Hello, Texas Baptists. Summer is more than halfway behind us, and I've heard so many good reports from our churches about their time at Vacation Bible School, youth and children's camp, and mission trips. Keep up the good work, and know you are making a difference!
Kathleen and I were able to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Dead Sea Scroll Exhibit at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary July 2. We came away impressed by the exhibit. It is very well done.
I also want to thank Don Smarto, a member of The Oaks Baptist Church in Grand Prairie (www.theoakschurch.org), for allowing me to appear on his radio program. It focuses on parenting and can be heard online via the WBAP website. It was a blessing for me, and I look forward to doing it again later this fall.
Recently, I returned to First Baptist Church in Sulphur Springs (www.ssfbc.org) to officiate the funeral service of a good friend, Mike Kelty. While there, I enjoyed a wonderful visit with the pastor, Mark Bryant; the Rehoboth Baptist Association director of missions, Kent Pate; and my friend Roy Edgemon. Many remember Roy from his years of service at LifeWay Christian Resources, formerly the Sunday School Board. I am so glad Roy and Anna Marie Edgemon are a part of our Texas Baptist family. She serves on our missions funding group and is such a blessing.
It was a real joy for me to speak to the Bivocational/Small Church Association's (www.bivocational.com) conference. This year's conference was held on the campus of the Baptist University of the Americas (www.bua.edu) in San Antonio. Richard Ray, pastor of First Baptist Church of Wink and director of missions of Pecos Valley Baptist Association, serves as the president of the organization. Kathleen and I so enjoyed our time with this group, and I do thank President René Maciel of BUA, as well as the rest of the staff, for their wonderful hospitality. Approximately 3,700 of our Texas Baptist churches fall into their definition of smaller membership, which is 100 or less in attendance.
Thanks to Lewis Timberlake, author of the Uncommon Leader program, for stopping by our Baptist Building. He's a good friend to Texas Baptists. He's also a member of Austin Baptist Church in Austin, where Gary Dyer serves as pastor. The church will move into its new facility on Sept. 9. It is quite beautiful, and I know they are looking forward to using this facility to expand their work for the kingdom.
Several of our Texas Baptist staff recently attended the annual meeting of the Baptist World Alliance (www.bwanet.org) in Santiago, Chile. From everything I've heard, it was a positive time for all.
I hope you are planning to join us in Corpus Christi for our annual meeting Oct. 29-31. It should be a great time for us all. More next time.
?David Hardage is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.
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