Articles by Jessica King

The Texas Baptists Center for Church Health selected Jonathan Smith as its new associate director. Smith accepted this position alongside his current position as the director of Church Health and Growth.

Jonathan Smith launched Pave Podcast to encourage pastors ‘church revitalization is possible’; shares testimonies, practical help for revitalization.

The heart of GC2 Strong beats with a simple but powerful rhythm: love God well, love our neighbors tangibly and make disciples of all nations (Acts 1:8). 

FBC Crosbyton applies Pave principles and experiences “almost 100%” growth by partnering with Ukrainian church-start, celebrating baptisms, and “doing real life discipleship.”

When Nathan Adams joined First Baptist Church Hereford as their senior pastor in Nov. 2022, every area of the church was on a downhill trajectory. Adams was determined to get the church “thinking differently and on an uphill trajectory.” 

2,030 messengers and visitors gathered in Waco Nov. 10-12 to take part in the 139th Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT). The theme, drawn from Luke 4:18-19, focused on “His Kingdom Agenda.”

In just three and a half years, the Pave program has seen a major wave of growth not only in their participant numbers but in the churches involved in the revitalization effort. And that impact was celebrated in a workshop held Monday at the Texas Baptists Convention in Waco.

“I love seeing from the Pastor’s Coalition more of these churches get involved because it's not all about our church and what we're doing; it's about seeing the kingdom of God is growing and going forth into a community, and Jesus' name being known.”

“We’re no longer a 60 and older church, we’re actually a four-generation church, which is exciting but challenging that I’m preaching to the five-year-old in the room and I’m preaching to the 90-year-old,” said McNeal.

Since Pave launched in May 2022, 125 pastors have joined cohorts. Eighty-five percent of Pave pastors reported "significant revitalization progress" after year one of Pave. Sixty-eight percent of Pave pastors are reporting an increase in baptisms in their first year of Pave.