Articles by Guest Author

It’s not a topic that most churches want to even think about. But with news headlines about violent attacks becoming more prevalent, one Texas Baptists church member says churches simply must make security a high priority.

Nebiye Kelile, pastor of Pathway Church in Garland, Texas, spoke during the Monday morning worship session at the 2018 Texas Baptists Family Gathering.

“Unity is valuable because it is so rare,” said David Dykes, pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, during his Monday night sermon at the 2018 Texas Baptists Family Gathering.

For 18 years, parents and the local church play in a match against culture to influence the worldview of growing individuals. Where culture would speak of religion as “sin management” and God as solely focused on our happiness, the church needs to be cultivating grace-based faith that can be articulated “beneath the level of students’ feelings.”

Every year, first and second generation students from Texas Baptists Intercultural Churches come together for five days and four nights to grow their faith at Camp Fusion.

Education is a valued process of growth and development in pivotal years of one’s life, yet it is not always accessible. As a new school year begins, many are unable to afford the costs of learning.

I have been raised with this American and Texan Pride and I will always have a strong sentiment towards my heavily American and Texan roots. However, when I came back to Texas 2 weeks ago, it did not feel completely like home, and it still doesn’t, even though Texas has been my home my entire life. People say this feeling is common and it’s because you leave a piece of your heart on the mission field (as corny as it sounds, it’s true).

A full house gathered on July 30, for the annual Texas Baptist Missions Foundation (TBMF) Luncheon, held in Arlington, Texas, as a part of the 133rd Annual Meeting of Texas Baptists. This year, the luncheon honored three outstanding servants whose commitment to the Kingdom of God has impacted thousands around the state of Texas and beyond.

By Abby Hopkins

“Mom, we have a turkey for Thanksgiving!”

A young boy exclaimed this and looked at his mother in awe as he discovered his family would receive a turkey from ABC Primera Baptist Church Food Pantry.

Erika Guerrero, Primera’s missions chairperson, was able to hand the turkey to this family on her first day volunteering. Since then, she has joined the work and watched as God has provided turkeys every Thanksgiving, serving as a reminder of the purpose of the food pantry.

ABC Primera is a ministry that seeks to alleviate hunger by feeding the elderly, single parents, homeless, and ill in Bastrop and models a dependence on God for every need. The ministry is supported through the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering.

“We always have enough to pay; it always works out,” said Primera Pastor of Harold Welch. “We see that’s the hand of God.”

One night before worship, I asked for the Lord to reveal something to me, whether it be the message or just a word that stood out. One song that we sang was “At the Cross.”