A word from your Missions Office
By HEITH MITCHELL
I am excited to see as many of you as possible at your local association in the next few months. If I am not there it will be because I am with another association at the same time. I enjoy hearing about what God is doing through your local churches and witnessing the love you have for each other in your association. I also love to be with you to report on all that God is doing in and through your hard-working missionaries. When you gather together to encourage each other and support Christ’s mission together God is glorified and churches are strengthened.
Retreats
This month, Texas Missions and BMA Pastor Connections Coordinator Todd West hosted two retreats. The first was a couples retreat for youth pastors and their wives. It was a good time of equipping and pouring in. The second was a couples retreat for each of the pastors in the Harmony Baptist Association. This was a good opportunity for these churches to build deeper bonds and for their wives to get to know each other. All but one of these pastors are new to their church this year. It would be good for other local associations to hold a similar retreat. Reach out to Todd or the missions office.
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PROJECT 2029
100 New Churches/10 years
- That we see an aggressive multiplication movement of churches who make disciples, equip and release leaders, and start churches for the glory of God and the advancement of his Kingdom Mission
- That each new mission begin with a plan to begin three new churches in their first 10 years
- That pastors and churches of the association be encouraged and equipped to start new churches
- That we connect, evaluate, identify and train new prospective church planters
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A word from your missionaries:
Ciro Gonzalez– Rice Hispanic Mission
cirogonzalez315@gmail.com
We are praying and making a new projection towards Rice, Texas for a year and some months. We have worked focused on making disciples, but we have not had the results we expected. This new projection begins with a new work in Corsicana, but having Rice as its epicenter, since it is centrally located between Ennis and Corsicana. We want to make groups of disciples in these places with the purpose of bringing them in the future to congregate in Rice as a central church.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for Rice, for Corsicana, and for my helpful brother in Christ, Miguel, and myself.
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IBrad Holcomb– Redemption Hill Ft. Worth
brad@redemptionhillfw.org
Overall, Redemption Hill is doing well, by God’s grace. We are welcoming new guests every week, many of whom do not have a relationship with Jesus. We are working to assimilate them into community groups. In September, we will be hosting our first ever Preach Christ Conference, focused on the centrality of preaching the person and work of Jesus from a heart that loves Jesus. We are also hosting a counseling seminary focused on training members to care for one another in community. Please join us in praying the Lord uses these ministries to draw more and more people to Himself and to grow our affections for Him.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray that the Preach Christ Conference is used by God to equip men for the wonderful task of preaching the person and work of Jesus. Pray the Spirit grows our love for Jesus through the event. Also, please join us in praying that the guests attending RHC each week who do not know God, would come to saving faith by His grace.
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Isaias Martinez – Conroe Mission
isaiasmj1966@gmail.com
The mission status is running normal. We maintain two families in discipleship with the goal to baptize them. We are preparing to celebrate our anniversary.
Prayer Needs:
Your prayers that we may have a place of our own in the future.
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Shane Carter– Lamesa Mission
stumpofnavy@gmail.com
I am fighting Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. I was diagnosed in the first part of July. The side effects of the medicine for the Leukemia has been rough. I have struggled with walking and am just now getting around with a walker. I also have many appointments because this has also affected my kidneys and I have developed pressure wounds from my hospital visits. I make four trips a week to Lubbock for various health issues related to the Leukemia. This may sound bleak, but through this I have grown closer to God and have a re-focused outlook on my ministry.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray for my health to improve so that I can walk soon and continue my ministry.
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Kevin Williams– Port Arthur Mission
mr.williamsp121@gmail.com
The month of August has been a “hit the ground running” kind of month for us. We started a second home Bible study with three new people which has been going very well. I also started working at one of the local middle schools as an ESL aide, which has been challenging, but has also a great opportunity to stay outside a “churchy” bubble and within relational distance of lost people.
One of the challenges that comes with working in a fast-paced environment like the school is that it doesn’t allow a lot of down time to talk with students or other co-workers. As I prayed about this, I asked the Lord to open doors for me to talk to others about spiritual things and sure enough, He did! I have been able to talk with and begin to form a relationship with one student named Tomas and am excited to have the opportunity to share more with him. I also was recently able to share my testimony with a teacher.
Please continue to pray for one of the families that we have been ministering to. Their names are Salvador, Isabel, Bryan, Chavito and Rodrigo. Rodrigo is only about three months old and has Trisomy 13. He has a health condition and is not expected to live past the age of one and could pass any day. However, in His mercy, God has preserved this little boy’s life and he has defied the odds so far. We have been having Bible studies in their home now for about a month but Salvador, the father, has not been present for any of them. Would you pray with us that God would stir in him a desire to know Jesus?
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we would be savvy in finding ways to engage with our neighbors and that God would grow a supernatural love in us for them.
Pray for Amber and the kids as they have started back with homeschooling and as they continue to settle into life here.
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Chris Driver– West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
cjdriver316@gmail.com
Howdy from west Texas! We are back to school and that means new and fresh opportunities for ministry. We are so excited to finally see some progress in connecting to students from South Plains College. Our help with the SPC cosmetology department last month has borne fruit in that we had one young lady bring four friends to our Sunday service. We have also begun preparation for several meals for them this semester. We are making inroads in starting a new group/work in Sundown, one of the neighboring communities. There are several great outreach opportunities coming up in Levelland that will help us continue to develop momentum. Thank you so much for all your support and prayers. God is definitely on the move here in west Texas.
Prayer Needs:
SPC Ministry development
Sundown group formation
Donation of a church van for our O-Kids program
Open doors for the gospel in Levelland and Sundown
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Jose Torres– Tyler Hispanic Mission
josetorres@gmail.com
We have managed to form a team so that the Sunday service is carried out in the absence of any or all of us who participate. We have trained and engaged people to support in case we are away or sick. John Sage is a member of the church who provides us with the facilities for our services. He is a retired missionary but he faithfully supports us every Sunday. He can share the Word if I am not there. Diego has trained Sabrina in technology and sound so she can support. We have included more people to help us count and record the offerings. My wife has trained other women to support us in child care. Jovita and Jose are committed to helping us receive people in addition to preparing everything for the service and putting everything away.
We are also challenging our leaders to take the next step toward forming disciples which is the main focus of our vision. They are already trained, we just have to help them engage people so that they can carry out our discipleship.
My wife and I are looking to start new people to disciple. She has started with her co-worker, Hilda, and I have connected with her husband, Sergio, to start with him too and see who else they know to form a group in their home.
Prayer Needs:
We ask for your prayers as we are planning for 2025.
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Kyle Cheatham– Grace Church Jarrell Mission
kyle@gracejarrell.com
We are celebrating exciting fruit as we were able to baptize four adults in August. We’ve paired two new believers with two more mature believers for personal disciple-making and both pairs are doing well. For the first time since we launched, we averaged 100 in worship. Our prayer ministry held a back to school prayer walkabout at the church with the names of all of our students (K-5th, over 50!) written on cards around the room, so that people could come and pray over them. Our women’s ministry cooled off with an ice cream social, a well-attended, wonderful time of fellowship and building relationships. Our men’s ministry is studying the attributes of God. Our young adult ministry celebrated one year of gathering for Bible study, prayer and fun. Things are feeling solid and we are praising God!
Prayer Needs:
Please pray for us as we prayerfully explore an amazing opportunity that would provide more space and be a blessing in so many ways.
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Tim Alba– The Bridge Mission in Seagoville
timalba1986@gmail.com
We have had some breakthroughs this month with many people in our church. Many came to me Sunday and asked how they can serve in our ministry. It has been very exciting to see people come to understand God’s calling and mission in their lives. People are opening their homes, others are wanting to serve and few feel called to ministry. It has been quite a month for us. We also had five salvations this month alone–10 overall throughout the summer. We are hoping to baptize them in the near future.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that God opens doors for us to find a permanent home. We are growing and people are getting excited at our church. We are also excited about what God is doing at our church.
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Robert Lee– Harmony Baptist Church in Normangee Replant
bro.robert.f.lee@gmail.com
This month has been exciting. As the school year started back, our local school superintendent invited pastors to come to the school and meet with him for breakfast to talk about how best to be involved in our local school. I am looking forward to what the year holds in store.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for us as we prepare for some opportunities to engage our community in the coming months.
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