Weekly Update
Fostering fellowship
Apr 23, 2026
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7 NIV)
This past Saturday, Sunday and Monday, I participated in a memorial service, a church anniversary and a golf tournament. All three experiences were very different from each other. Yet, I did find they shared something in common.
On Saturday, I had the honor of preaching at the memorial service for the Rev. Eliseo Aldape. Bro. Aldape was a giant of the faith and one of the greats among Baptist ministers.
He served as pastor of multiple churches, president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas, Sunday School consultant for Texas Baptists and on staff for NAMB, the Colorado Baptist Convention and the Hawaii Baptist Convention.
Personally, he was a mentor to me, a friend and a colleague. He will be missed, but he left a great legacy of spiritual leadership. The post-funeral repast was a Texas Baptist reunion of sorts with family, friends, ministers and church members visiting and reminiscing.
On Sunday, I had the privilege of attending First Baptist Church Brownwood’s 150th anniversary celebration. The worship service included beautiful worship music, a testimony from former student and member Mark Turman, prayer and scripture from former pastors Don Williford and Ron Cook and an inspiring message from former pastor Rodney McGlothlin.
FBC Brownwood has started dozens of other churches, was instrumental in the establishment of Howard Payne University and has been a strong partner of Texas Baptists through the Cooperative Program. Pastor Jerry Shields is doing a great job leading this legacy church, which continues to make a Great Commandment and Great Commission impact in the community and around the world.
Following worship, the church celebrated with a meal where the joy and the spirit of celebration characterized the fellowship.
On Monday, I joined approximately 130 Texas Baptists pastors, deacons and church members at the Texas Baptists Golf Classic. We had beautiful weather and played an excellent course. Mostly, we enjoyed fellowship with one another.
I’m thankful to Dowell Loftis, Jerry Carlisle and their respective teams for putting it all together, and to the sponsors who made the tournament possible. I’m also thankful for all those who came from around the state and even from other states to play a round and spend time together.
So what do a funeral, a church anniversary and a golf tournament have in common? Fellowship! What a gift we have in the bond we share in the Spirit through Christ. It is that fellowship that sustains us in times of bereavement, and that makes celebrations richer.
Fellowship is fostered and grown in fun times, in celebrations and in difficult times. I am thankful for the fellowship we share as Texas Baptists in both the good times and the challenging times.
We look forward to a great reunion when our Lord returns, and we will sit at the banquet table with him. Before then, we get to rehearse. We get a very small taste of what will be.
Thank you for being part of the Texas Baptists family, for your cooperation and for the bond we share in the Spirit through Christ.
Dr. Guarneri is the 21st executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He holds degrees from Texas A&M University Kingsville, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Dallas Baptist University. He has more than 39 years of ministerial experience and is passionate about sharing the Gospel with the nations and cross-cultural missions and ministry.