Guarneri calls for a GC2 awakening across Texas, shares vision for 2030

Julio Guarneri, Texas Baptists executive director, gave a report to the attendees at the 2025 Texas Baptist Annual Meeting on Monday evening. He opened his report in scripture, reading Acts 2:46–47.

“As we take a glance back in the past at the early church, we see them loving God, we see them loving people, and we see them making disciples of all nations,” Guarneri said. “Our job is to live out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission; the rest is up to the Lord.”

Growth and lostness in Texas and beyond

Guarneri highlighted the growing need to share the gospel in Texas as the state expands. He shared that there are close to 32 million people currently living in our state, and at least half — 16 million people — do not know Jesus. 

The state population is also expected to continue growing to 50 million over the next decades. As the population grows, so too will lostness.

“Texas Baptists, our problem is lostness —  in Texas, North America and around the world,” said Guarneri. “It’s been almost 2,000 years since the Lord Jesus gave us the Great Commission, and we still haven’t finished the task … We need an awakening in churches, the Convention, our institutions. We need a GC2 awakening.” 

Guarneri shared that a preliminary look at the Annual Church Profile (ACP) data shows that about 75% of churches in the BGCT are plateaued or declining in membership, worship attendance and, perhaps, baptisms. 

“If we don’t have a Great Commandment, Great Commission awakening soon, our state will be more lost,” he stated.

Imagining a future

Guarneri invited messengers to imagine an alternative future with him, one where a majority of Texas Baptist churches are maximizing their Great Commandment and Great Commission practice. 

“2030 by 2030. What if five years from now, we see 2030 churches praying for the lost on a regular basis … 2030 churches loving God through obedience and surrender to his will … 2030 churches showing love for neighbors through intentional ministries … 2030 churches making disciples who make disciples,” Guarneri envisioned.

Guarneri also shared his vision for strengthened leaders, missions and Cooperative Program giving by the year 2030. 

“Can we also imagine, perhaps in five years, increasing our Cooperative Program by 20.3%? Can we imagine turning the tide on the 20-year-plus downtrend in CP giving? We could add $5 million to our budget to do this kind of ministry,” he said. 

GC2 Strong

GC2 is not new to Texas Baptists. GC2 Strong is a reimagining of the years-long emphasis — an initiative to equip churches who desire to strengthen their Great Commandment and Great Commission practice.

“It is church focused. GC2 Strong is geared toward serving and resourcing our existing local churches,” Guarneri said. “We believe that when churches choose to do so, there will be church multiplication, missions advancement and kingdom expansion.”

Texas Baptists will launch a pilot project of the GC2 Strong process at the beginning of 2026 with around 20 churches, with a goal by the end of the year to have engaged 200 churches in the process.

Guarneri invited messengers to attend the GC2 Awakening workshop on Tuesday morning to learn more about the 3-step process designed for churches that desire to strengthen their Great Commandment, Great Commission practice.

Guarneri also shared that to serve churches well, the Texas Baptists staff will reorganize around three focuses — churches, pastors/leaders and missions.

Moving forward and calls to action

Immediate steps forward include appointing a Prayer Advisory Team that will mobilize churches and ministries around coordinated prayer efforts.

“A GC2 awakening will not come without intentional, fervent and united prayer,” Guarneri emphasized. 

Secondly, Texas Baptists will appoint a Constitution and Bylaws Revision Task Force to conduct a thorough update and bring recommendations to the executive board for consideration.

“It is a two to three-year process between the revision to final approval by messengers. So we need to start now,” said Guarneri.

Lastly, a Cooperative Program Study Group will be formed to evaluate the trends and possible causes behind the downward trend of CP giving with the goal of developing a strategy to grow this vital missions lifeline. 

Guarneri shared three calls to action for churches — pray by name for their neighbors, increase contributions to the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program and deeply reflect on their church’s GC2 practices. 

He concluded with one strong encouragement: “God has prepared us for such a time as this. What happens here can change the world for the sake of the Kingdom.”