December Missions Update
A word from your missions office
By HEITH MITCHELL
Another year is coming to a close and I look back on it in awe of God’s provision and blessings. He has met the needs and cared for your missionaries. He has answered prayers and opened doors on each of their behalf. He has saved hundreds! He has answered prayers and showed Himself mighty! He has answered many prayer requests that have been printed on these pages.
You are a faithful people! You pray and encourage and love. You financially support your missionaries sacrificially with love. It is a joy to be your brother and serve you.
It is a lot of fun to see God at work, isn’t it? This far into my faith journey, I expect God to do big and bold things that bring Him Glory and advance His mission. He will do things that require faith and make us uncomfortable. He will keep us in that wonderful place where the things we’re involved in are over our heads but under His feet. I want to remind you of the God-sized goal below. Will you join us in a commitment to pray and work towards:
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
We would love to share with your church about what God is up to and show you how you can be involved. We have tools we can provide you to help you become a partner in church planting. Reach out to us.
A word from your missionaries
Ronnie Mills – Kingdom Chapel Mission, Saginaw/North Fort Worth
BMA family, thank you so much for all your prayers and support of Kingdom Chapel. We are so excited for this new year that God has in store for us, and we just ask that you would continue to pray for us, and think about us.
Prayer Needs:
We are currently going through preparing a space for us to gather in. It has taken a lot of focus off of ministry. Please pray for us as we work diligently to get open to the public.
Jaime Garcia – Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Mission, Gilmer/Mesquite
This month for me is very special, because of the beautiful tradition of this nation and its biblical principles. I am emphasizing the church preaching about thanksgiving. I thank you very much for your collaboration in the missionary work. Together we can do this. Continue to pray to God so that his Word may continue to be preached to every creature.
Spencer Simpson – Redeemer’s Love Mission, Houston
God has been doing some great things this fall in southwest Houston! Thank you for your prayers and support that encourage and allow us to bring the gospel to this area of Houston.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray for wisdom and the ability to be an encouraging shepherd. Also pray for the continued commitment of our members and that they would be taking discipleship seriously and actively reaching our community.
Mike Watt – Cross-Work Mission, Tahoka
We had our first salvation and baptism service! We baptized two: 7 year old Grayson and 35 year old Barbie. This was also our highest attended service to date with 45.
Our small group is still the best thing we have going. Plugging people into this is crucial for our brand of discipleship. Also just as crucial is for the small group to send people into smaller groups of three to four because that is where discipleship really gets ramped up.
We are starting our second year and want to continue to make disciples who make disciples in our town and be a church that plants churches in our area.
Prayer Needs:
We are starting our second year this month and want to continue to make disciples who make disciples in our town and be a church that plants churches in our area.
Jaime Henriquez – Fuente De Vida Eterna Mission, Houston
Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching, Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to seat down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. ~ Luke 12:37
Prayer Needs:
Pray that the Lord will keep saving the souls of the lost and open doors for the Word of God to be accepted by those whom are listening.
Neptaly Molina – Iglesia Bautista Mission, Nacogdoches
I have managed to meet with the two Puerto Riquen families, Mileidy and Gloria and their family. This is in Nacogdoches. I make contacts with new people with the message of the Gospel in different places–in the apartments where these sisters live and other communities such as Lufkin, Ponderosa, Michuacana, Walmart among others. I’m still working in the area of evangelism and visiting.
Isaias Rojas Osechas-Church Plant in Spring
Thank God first, and my coach, Arnulfo Maldonado, Heith Mitchell, and the vision shared by the churches of the Texas 100 new churches in 10 years. As I experienced it and testified in the 119th Annual Meeting. It is a privilege for us and God is faithful. For its support, moral spiritual and financial.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for the consistency of family groups, which is our priority. May God give us more wisdom with new contacts and believers. We are having introductory classes of candidates to baptize. Pray that we discover their spiritual gifts and that they capture the vision and serve the Lord and multiply.
Matthew Prather – The Bridge Mission, Midlothian/Waxahachie
Dual Support BMAA/BMAT
The month of November, we really focused on serving our community. We challenged our church to collect food for Thanksgiving meals for those in need in our community. We had 20 names of families. We met our goal and packed 20 baskets of food and delivered it to those families. We love serving and meeting the needs of people in our community so that we can show them the love of Christ. This month we saw another salvation. We ask that you continue to pray for us as we seek to lead people from where they are to where God wants them to be. Thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we continue to see people come to the Lord. Pray for us as we minister to the hurting in our community.
Jesse Hales – Resident Intern in Round Rock
Dual Support BMAA/BMAT
Thank you for your love and support. We depend deeply on your prayers for this new ministry in Round Rock. We are very blessed to be interning with Antioch, Georgetown. They have been such a blessing to our ministry so far. When we are not busy learning from Antioch, we are pouring ourselves into the community of Round Rock. We are excited that we’ve been able to make several meaningful connections. We invite you to pray with us that these connections will turn into salvations and discipleship. With everything that has been going on, it’s hard to believe that we’ve only been ministering here in Round Rock for over two months. We have been pouring ourselves into certain parts of the community to make a positive impact for Christ and to deepen relationships we are trying to build with people. In all the ministries that I’ve been blessed to be involved with in the past, I’ve never seen meaningful connections made as fast as they have been happening here, and only God can do that. Just yesterday a teacher stopped to thank me for all the church has done and to tell me that our church was “the talk of the town.” Although I think her statement was pretty inflated (Round Rock is a big town), it excites me to hear Starting Point referred to as “our church,” or “that church” and have people stop me to remind me of their upcoming surgeries or update me on their relatives.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we can make the necessary arrangements needed to be able to start these small groups in January.
Cliff Robertson – Carpenter’s House Mission – Lake Jackson/Clute
Good is raising up some people to step into roles and they are taking some serious responsibility. Pray for them!
Prayer Needs:
Pray for this season. We are planning a couple of big things – Christmas and a New Year revival.
Chris Mindi – Resident Intern, Leander
Please pray for my family (baby girl to be born), my school, our small group families and most importantly for wisdom and strength in navigating and prioritizing all the aspects of my life.
Chris Driver – West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
God has been so good this month! Each of the west Texas planters have had major breakthroughs in their ministries. It is so exciting to be a part of those moments when God brings the walls down like Jericho. Please continue to pray for more potential planters and people of peace for each of these towns.
Cristian Martinez – Grace Harvest Baptist Mission, Lubbock
Thank you for your prayers. This month we have had many opened doors to preach the gospel door to door in the neighborhood we are reaching. Also, I have had more laborers to do that task together. I ask you to pray for the new believers in our mission to grow in their understanding of the gospel and to be well grounded in order to resist the temptation of sin and false doctrine. We continue to teach and apply the Word of God to them but this month two of them have fallen in previous sin they had struggled with and are discouraged. Pray for repentance that leads to considering Jesus enough and restoration in the joy of salvation.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for growing passion and wisdom, family, and commitment of disciples and finding persons of peace.
On behalf of your BMA of Texas Missionaries and all of their support team, we want to wish you, your family, and your church family a Merry Christmas!
October/November Missions Update
A word from your missions office
By HEITH MITCHELL
We really had an enjoyable and uplifting time in Lufkin at the BMA of Texas State Meeting. The Word was preached repeatedly and we were encouraged and inspired. Testimonies were shared that reminded us that God is faithful in 2019 in the BMA. The music was so uplifting. The Keltys First Family welcomed us warmly and took care of us both days. I love that we are hosted by church families. It changes our meetings for the better. Thank you Keltys, officers, departments, BMA Texas Mission staff, speakers, musicians and breakout teachers for a good annual BMAT Meeting.
I hope you were able to get to know your missionaries at the meeting. Twenty-six of your 29 planters were there. We had great fellowship and enjoyed. As always the commissioning service was a time that meant so much to each missionary, especially the seven new works that were introduced at the service.
BMAT family, we love you. It is a joy to serve you and serve beside you. If we can assist you we want to. We have trainings you can come to or we can bring your way. We can partner with you or share with you. Let’s partner for the Kingdom and pursue:
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
I would love to come and share Texas Missions with your church or association. I have open dates and look forward to hearing from you.
A word from your missionaries
Matthew Prather – The Bridge Mission, Midlothian/Waxahachie
Dual Support BMAA/BMAT
The Month of October was a good and jam-packed month. For the month of October and November we are really focusing on serving our community in several different ways. In Waxahachie there is a big festival downtown in October of each year that draws a huge crowd. We opened up a parking lot for free parking and passed out water. We met a lot of people and had a lot of good conversation. Also, we had what we call Blocktober on Halloween. Our different small groups set up in their neighborhood with a bounce house and candy. It provides a great opportunity to engage our neighbors and have meaningful conversation. We ask that you would continue to pray for these conversations as we continue to serve and reach Ellis County. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we continue to see people come to the Lord. Pray for us as we minister to the hurting in our community.
Wesley Burke – Redemption Baptist Mission, Nacogdoches
Preach the gospel and make disciples. This is all of our tasks, but how can we see these fulfilled without prayer. To that end, brothers and sisters, I ask that you would pray specifically for Redemption Baptist Church to see people converted that we are now actively sharing the gospel with. We want full baptismal waters in February when we, Lord willing, become a church.
Isaias Rojas Osechas-Church Plant in Spring
Thank you, thank you very much, firstly because the Lord has been faithful; and to all the friends and Churches who, pray and support us and are very attentive to us, brothers and sisters and the managers of the BMA and servants and servants planters of the sister missions and churches. We’ve already been one year old, and God is merciful.
Jaime Garcia – Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Mission, Gilmer/Mesquite
“Gratitude.” The Apostle Paul was a very grateful man of God and he expresses his gratitude and joy for the favor of the brothers of the church of Philippians, and in chapter 4:17 lets them know that it is not that he seeks gifts, or to be burdensome, but that fruit abounded at his own. Paul refers to that help as an offering that is for God, as a fragrant smell, referring to the rites that were done at the altar to offer God the offering. In this likeness, he compares the offering of the brothers of Philippians, as a sacrifice he accepted, which pleases God. And they return their favor with a promise of reward from God, telling them that by their care God will equally supplement all that is lacking according to their riches in glory. Brethren, thank you for sharing for my needs, Thank you for taking care of me, thank you because together we participate in the preaching of the Gospel of God. Blessed be the name of Jesus!
Jaime Henriquez – Fuente De Vida Eterna Mission, Houston
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”
Spencer Simpson – Redeemer’s Love Mission, Houston
We are excited to see what God is going to do this fall in southwest Houston! Thank you for your prayers and support that encourage and allow us to bring the gospel to this area of Houston.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray for wisdom and the ability to be an encouraging shepherd. Also pray for the continued commitment of our members and that they would be taking discipleship seriously and actively reaching our community.
Neptaly Molina – Iglesia Bautista Mission, Nacogdoches
I am happy because I am sharing the initial discipleship with Gloria and her family and Milaidy and his family.
Cliff Robertson – Carpenter’s House Mission – Lake Jackson/Clute
God is good and he is moving, opening doors that no one can close. A church that was closing decided to consolidate with us. It wasn’t many people but it was such an honor that the pastor wanted to bring his people to a place that he trusted.
Cristian Martinez – Grace Harvest Baptist Mission, Lubbock
During the month of October we had more consistency in our group’s attendance and people participating in times where we model evangelism for them in the community.
In November we are teaching our group the importance of church membership. Please pray that our group will commit to proclaiming and displaying the gospel together as we seek not what we can get individually but seeking to build one another and participate on God’s mission together for the glory of God.
We thank God for your faithful support in God’s work in Lubbock.
Chris Driver – West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that we serve a God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly MORE than we could ask or think. I have come to believe that a big part of the reason most of the churches in the small towns of west Texas lie in ruins it because they lost sight of that truth and stopped believing our great God for MORE! But that’s not us! We are so excited about what God has done here, but we are believing Him for MORE! We are believing Him for MORE souls to be saved, MORE lives to be changed, and MORE towns to be reached! God continues to grow our planters and stretch their faith. But please join us in praying for MORE!
September Missions Update
A word from your missions office
By HEITH MITCHELL
It’s fellowship time–twenty-six local association meetings that culminate in the BMA of Texas meeting. Don’t worry. I’m not mentally ill, I don’t think. I don’t like business meetings any more than you do, but I will gladly sit through each of them to get to visit with each of you. I look forward to the opportunity to brag on God and all he is doing through your missions movement. I want to hear what God is doing in your life and in the life of your church as you are about the Lord’s business. I love and appreciate our BMA family.
I want to encourage you to join me in being present at your local and state meetings. Let’s encourage one another, build up one another, help one another and love one another. We are an association of edifying relationships if we’re an association at all. We need each other. Don’t fool yourself, you’re not better in isolation. You need encouragement, challenge, and rebuke. I do too.
Together for the King and His Kingdom!
Will you join us in prayer and commitment to:
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
I would love to come and share Texas Missions with your church or association. I have open dates and look forward to hearing from you.
A word from your missionaries
Lee (nickname) – BMA Texas Missionary among Arabic Refugees, Richardson
“ through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto you the obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake;” Romans 1:5
I thank the Lord for the month of August which was full of grace and blessings.
While my wife and I were visiting one of the people we are discipling, another family came for a visit. They are open-minded. We talked about Abraham and his son. Through this talk they asked us questions about what is meant by sin and how can we get rid of it. We spent much time and we talked about God’s love and that he sent the Savior for us. That night we didn’t finish with them, but I left with them to find a way to salvation without shedding blood. We prayed with them and blessed them. They respected that and we left.
After a week, they called my wife to continue what we started and to answer the questions by visiting them in their house. They made an appointment for the coming week.
Pray for us that God gives us more grace while we’re visiting them.
The Bible study is great. We meet in my house every Friday and another one every other Saturday in Wilmar. We are studying Romans now. Please pray for these two meetings.
Cliff Robertson – Carpenter’s House Mission – Lake Jackson/Clute
God is good! We had an amazing Party @ the Park. Met over 300 people, shared Jesus with many of them and we are excited about what God is doing in Oyster Creek. We are in need of a worship leader. Pray for us!
Prayer Needs:
Pray that the Lord will send us worship musicians.
Cristian Martinez – Grace Harvest Baptist Mission, Lubbock
Thank you for your faithful support. I announce to you that on July 11, my son Ethan was born. My wife is recovering well and the baby has been healthy. Thank you for your prayers. We continue to spend most of our time in evangelism and growing disciples in maturity. Please pray for conversions, perseverance of the disciples and faithfulness. We want to see more people coming to the knowledge of the truth and being reconciled with God through faith in Jesus in some neighborhoods in the city of Lubbock that in the present time lack opportunities to be exposed to the faithful preaching and display of the gospel.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for new believers with jobs that require them to go out of town for weeks.
Gamalier Luna – New Mission in El Paso
Hello to all the BMA Churches. I encourage you to continue conquering the world for Christ, do not stop, keep moving forward, even if you go slow, but do not stop. God will bring the harvest in due time.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that the people to whom we communicate the gospel of Jesus receive it.
Ronnie Mills – Kingdom Chapel Mission, Saginaw/North Fort Worth
Hey, BMA family! We had a wonderful launch Sunday on August 25, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. We want to thank all of you who prayed for us, and ask that you would continue to lift us up in prayer as a new church, that we would be built upon and walk in unity together.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray that as our launch was August 25, that we would keep momentum as a church, staying unified together in the common goal God has us on.
Mike Watt – Cross-Work Mission, Tahoka
We have one church in town shutting down this month for lack of attendance, so starting a new church in the same town is difficult. Pray that we would be obedient to the task God has called us to, even when it is hard.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we fully engage the culture at community gatherings (football games, harvest festival, etc…).
Cesar Cantu – Intern preparing for Richmond/Katy
Discipleship, we currently have a celebrate recovery group in West Columbia that has grown from eight to 11 members. We meet every Thursday at 6:30 p.m., share a meal and discuss issues concerning our own lives. Topics range form suicide to feeling lonely. Our group usually ends at about 9:30 p.m. I sense a huge need for the group in the area and all those in attendance are genuine (they are eager to share).
Chris Driver – West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
One thing I’ve learned over the years, living in a farming community, is that there is a lot of work and waiting involved between planting and harvest. My time as a pastor and now as a church planter and leader has revealed the same to be true in ministry. As fast as things started here in west Texas, we seem to be in a time of working and waiting. We know God is at work and we see Him moving all around us, but like the cotton harvest, sometimes it seems like it doesn’t happen as fast as we’d like. But over the years, I’ve learned one more valuable truth concerning these times in farming and ministry: They also provide valuable opportunities for rest and reflection. Over the last month, I have had a chance to stop and marvel at how great God has been and how humbling it is to think that He has allowed us to be a part of such an amazing ministry! Please continue to pray for west Texas. Seeds are being planted so I know the harvest is coming!
Neptaly Molina – Iglesia Bautista Mission, Nacogdoches
I share that in the work of the Lord we receive blessings and it is gratifying what God does when we allow ourselves to be used by him.
I am supporting Mileidy, a young woman of Puerto Riquen origin but who lived a good time in Buffalo, New York and has now been living in Nacogdoches for six months. She is going through a hard test has cancer and has no more family here in Texas. My wife and I are dedicated to helping her. She is congregating with us and she says that God spoke to her that she would be healthy here in Nacogdoches and has shown firmness, faithfulness, courage, is punctual and it shows.
Spencer Simpson – Redeemer’s Love Mission, Houston
We are excited to see what God is going to do this fall in southwest Houston! Thank you for your prayers and support that encourage and allow us to bring the gospel to this area of Houston.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray for wisdom and the ability to be an encouraging Shepherd. Also pray for the continued commitment of our members and that they would be taking discipleship seriously and actively reaching our community.
Isaias Rojas Osechas-Church Plant in Spring
Thank you for your support in praying for more stability. Thank you for providing treaties and materials of evangelization, discipleship and financial support.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for document arrangement, for vehicle acquisition and my own residence. Also, pray for the new contacts we visit.
Jaime Garcia – Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Mission, Gilmer/Mesquite
God help us to stand firm in preaching his gospel and to be faithful to him even when we do not look at a good response from people. We know that his Word will never become empty. Blessings for all of you.
Matthew Prather – The Bridge Mission, Midlothian/Waxahachie
Matthew@discoverthebridge.com Dual Support BMAA/BMAT
As I am writing this, the school year has just kicked off and everyone is finding their new normal in their schedule. With a new school year comes new opportunities to reach people. We are excited about what God is going to do through the rest of 2019. We ask that you would join us in prayer as we move into the school year and continue to build on the momentum that we have seen through the summer months. Recently, I challenged our church to find four families or individuals to be “FOR.” People won’t know that Jesus is for them until they know that we are for them. Our prayer is that these families would come to know Christ over the next 16 months. At The Bridge, our desire is to lead people from where they are to where God wants them to be. We appreciate your continued prayers and support.
August Missions Update
A word from your missions office
By HEITH MITCHELL
“To everything [there is] a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck [what is] planted;” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NKJV)
I was reminded of this beautiful passage this week as I witnessed the pain of death in the hearts of a group of believers who knew their church was near its end. A church closing is tragic, painful, and I wish it could always be avoided. I am reminded though that in this life, death is as certain as life. With the joy of the miracle of new birth comes the certainty of death. Our culture sanitizes and avoids this truth. Death is part of life on this sin sick planet.
The church doesn’t escape this. It is alive and has a lifecycle. For 2,000 years of church history churches have been born, matured, reproduced and eventually died. There has been the occasional church that lived to be 150 or more. The average lifespan of a US church is 40 years. Most BMA churches have outlived that average but we can all name churches that haven’t. I’m not saying this to discourage, but to give perspective. People panic and despair without perspective.
The season we are in today is like any that came before it.
Churches are being born: The BMA of Texas currently has 29 churches in the exciting fragile stage of birth. These young churches are practicing simple faith while facing challenges and taking risks. They are seeing hundreds saved and are making disciples. The BMA of Texas is seeing more new churches begin than at any time in its history! Praise the Lord!
Church’s are growing: In fact there are BMA churches right now seeing the largest attendance ever. Several have passed 1,000 in attendance. I am witnessing growth in small churches and larger churches. There are rural and urban churches that are growing. I can even point to some churches that have known long decline that are now in a season of growth.
Churches are reproducing: All 29 of your mission points have a mother church. Keltys First Baptist in Lufkin is sending a planter and around 10 members to start a church. Antioch Baptist of Conway, Arkansas sent multiple families to Georgetown, Texas to plant there. The Spanish congregation at Suburbanwood Baptist in Humble has sent three planting teams out in two years. The Carpenter’s House Mission in Lake Jackson has sent out two planting teams.
Churches are dying: Every year we witness a few churches that end. In the last 12 months we have seen Dallas Park in Cockrell Hill; First, Gary and Oak Grove, Canton pass. We hate to see this day but we must recognize that it comes. Each of these churches saw many decades of fruitful ministry and have had an impact. They all exceeded the average lifespan by many decades. I want to challenge us as BMA Baptists to have a Kingdom perspective. We must understand that struggle, age and death are an inescapable part of living. We must focus on faithfully submitting to Jesus and being about His Mission. We must be faithful to reproduce. We must be fruitful and multiply. The mission requires that our birth rate far exceed our death rate.
Will you join us in prayer and commitment to:
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
I would love to come and share Texas Missions with your church or association. I have open dates and look forward to hearing from you.
A word from your missionaries
Chris Driver – West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
What a month! Our west Texas plants shared the blessing of the missions trailer for the month. We had five separate events where we ministered to about 400 people and every single person had a chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ! Seed was sown, relationships built and fun was definitely had by all! We are praying for fruitful follow-up with the families we met. Thank you again to the ladies of our amazing WMA for providing the trailer! God is definitely bearing fruit from your faithfulness and generosity!
Gamalier Luna – New Mission in El Paso
Prayer Needs:
Pray for encouragement, and strength to continue.
Matthew Prather – The Bridge Mission, Midlothian/Waxahachie
Summer is coming to a close and students and teachers will soon return to school. As summer ends, we are excited to see what God is going to do through The Bridge this new school year. Believe it or not, 2019 is over halfway over! God is up to some big things in 2019!! Here are just a few things we are celebrating:
1. God answered our prayers and provided us with a building to meet in!
2. We have seen five salvations so far this year!
3. We had our first baptism since we moved into our new building!
4. We have seen more first time families in 2019 than we did in all of 2018!
5. The best thing is God is not finished with 2019 yet!!
We are praying and planning for big things for the remainder of 2019.
We just want to thank you for your continued support of The Bridge Church as we carry out the mission God has for us–to lead people from where they are to where God wants them to be. We appreciate your continued support and prayers.
Jaime Garcia – Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Mission, Gilmer/Mesquite
Thank God for his goodness and his mercies, and all the brothers who support the missionary work as well as Hispanics and other languages, or ethnic groups, from all continents. God willing more workers will become involved in the Great Commission. There are many needs in the hearts of people and God continues to speak in one way or another. But what a privilege it is, and how important also, that He chose us to participate in this special thing, and that people find out and hear that Jesus is life and the mediator between God and men. God use us and let us continue proclaiming to everyone that Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost.
Prayer Needs:
Thank you for including me in your Prayers, for me it will always be of great importance and great help in the Ministry and the preaching of the Gospel, since through the prayer there will be many open doors. Help me pray for my wife and her health. Also pray for my son, Isaac García, who is a very good son to continue supporting me and getting more involved in the ministry.
Neptaly Molina – Iglesia Bautista Mission, Nacogdoches
We are happy when people respond to the gospel but we are sometimes saddened when the brothers do not persevere in moving forward. It is important to know that if God is not in the matter, it is lost. I feel blessed because I was able to visit the home of Adelaide, a woman who was abandoned by her husband and left her with three daughters. She is going through that test and suffers from depression. We pray for her. Another blessing was the Biblical Summer School with a participation of 15 children, six young men and 12 adults, with a total of 33 people we performed at the Westside, Nacogdoches.
Cristian Martinez – Grace Harvest Baptist Mission, Lubbock
We thank God that a group has been forming from the scattered Bible studies we had throughout the week. It’s a joy to see God building His church as believers are gathering together and they are being built up as their lives are becoming more and more centered on the gospel, growing in their passion for God’s glory, and are being equipped to multiply. We thank God for your faithful support.
Prayer Needs:
Wife’s pregnancy. Recruiting disciple makers. New disciples to persevere and bear much fruit. Opportunities to preach the gospel. Many conversions.
Cliff Robertson – Carpenter’s House Mission – Lake Jackson/Clute
Sometimes when things aren’t going the way you would like them to go, you simply have to put your head down and pray… and then while you are there, go ahead and get to work.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we will find a worship leader.
Ronnie Mills – Kingdom Chapel Mission, Saginaw/North Fort Worth
BMA Family, we are so thrilled to know that coming in a few weeks we will be launched publicly as a church. We ask that you would continue to pray for us as near August 25.
You will also be happy to know that as a church plant that has not even launched yet, we have baptized 11 and are still have another five to baptize. That will be 16 people in less than a year as a new church.
We are so excited about what God is doing among us, and in us and through us. Thank you for all of your prayers for us, and our ministry!
Prayer Needs:
Pray that our people would not become cozy. We want them to no only come and sit, but to be engaged in our mission.
Spencer Simpson – Redeemer’s Love Mission, Houston
Thank you for your prayers and support! We are excited to see the Lord bless us with more new members this past month, as well as to see Him work in our efforts to reach the diverse people groups in our area of southwest Houston.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for our new members as they are learning how to commit to the church and one another. Pray that those in our discipleship classes would be given boldness as they are sharing the gospel with people in the local community, as well as for fruit in our efforts of going door to door to reach the surrounding community.
Cesar Cantu – Intern preparing for Richmond/Katy
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
The Lord shared this with me this week. As I studied it, the word hope means to conjoin with the LORD. As we line up with his plans, the plan succeeds. He also equips us to complete his work. Since my release from prison nothing has gone as planned. God has taken some crazy routes for me and I would have never imagined to be here right now. Even though I seek him and his plans for me, my best ideas never pan out.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for wisdom as we determine a specific place of ministry.
July Missions Update
A word from your missions office
By HEITH MITCHELL
The first (but hopefully not the last) Revive Us Again Bible Conference was a true blessing. It was sponsored by the BMA of Texas, hosted by Jacksonville College last month, attended by 100 Texas pastors and church members, and most importantly God worked in hearts and lives. The theme was health. For the pastor, the church, and each association three things were focused on:
- Jesus is Lord
- He has a mission for us
- We are to accomplish it together
I enjoyed the fellowship, testimonies, prayer requests and the time we spent praying together. I also enjoyed all the time in the Word brought to us by each faithful messenger through the day. Men, thank you for preparing and sharing and adding us to your busy schedule.
Brothers and sisters, this is association at its best. We all need association with other believers and our mission demands it. This passage really speaks of the danger of isolation.
A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. – Proverbs 18:1 NKJV
This passage reflects a dangerous progression that I have seen lived out many times in pastors and missionaries.
- We isolate. After all, we’re independent Americans. We convince ourselves that we will thrive accountable to no one. The Word of God and the examples all around us provide warning. It’s a bad thing when we isolate. Why?
- We begin to seek our own desires. This isn’t usually malicious. We believe we know right. The problem is we will eventually lead outside of God’s will and we will lead an organization out of balance toward our preferences, passions, and desires.
- We begin to see Godly counsel as a threat. Loving christian rebuke, correction or instruction is no longer welcomed or recieved. Our organization is now doomed to fail at the points of our own blind spots and weaknesses. We now find ourselves in opposition to God and His mission thanks to our pride.
You see this danger? It breaks my heart to see the isolation among Baptists today. Our mission success requires that we associate well and often. Our future demands that we build better and stronger association and reject this culture of isolation.
Will you join us in prayer and commitment to:
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
I would love to come and share Texas Missions with your church or association. I have open dates and look forward to hearing from you.
A word from your missionaries
Jaime Garcia – Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Mission, Gilmer/Mesquite
Let us continue united in this great work and have hands to work. God has fulfilled His promises and continues to do it. Our part is to believe them and remain firm in his Word.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for the time of waiting. It is a time where God is working in silence in the hearts of people and I need more than faith and patience. I need to believe God and hope He will.
Cristian Martinez – Grace Harvest Baptist Mission, Lubbock
“…And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). We rejoice in the baptism of Artemio and Esperanza. God has graciously brought them from death to life through Jesus. They have obediently given public testimony of that reality in their baptism. Please pray for them to persevere in the faith and bear much fruit. We continue to disciple them to follow Jesus and equip them to multiply disciples with their relationships. On July 12 and 13 we will intentionally sought to reach their neighbors through door to door evangelism and a block party. Eight Street, Grand Prairie, and Lakeridge, Lubbock, are helping us to gather the harvest in this place. Please pray for a clear preaching of the gospel and people to respond in repentance and faith in Jesus. We thank God for all your support.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for my wife’s pregnancy. Pray for us as we recruit disciple makers. Pray for new disciples to persevere and bear much fruit. Pray that I will have opportunities to preach the gospel. Pray for many conversions.
Weskey Burke – Intern preparing for Nacogdoches
It is my desire this month to reach out to the existing BMA churches in the area in a very intentional way and to that end I have been very encouraged so far!
Prayer Needs:
Pray for guidance and provision as we begin.
Mike Watt – Cross-Work Mission, Tahoka
Please pray that we have a great month of outreach as July is block party month at Cross-Work. July 14, 21 and 28 we had/will have block parties in different locations each week. Pray that we engage our neighborhoods, build relationships, share the Gospel and connect them to Sundays.
Isaias Rojas Osechas-Church Plant in Spring
Thank you for your prayers, support in the process of cooperation, evangelization and discipleship of Hispanic Americans, who are very grateful for everything they do for us.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we will obtain a vehicle to cover the requirements of evangelization and discipleship.
Chris Driver – West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
June was cotton planting season here in west Texas. The seed is in the ground and already there are shoots of cotton breaking through! But it’s a long way from harvest. There is a lot to do between now and then. I feel the same way about our vision to reach 100 towns here in west Texas. The guys here are so busy in the Father’s fields. We are seeing so much progress and it is really exciting, but there is still so much to do. West Texas has the Missions trailer, that was donated by our amazing Texas WMA, for all of July and all of our planters have an event scheduled to use it! Please pray for each of these events that they would be more than entertainment. Pray for a harvest of souls on the way to a harvest of towns!
Ronnie Mills – Kingdom Chapel Mission, Saginaw/North Fort Worth
Hey, BMA family! We’re getting closer to our launch date of August 25 and we would love for you to pray for us. Things have been going really well for us, and we praise God for that. I want to thank you all for your prayers and your support! We love you guys!
Prayer Needs:
Pray for our launch on August 25.
Neptaly Molina – Iglesia Bautista Mission, Nacogdoches
The challenge I have is to win 15 families for this year in Nacogdoches.
Prayer Needs:
1) Spiritual life of the Molina Perdomo Family.
2) Immigration decision.
3) Spiritual growth and quantity in the New Mission Renaco de Nacogdoches.
4) The Youth Camp organized by my son Neptaly Josue and our Church, and counseling of Pastor Arnulfo Maldonado.
5) Our summer Bible School to be held on July 22-26. 5) The evangelistic work during the month of July according to my plan of action.
Gamalier Luna – New Mission in El Paso
Baptists should wake up, be more committed, more evangelistic, and encourage when we can.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for me, for strength, for faith, for encouragement, for wisdom to have a house for my family.
Spencer Simpson – Redeemer’s Love Mission, Houston
Thank you for your prayers and support! We are excited to see the Lord bless us with new members this past month, as well as to see Him work in our efforts to reach the diverse people groups in our area of southwest Houston.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for our new members as they are learning how to commit to the church and one another. Pray that those in our discipleship classes would be given boldness as they are sharing the gospel with people in the local community, as well as for fruit in our efforts of going door to door to reach the surrounding community.
Cliff Robertson – Carpenter’s House Mission – Lake Jackson/Clute
God is good! We are launching a new plant in West Columbia. We have two families, three volunteers and more coming. It is exciting! Cesar Cantu, our church planting resident, is off to the races and things are going well!
Prayer Needs:
Pray for our worship team.
Matthew Prather – The Bridge Mission, Midlothian/Waxahachie
Summer is going by fast and June was a great month at The Bridge. We have seen five salvations in the past two months. We also just had our first baptism since we moved into our new building. God is good! We continue to see new faces each week. It is exciting to see what God is up to. Please continue to pray for us as we strive to reach Ellis County for Christ. Thank you for your continued support. We could not do what we do without it!
Cesar Cantu – Intern preparing for Richmond/Katy
God cares for us. In my own life as I have called on him, he has answered. I believe our calling is His answer to his people. Scripture tells us that “God remembers.” He remembers our plight and struggles as the enemy overwhelms us. As Moses was sent to an answered prayer, so we must continue in our calling. It should inspire us to move in God’s will as he reaches out to his people in distress. How many are the cries we need to hear before we take action? If we take the time, God will show us what He is doing in and around us.
Prayer Needs:
My prayer is that we join God in His work, wherever that may be, whether Richmond or Katy.
June Missions Update
A word from your missions office
By HEITH MITCHELL
If God calls us to follow him in doing something we can expect a few things to be true:
- The task will be true to the Word and reflective of the heart and mission of God.
- The task will be God-sized and not something we can reasonably tackle.
- The task will directly highlight our weakness and his glory.
- The task will require faithfulness and faith.
I see all of these realized in your Texas Missions Movement and especially as we labor and pray towards 100 new churches in Texas by 2029. Let’s examine each:
- Your Texas Missions Movement is squarely focused on the mission God has left us with. We are focused on sharing the gospel and making disciples all over this growing state among the current generations. This is our focus and that focus results in new churches being started and existing churches being revived. We are focused on this while being true to the principles and instructions given to us in the Word of God.
- God always asks us to step out in faith and follow Him in doing God sized things, not us size things. We are not left to ourselves. It is a faith journey we are on and our faith grows when we trust. It grows when we see the power of God on full display. When we realize our limits are not our limits in Christ. The story of every Bible character is an example of this. All of us involved in your Texas Missions Movement are aware that we are engaged in a God-sized task, wrestling territory that the enemy controls for the King and His Kingdom. This is dangerous, overwhelming and defeating work. But we have victory in Christ Jesus!
- I set at my desk writing this overwhelmed with the truth of this. My weakness is really the only useful thing I have to offer God. It is useful to Him because when He shows Himself mighty through me and there is no danger that I will rob Him of his glory. Doesn’t God always use the least likely? Again every character in the Bible is an example of God showing himself through an unlikely candidate. I do not doubt what God can do through an East Texas farm boy or the motley crew of missionaries and support workers he has assembled. None of us are a gift to God but we are a vessel He can use to make Himself known.
- Your Texas Missions Movement is constantly stepping out in faith while seeking to be faithful. There are currently 28 church planting engagements while the Lord continues to open new doors. We know that our role is to remain faithful to the mission and to care for each mission and each missionary while serving each of you. We believe that the path to 100 churches is a path of faith and faithfulness.
Will you join us in prayer and commitment to:
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
I would love to come and share Texas Missions with your church or association. I have open dates and look forward to hearing from you.
A word from your missionaries
Spencer Simpson – Redeemer’s Love Mission, Houston
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. Summer is off to a great start for us with our membership classes going, and tremendous spiritual growth being seen in our discipleship groups!
Prayer Needs:
Continue to pray for the hearts of our regulars and future members that the Lord would prepare them to be actively seeking out and making disciples. Pray as well for the hearts of those who confess Christ but express no desire to know Him more. Pray for us as pastors, that we would be patient with them and lean on the Holy Spirit’s work in their hearts and not on our own efforts. We are also still looking for someone to help us lead worship, so prayer for that is greatly appreciated.
Gamalier Luna – New Mission in El Paso
Do not give up, do not discount, remain committed, in time you will know that you have done the right thing.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for the family of my wife and my father-in-law, who is in the hospital.
Pray for the event we will have on June 19, that God would work and souls would be saved.
Isaias Rojas Osechas – Church Plant in Spring
Thank you for your support in all aspects, moral, economic and spiritual and continue to pray for us. Pray for more contacts to evangelize and disciple. Pray for growth and the strengthening of family small groups.
Prayer Needs:
1. For the immediate attention of the converts to be discipled
2. A house, own or rented, to reunite those who are discipled
3. For greater follow-up of the Hispanics in attending the meeting place and time to visit them in their homes…for the level of Discipleship 1, 2, 3…initial, intermediate, and advanced.
Cristian Martinez – Grace Harvest Baptist Mission, Lubbock
Thank you for faithfully partnering with us in the labor of making disciples in Lubbock through your prayers and financial support. This month we were able to see the fruit of three people who turned from their sins to trust and followed Jesus. Two of them are a couple that have read the Bible with us for almost one year. The other man is a research scholar at Texas Tech University that is originally from China. God opened his eyes to see Jesus as his only God and Savior after one month of reading the Bible. He came to the US not knowing about the Bible and Jesus. He will go back to China in six months with the treasure of the gospel and very likely will face rejection and possible persecution. Please pray for joyful obedience and perseverance in the faith.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for conversions, new converts to obey in baptism, pregnancy and moving.
Cliff Robertson – Carpenter’s House Mission – Lake Jackson/Clute
Pray for us as we walk into the VBS season! Pray that we may be able to reach many kids and their parents for Jesus!
Prayer Needs:
We are beginning the new plant in West Columbia. We are excited and will be announcing more soon!
Mike Watt – Crosswork Mission, Tahoka
We have big plans this summer for reaching our community. We will have sports camps in June and block parties in July.
Prayer Needs:
Summer sports camps are next week. Please pray we impact the community for the Kingdom
Neptaly Molina – Iglesia Bautista Mission, Nacogdoches
I went out in different places to preach the messages in public places like Walmart, Michuacana and Lufkin. Recently, I went to preach with my wife Manuela and Sister Micaela Chavez to knock on doors and we visited 15 homes in the sector (with Seale where there is a small Hispanic colony) of which seven people were interested and wish to be visited again. One person made the decision to accept Christ.
Prayer Needs:
- Spiritual life of the Pastoral family Molina Perdomo
- Development of the Mission in Nacogdoches
- New families that are working for the mission
- Implementing the Andres plan, an evangelistic and discipleship plan
- Three new Hispanic places to evangelize and get more families for Christ and for the mission in Nacogdoches
- For immigration decisions for us
Jaime Garcia – Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Mission, Gilmer/Mesquite
Blessed be God, brothers, who has given us of His Holy Spirit and who has promised to be with us until the end of the world. I believe that without that promise I would not have the courage to continue doing the missionary work. Now, I understand why Moses and other servants of God wisely obeyed and continued with faith as if they were looking at the invisible (Hebrews 11:27). It is necessary to continue talking about the love and hope of God for humanity through Jesus, but also to understand that not everyone obeys the gospel. But it is necessary to proclaim the whole counsel of God. Some, sadly, by discarding the good news and not obeying the truth will be judged. It is not easy because there is a great opposition, but the Love of God acts in our Hearts to continue advancing. Blessings for all of you brothers.
Prayer Needs:
Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. I believe that without your prayers none of this would be happening. Your support of the missionary work is of great importance, and I need you to always include me in your prayers. God is doing great things. Please pray that God continues to open doors above all that hearts be reconciled to God through Jesus.
Ronnie Mills – Kingdom Chapel Mission, Saginaw/North Fort Worth
We’re so excited about our launch in August! We feel that we have built a solid core team, and laid a foundation for us as a church that will make our launch in August so much smoother. Please continue to pray for us. We recently baptized five people who have committed their lives to Jesus, and God is still doing amazing things through our ministry!
Prayer Needs:
Pray our people will carry in them the momentum needed to launch in August!
Matthew Prather – The Bridge Mission, Midlothian/Waxahachie
Summer is here! It is hard to believe how fast this school year has flown by. So many great things have been happening. As I write this, we are getting ready to have our first baptism service in our new building. We have seen several new families attend our newcomers lunch, and new families have been stepping up to volunteer in different areas. We have several different things planned for this summer. Please continue to pray for us as we continue to reach new people. We appreciate you continued support.
Weskey Burke – Intern preparing for Nacogdoches
Prayer Needs:
Pray for the Burkes as the move and find a place to live.
Chris Driver – West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
Connect. Connect. Connect. That’s what we are focusing on here in west Texas. Church planters are finding new ways to make connections in their small towns, I am finding ways to connect to churches and pastors who might embrace the vision of being a mother church, and the missions department is finding ways to better connect our planters and their families with the BMA work and one another. Please pray for these connections. Every one of them is critical to the success of God’s mission here in west Texas and across our state. Who knows, it might just be that you and your church end up being the answer to that prayer. If so, give me a call and let’s see what God wants to do!
Church Planter Spotlight – Wesley Burke
This week’s church planter spotlight is focused on Wesley Burke. Wesley is beginning a new church plant in Nacogdoches, TX following an internship in Washington D.C. We asked him ten questions that will let you know a little more about him.
Tell us a little about your family.
My name is Wesley Burke and I am married to Brittany Burke. We are both 27 years old and have 4 lovely children: Trinity Burke (Age 5), Eden-Claire Burke (Age 4), Asher Burke (Age 2), and Abraham Burke (Age 10 months).
How long have you been planting in your mission field?
We are in the process of buying a home in Nacogdoches Texas now. We just finished a pastoral internship in Washington, DC and are excited to begin a new work in Nac!
What do you see is unique about your mission field?
Nacogdoches has many unique cultural distinctions, but what makes it an exceptional mission field is similar to all cities small or big and that is the fact that many people do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This burdens me about Nacogdoches and is the chief unique motivator for our future ministry there, Lord willing.
What people or distinct groups do you see in your field?
Nacogdoches is a town with a rich history. The town has a great mix of diversity in its various people groups. We hope to plant a multi-ethnic church in the city.
What does your daily time with God look like?
I strive to meet every morning with God. The first fruits of my day where I am sharpest are in those early morning hours prior to my children waking up. Those times are cherished and precious to me as I get to sit in the presence of the Father and learn at the feet of Jesus in God’s Word.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Chief would be spending time with my wife and kids when I have downtime. Personally, in the last 3 years I have witnessed a change from enjoying sport oriented physical exertion during my leisure time, and have instead grown fond of sitting somewhere quiet and reading a good book. Preferably a book concerning theology.
Fun question! What is your favorite theme ride?
The scarier and harder it goes the better for me. Therefore my favorite roller coaster at this point in my life has to be the Rocking Roller Coaster at Disney World.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
Not counting many awesome vacation spots that I wish I could go to with my wife and kids I can honestly say I am most satisfied while I am at Church among the people of God.
Share one challenge you are facing right now and how we can pray for you.
We are at the very beginning stages of our church plant and as I write this have signed a contract on the home we hope to live in for years to come. As we transition from Washington, DC back to East Texas culture and life, we need endurance as a family.
Share one praise you are excited about that we can share with others.
God in his loving providence over our life has fully funded us with one church and the BMA of Texas. I cannot express enough how much joy and thanksgiving I have in my heart for this fact. My family is taking care of well and I am free to be able to do the work of the ministry without fundraising my salary in multiple places. For this, I am so thankful to the Lord!
Please pray for Wesley & Brittany as they get settled and begin their church planting efforts in Nacogdoches. Pray for safety and God’s blessings upon their work and family.
If you would like to help support the work that they are doing, you can send your monies to:
BMA Texas Missions
P.O. Box 73
Waxahachie, TX 75168
Please designate it for “Wesley Burke.” You can also give online at bmatexasmissions.org/give.
Church Planter Spotlight – Jesse Hales
This week’s church planter spotlight is focused on Jesse Hales. Jesse will be beginning a new church plant in Round Rock, TX. We asked him ten questions that will let you know a little more about him.
Tell us a little about your family.
My wife Rebecca and I were close friends in high school and graduated together in 2000. I moved away to seminary and she pursued a career in pediatric nursing after attending Central Baptist College. We reconnected about eight years later when she was going back to grad school for her masters and I was raising funds to move to Haiti as a missionary. We have been married for 9 years now. Colton (5) was born in Costa Rica while we were in language school preparing to go to the Dominican Republic as missionaries though the national association. Eli (Elisha 4) and Lydia (2) were both born in the Dominican.
How long have you been planting in your mission field?
We are getting ready to start in September.
What do you see is unique about your mission field?
Round Rock is growing into quite the melting-pot of people groups. It is definitely more liberal than most of the rest of Texas. As I’ve begun to connect with other pastors in the area I have been met with excitement and open arms. As the population consistently grows faster than the churches, the competition between churches has seemed to vanish.
What people or distinct groups do you see in your field?
There is a wide range of groups within the population. The majority are middle to upper-middle class causation. Roughly 40% of the population speaks Spanish as their mother tongue. Tech giants like Dell, Google, Samsung, and others are major employers in the area so finding someone who is smarter than I am on computers is never hard to do.
What does your daily time with God look like?
I like to get up before the rest of the family and spend some good quality time with the Lord praying, doing my Bible study and, if I have time, listening to a sermon. Throughout the day, I’ve gotten into the habit of listening to one of the Bibles I have on Audible while I’m driving or doing something else like that which allows me to listen to it. My favorite part of any day is the time I get to help the kids individually as they work through their Bible study plans.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I’m not the best at taking free time to myself, but, when I do, I would rather be outside. I always love hunting or fishing, but haven’t taken the time or money to invest in it. If I find a road I haven’t been down before, I like to take it and see where it leads. We like to go geocaching some. I also like to play around trying to learn how to cook new things.
What is your favorite theme ride or subject?
My favorite theme ride is the one someone else is on. I’ve lost my lunch on a Ferris wheel before, so I’m going to say give me a lazy river to float on and call me good.
Where is your favorite place in the world?
That’s a very hard question. I’ve been blessed to see a lot of places and loved most of them. When the kids haven’t had too much sugar I’d say with the family. The prettiest place I’ve seen was the ancient ruins in Cambodia. The Rockies are breathtaking. There are certain mountain tops in Haiti that still have a special place in my memory. I would much rather be in a river in the mountains than on a beach in the sun.
Share one challenge you are facing right now and how we can pray for you.
As I write this we are still in the process of moving to and settling in Round Rock from the Dominican. So far this move has been challenging for the kids as they face the unknown and begin to adjust to a culture they are not really used to. Pray that we can adjust to the states and to Round Rock well. Pray also that God will lead more people to join us in this ministry here.
Share one praise you are excited about that we can share with others.
We recently had a friend tell us they feel led to move to Round Rock to join us in ministry. That, and the principal of a local elementary school has invited us to adopt the school as a ministry to love on the staff and students.
Please pray for Jesse and Rebecca as they transition from the Dominican Republic to Round Rock. Pray for safety and God’s blessings upon their work.
If you would like to help support the work that they are doing, you can send your monies to:
BMA Texas Missions
P.O. Box 73
Waxahachie, TX 75168
Please designate it for “Jesse Hales.” You can also give online at bmatexasmissions.org/give.
May Missions Update
A word from your missions office
By HEITH MITCHELL
I ran across this verse last week, “Where no oxen [are], the trough [is] clean; But much increase [comes] by the strength of an ox” (Proverbs 14:4 NKJV).
I’ve read over it many times but I haven’t seen it. It is a blessing to me because it speaks of our servent roll of taking care of missionaries. I see several things in this passage.
- We can have messy and productive ministry or clean and fruitless ministry but we can’t have neat, tidy, safe and productive ministry. I know that’s a lot to take in, but isn’t it true? I love Solomon’s logic: “You gotta pick between a clean barn or a productive crop.” The Lord has called each of us to roll up our sleeves and get dirty beside real people making disciples of real people. Real ministry is messy!
- We are responsible for keeping the trough full. Missionaries should engage lostness by bringing the Gospel and taking nothing from the Gentiles (3 John 7). We are making sure that called men and their families can eat and live while they share the gospel.
- We have to make sure that the missionary families are cared for. I grew up on a dairy farm. Dairy cattle and oxen have this in common, they poop where they eat and stay. The stable and manger will soon get unsanitary and compromise the animals health if it isn’t regularly cleaned. Your missionaries need training, accountability, fellowship, prayer, resourcing and encouragement in order to stay healthy. (Paul received all these things from the churches that supported him.) This is why they have a sponsor church, Texas Missions team, your church, and you.
Ironically, I spent my early life shoveling and cleaning the barn. God has me in that same roll now. He has given me and the Texas Missions team the burden to take care of missionaries so we can see:
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
I would love to come and share Texas Missions with your church or association. I have open dates and look forward to hearing from you.
A word from your missionaries
Jaime Garcia – Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Mission, Gilmer/Mesquite
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that, having always in all things all that is sufficient, you may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Thank you for participating in the missionary work and continue to pray for all the missionaries and their families so that God will have more opportunities to present Christ perfect to every man. Blessings to you all.
Prayer Needs:
Once again I thank you very much that you are a great supporter of missions. Help me pray for the response time of the people and for the Antioquia Church and Shiloe Baptist Church that God can do great things in every person that is directly involved or in some other way.
Chris Driver – West Texas Multiplication Network/Texas Missionary Care
There has been a big change in the West Texas Network. We have a full-time network leader…me! I recently resigned my pastorate at Fifth Street, Levelland to focus on reaching west Texas for Christ. It wasn’t as easy as that makes it sound. I love my church and I love our people. But God has grown the network faster than I ever could have expected and the balance between the church and the network was more than I could do. I have learned over the years that if it’s right for me to be in one place, then it’s also right for me to not be in the another. That gives me great confidence that God is going to be just as active at Fifth Street in our new season there as He will be in the network and our next steps there. I am now able to focus on getting the members of our plants the training they need to reach their communities. I am also working with several pastors in other towns to get them the same training! It’s pretty exciting to see God’s glory returning to towns that haven’t seen it in so many years! Please continue to for new contacts in new towns as well as for partnerships with pastors of little churches that still have a heart to reach their communities. It’s a big work but we serve a big God!
Prayer Needs:
Pray for new multiplication circles that are starting with our plants as well as with several existing churches. Also, pray for a person of peace in the town of Sundown as well as the young man I met in Lazbuddie.
Matthew Prather – The Bridge Mission, Midlothian/Waxahachie
Easter Sunday we celebrated the grand opening of our new building. It is great to have a place to call home and no longer moving from one building to the next. A lot of time and energy went into getting the building ready for Easter Sunday. On Easter Sunday we had about 130 in attendance and had some give their life to Christ! We celebrate what God is doing at The Bridge. We seek to use this new building as a tool to reach new people. We also were able to partner with a local school and host an Easter egg hunt allowing us to make many new connections. Continue to pray for us as we continue to strive to reach our community and build relationships with those around us. Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that we find an associate.
Cristian Martinez – Grace Harvest Baptist Mission, Lubbock
We have been working towards bringing individuals and families together to experience life in Christian community. Why is this so important?
Jesus, who is the head of the church body, gave us the command to make disciples of all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Triune God and teach them to obey all things Jesus taught. If we want to teach the disciples to obey everything that Christ has commanded us, that includes practicing the “one-another-commands” taught by Jesus and reminded by the apostles (Jn. 6:43; Ro. 12:6; Jn. 13:34; Ro. 12:10). It is not possible to obey Jesus without being part of a local church. Jesus desires that his disciples grow in love, holiness, unity and humility as they live in community practicing the “one-another-commands.” It is by obeying those commands in the context of the local church that Christ is followed, disciples mature and reproduce. In the biblical model ministry happens in life and discipleship happens in community.
Please pray with us that God would bring people into reconciliation with Him and unity with His family.
Prayer Needs:
Praise the Lord for my legal status completion. Pray for my wife’s pregnancy to be completed soon.
Neptaly Molina – Iglesia Bautista Mission, Nacogdoches
We have had contact with three Puerto Rican families. Ricardo, Miledy, Santoyo Javier and Cristal and Gloria and Pedro, I am already starting the initial discipleship with Gloria and Pedro and three children.
Prayer Needs:
Please pray for us, for the growth of the work, new families, and those we already have.Please for my health, and spiritual and emotional nuture of myself and my family.Pray for our documents.Pray for our studies at the seminary in Jacksonville and the end of the semester. Pray for a new Hispanic work in Marshall.Pray for Venezuela.
Isaias Rojas Osechas – Church Plant in Spring
We request prayer because every day that passes and we as a couple also increase the work of evangelization and discipleship more.
Thank you for your support and financial support and your prayers.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for a vehicle to mobilize and establish more appointments in the new homes and a more functional residence for the disciple meetings.
Cliff Robertson – Carpenter’s House Mission – Lake Jackson/Clute
We must continue to reach out to the community. We can never grow complacent or allow ourselves to become weary in well-doing. It’s not about numbers as much as it is about reaching the lost for Christ. If our church is full of saved people, then we need to be equipping them to reach the lost and then sending them out… so that we might reach the lost and dark world.
Prayer Needs:
Pray that as we grow, God sends the volunteers and we are effective at raising up leaders to help us go to the next level.
Gamalier Luna – Mission in El Paso
Dear shepherd, do not give up, God is good and will bless you.
Prayer Needs:
Always pray for strength, encouragement and passion for the Kingdom of God.
Lee (nickname) – BMA Texas Missionary among Arabic Refugees, Richardson
“For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).
In last two months, I don’t have new families except two, Reda’s family, and Ali’s family, and three youth girls Mariam( Marie ) Noor and Aseel. I knew them through a picnic by a school for Arab refugees. l was invited to share my testimony with them. It was a great day with a big challenge. There were about 85 Adults and more than 150 children. I communicated with them after the picnic through the phone, and I took appointments from them.
I invited two of the families I knew before to the picnic with their children. They were so happy and they asked me to keep doing activities like this.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for Lee as he recovers from surgery and cancer.
Mike Watt – Crosswork Mission, Tahoka
Tornadoes just hit our small town. We were fortunate to be missed by most of the destruction.
Prayer Needs:
Pray we can be ready to meet needs and share Jesus.
Spencer Simpson – Redeemer’s Love Mission, Houston
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. We are excited to see what God will do this summer as we begin membership classes and grow our various discipleship groups.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for the hearts of our regulars and future members that the Lord would prepare them to be actively seeking out and making disciples. We have been building for the last seven months to the point and we are praying that we see the fruit. We are also in need of a person willing to lead us in worship. We want them to be someone that is a part of our mission, not just someone we hire to come play and sing. It’s important that they are a part of us.
Ronnie Mills – Kingdom Chapel Mission, Saginaw/North Fort Worth
BMA family, we are so thankful for your prayers and support. We are thoroughly enjoying this journey as a new church and we know that we would not be where we are today without all the encouragement, love and support from all of you. Thank you!
Prayer Needs:
Please pray for our staffing progression.
Church Planter Spotlight – Neptaly Molina
This week’s church planter spotlight is focused on Neptaly Molina. Neptaly is the lead planter at Iglesia Bautista Mission in Nacogdoches, TX. We asked him ten questions that will let you know a little more about him.
Tell us a little about your family.
My name is Neptaly Molina and I was born in the State of Falcón in Venezuela. I met Manuela Perdomo and we married on August 18, 1989, in the City of Maracaibo, Venezuela. We have two children: Marianne Naarai Molina Perdomo who departed to heaven in 2014, and Neptaly Josué. We come to this great country in July of 2016.
How long have you been planting in your mission field?
We have been serving in the city of Nacogdoches, Texas since 2017 planting a new work by the grace of God according to his will. Prior to this, I planted and pastored several churches in my native Venezuela.
What do you see is unique about your mission field?
The city of Nacogdoches has a good Hispanic population, roughly 100 families that constitutes a fertile ground for a mission field. I am forming a new mission in this place with a group of 25 people including young people and children mostly through personal evangelism through prior appointment at home and informed visits.
What people or distinct groups do you see in your field?
My focus is with the Hispanic families. This is the priority for me, but I am open to the Spirit. If he directs me and indicates that another culture must be gained, then God will give me the training to also influence another culture. I do not close myself to performing multicultural work.
What does your daily time with God look like?
My time with God is a priority. During my quiet time with God, I have learned more through my walk with God. In this important time, I dedicate it in prayer, in studying the Bible, meditating on it, listening to God, to show me his will, where he is working to join him, and let him work through me. My success depends on that delightful time in his presence as he says in Matthew 6:6. I also use this time to share with my family, something we call the family altar. We sing songs, hymns, read and practice as a group what we read of the word. This is important and of value to me. Without this devotional time with God, missions would be a failure.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I like to share with my family, visit parks or places of distraction, read books, and study English. I have challenged myself that, after finishing my associate in divinities, I will study that new language for me. I also enjoy studying, make sermons, and making studies among others.
What is your favorite subject?
I have several which are: How can I please God all the time? What is heaven like? How to achieve wisdom? How can I be a blessing to other people?
Where is your favorite place in the world?
My favorite places in the world are Israel, Venezuela, and the United States.
Share one challenge you are facing right now and how we can pray for you.
The main things I would like prayer for are: to win more Hispanic families for the Church that we are carrying out; for the leadership I am preparing to get involved in evangelism and missionary work; for my documents (Work Permit and Social Security) that immigration grants us that with the help of God; for my theological studies in the BMA Seminary in Jacksonville; for my family in Venezuela and the spiritual, political, and economic situation there that God would take out that communist regime that rules there and transform the government and opposition; for peace in the hearts of all the people of the world; and to see this country (USA) surrendered at the feet of Christ adoring him.
Share one praise you are excited about that we can share with others.
I have great expectations in the work that God will do through the members who attend the mission in Nacogdoches. I love the work I do, when I can be a blessing to others, when I speak to the people of God, and when I can help them or be useful and serve in this country in some way. I am excited to be able to do something great for God.
Please pray for Neptaly and Manuela as they continue their church planting efforts in Nacogdoches. Pray for safety and God’s blessings upon their work.
If you would like to help support the work that they are doing, you can send your monies to:
BMA Texas Missions
P.O. Box 73
Waxahachie, TX 75168
Please designate it for “Neptaly Molina.” You can also give online at bmatexasmissions.org/give.