; July 20-23; evangelist, Herman Cramer; music, Paul and Christy Newberry; pastor, Kenneth Myers.

GARLAND– About 6,000 young people gathered to learn how to find their story at the Baptist General Convention of Texas Youth Evangelism Conference last weekend.

Themed "Testify: Find Your Story," the conference was designed to share with students that they can have stories like the missionaries they hear about.

"The concept and the idea is to teach students to find their stories," said Leighton Flowers, BGCT youth evangelism director.

Last weekend 32 people came forward responding to the hope of Christ for the first time. Sixty-one came to restore their commitment to Christ. Seventeen people felt called to ministry and 32 came forward for more than one of these reasons.

The event included musical performances by 33 Miles, Delirious, Jeff Johnson and Stellar Kart. A duo called the Skit Guys used comedy to teach students about Christ.

During the conference, Jon Randles, BGCT Evangelism Team leader, said Texas churches and Christianity are so easy to access that people are hardened to it. People take the Christian message for granted.

"It is so cheap you don't hear it," he said. "It makes you knowledgeable, but it doesn't change your heart."

Randles pointed out it is not like this everywhere. He challenged students not to get stuck in that mentality. He encouraged students not only to give God their hearts but their minds as well.

"You men and women, as young people, are a generation that lives on the cusp of what could be the most important generation since the book of Acts 2,000 years ago, " he told the students. "We could possibly be the greatest revival generation of all time."

The other keynote speaker, Wes Hamilton, a teaching pastor at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, used Moses to illustrate that there is no excuse for not doing as God calls.

"The thing I love about heroes of the Bible is we can identify with them," Hamilton said. "You see them with all their flaws."

He talked about how Moses offered excuses for not doing what God asked, but God had an answer for every excuse.

Hamilton told students if they feel like they don t know enough about God to share their faith with others, they need to get to know Him better.

He reminded students "when God calls us, He goes with us."

Hamilton said that there are two types of people — those without a story because they have not allowed God to come into their lives, and those who need to tell their story.

"It is our belief that every student can have a story of their own, " Flowers said.

Click here to view the BGCT's photo set from the Youth Evangelism Conference June 27-28 in Dallas.

Click here to see the photos as a slideshow.

DALLAS—The state has a vested interest in promoting healthy marriages, and churches can help by providing premarital education, several marriage education advocates told a group of North Texas ministers.

Divorce and unmarried childbearing costs taxpayers $112 billion a year, said Cosette Bowles, who leads ANTHEM—the Alliance for North Texas Healthy Effective Marriages. But looking at it positively, if family fragmentation were reduced by 1 percent, taxpayers would save $1.12 billion.

Recognizing the cost of unhealthy marriages, Texas has joined a growing number of states that offer a financial incentive for couples who complete premarital education courses, Bowles told North Texas church leaders who met at the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board staff offices in Dallas.

Effective Sept. 1, couples who complete at least eight hours of premarital education are exempt from the state marriage license fee and the 72-hour waiting period between the time a license is issued and a wedding can occur legally.

The waiver of the marriage license fee and waiting period offers some incentive to couples to complete premarital education, but the greater incentive should be the benefits families experience by learning how to communicate and resolve conflicts, Bowles said.

“Successful couples have the same number of disagreements as those divorcing. And all couples disagree about the same issues—money, kids, sex, housework, in-laws and time,” she said. “It’s not a matter of being better matched.”

Rather, she said, the key is learning to handle stress and resolve conflict in healthy ways. And when children are factored into the equation, the importance of making marriage successful grows exponentially. Research shows children who grow up in homes with both a mother and father who enjoy a healthy marriage face fewer risks and have the best opportunity to thrive, Bowles said.

“Children growing up in a stable, two-parent family are less likely to remain or end up in poverty, more likely to succeed academically, physically and emotionally healthier,” Bowles said. “They are less likely to suffer physical or sexual abuse, abuse alcohol or other drugs, or become a teenage parent.”

Couples who believe they will have a happier marriage if they live together first are fooling themselves and costing society, she added.

“Cohabitating before marriage increases the incidence of marital conflict, marital unhappiness and chance of divorce,” she said.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has named 12 regional intermediaries for its healthy marriage initiative to make sure services are available statewide.

Regional intermediaries—such as ANTHEM in Dallas and surrounding counties—enlist premarital education providers, including churches and other faith-based organizations.

Churches may fit into either of two categories:
• State-paid providers must use approved curriculum selected by the regional intermediary and offer classes free of church to participants.

• Providers not paid by the state can use faith-based curriculum and may charge a fee to participants. Curriculum must be registered with the regional intermediary.

All curriculum—whether in a state-funded program or not—must be skill-based and grounded in research.

While the principles presented in approved curriculum—communication skills, conflict resolution and components of a healthy marriage—do not conflict with biblical teachings, the instruction cannot be explicitly religious in nature if the provider receives state funding, said Erin Kincaid, who works with ANTHEM in public policy and communications.

“Separation of time and place are key,” Kincaid explained. The eight hours of state-mandated instruction must not include explicitly religious curriculum. However, at the end of the eight hours, a provider may announce the required course is completed, but anyone who wishes to continue to meet to study what the Bible says about marriage and family is invited to return the next week.

For a complete list of regional intermediaries or to receive more information, visit www.bgct.org/family or e-mail keith.lowry@bgct.org .

Click here to view the BGCT's photo set from the Youth Evangelism Conference June 27-28 in Dallas.

Click here to see the photos as a slideshow.

DALLAS—Ken Shotts, 82, remembers everything he learns about the residents at Buckner Retirement Village. To help him remember, writes it all down in his hymnal—the same book he’s used more than three and a half decades.

“I write down the numbers of the songs that we use each Sunday,” he said, pointing out his notes and showing obituaries of beloved friends from the retirement community. “I’ve written the names of most of the people that have lived here.”

The note-filled pages of his hymnal tell the stories of so many lives touched by his presence.

For 36 years, Shotts, a retiree and member of Grand View Baptist Church in Mesquite, has been welcoming residents to Sunday morning worship services at Buckner Retirement Village.

“And that’s a lot longer than any of you have been here,” he told residents sitting in a recent Sunday morning service.

Shotts started volunteering with Buckner out of his love for missions, he said, and now is one of Buckner’s most faithful volunteers. He explained how many people think it’s necessary to leave the country to do missions, but he fulfills the need close to home.

“The love that I have for this group of people, it’s a way of serving the Lord,” he said.

After years of helping in a place where life is so fragile, Shotts said he relies on God to cope with his losses.

“Not knowing whether everyone that is here this Sunday will be here next Sunday is hard,” he said. “God gives us the strength to sustain us during a time of need, and that’s what keeps me going. … Every Sunday is filled with memories.”

Shotts recalls a widow and widower who met each other at the church service and fell in love. The pair married in the same chapel at a Sunday church service.

Johnnie Shephard, a Buckner resident who is also a member of Grand View, said she appreciates Shotts’ presence each Sunday morning because it makes her feel more at home.

After serving for 36 years, Shotts sees no end in sight. And no one questions his dedication; instead, they depend on him for a smile, a hymn and a prayer.

“I have no way of knowing how long God’s going to give me the strength to keep on doing this,” he said. “For now, he has supplied the strength to keep on keeping on.”

PLAINVIEW—A half-dozen Wayland Baptist University students traveled to the Balkans hoping to teach lessons about God’s love to the people there. In the process, they learned lessons to last a lifetime.

Rick Shaw, director of Wayland Baptist University’s Mission Center, traveled with six Wayland students— Melanie Vasquez, Taylor Phillips, Khrystyne Eckerd, Micah Evans, Amber Hamilton and Kevin Burrow—to the Balkans recently, where the missions volunteers prayed, sang, taught and shared their faith with the people of Macedonia and Kosovo.

Their journey began in Konjare e Mesme near Skopje, the capital city, where Shaw and his wife, Martha, spent many years as missionaries. While there, the Wayland group not only preached and shared their Christian testimonies, but also helped teach English as a Second Language classes, build the local library, deal with public health issues and run a sports camp for children.

Hamilton particularly touched the hearts of locals with hymns played on her flute, Shaw noted.

“Empowered by the pressure to perform, she delicately meandered through hymns, spirituals and praise choruses, bringing applause and tears,” Shaw said in an e-mail.

Hamilton also preached her first sermon at a church in Rahovec, and she was pleased with how the congregation responded.

A mission group from Wayland Baptist University helped dig trenches for the foundation of a local library while in Macedonia.

“Overall, I was surprised at the hospitality of the Balkan people and their openness in loving others,” Hamilton said. “Many people in the United States are reserved with their love, being very skeptical of new people, not showing their love for others. In the Balkans, however, we were welcomed with open arms.

“So many times we, shelter ourselves from one another and are afraid to get too close to others. As Christians, we are to be transparent. We could learn a few things from these people.”

Eckerd echoed Hamilton’s sentiment.

“I left these people a different person,” she said. “God used them to change me. They showed me the true meaning of loving others.”