What a great reminder from Jesus about the consequences of division. How important it is for those of us who are part of God’s kingdom to relate and work in harmony, to be of one mind and one spirit.

This has been another exciting week/weekend. Last week, I had the opportunity to meet and dialogue with other Baptist leaders from various parts of the U.S. and Canada at a retreat center in Atlanta, Georgia. We prayed and we talked about how to work harmoniously for the advancement of the gospel, especially among young people.

On Saturday, we hosted the un[Apologetic] Evangelism Conference at the First Baptist Church in Richardson. Eric Hernandez, who has been leading this ministry for several years, and his team did an excellent job of putting the conference together, which was attended by over 700 people. Bringing people together to “keep the main thing the main thing” is essential!

Allow me to mention that Eric Hernandez is stepping away from his staff role with Texas Baptists and launching his apologetics ministry on his own. He is very gifted and passionate about this important aspect of evangelism, and we wish him the best in this new season of ministry.

Although we will no longer have a dedicated office for apologetics, as we move forward with our GC2 Strong strategy, our evangelism team, led by Oza Jones and other departments in our organization, will continue to resource and equip churches for effective evangelism and disciple-making, including apologetics.

Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching at First Baptist Church Lubbock, where Dr. Jason Burden is pastor. FBC Lubbock has a legacy of cooperation as they minister in the community and around the world. In the afternoon, I attended the centennial annual meeting of the Lamesa Baptist Association. This is a small association that continues to value cooperation.

Monday, I had the privilege of participating in the Texas Baptist Golf Classic in Lubbock. It was great to have fellowship with pastors and leaders from West Texas and the Panhandle to hear of their ministries and their commitment to working together for the sake of the gospel.

As I write this update, I am on the campus of Dallas Baptist University participating in the Global Religious Freedom Gathering. Randel Everett directs the Center for Global Religious Freedom, which is housed at DBU, and brings together different voices from across Baptist life and beyond to advocate for the religious freedom of all around the world.

It has indeed been an exciting week/weekend. These are all examples of working in harmony for the sake of the kingdom.

Whether collaborating to reach the younger generations, equipping people in apologetics, local churches cooperating for ministry and missions, working together as associations, pastors networking or advocating for religious freedom, God’s kingdom displays unity and harmony. The work of the kingdom advances. We find reasons to work together, and we reject division.

Several in these last few days have asked, “How can we support the work of Texas Baptists moving forward, especially as it relates to GC2 Strong?”

My answer to anyone who asks that question is:

Pray. Pray for harmony and unity of spirit. Commit to pray for one another and with one another.
Come to the Annual Meeting. Join us Nov. 16-18 in Abilene. If possible, do so as a messenger from your church so that you can vote. Inform and prepare yourself prayerfully to participate. Come ready to learn and celebrate what God is doing among us. You can pre-register here.
Talk to others. Talk to people in your church, other pastors and those in your network of relationships to tell them what God is doing. Invite them to pray for our cooperative work. Encourage them to come to Abilene.
Give. We depend on the generosity of churches through the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program. If your church is already giving, we thank you, and we encourage you to continue giving. In fact, we encourage you to consider increasing your gift as the needs are many and the task is great. If your church is not giving currently, encourage them to do so. We can show unity and harmony through our financial support.

May God be glorified in our unity and harmony in the days ahead!

One more thing: This week is National Estate Planning Awareness Week — a special time to honor the faith, traditions and stories that shape our families. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the legacy you’re creating for the people you love most.

Through the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation, you can create your estate plan for free and take the first step toward securing your legacy: missionsfoundation.org/create-a-legacy.

If you feel led, consider including a gift to your church or Texas Baptists — a lasting way to ensure your faith continues to touch lives for generations to come.

Because your will isn’t just about your valuables — it’s about your values. God's Mission. Your Legacy.