One of the most-asked questions I receive from people who desire to serve or are currently serving as a bivocational/small-church pastor is, “How do you manage your time?” 

Every minister wants to be able to recognize when to say, “No,” and when to say, “Yes.” My reply has always been the same, and that is: “Stop looking for opportunities to say, ‘No,’ and look for ways to say, ‘Yes.’” 

Richard RayWhen I accepted the call to serve Christ as a minister, I never thought of saying, “no” to the many opportunities to serve him. I would jump at the opportunity to preach the Lord’s word, to serve the Lord’s church and to go on mission for him. When called into the ministry, I had five children and worked two jobs to provide for my family. My time was stretched between my occupation, coaching Little League, changing diapers, serving my church and making sure my wife was happy. Time was of little importance to me, because my time was never my own. It belonged to others. It belonged to Lord. 

As I continued to grow in the ministry, I noticed that when I stopped managing my time, the Lord granted me time for my family and for myself. To manage the time the Lord has given us is to allow the Lord to manage it for us. Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” 

When we try to manage our time, our life and even our family, then we walk as the unwise, and our life becomes managed by time. All of a sudden, we begin to make decisions based on time: Do we have enough time? Is it worth our time? Will it take away from our time. 

However, when we are walking in the will of the Lord, then we are making the best use of the time the Lord has granted us. Who are we to manage something we cannot create or make more of? Time belongs to our Lord. 

The question is this: “How do you manage your time?” Don’t! Let the Lord balance it for you as you carefully walk, making the best use of the time he has given you. If you can do that, then you will not be making decisions based on time, but based on the Lord’s will for your life. Allow the Lord, who created time, to manage it for you. He will not disappoint you, for the Bible tells me so.

Until next time, remember, God has called you to serve him, but God has not called you to serve alone. Visit our website (www.bivocational.com) for more information on how the Bivocational/Small Church Association can minister and pray for you.

Richard Ray is executive director of the Bivocational/Small Church Association and director of missions for the Tri-Rivers Baptist Area. You can reach him at brother_ray@juno.com.

I had the privilege to attend Cove Korean Baptist Church in Copperas Cove, helping them celebrate 34 years of service to our Lord. This church offers worship in both Korean and English languages, all under the same roof.

Richard RayThe English-speaking worship service is for spouses who do not speak Korean. I attended the English service, led by Pastor Dillard Fisher Jr., while Pastor David Lee led the Korean worship service.  I fellowshipped with both congregations during their celebration as they came together to eat food prepared and served by the Korean congregation.  

In speaking with both pastors, I came to understand their passion and support of one another, learning the Korean congregation is sponsoring the English Mission congregation. To witness two congregations from two cultures coming together to minister to one another as they reach out to their community and world for Christ was an inspiration to me. I came away from that visit with a desire to see more churches and cultures unite for the cause of Christ.  

As Pastor Fisher stated in his morning message, “Are you Willing?” most churches and ministers are able and are capable, but they are not necessarily willing to move outside their comfort zones, but instead remain steadfast in tradition and culture.

Cove Korean Baptist Church is breaking down barriers and building bridges by removing cultural lines and creating opportunities for all to hear the message of Christ and his love, regardless of the language barrier or cultural differences.  They have come to realize when Christ is preached and lived out in the lives of God’s children, then there are no differences, only peace and harmony.  

To have a Korean Church sponsor an English mission in the state of Texas tells me God does not look at demographics or statistics. He is not interested in church tradition or how a church should be organized, but rather, God’s desire is to love us as we are, so he can mold us into his image and not the image that the world or sometimes the church tries to create for us.      

So if God is leading you or your church to do something different, something that might be a little unusual, just remember these words from 1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people….” The question I would ask is “Are we peculiar enough?”

Until next time, remember God has called you to serve, but he has not called you to serve alone.  Visit our website, www.bivocational.com, for more information on how the Bivocational/Small Church Association can minister and pray for you.

Richard Ray is executive director of the  Bivocational/Small Church Association and director of missions for Tri-Rivers Baptist Area.

“Leave your stress and electronics at the gate. Slow down. Look inside. Listen, learn and fill your hearts and minds with God.” (Bob Young and Matt Snowden, Paisano 2015)

Kathy HillmanEvery summer, my car heads west for the eight-hour drive to Paisano Baptist Encampment. For the last century, my mother’s clan has escaped to the cool Davis Mountains to refresh body and spirit. Since my birth, I’ve joined family and friends for a week of preaching, music, Bible study, recreation, reflection and lots of conversation. Cell service remains iffy, and wi-fi requires a 10-mile trip to town.

This year’s “cowboy camp meeting” held special significance. Our grandson Mitchell prayed to receive Christ during day camp. Incoming Paisano President Bill Collins baptized Mitchell in the old baptistery near the tree where his great-great-great-grandfather Crawford Mitchell “was converted” in 1899 and George Truett preached the first Paisano sermon in 1916.

Music is an important part of the Paisano camp experience.Mother made her profession of faith at Paisano. Several friends, including Danny Reeves, pastor of First Baptist Church in Corsicana, and Nate Sprinkle, pastor of First Baptist Church in Jayton, committed themselves to ministry there. Nate met and later proposed to his wife, Barbi, at Paisano. God clarified their call and mine on those hallowed grounds, “thin places where heaven and earth touch,” according to Paisano preacher David Lowrie.

But we are not alone. Every year, 330,000 guests visit the 29 camps related to Texas Baptists. Like Mitchell, some 8,000 people will make first-time salvation decisions. Another 7,000 will rededicate themselves. Recent camps have focused on God’s call to vocational service. Nearly 2,000 have responded. Susan Ater serves as the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ specialist/consultant/liaison to camps. Rachel Welshimer, granddaughter of Paisano President Levi Price, and Molly Katherine Snowden, daughter of Paisano Pastor Matt Snowden, work together on crafts.Her office provides resources for leadership training, assessments, conflict resolution and camp-specific consultations.

Paisano preacher and Mississippi native Matt Snowden asked why Texas has so many encampments. Texas Baptist Encampment, at Palacios, founded in 1902, pre-dates Southern Baptists’ Ridgecrest encampment by five years. Individuals began some camps, such as Paisano. Under an earlier BGCT organizational system, associations divided into 17 districts. Districts formed camps. District 14 established Latham Springs near Waco. Growing up in Eldorado, I attended our district’s GA camp at Heart of Texas on Lake Brownwood. 

Large associations also created camps, such as Mount Lebanon (Dallas), Glen Rose (Tarrant), Trinity Pines (Union) and Aspendale in New Mexico (El Paso). Pastor Milton Cunningham and Westbury Baptist Church in Houston birthed Camp Tejas. Camp Menard focuses on Hispanics. Camp Buckner extends Buckner International’s ministry.

Most encampments sponsor camps but also provide facilities for church-, association- and ministry-led camps, retreats and conferences. Nate Sprinkle (left), pastor of First Baptist Church in Jayton, helps his father-in-law Buddy Baldridge scoop ice cream.Some sites remain rustic. Others offer full-range accommodations, from hotel rooms to bunk beds, and activities, from archery to climbing walls to paintball. Many operate year ’round. However, the purpose remains to “furnish the opportunity for recreation and rest, and at the same time … instruction in the word of God.”

Programs for youth and children involve camp staff or are staffed by their sponsoring groups. Texas Baptist Men pioneered day camping at Paisano. Charlie Elliott, activities director at First Baptist Church in Midland, extended the program. He created the church’s Rec Team to take camp to kids. The collegian Rec Team members train youth to be counselors, provide a week of day camp and close with a youth-led revival. 

Kathy Hillman’s grandson Mitchell was baptized by Bill Collins at Paisano.The plan continues 30-plus years later, led by current Minister of Activities John Elliott. This year, six college students traveled with their well-stocked rec wagon. Jonatan Amaya (Baptist University of the Américas), Kevin Campbell (Texas A&M University), Aubrie Elliott (Howard College), M’Lee Graham (Hardin-Simmons University), Blair Lewis (Tarleton State Univesity) and Erin Roy (University of Texas at San Antonio) hosted 13 sports and/or day camps, mentored 150-plus teenagers and shared the gospel with 1,000-plus girls and boys.

The Rec Team closed their summer leading Paisano’s day camp. As they reflected on providing “fun with a purpose,” they shared stories of deepened faith, lives changed and 102 children saved. 

Aubrie told of Shane, who came committed to basketball but left with a new commitment. A child with Down syndrome touched Erin when he voluntarily prayed, although she couldn’t understand every word. Blair told of hanging out with teens from hard homes. M’Lee expressed joy at being part of “the most important decision a person will ever make.” Jonatan talked of God’s calming grace as he preached his first sermon in English.

Kevin expressed what we should all take from camp: “Every single day, I walked with God and watched him work through me. Now I realize my game should be no different every single day at Texas A&M.”

Thank you, God, for camps where many trust you and where we can be refreshed, refocused and ready to walk with you and let you work through us every single day.

Kathy Hillman is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She also is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University

Hello, Texas Baptists. It’s great to be back in Texas! I enjoyed celebrating the risen Lord with Baptists from around the world at the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Durban, South Africa.

David HardageUpon returning, I had a great day preaching at First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls. They are a fun and exciting body of believers, yet they never compromise the truth of God’s word, the Bible.

I had the privilege of speaking to a group of folks participating in a disaster recovery mission trip for families in Galveston. Texas Baptist Disaster Recovery partnered with First Baptist Church of Galveston in this mission effort.

Go Now Missions has nine semester missionaries and 53 campus missionary interns serving this fall. Please join us in praying for these students this semester. Baptist Student Ministry will send 153 missionaries to Texas universities this year. They retreated at Dallas Baptist University recently. The harvest is plentiful!

River Ministry has a great opportunity of providing Organic House Church Kits for churches in need or churches just starting. 

Worship Summit West and Worship Summit South are coming in September. Texas Baptist Worship Summits are offered several times a year and create a forum for worship pastors and other leaders to discover and discuss current trends in music and worship. 

Congratulations to Hannah Mathes from First Baptist Church in Carrollton, this year’s first-place winner at the National Speakers’ Tournament. Read her story by clicking here.

Register your church messengers online for the 2015 annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Nov. 8-10 in Frisco at the Dr Pepper Arena. 

David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.

“… we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own languages” (Act 2:11)

It was the day of Pentecost. God-fearing Jews and others converted to Judaism from afar came to stay in Jerusalem for the holiday. The disciples were together in one place for prayers, waiting for the fulfilment of the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit on them. Bedilu YirgaIt suddenly happened, and they started to speak in different languages so that the crowd around them could understand them. The people in the crowd were amazed and begun asking each other: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?⁸Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?” (Acts 2:7-8) There were as many as 16 languages spoken that day. The question of the day was, “What does this mean?” (Acts 2:12)

As an immigrant who came to this land speaking a different language, I want to share my view of the work of God that was declared in different languages and the opportunity that came with it. 

The Genesis account tells us that with different languages sent by God, people were scattered. Here in Acts, however, we see God using different languages to carry the same message and declare the works of God. The message made the crowd wonder, ask questions and open themselves to hear the gospel. Language reflects the culture, values and worldview of the community that owns it. God used those languages that day for his purpose, and he is doing the same today. Different languages—the same declaration!

The world has come to us

We hear Texas Baptists saying, “The world has come to us.” This means the mission field is not far away as it used to be. Because of migration, people of many languages, cultures and origins have come to the United States.

Texas alone had 4.4 million foreign-born residents in 2013, representing 16.7 percent of the state’s total population, 26.4 million. The foreign population in Texas in 2000 was 13.9 percent of the total, and in 1990, it was 9.0 percent. The trend is fast growing. The number of Texas children born in the States with one or both foreign-born parents was 2.3 million in 2013. If we add 4.4 million foreign-born with their 2.3 million children, they collectively represent one-fourth of the total population in Texas. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of languages spoken at Texas homes is 171. The number of languages spoken in our Baptist churches is 69. 

What does this tell us? God is doing great things by using migration for his purpose. Different languages are declaring his superb works. There are seven intercultural fellowships and many ethnic churches connected to and supported by our Texas Baptists. These Baptist General Convention of Texas-supported ethnic churches are sending indigenous missionaries to their homelands while reaching out to their own people in diaspora. 

More to be done

But more is yet to be done. The following can enhance the work of ethnic church planting:

• Equip ethnic churches to plant new ethnic churches.

Each ethnic group has its own understanding of church and church planting. This is due to culture and prior practices. We need to engage them with our Texas Baptist church-planting program while allowing them to play a leading role in church planting in their cultural community. It takes a great amount of contextualization to be successful in evangelizing different language communities through church planting. 

• Provide more funding for ethnic church planting.

Texas’ ethnic population is exploding. In order to keep up with this growth, there must be strong financial support for the new ethnic church planting to maintain continued growth. More and more ethnic groups need to hear the great work of God in their different languages.

• Revitalize our ethnic church-planting strategies.

Texas Baptists have rich experience when it comes to planting and growing ethnic churches. Our ethnic churches are indebted to the BGCT staff, pastors and Texas Baptist churches for their faithfulness, dedication and caring services. Different methods and strategic actions have been applied. But we need to be flexible and continuously design and redesign our methods to adapt to the current situation of ethnic groups coming to Texas. 

It is time to encourage and cooperate with ethnic churches Texas Baptists planted, so they can plant new ethnic churches in their communities. They have the calling to do so, but they need to be empowered. The Texas Baptist family is in a better position today than ever to do the equipping of Texas ethnic churches the best way. 

Remember: It is different languages, same declaration!

Bedilu Yirga is senior pastor of the Ethiopian Evangelical Baptist Church in Garland and second vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

One summer, my grandparents chose Vacation Bible School week for my annual visit. With an August birthday, I was too young, but First Baptist Church in Marfa’s pastor, Cliff Johnston, welcomed me anyway. Besides, my grandmother Barton provided all the refreshments.

Kathy HillmanEvery day, we marched behind the American and Christian flags and the Bible. Once inside, we pledged allegiance to the flags and to God’s Holy Word. Traditional “Stand Up” and “Sit Down” chords governed movements. I’ll never forget the morning Bro. Johnston chose me to carry the Bible. Butterflies flew in my nearly 6-year-old tummy. I was scared, excited and not sure I could hold the huge book upright that long. But the pastor was sure.

From that moment, I loved Vacation Bible School—as a child, helper, Texas Baptist summer missionary and whenever-I-can volunteer. VBS has impacted generations. Historians differ on its origin. D.T. Miles, a Methodist pastor’s wife and teacher, held a four-week Bible school in Hopedale, Ill., in 1894.

Vacation Bible School at Gaston Avenue Baptist Church in Dallas, circa. 1920. (Photo courtesy of the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives)In 1898, Virginia Sinclair Hawes, children’s department director at Epiphany Baptist Church in New York City, dreamed of getting children off the streets and into God’s kingdom. She rented a beer hall for Everyday Bible School. Boys and girls came. They did crafts and learned Bible stories, Scripture and songs. Two years later, her pastor insisted the school be at church. The children didn’t come, so they moved back to the beer hall. 

Hawes’ sister Charlotte married Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor John Broadus. Thus WMU Training School Principal Maud McLure learned of the program. In 1914, students at the Training School—later Carver School of Social Work—in Louisville, Ky., taught 102 children in the first VBS under Southern Baptist auspices. 

Lindsay (a youth helper) and Kathy Hillman with an almost-two-year-old during VBS at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, Waco. (Kathy Hillman Photo)Today, VBS continues that effective outreach. Churches reduced the program to five mornings, afternoons or evenings and added themes and decorations. One year, several denominations in my hometown partnered in “The Great Comeback—Mega Sports Camp” using athletics facilities.

In 2014, an estimated 2,711 out of 5,333 Texas Baptist congregations—57 percent of churches, 26 percent of missions—held VBS. Enrollment totaled 402,200. However, 80 percent of churches averaging more than 200 in worship participated. For every 23 children enrolled, one publicly follows Jesus. That means in 2014, about 17,500 boys and girls trusted Christ in Vacation Bible Schools in Texas Baptist churches. Another 1,640 felt God’s call to church-related vocations. 

Children practice worship music during Vacation Bible School at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield. (Photo: Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield)Enlisting workers and covering costs challenges smaller churches. First Baptist Church in Sonora averages 115 on Sundays. Although the town’s elementary school only has 300 pupils, First Baptist enrolls 150 and averages 100 children in VBS—80 percent from outside the church. Pastor Matt Killough explains, “The congregation budgets $3,000 and spends six months preparing, planning and praying.” He dedicates three services to the VBS theme Scripture. 

The church believes “Jesus loves every child in Sonora, and every child needs to hear that.” Fifty workers of all ages ensure it happens. Mayor Wanda Shurley states, “Our community is a better place to live because of the dedication and commitment First Baptist Church of Sonora has for spiritually educating our children.” 

Children enjoying VBS at First Baptist Church in Sonora. (Photo: First Baptist Church, Sonora)This summer, a third grader made his salvation decision. While not unique, this was different. Killough explains: “I have children repeat a prayer, but he insisted he didn’t need me to lead. Instead, on his own, he asked Christ to come into his heart and be his Savior. He asked God to forgive him and thanked Jesus for dying on the cross for his sins. This had never happened before, even with adults. Vacation Bible School was the vehicle to teach him to know Jesus personally.”

Others share similar stories, Kathleen Mahanay was “a blessed little girl, growing up in First Baptist Cleburne, attending Sunday School, GAs, choirs, revivals and Wednesday night prayer meeting.” She admits VBS crafts were her favorite, but clearly she listened. At Vacation Bible School, she sang, “I don’t have to wait until I’m grown up to be what Jesus wants me to be” and asked Jesus to be her personal Savior. 

She was baptized by her pastor, Bob Fling. His wife, Helen, served as president of national WMU, whose training school students led that first Southern Baptist Vacation Bible School. After marrying David Hardage, Kathleen became a pastor’s wife and enjoys telling VBS Bible and mission stories.

Like many, Kathleen’s experience isn’t dramatic. Instead, it’s the story of “a little girl and a church of faithful teachers and volunteers who made wanting to live for Christ a natural and beautiful step. Vacation Bible School influences children in ways we will never know until we get to heaven.” 

Amen and amen.

Kathy Hillman is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She also is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University.

As a pastor serving on the small-church mission field, you encounter many obstacles in your life. At times, those obstacles seem like mountains. 

Richard RayI want to share with you two requirements our Lord expects from each of us if we desire to remove the mountains in our lives. Mark 11:22-24 says: “Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.’”

The first requirement is to have faith in God. Now, most pastors will say they have faith in God, but I have to ask: Do you have faith in God and in nothing else? It is not a matter of whether you rely on God, but rather: Do you depend on God and in nothing else? 

Jesus is not asking us to be a part of his life, but for him to be our life. Our devotion to him must be unequivocal. 

So often, when the mountains present themselves, we fall to our knees and pray in hope, not in faith. We pray in desperation, not in confidence. When you have a problem or situation, you do not need to tell God about it, because he already knows it. What we have to learn to do and what Jesus is teaching us to do is to tell our problems and our situations about God. Do not let your mountains stand in your way, but rather tell that mountain to move out of your way, because your faith in God commands it.

Second, faith will remove mountains. Once you put faith in God and God alone, only then can the mountains of your life and the mountains of your ministry be removed. In the ministry, some of those mountains seem too steep to climb, too high to cross and too large to overcome. Just remember the words of our Savior when he said: “But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” 

As ministers, we must learn to pray without doubt, without looking over our shoulder or peaking around the corner. The small-church mission field forms many types of mountains, but do not allow those mountains to take the joy of ministry away from you. Pray as Jesus instructed; pray in faith. 

Remember, we only see the mountain, but God saw how the mountain was formed. So, tell your mountains, your problems and your situations about the God you serve and how he is going to remove the mountains from your life and your ministry, because you have faith in God and God alone.

To learn more about your Bivocational/Small Church Association, you may view our website at www.bivocational.com or email me at brother_ray@juno.com. 

Remember, God has called you to serve him, but God has not called you to serve alone. Let us be your advocate, your resource and your prayer partner as you fulfill your calling.

Richard Ray is executive director of the Bivocational/Small Church Association and director of missions for the Tri-Rivers Baptist Area. You can reach him at brother_ray@juno.com.

Recently, the Baylor University board of regents changed the language of the university’s student conduct policy. This action has been represented in a number of ways through headlines and news reports. Baylor President Ken Starr sent us the following memo to help us understand the actions of Baylor and to clarify the misunderstandings that have accompanied this action. 

Please note the following from Judge Starr:

David Hardage“Recent news reports of changes to Baylor’s sexual conduct policy have unfortunately employed sensational headlines that have created misunderstandings about our policy.

“In fact, Baylor’s sexual conduct policy remains unchanged. Our policy continues to state that Baylor will be guided by the biblical understanding that human sexuality is a gift from God and that physical sexual intimacy is to be expressed in the context of marital fidelity. In the application of our policy, we rely on the historic Baptist expression of marriage as the uniting of one man and one woman.

“Baylor’s articulation of its policy required updating.  Previously, this policy had been called a ‘Sexual Misconduct Policy.’ As we do not identify other policies similarly—we have no ‘misspending’ policy, for example—we thought it wise to make language changes to the existing policy, which also included the elimination of an extensive but incomplete list of prohibited sexual behaviors and crimes.”

I hope this helps answer your questions or concerns.

Last week, I joined fellow Baptists in Durban, South Africa, at the World Congress of the Baptist World Alliance. This is a wonderful time of worship, celebration and collaboration with folks from around the world.

We are excited to launch Leadership Texas Baptists this fall. This initiative is aimed at identifying and equipping emerging Baptist leaders from around Texas. 

Leadership Texas Baptists is a nine-month experience to engage, equip and inform emerging leaders from churches across the state. Through this program, we look forward to creating a strong network that will serve our churches, ministries and institutions with Christ-like leadership for many years to come. Contact David Adams at david.adams@texasbaptists.org for more information.

Register now for Fiesta Ring, scheduled for Friday-Saturday, Nov. 6-7 at Shearer Hills Baptist Church in San Antonio. This training event provides opportunity for every player in your handbell choir to learn from one of the most sought-after clinicians in church music today.  

Our fourth annual National Boomer/Senior Adult Conference will be held Sept. 9-11 in the city by the river, San Antonio. Join hundreds of other leaders and volunteers to “Catch the Boomer Wave.” There will be great entertainment, excellent training and the opportunity to network with others from all over the country who are working to reach boomers. For more information, contact Keith Lowry, Texas Baptist adult Sunday school consultant, at keith.lowry@texasbaptists.org  or (214) 828-5206. 

David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.

Today, we frequently hear the question, “Where have all the leaders gone?” Sometimes, hand-wringing accompanies the query, “Where are the self-sacrificing, reassuring, encouraging leaders who innately inspired confidence and built consensus in the country and in the church?”

Kathy HillmanPerhaps a more crucial issue is where are tomorrow’s leaders. Who will replace us? 

At an associational ministers’ conference, one pastor stated, “Attracting children and youth has often become more about entertainment than developing future Christian leaders for churches, schools and the world.” Do we spend more time and money entertaining than we do engaging Christ followers? Is it time for Texas Baptists to accept a “game on” leadership challenge?

Game day

Several years ago, a speaking request came for a GA and Acteens banquet. The caller asked me to talk about leadership. What could I possibly say to girls in grades 1-12? “Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God” (Proverbs 21:1) reminded me of a family incident that our then GA-daughter allowed me to share. 

The Hillman family on the Guadalupe River. (Kathy Hillman Photo) One hot July, we traveled to the Hill Country to retrieve 11-year-old Marshall from Camp Stewart. Staying at a riverside bed-and-breakfast gave Michael, age 9, and Holly, age 7, a chance to practice the water skills they learned earlier at their camps. As John and I lingered over breakfast, the two asked if they could canoe. “Sure,” I answered. I should have added, “Wait for me.”

When I reached the dock, the two were expertly paddling in the Guadalupe River with Michael at stern and Holly at bow. As they drifted downriver, I yelled, “Turn around.” Dead silence. I called again. Michael answered hesitantly: “We don’t know how. Neither of us ever paddled stern.” Meanwhile, another mom overheard. Barbara ranted in full-panic mode: “What shall we do? Call 911?”

I whispered a prayer and yelled: “Michael, I’ll help you turn the canoe. What strokes do you know?” As I guessed, the basic four. “Then, you can do it.” Holly immediately chimed in, “You can do it, big brother.”

Four different generations, though not all related, helping with a church- and association-sponsored reception. (Kathy Hillman Photo)With Holly’s constant encouragement and assistance, Michael listened, rotated the canoe and docked. At some point, Barbara ceased screaming. She hadn’t realized I could jump in the river and swim the canoe back or that the boat would beach in shallow water downstream. However, I understood that when my children succeeded, I succeeded.

At the banquet, I asked, “Who was the leader?” Most indicated I was until I reminded them I wasn’t in the canoe. So they concluded Michael was. “Could he have gotten the canoe to the dock without Holly? What if she had acted like Barbara?” I asked.

Game plan

The canoeing experience reveals several basic leadership principles: The importance of modeling and mentoring, the importance of mission and the importance of trust. Former Baylor women’s basketball coach Pam Bowers adds the importance of followers. She once told reporters, “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.” Proverbs 14:28 says, “The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.” 

Participants at the CLC Advocacy Day Training for adults. (Kathy Hillman Photo)Scripture also confirms leadership isn’t limited by age. Samuel was a child when he began his ministry, and he “gave solid leadership to Israel his entire life” (1 Samuel 7:15). David was “little more than a boy” when he slew Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Miriam was a girl when she boldly approached Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2). Mary was likely a teen at Jesus’ birth (Luke 2). 

Preschoolers enjoy acting out “Following the Leader” from Peter Pan. Youth and children can accept leadership responsibilities under loving mentors. With guidance, girls and boys can help plan snack times for preschoolers, nursing home visits and churchwide projects like collecting school supplies. 

Youth can organize activities and handle delegated tasks, including Vacation Bible School assistance. Additionally, Texas Baptist students involved in Bounce mission experiences find such opportunities. Friends from Primera Iglesia Bautista recently allowed me to help them serve lunch to a Bounce team in Waco. Primera’s volunteers included invaluable high schoolers. The out-of-town Bounce students invited us to their devotional and prayer time led by an exceptional teen.

For adults, the Baptist General Convention of Texas developed Leadership Texas Baptists “to engage, equip, and inform emerging leaders from churches across the state.” Laypersons and ministers can apply for the 2015-2016 course by clicking here. Topics include church leadership issues, personal leadership development and entry points for service in the denomination.

Game on

Developing leaders is a privilege, a responsibility and a necessity. Game on, Texas Baptists! 

Kathy Hillman is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She also is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University.

The 29th annual Texas Baptist Bivocational/Small Church Conference provided a wonderful time of fellowship, encouragement and education. I want to thank all those who attended this year’s conference in San Antonio. I especially want to express my appreciation to Pastor Jorge Zayasbazan and staff of Baptist Temple Church, who were amazing hosts for the conference. 

Richard RayCongratulations to Pastor Lenard Dossey and wife, Linda, as they received the 2015 Exemplary Bivocational/Small Church Pastor and Spouse Award. He is pastor of First Baptist Church of Yancey as well as an employee of the Devine school district, where he serves as an aid. He has revitalized this church through his passion and dedication to serving our Lord. He also ministers to the community through nursing home and jail ministry. The Dosseys are parents of seven children. 

During the conference, we also presented two $1,000 scholarships to Ross Mullens, who is attending Baylor University’s Truett Seminary, and Pastor Dustin Lang ,who also attends Truett Seminary while pastoring First Baptist Church of Cransfills Gap. The scholarships are in memory of Claud Slate.

Beginning in September, I will be traveling around our great state, working with director of associational missions to host a free luncheon/dinner for pastors and their spouses to show my appreciation for their service on the small-church mission field and to share the services, mission and vision of the Texas Baptist Bivocational/Small Church Association. 

For example, the information technology team of the Bivocational/Small Church Association has developed the Treasurer Assistant Program to help small-church treasurers process church offerings and membership records in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service. The Treasurer Assistant Program has been designed to assist church treasurers in providing a written contribution letter to each donor by keeping records of offerings/donations given to the church. The system will record church membership/donors and post giving transactions. A confidential contribution report will be recorded, produced and emailed or mailed to the donor on a quarterly and/or annual basis by your Bivocational/Small Church Association for donors’ tax information in accordance with the IRS. 

The Bivocational/Small Church Association also has partnered with Christian healthcare ministries in support of those who need a solution to rising health-care costs. 

These topics, as well as others, will be addressed at the appreciation luncheon/dinners. To learn more about your Bivocational/Small Church Association, you may view our website at www.bivocational.com or email me at brother_ray@juno.com. 

Remember, God has called you to serve Him, but God has not called you to serve alone. Let us be your advocate, your resource, and your prayer partner as you fulfill your calling.

Richard Ray is executive director of the Bivocational/Small Church Association and director of missions for the Tri-Rivers Baptist Area. You can reach him at brother_ray@juno.com.

It was a joy to be back at my home church, Lakeside Baptist Church, in Dallas on Sunday. It’s always great to connect with friends and stay near the home front every now and then.

David HardageKathleen and I look forward to attending the African American Fellowship Conference next week at The Fort Bend Church in Sugar Land. This multifaceted training event introduces ministry resources provided by Texas Baptists in a context unique, encouraging and enriching to the African-American church. Featured speakers include Pastor H.B. Charles Jr., Pastor Michael Evans, Pastor Oscar D. Epps Sr. and musician clinician Patrick Bradley.

I want to encourage you to invite Chris Liebrum to come to your church and explain how the Cooperative Program works. Contact him at chris.liebrum@texasbaptists.org. Your gifts, in cooperation with other Texas Baptist churches, make possible children’s homes, hospitals, universities, new churches, college scholarships, Vacation Bible Schools, student missions and much more. All made possible because of your gifts to the Cooperative Program.

The Christian Life Commission has some great resources to help churches know how to respond to the recent Supreme Court decision. The Baptist General Convention of Texas is committed to loving, caring and treating all people with grace and respect. Also, we continue to affirm our long held understanding of the biblical view of marriage as that between one man and one woman.   

David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.   

When our older son first learned to talk, he pointed to a neighbor’s house and said, “McDona’s.” We sang “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Frustrated, he pointed again, adding “widows.” Finally, we zeroed in on the arched windows and realized McDonald’s “Golden Arches” had outwitted experts who said toddlers can’t understand symbols. Marshall wanted a Happy Meal.

Kathy HillmanSymbols have played important roles in our state’s history. Contention over the Gonzales “Come and take it” cannon led to the first battle of the Texas Revolution. “Remember the Alamo” became a rallying cry. The Republic under President Mirabeau Lamar adopted the now-familiar Lone Star flag. Texas ranchers still brand livestock to mark legal ownership, just as some believe Jacob did in Genesis 30. My mother prized her handmade boots displaying her grandfather Crawford Mitchell’s “7” brand. 

Today’s marketing and advertising experts extol the virtues of branding. Universities and pro sports teams trademark their mascots and lucratively license their names and colors in special designs. Businesses choose distinctive logos. Marshall, Michael and Holly played “find the symbol” games on road trips. Now our grandchildren download apps such as “Guess the Brand” and “Logo Quiz.”

Conducting the Lord’s Supper in the 1950s. (Photo courtesy of the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives)Even churches understand the value of symbols and branding. A friend recently chuckled over an email, “All Sunday school workers and adult Sunday school members need to wear standardized name tags branded for our church.” She wondered if competition had erupted over elaborate name tags or if Marketing 101 had reached her congregation.

Continuing debate over flying the Confederate flag demonstrates how polarizing but also how potent symbols can be. They are not inconsequential. They represent abstract ideas, encourage remembrance and reflect feelings about a time or experience—positive or negative. 

As Christians, we openly wear and display crosses, but God also calls us to be positive images for him. The Apostle Paul said we are letters from Christ “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3).

Kathy Hillman’s mother’s hand-made boots under her grandfather Crawford Thomas Mitchell’s portrait.  The “7” was his brand. (Kathy Hillman Photo)As Baptists, we claim two powerful symbols as part of our distinctives—believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Some call them church ordinances, because Scripture orders or commands them. In the Great Commission, our Savior tells us, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The Message uses the words, “marking them by baptism.” 

At that first Lord’s Supper, Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Paul says Jesus said, “Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25). Although we consider the two ordinances symbolically, we should conduct them carefully according to Scripture.

Baptism symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, and through our faith, we have passed from death to life. Baptism doesn’t save us, and no one can follow Christ for us. Therefore, we reserve baptism only for believers. Early Baptists frequently faced persecution for refusing to baptize their babies, and some were called Anabaptists because they re-baptized adults.

Paisano president Levi Price conducts a baptism at Paisano Baptist Encampment. (Kathy Hillman Photo)Baptists distinctively believe only total immersion adequately symbolizes this death, burial and resurrection. Paul writes, “When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father” (Romans 6:3-5).

The Gospels describe the Lord’s Supper or Jesus’ last meal with his disciples in Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:22-26; and Luke 22:14-20. Christ used bread to symbolize his body and “fruit of the vine” his blood. They didn’t become his body and blood then, and Baptists don’t believe they ever do. Instead, we use the ordinance to remember his sacrifice, to rest assured of his presence and to reflect on his promised return.

Yes, like baptism and the Lord’s Supper, symbols represent ideas and beliefs. They help us remember the past and offer inspiration for the future. They are reflections. As Christians, we are God’s most powerful symbol, individually and collectively as the church. We are his letters. Therefore, every day as we live in this world, we remember our salvation, represent our Savior, and reflect whose we are.

At Texas Baptists’ 2015 annual meeting, we’ll feature Baptist distinctives, including baptism and the Lord’s Supper, using the theme “Deep Roots … Living Legacy.” Plan to join us Nov. 8-10 in Frisco.

Kathy Hillman is president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She also is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University.