Hello, Texas Baptists. We now are only a couple of weeks away from our annual meeting in Corpus Christi, and I hope you are making plans to attend. If you haven't made plans yet, it's not too late. Our Education/Discipleship Center is charged with planning this year's convention, and they have done a wonderful job. It should be time well spent for all of us. See you soon!
I recently made my first trip to the headquarters of the North American Mission Board in Atlanta, Ga. I appreciate NAMB President Kevin Ezell taking some time to talk with Kathleen and me about the work around the country. However, most importantly, it was good to get to know each other a little bit, and I enjoyed the time.
Some of you will remember former Baylor basketball player (1948 Final Four team) and U.S. Olympic gold medal winner (1948 London games) Jack Robinson. Jack also was a leader in the 1950s Youth Revival Movement and then professor of preaching at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He then went on to pastor First Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga., for years and now is pastor emeritus there. Jack went on to pastor churches in Connecticut and Florida and then started seven churches in Europe. Kathleen and I enjoyed a visit with him and his wife, Charlotte, in Augusta. Jack is from Fort Worth, and Charlotte is from Mineral Wells. Plus, Jack is Kathleen's cousin!
Our Texas Baptists Day at Truett Seminary was a wonderful blessing for us. I preached in chapel, and we hosted students and faculty/staff for lunch and a question-and-answer time. The next day, in our Executive Board staff chapel service, Truett Seminary Dean David Garland was our speaker, and he shared a great message with your staff. Please continue to pray for Truett Seminary.
Kathleen and I attended Baylor Theatre's presentation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. It was very well done, but primarily, I was proud of the performance of Brittney Woolley. Brittney is a junior and played the role of Muriel. All that to say, I used to be her pastor and baptized her upon her profession of faith in Christ. Pastors will know how special these moments are!
Thanks to BGCT First Vice President Jeff Johnson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Commerce, for allowing me the opportunity to preach in his absence recently. It was a blessing for me, and there were three Texas A&M-Commerce students in attendance, and I was once their pastor, too. Keep up the good work, Jeff, and blessings to FBC.
I am happy to report Kathleen and David Hardage now are Dallas homeowners. We have been living in an apartment since our arrival in Dallas and will be moving to our home in the next few weeks. Again, thanks to our real estate agent, Gail Williams of Dallas, a member of Wilshire Baptist Church. She was a great help to us.
That's it for now. More next time. See you in Corpus.
David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.
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