2024 Texas Baptists Book of Reports

JULIO GUARNERI Executive Director BECKY BROWN Executive Assistant

What a year this has been! This month marks my first anniversary as your executive director.

Early this year my wife Monica and I had the distinct privilege of sharing a meal with Dr. Bill and Bobbie Pinson, Dr. Charles and Rosemary Wade, Dr. Randel & Sheila Everett, and Dr. David and Kathleen Hardage, all previous BGCT executive directors. They each shared their experiences with us. We commemorated the special occasion with a photo of all five couples.

For me this was a great reminder of the great legacy on which we get to build. God has gifted Texas Baptists with great leaders throughout its 138 year history. We are a convention with a rich history. And we also have a great opportunity to make a difference today and in the future.

Our growing state has a population of more than 30 million people. More than 230 languages are spoken in Texas. The nations have come to Texas! Our largest demographic group is the Hispanic population, followed by the Anglo and African American segments. The Great Commandment and the Great Commission continue to guide us as Texas Baptists.

Loving God means loving our neighbors who are made in His image. Making disciples of all nations means going overseas but it also means going across the street to share the gospel in word and in deed. Texas remains a mission field and a mission force. We learn how to live missionally every day so that everyone in Texas and beyond has an opportunity to know Jesus.

We are blessed to be a family of 5,300 churches, of which 1,200 are Hispanic, 1,000 are African American and 350 are intercultural (Asian, African, Middle Eastern, etc.).

On any given Sunday, Texas Baptists worship in about 80 different languages. We have 75 churches in 16 states other than Texas. We also partner with 24 institutions that do kingdom work in Texas and beyond. And we have over 70 missionaries in 17 countries. Praise the Lord! Great things He hath done!

The concept that keeps coming to my mind is “God’s Kingdom.” This year I have prayed, talked and worked with our staff, pastors and other leaders to ask, “What is the role God wants Texas Baptists to play in his redemptive plan for the world in this second quarter of the 21st century?”

We want to make sure that we are kingdom-minded. In fact, we want to make sure that we follow Jesus’ kingdom agenda. This year’s theme for our annual meeting, based on Luke 4:18-19, reminds us that Jesus’ agenda was to proclaim good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

As we gather in Waco, we want our Texas Baptists family, churches and institutions, to commit to work together in carrying out Jesus’ agenda in Texas and beyond.

Thank you for the privilege of letting me serve you!

For the sake of His agenda,

Julio S. Guarneri

MAJOR ACTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

SINCE THE LAST SESSION OF THE ANNUAL MEETING INCLUDED:

APPROVED THE 2023 PROCEEDINGS of the 138th Family Gathering of the Annual Session of the Baptist General Convention of Texas that met July 16-18 in McAllen, Texas.

APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATION TO ELECT DR. JULIO GUARNERI AS THE NEXT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BAPTIST GENERAL CONVENTION OF TEXAS.

APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATION TO ENDORSE A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING THE SUCCESSION OF BGCT OFFICERS

The Executive Committee of the Executive Board recommends the following:

Be it resolved that upon the resignation of Julio Guarneri as President of the BGCT that Ronny Marriott is hereby declared to be President of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Debbie Porter is declared to be 1st Vice President until such time as the next election of officers at the BGCT annual meeting of messengers.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT THE CERTIFIED RESOLUTION

The Executive Board recommends the adoption of the following resolution:

THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED that either the Executive Director, the Associate Executive Director or the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer or any person serving as the interim Executive Director, interim Associate Executive Director or interim Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, are authorized to execute such document(s), contract(s), checks and other financial or transactional documentation as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the business, work and mission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (“BGCT”).

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Controller and Assistant Treasurer or any person serving as the interim Controller and Assistant Treasurer, is authorized to execute such checks as may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the business, work and mission of the BGCT.

PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any non-budgeted contract exceeding $250,000 must have received the prior approval of the Executive Board of the BGCT.

THIS RESOLUTION is effective immediately and shall continue in effect until such time the persons herein authorized shall no longer occupy the positions herein described or until revoked in writing.

APPROVED RECOMMMENDATION FOR 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET

1. We recommend a budget for 2024 of $35,294,994 from the following sources of revenue:

Texas Cooperative Program

Budget ......................................... $35,294,994

2. We recommend that the percentage allotment of the adopted budget continue at 79% BGCT – 21% Worldwide, with each church selecting the recipient(s) of the Worldwide portion.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION FOR 2024 TEXAS WORLD MISSIONS INITIATIVES AND PARTNERSHIP ALLOCATIONS

We recommend a 2024 proposed allocation of $1,100,000 of Cooperative Program Texas Worldwide Missions Initiatives and Partnerships as follows:

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION FOR $425,000 OF AVAILABLE JK WADLEY ENDOWMENT FUND EARNINGS BE ALLOCATED TO 2024 NEEDS AS FOLLOWS:

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO ALLOW VBMEC TO BORROW AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN 20% OF NEW ASSETS

The Institutional Relations Committee recommends the approval of VBMEC exceeding the 20% borrowing limit.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO SECURE 2023 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

We recommend the firm Batts, Morrison, Wales, & Lee conduct the financial audit for the year 2023. Such audit is estimated to cost $61,500 based on a one-year contract.

APPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NOMINATIONS TO FILL VACANCIES OF THE COMMITTEE TO NOMINATE EXECUTIVE BOARD DIRECTORS AND ON THE COMMITTEE TO NOMINATE BOARDS OF AFFILIATED MINISTRIES

CNEBD - 2026 Term

Jeff Scott, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Dallas

CNEBD - 2026 Term

Darin Wood, First Baptist Church, Midland

CNBAM - 2026 Term

Scott Curry, First Baptist Church, Gruver

CNBAM - 2026 Term

Shawn Shannon, Tallowood Baptist Church, Houston

APPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS TO FILL VACANCIES ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Sector 9-11

Jeffrey Warren, Park Cities Baptist Church, Dallas

Sector 25

Raymond Sanchez, First Baptist Church Weslaco, Weslaco

Sector 18

Lanette Jones, Schwab City Baptist Church, Livingston

Sector 19-22

Jose Carreno, Northside Baptist Church, Baytown

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO THE BAPTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE AMERICAS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2025 Term

Steve Mullen First Baptist Church, Burleson

APPROVED RECOMMENDATION TO REVISE POLICY 871 RETIREMENT

GIFT AND RECEPTION

D. To receive benefits, employees must not be l leaving Texas Baptists to take full-time employment with another organization.

RECOMMENDATIONS IN RESPONSE TO 2023 CONVENTION MOTION ON WOMEN IN MINISTRY

1. Texas Baptists host a networking event for women in ministry at Texas Baptists Annual Meeting beginning in 2024 and host regional networking events across Texas, beginning in 2025.

2. Executive Leadership identify and resource a new or current BGCT staff member to expand, develop, and implement mentoring and leadership training opportunities for women in ministry in Texas Baptist churches and institutions.

3. Executive Leadership resource a BGCT staff member to explore all current opportunities available for women in ministry and leadership in Texas Baptists churches and institutions to catalog resources and provide suggestions on ways to streamline and expand programs without duplicating.

RECOMMENDATION TO CREATE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S GC2 STUDY GROUP

Executive Leadership seeks the Board’s affirmation and blessing in creating an Executive Director’s GC2 Study Group to assist in exploring the issues involved in beginning this ministry.

CLAY JACOBSON Director

VACANT Associate Director

ASHLYNN BROWN Cooperative Program Specialist

The Office of the Cooperative Program and Associational Relations exists to reflect the cooperative relationship of Texas Baptist churches and to spread the vision of how far God’s Kingdom can grow through cooperative giving and partnerships.

Over this last year of adaptations and changes, Texas Baptists goal of harmony and unity has become even more valuable. In this last year, we have welcomed our new Texas Baptists Executive Director, Dr. Julio Guarneri and said farewell to the Director of the Cooperative Program and Associational Relations, Dr. Bruce McCoy. It is easy to become discouraged or to drift apart when faced with so many changes within the convention over such a short period of time. However, this is exactly the time when we should remember the value of partnership and unity.

Texas Baptists has never existed as an autocracy, but a partnership and a network of like-minded Christians. Just as the church has never existed as a solo sport, but as a team united towards a common goal. Trusting in the promise Jesus gave us in Matthew 18:20, that “if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (ESV), our department is dedicated to advancing the Kingdom work of Texas Baptists as a strong united fellowship.

Jesus not only promised that what we asked in his name and according to His will, would be granted to us by God the Father, he also clearly illustrated how we are to serve our neighbors here in this world. Jesus teaches us that “as you did to one of the least of these my brothers, you did to me” and that “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:40; Matthew 25:34-35 ESV). In following these teachings Texas Baptists, seek to reflect God’s love through cooperation with all Baptists throughout Texas and beyond by seeing, understanding, and serving the needs of our neighbors and communities.

We all know that we cannot serve needs that we do not see or understand. Our department has been in a uniquely beneficial position over the past year to be able to connect our churches, associations, and Texas Baptists to both needs and Kingdom opportunities across our state and beyond. With our ever-growing network of relationships between associations and churches, along with the blessing of funding grants for our associations, we have been able to see the fruit of our cooperation grow across the state. Through cooperation, our associations have been able to provide food and clothing for immigrants along our border as well as school supplies for children in foster care. These ministries alone have ministered to hundreds of immigrants and dozens of children and God has multiplied the blessings to all involved because we came together to serve those who He loves.

Cooperation is not possible alone, and our office is merely the hub of the wheel which makes up Texas Baptists as a whole. We serve, strengthen, and connect all of our family together. Let us continue to love, rejoice, serve, mourn, and worship together in the days to come.

The Office of the Cooperative Program would like to ask everyone to join us in welcoming Clay Jacobson as our new Director of the Cooperative Program. Associational Relations would also like to thank the Mary Hill Davis Offering for their continued support of our associations through funding support.

Texas Baptists Communications continues to be about the main thing: bearing witness to God’s transformative work in, to and through Texas Baptists churches, ministry staff and ministry partners across the state and beyond. Through storytelling and promotion, we shine a light on the top themes Texas Baptists churches tell us matter most to them: relationships, ministry resources and impact, beliefs and history.

This past year, we had the privilege of announcing both the nomination and subsequent election of Julio Guarneri, Ph.D., as the 21st executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. It was a pleasure to serve alongside the Executive Director Search Committee as they pressed forward in their vital assignment and shared regular updates throughout the process, and cover the September 2023 board meeting where a historic vote occurred. At that meeting, Dr. Guarneri became the first Hispanic individual to be elected to the post of executive director in the convention’s 138-year history.

In addition to supporting Dr. Guarneri’s start — be sure to check out his new webpage at txb.org/julio and sign up for his widely read “weekly update” email newsletter — we also made some slight changes to our departmental structure to better align personnel with the ever-evolving landscape of marketing and communications.

Heather Penna assumed the role of content manager, where she now oversees News Writer Jessica King, Social Media Specialist Jeremiah Morales and our now Senior Multimedia Specialist and Coordinator Neil Williams. Together with our Web Specialist Zach Moore and Communications Specialist Spencer Wolverton, this “content team” gathers at the start of each week to review the previous week’s owned, earned and paid content, and make plans for the next week’s coverage. Through Heather’s careful management, we continue to see growth in social media audiences and engagement rates, email marketing send, open and click rates, multimedia views and subscribers, and news and feature stories published. This capable team is intentional in its efforts to include the entire Texas Baptists family in its storytelling, and it is successfully incorporating themes from the past year’s “engagement evaluation” into its monthly content planning.

Texas Baptists Communications also continues to maintain relationships with both the national Baptist communicator’s group, Baptist Communicators Association (BCA), and the national Baptist editor’s group, the Association of State Baptist Publications (ASBP). In February of 2024, in Scottsdale, AZ, I had the privilege of being elected president of the editor’s group, and two months later, members of our department attended BCA’s Wilmer C. Fields Awards Program in Richmond, VA, and took home numerous awards including the Albert McClellan Award for Exceptional Achievement in Print Media and Design. Congratulations to Caleb Arndt, our design manager, for this well-deserved award!

As always, we encourage you to get connected by visiting txb.org/subscribe. We can’t wait to tell you how we do more together!

JOSHUA MINATREA Director

SPENCER WOLVERTON Communications Assistant

HEATHER PENNA Content Manager

JESSICA KING News Writer

NEIL WILLIAMS Senior Multimedia Specialist & Coordinator

JEREMIAH MORALES Social Media Specialist

CALEB ARNDT Design Manager

LAUREN CHILDS Graphic Designer

MARITZA SOLANO Production Designer

JOHANN DYCK Senior Web Manager/ Developer

ZACH MOORE Web Specialist

MARCUS WILSON Junior Marketing Consultant

RAY MALONE Director

PEGGY

MOULDEN

HR Benefits Coordinator

LATAMRA SELLS HR

Generalist

In the midst of a very challenging year, the Human Resources Department experienced a remarkable year of work and ministry. With our stated purpose as our guide, “To support the mission and ministries of the BGCT by helping leaders attract, train, and retain quality staff members.” we have exceeded our expectations and goals.

From June 2023 to May 2024

In HR you are constantly presented with challenges. On the plus side, you are also presented with a myriad of opportunities. As such, we decided to embrace the opportunities that 2023-2024 threw at us as we conducted an internal review of our HR processes and procedures. We evaluated the critical things we do to look for opportunities to improve our performance as we serve our ministries, and thus far we were off and running.

Aligning our staff with our Mission

There is a saying that “if you don’t know where you are going – any road will get you there.” But, it’s easy to see that this approach can lead to being very busy but not necessarily accomplishing what needs to be done. It’s important that everyone be on the same page and knows that what they are doing contributes to the overall mission and ministry. We try to see how we could help support this type of organizational alignment. We created a New Employee Orientation Process that helps our staff to know our history, where we are today and where we are going. The process also gives our staff the opportunity to meet with our leadership and get answers to questions that are important to them and their families. We decided to have our employees go through the process so that we are all working from a consistent foundation of knowledge and direction. HR also continues to refine our Performance Appraisal process. We give our employees a formal way to ensure that they know what is expected of them as they perform their ministry and how well they are doing against those expectations. Both HR-lead processes help us as an organization to be sure that all our efforts are aligned with our mission and ministries.

HR- The Move To A New HRIS

The move to our Human Resource Information System was stressful for our staff. Everyone was affected by the move and Human Resources was there to help. We employed our expertise in change management and employee relations to advise on ways to honor our past relationship with UKG as well as embrace our new relationship with Paylocity that began in early March.

HR- A New Insurance For A New Time

With rising health care costs, it was imperative for us to find a new source for our employee insurance. With the help of Guidestone, in January 2024 we moved from a fullyfunded insurance to a self-funded insurance and the process has been effective. As our staff has grown more accustomed to the new vendor our costs have decreased, while our level of service has remained the same.

HR – A Resource to Our Churches

We regularly receive inquiries from our churches to help them with Human Resources related issues. While we always counsel our churches to seek professional legal and financial advice, this year we were able to offer suggestions relating to a variety of topics, including hiring, employee relations and various church/pastor related issues. These are a few examples of the ways that we have worked this year in service to our BGCT staff, churches and ministries. We are blessed and we thank you for the opportunity that you give us to serve in His name. We look forward to being able to help you in this coming year.

BORDER TO BORDER AND COAST TO COAST IN THE USA

NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN HEMISPHERES AROUND THE WORLD

IN ALL THE MAJOR SPOKEN LANGUAGES

IN WEBSITES, BOOKS, AND LEAFLETS

THAT IS WHERE THE BAPTIST IDENTITY SERIES IS NOW FOUND

Developed over decades by a host of dedicated Baptist Christians of numerous nationalities, races, and ethnicities, the Series CONTAINS INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON THE BIBLE-BASED BELIEFS, POLITIES, AND PRACTICES OF BAPTISTS AND IS A SOURCE FOR: EVANGELISM…DISCIPLESHIP…CHURCH HEALTH AND GROWTH…LEADERSHIP EDUCATION.

The content of the Series is found in books, leaflets, and websites. For example, twentyseven articles, a summary of the history of Baptists, and other resources on Baptists are available on the website www.baptistdistinctives.org.

The articles, in both color and text-only format, can be downloaded and printed FREE. In addition, text versions of the articles in the languages listed below are available with links to the individual websites for each.

Arabic: www.baptistarabic.org

French: www.specificitesbaptistes.org

Hindi: www.baptistsiddhanth.org

Japanese: www.whatbaptistjapan.org

Korean: www.baptistdistinctiveskr.org

Mandarin: www.jxhzhenli.org

Portuguese: www.distintivosbatistas.org

Russian: www.harakterofbaptist.com

Spanish: www.distintivosbautistas.org

Swahili: www.ijuebaptisti.org

Urdu: www.baptisturdu.org

A work in progress, the articles are in the process of being translated in additional languages, such as Hungarian, Polish, Telugu, and Vietnamese. They have been put in book form in Arabic (audio), Swahili, Portuguese, Hungarian, and Spanish.

Baptist groups in various parts of the world, including language churches in the USA, utilize the Baptist Identity materials. For example, they have been used by Baptist individuals, churches, and schools including seminaries in countries and areas, such as:

Argentina Egypt Japan Philippines Tanzania

Brazil Guatemala Korea Poland Ukraine

Canada Honduras Madagascar Romania Venezuela

Columbia Hungary Mozambique Russia

Cuba India Peru South Africa

Is the Baptist Identity Series an official statement of Baptist beliefs? Of course not! No such official statement has ever existed. The materials are an attempt to put in brief, readable form what Baptists throughout the world generally affirm as belief and practice.

Guided by the volunteer staff of the Texas Baptist Heritage Center, scores of persons, including Baptist Distinctives Council members, pastors, laypersons, historians, and theologians have contributed to the development of the Series. Cooperation with Global Leadership Development has richly enhanced the widespread use of the materials.

The Texas Baptist Heritage Center and Baptist Distinctives Council were established by the Baptist General Convention of Texas to help inform and inspire Baptists and others about Baptist beliefs and heritage. The Baptist Identity Series is one of many projects and contributions of the Center/Council to help advance the cause of Christ in the fulfillment of the Great Commission and Great Commandment.

The prayer and support of Baptists in Texas and beyond have made this resource possible.

WILLIAM M. PINSON, JR Executive Director Emeritus/ Director TX Baptist Heritage Center (Volunteer)

DORIS A. TINKER Director Communications/ Organization (Volunteer)

ALAN

J. LEFEVER Director

NAOMI TAPLIN Associate Director

DYLAN PRICE Manager Texas Baptist Historical Museum

BRITTANY CRUMPTON Ministry Assistant

JESSICA TINDOL Senior Researcher/ Coordinator 1839 Society

2023 marked the 90th year of operation for the Texas Baptist Historical Collection. The key word for 2023 was “growth”. The TBHC was established in 1933 and housed in a small room at Southwestern Seminary. Today the Collection is squeezed in 11,000 square feet building in downtown Waco. In 2023 the holdings of the TBHC grew substantially adding over 120 linear feet to the Collection. These new additions included church records of both active and disbanded churches from around the state, additions to the Baptist Standard archives, and material on Campers on a Mission in Texas. Personal papers from several people who have served Texas Baptists were also acquired by the TBHC. On October 30 the Collection had a reception honoring the family of Daniel Vestal Sr. for the gift of his personal papers. Vestal Sr. was a Texas Baptist Evangelist who served in and around Texas from the 1940’s until the 1980’s. His papers include scrapbooks, diaries, sermons and newsletters.

The THBC continues to grow its Friends group known as the 1839 Society. Jessica Tindol serves as Senior Researcher/Coordinator of the 1839 Society and is overseeing the Society’s benefit program and quarterly newsletter. For more information on the 1839 Society or to join contact Jessica Tindol at Jessica_tindol@texasbaptists.org.

The digitized scans of Texas Baptist associational minutes from 1840-1996 housed at the TBHC are, for the first time, available to offsite researchers through a website address and password provided to individual researchers. Access is limited by demand. For more information contact Brittany Crumpton at Brittany_crumpton@texasbaptists.org. Also, if you have a question or research request, you can now submit it through Collection website at thetbhc.org.

The Collection also continues proactively contacting churches that have major anniversaries in the next two years offering help as their significant date approaches. Many of these churches have contacted the TBHC as a result. If a church has an anniversary outside the two-year window but our planning an event, they can reach out to the TBHC at any time.

The Collection staff hosted groups from numerous Texas Baptist churches and institutions as well as a delegation of Ukrainian Baptists while they used material at the TBHC. The Collection also continued to help researchers virtually and via email throughout the year, answering over 520 requests from individuals, churches, and institutions.

The Director of the Collection spoke to many groups including Baylor Faculty and Staff, Historic Waco Foundation and several genealogical societies about the history and impact of Baptists in general and Texas Baptists in particular.

The TBHC continued its training-based outreach programs led by the Associate Director, Naomi Taplin, and included instruction on how to start a Church Archive, records management, and sustain and reenergize Church Libraries. She is in churches leading sessions two to three time a month. Taplin is also overseeing the growing oral history program with African American and Hispanic churches.

The Texas Baptist Historical Museum, a branch of the TBHC, located in the historic Old Independence Baptist Church in Independence, Texas, continues to tell the story of Baptists both globally and locally. Independence is also the birthplace of Baylor University. In June and July, the TBHM hosted 2,800 Baylor freshmen as they learned why Texas Baptists founded Baylor as well as the early history of the school. If you or your church would be interested in touring the museum, contact Dylan Price at dylan.price@txb.org for more details.

God’s mission. Your legacy. Let’s make that connection!

The Texas Baptist Missions Foundation helps individuals and churches connect God’s mission with their legacy through sharing their financial resources to create ministry impact. By engaging donors and potential donors with the mission and ministry of Texas Baptists, the Missions Foundation works to generate revenue over and above the Cooperative Program dollars received from churches. We are pleased to have added Scott Stevens to our team. He will be based in the greater Houston area.

In 2023, the Missions Foundation assisted 5,302 donors in making 38,444 gifts totaling more than $8.4 million to benefit the work of Texas Baptists. Donations designated for specific areas of ministry are distributed immediately. Some donors make gifts to the Missions Foundation which are not specifically designated. Those undesignated gifts are distributed through Annual Grants made available to the staff of Texas Baptists and awarded by action of the TBMF Council, a group of 24 Texas Baptist donors elected to serve by the Executive Board. In September 2023, the Council awarded 39 grants totaling $664,000 to be used by Texas Baptists ministries and missions in 2024.

One of the highlights of this year has been the campaign to build a new BSM building on Baylor’s campus. We are grateful for the gift of land from the University, and we are thrilled for the many gifts from donors that have allowed us to surpass the halfway mark toward the $7 million necessary for the construction of the building. We will also be raising a $2 million endowment for the future operation of the building.

Are you interested in return on investment? Currently, each dollar generated by TBMF costs a mere five cents of Cooperative Program support. Investing in Kingdom work through the Missions Foundation is not only spiritually fulfilling—it is financially responsible.

Did you know that two-thirds of Texans who die each year have no will or estate plan? TBMF provides an opportunity for every Texas Baptist to create their own legally valid will online for free. This effort allows Texas Baptists to provide for their families, preserve and pass on the resources God has entrusted to them, and perpetuate God’s work in future generations. As of May 2024, through missionsfoundation.org/create-a-legacy, more than 276 wills have been completed, creating bequests totaling $34,772,500 to benefit Texas Baptist churches, Texas Baptists, and associated ministries.

The Missions Foundation team members work with individuals and churches to make transformational gifts that create tremendous impact immediately. We also provide guidance and assist donors in creating a variety of planned gifts, some of which can provide income for the donor and/or avoid unnecessary taxes.

Will God’s Mission be your legacy? The future of Texas Baptists ministry and mission support depends on your answer. Reach out to the Missions Foundation at missionsfoundation.org to learn more. We would enjoy being helpful to you or your church. JERRY CARLISLE President

MASSEY Vice President ERIC WYATT Vice President SCOTT STEVENS Vice President

GALINDO Donor Relations Specialist

BARBARA FORBIS Administrative Assistant BRUCE MCGOWAN Senior Consultant for BSM

CRAIG C.

CHRISTINA Associate Executive Director

STEPHEN STOOKEY Director Theological Education

ANNA ROSALES Executive Assistant to the AED/Exec. Brd. Coordinator

MARIBEL PAZ Committee Specialist

It’s a new day for Texas Baptists! Under the auspicious leadership of Dr. Julio Guarneri, the BGCT is continuing to build upon the formidable foundation of the past to pave new pathways for Kingdom growth into the future. The Lord is blessing Dr. Guarneri with a fresh vision for missions and ministry as we fulfill “Article II—Object” in our Constitution which tells us “to awaken and stimulate the greatest possible activity in evangelism, missions, Christian education and benevolent work and enterprises, to cultivate a closer cooperation among the churches and promote harmony of feeling and concert of action in advancing all the interests of the Redeemer’s Kingdom.” “All the interests of the Redeemer’s Kingdom?” That is a huge assignment! But this is why the theme of the 2024 Annual Meeting is “His Kingdom Agenda!”

As your associate executive director, my primary responsibility is to assist the executive director in fulfilling his plans and directives, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization including the work of our staff and many of our committees, and enabling the executive director to follow his God-given passions and calling. I am also blessed to serve on an excellent leadership team alongside our CFO, Dr. Ward Hayes. A simple way to understand the division of responsibility in the BGCT is to know that Dr. Hayes oversees the administrative side of the organization including Finance and Accounting, Information Technologies, and Cooperative Program promotion; while I oversee the ministerial side including the five ministry centers of Church Health, Ministerial Health, Cultural Engagement, Missional Engagement, and Collegiate Ministries. But all along the way, we are both blessed to receive tremendous support from excellent staff and ministry leaders.

Together, Texas Baptists is staying focused on empowering churches to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment; or GC2. God is continually opening doors of opportunity for Kingdom collaboration with national Baptist conventions in other countries and state conventions in the USA. Churches around North America are reaching out to explore possible collaboration in their state. Our Texas Baptist churches are so missionally-focused and generously-minded that they continue to respond to the Macedonian call to come and serve. Our role as your state convention is simply to facilitate these connections between interested churches as they follow the Lord’s leading.

Yet, the harvest is ripe in Texas! In the Center for Church Health, more churches are joining the PAVE wave every month to learn more about church revitalization and church health from Dr. Jonathan Smith. In the Center for Ministerial Health, Dr. Kevin Abbott has joined our staff to serve the Houston area and to implement strategies statewide for resilience and longevity in the ministry. In the Center for Cultural Engagement, our director of public policy John Litzler has already developed the reputation of “John the Baptist” on Capitol Hill in Austin as we led the charge to defeat casino gambling and online sports betting last legislative session. In the Center for Missional Engagement, Noe Trevino leads more TXB churches to partner with churches in other countries in the Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) targeting difficult places. In the Center for Collegiate Ministry, BSM director Gary Stidham was promoted to the state level to train all BSM directors in evangelism as hundreds of college students are coming to faith in Christ.

It all sounds a lot like His Kingdom Agenda! So thank you for joining the movement because, together, we are being the hands and feet of Jesus as we share Christ and show love until Texas and the world comes to know Him!

Redeeming the Time

A scripture passage came to mind recently, and I was remembering it in the King James translation. Confession: I haven’t read the KJV on a regular basis in a very long time. In Ephesians 5:15-16 it reminds us that we should “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

The words “redeeming the time” caught my attention because of what God is giving us the opportunity to do through the ministry of the Center for Church Health. Other translations read, “making the most of every opportunity,” and “making the very most of your time.” Those opportunities represent what God is doing through His churches across Texas; and a growing number outside of the state.

As you read through the team reports that follow, you’ll see what God has been up to in so many different ways throughout this past year; redeeming the time.

Sometimes we can get so involved in the work of what God is doing in our midst that we run the risk of thinking this is ordinary. And, yet nothing is ever ordinary when God is leading, moving, blessing. See what I mean as captured in the team reports on the following pages that relate the opportunities we are making the most of.

In Evangelism - Read about Congreso, Re-Charge, unApologetics conferences, Hispanic Evangelism, Super Summer.

In Discipleship - Learn about Conclave, Special Friends, Discipleship Collectives.

In Music & Worship - Hear about Singing Women of Texas, Singing Men of Texas, Children’s Worship University, Instrumental Convergence.

In Church Health and Growth – Listen to the progress PAVE is making through the lives of pastors and churches statewide. And, now expanding outside of Texas.

In Women’s Ministry – Know about WELL impacting women and deepening the desire and skills in Bible study and so much more.

In Church Architecture – See the way God is moving through VisionBridge Consulting as churches are accessing unprecedented resources that enable a Master Plan approach to the ever-expanding space needs of their congregations.

In Young Adult Ministry – Join the celebration as more churches are engaging their younger adults through ministry, worship, missions, and more in fresh ways.

In GC2 Press – Engage in the growing number of resources that churches are using in teaching God’s Word to every generation – young & old – through studies that have proven to be the most Biblically sound and educationally relevant of any available today.

You can see the excitement and encouragement we see in what God is doing. It is our distinct joy and privilege to join Him and what He is doing in and through His churches – the Bride of Christ. Our desire is to take full advantage of every opportunity that God brings our way. Thank you for your faithfulness in giving, sharing, impacting and continuing to “make the most of every opportunity” that God initiates.

PHIL MILLER Director

DEBY MILLER Administrative Assistant

KEN HUNNICUTT

Texas Baptist

Church Architecture Coordinator (Liaison with VisionBridge Consulting)

MARK TODD

President (VisionBridge Consulting)

CAL TODD

Project Manager (VisionBridge Consulting)

Texas Baptist churches trust the Church Architecture team to help them plan and develop their facilities. Our team members are able to come alongside our churches with decades of experience with congregations of all sizes. We believe that every church, regardless of size, needs a master plan. With our architect partner, VisionBridge Consulting/Mark W. Todd Architecture in The Woodlands, we respond promptly to requests for church architectural services with on-site and video conference consultations. After the initial consultation and written report, churches can contract with VisionBridge Consulting for services ranging from conceptual drawings to construction documents and construction administration. We are also able to connect churches with trusted general contractors around the state who can build what has been planned.

In addition to providing architectural services, Church Architecture has been able to assist around 20 churches each year with small church architecture grants of up to $5,000. These grants are made possible by the generous gifts of Texas Baptists through the Mary Hill Davis State Missions Offering. The grants are awarded to help with needs relating to church facilities. The church pays part of the cost of the project, and the grant is used to fully fund the project. Last year one small church needed help with repurposing some of its space. One of our consultants traveled to the church and met with church leaders to see what they wanted to accomplish. After the meeting, the consultant provided a simple conceptual drawing showing a possible solution and some written suggestions concerning structural engineering, materials, and acoustics. The church was awarded a grant and proceeded with their project in accordance with the consultant’s suggestions. The church reported that they were pleased with the result.

The Church Architecture team thanks our Texas Baptist family for faithfully supporting our work through their generous gifts through the Cooperative Program and Mary Hill Davis State Missions Offering.

Pave: New Paths for Church Growth is the Texas Baptists church health, growth, and revitalization strategy, designed to help pastors customize church health and growth for their context. Since its launch in 2022, Pave has grown to 25 coaches broadcast across the state, 118 participants in Pave cohorts, and 61 pastors who have come to Pave trainings to learn more. Our goal is to continue to expand Pave to the 5,300 Texas Baptist churches across the 3,822-mile Texas border and provide tools that will assist pastors in bringing their church into more vibrant health and growth.

Here are a few testimonies of churches who are thriving again as they have implemented Pave principles:

• After attending Pave African American Ministries, Pastor Joe Barber of Saint Luke Baptist Church in San Antonio left with an armful of resources and ideas to bring renewal to his congregation and began with a new idea about celebrating baptisms to build excitement among the congregation. The church had not had any baptisms in quite some time and soon after implementing the Pave baptism principle, they celebrated baptisms 20 weeks in a row and are continuing to baptize.

• Pastor Felix Treviño of FBC, Mathis attended Pave Pastor’s Common in February of 2024. Soon after attending the Pave training, FBC, Mathis celebrated their first baptism in seven years!

• According to a survey with the first group of Pave pastors, 100% reported they have seen revitalization progress in their churches.

You can read FBC, Mathis and Saint Luke Baptist Church’s stories at www.txb.org.

From June 1, 2023 to May 31, 2024, the Church Health and Growth team has provided 154 church health and growth consultations, 17 training events, and launched 3 new Pave events: Pave African American Ministries, Pave Pastor’s Common, and Pave en Español.

Upcoming Events:

• PAVE Panhandle Plains | September 9-10, 2024, Plainview

• PAVE Central TX | Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2024, Round Rock

• PAVE DFW | October 7-9, 2024, Dallas

• PAVE African American Ministries | October 28-30, 2024, Dallas

• PAVE Oakland, California

CORY LIEBRUM Director

JENNIFER

HOWINGTON Associate Director Childhood Ministry Specialist

SARAH

JOHNSON Childhood Program Coordinator

The Discipleship Team exists to equip church leaders for discipleship and ministry. In the past year we have connected with pastors, staff members, and lay leaders in every part of Texas to encourage, develop, and support them in their local efforts to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Thank you for letting us serve you in these ways!

From June 2023-May 2024 eleven Discipleship Collective events around the state provided leadership development to pastors, staff, and volunteer leaders of Sunday School and small groups ministries. Eight more were planned for fall 2024. Conference leaders include practitioners from Texas Baptists churches across Texas who know how to make disciples through groups ministry. Check txb.org/dc for future events near you and training materials you can use in your own church.

Conclave NextGen is a two-day conference for age-group ministry leaders, family ministers, and pastors that equips them to develop programming and personal ministry to meet the needs of the church’s younger generations. A 2023 attendee wrote, “One major thing I took away from Conclave is I cannot do this alone and how essential volunteers are to this ministry. While I personally struggle with trying to control as much as I can in my life, I came to realize that I have to allow others in to pilot alongside me. I left Conclave feeling seen. I left feeling heard.” txb.org/conclave

Leadership Texas Baptists helps church leaders in their 20s and 30s learn firsthand who we are and what we do as a network of churches. Cohort members grow as leaders and develop relationships with friends and ministry partners that will last throughout their lives. To date, about one third of our alumni have been invited to serve the convention as a committee or planning team member, conference leader, or other volunteer leadership role. One recent participant wrote, “All that you are doing to give the new generation of (Texas Baptists) an opportunity to get to know more about the convention, the great leaders, and ministries (of) TXB has inspired me and encouraged me in my ministry journey so much.” Cohort 9 begins in January 2025. txb.org/leadershiptxb

Calling Out the Called is a growing emphasis to help church leaders identify and support youth who may feel called to ministry. One participant in a Calling Out the Called retreat was a young lady who senses a strong call to ministry. Her father is incarcerated. Her mom is addicted to cocaine. After running from the idea of pursing ministry, she now feels God is calling her to work with substance abuse/addiction ministry. She was encouraged not only by the retreat content, but also by seeing other teenagers who are pursuing ministry like her.

Our Special Friends Retreat is expanding to new locations. Along with our Dallas and Panhandle retreats, we have added Kingwood and Longview. One retreat sponsor said, “Teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities enjoy every aspect of the camp….Parents of attendees as well as individuals who work with participants meet in their own small group sessions to discuss challenges faced in caring for adults with disabilities. The Special Friends Camp is a high point each year for our ministry to people with special needs.” txb.org/specialfriends

Consulting

Our staff is available to consult on site, by phone, or by video conference with you and your church leaders regarding discipleship ministry in your church. Please call us at 888244-9400 or contact us through the form at txb.org/discipleship.

The Evangelism Team exists to challenge, equip and train Texas Baptists to passionately fulfill God’s call to reach all people for Jesus Christ. All of this is made possible by the generous support of Texas Baptists through the Cooperative Program, Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions, and the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation.

The Statewide Evangelism Conference at Trinity Baptist, San Antonio, had outstanding speakers, inspirational music, and Steven Curtis Chapman as the keynote speaker and musician for the closing session.

African American Evangelism

African American evangelism exists to train believers to declare, demonstrate and defend the gospel. Along with our annual statewide Recharge Evangelism Conference in Houston, we conducted evangelism training regionally. Training in Lubbock and Tyler made an impact in those areas. We launched a new initiative, I Apologize, a training that focuses specifically on apologetics. Over 150 people from six local churches were trained in apologetics. One participant shared, “I am an honest doubter right now but this has forced me to go deeper. So I bought the book you suggested and I am going to read it.”

Hispanic Evangelism

The growing number of Texas Hispanics in 2023 has opened the opportunity to share the gospel with over 242,000 new residents according to new population estimates.

Each church in a Hispanic Evangelism and Discipleship process is coached in a demographic study of the church, an evangelistic plan for the year, and a monthly coaching session. To date, this approach has helped churches such as Primera Iglesia Bautista, Runge, Texas, with several new converts and baptisms this past year, along with evangelism training.

Super Summer and Greenhouse

Super Summer teaches students to Know and Share the Gospel. In one camp they receive over 24 hours of training in sharing the Gospel. One student who went home from Super Summer, picked up his cousin to go share the Gospel with their grandfather. Along the way, the student shared the Gospel with his cousin who chose to follow Jesus.

Congreso

Congreso celebrated 60 years of ministry this past April. Over 1500 Hispanic students were in attendance in Waco for a time of celebration, missions, workshops, and worship. Our theme from 1 Timothy 1:15-16 asked students, Quién soy yo? (Who am I?) Our main speaker, Dr. Julio Guarneri challenged and encouraged students to take what they learned at Congreso and go out into their communities and share the good news. Over 120 decisions were made with 49 of them coming to faith for the very first time. Plans are also in place this year to host the very first Congreso South in Weslaco, TX.

Apologetics

Each year we provide three [un]Apologetic Evangelism Conferences designed to meet the evangelistic needs of the local church. Last year, over 1,000 people attended our conferences from 13 different states, 146 cities, and representation from 300 churches.

One atheist young man flew in from California to attend our conference. He accepted Christ a few months later and has since answered the call to ministry.

VACANT Director

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ Hispanic Evangelism Associate

VACANT African American Evangelism Associate

ERIC HERNANDEZ Apologetics Lead & Millennial Specialist

VACANT Youth Events / Camp Specialist, Evangelism

DAVID GONZALEZ Congreso Coordinator

DEBORA MONTEIRO Evangelism Ministry Assistant

BOB BILLUPS Publisher STAN GRANBERRY Publishing Specialist

Welcome to GC2® Press Bible Studies and Resources.

We believe the Bible is God’s Word to us and is “…useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When the Bible speaks, God speaks. Our quality, in-depth materials are designed to provide you with a detailed road map to help you navigate God’s Word, and our writers are trusted, qualified writers, making lesson comments based on sound biblical principles.

Our Connect 360 line of Bible study curriculum has gained a reputation for solid biblical teaching and is published as an undated quarterly Bible study available in book form and digital downloads. Connect 360 is currently being distributed to over 2400 customers in 38 states and 19 countries and has been translated into ten different languages. Note: All our translations are courtesy of the Mary Hill Davis Mission Offering and the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation.

Here are some highlights from June 2022 through March 2023.

Published in-depth quarterly adult Bible studies

• Heaven & Angels: Our Eternal Home and Its Heavenly Hosts (Study of Heaven, Summer, 2023)

• A Cry for Freedom: Grace That is Still Amazing (Galatians, Fall 2023)

• Kingdom Power: The Sermon on the Mount (The Gospel of Matthew, Winter 2023-24)

• The Search for Wisdom: Words to Live By (Proverbs, Spring 2024)

Each study in English includes a Study Guide and a Teaching Guide plus a Premium Commentary and Teaching Resource Items all available at www.gc2press.org .

New Books Available:

• The Lazy Approach to Evangelism: A Simple Guide for Conversing with Nonbelievers. – Written by Eric Hernandez, Apologetics Lead, BGCT Evangelism Division.

• Understanding Emmaus: Rediscovering Your Joy for the Ministry. – Written by Ray Malone, BGCT Director of Human Resources.

• I Love You Lord: A Book of Original Christian Poetry. – Written by James Suggs on behalf of the BGCT African American Ministries.

Upcoming In-Depth Quarterly Adult Bible Studies:

• Sacred Life: God’s Plan for Us (Study of the Sanctity of Life, Summer 2024)

• The Immeasurable Love of Christ: God’s Love Letter to His Church (Ephesians, Fall 2024)

• The reMarkable Journey Continues: The Gospel of Urgency. (The Gospel of Mark, Winter 2024-25)

• Kingdom Assignment: The Relentless Pursuit of Obedience. (Nehemiah, Spring 2025)

Moving Toward the Future:

GC2® Press will continue to seek to expand its reach in serving churches by connecting people to God through His Word. Please check out our complete library of both printed and digital resources at www.gc2press.org. These resources include adult, college, youth, children, and preschool materials.

MINISTRY STATISTICS FOR GC2® PRESS (June 2023 – May 2024)

# of units sold.....................................................................67,463

Gross Sales .........................................................................$401,466

# of orders ..........................................................................3,731

# of customers ..................................................................2,427

It has been an honor to serve Texas Baptists as the Publisher of GC2 Press® for the past seven years. Please feel free to contact our office with your questions, suggestions, and comments. You can email us at gc2press@texasbaptists.org or call our office at 214-828-5368.

The Music & Worship team exists to assist Texas Baptists churches by offering consulting to worship pastors, senior pastors, and music search committees. Our prayer and desire is to strengthen and encourage the local church and its worship leadership by offering training events for church leaders and volunteers involved in music and worship ministry.

2023-24 Highlights

Singing Women of Texas Celebrates 30 Years!

Seven chapters of the Singing Women of Texas joined together this summer for a concert tour in Washington D.C. to celebrate 30 years of ministry. Highlights of the trip included singing and ministering at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, the Museum of the Bible and David’s Tent on the Washington Mall. Many of the women were able to have meaningful faith conversations, including with a young couple who gave their lives to Jesus in a local McDonalds! The tour concluded with the women singing in the Protestant worship service at the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, MD.

Lifeway Worship Changes Course

In July 2023, Lifeway announced it would shut down Lifeway Worship, the division that provides a variety of music resources for worship leaders. Our Music & Worship Director Tom Tillman quickly helped to organize a response to Lifeway from hundreds of concerned worship leaders across the state. We hosted two listening sessions between Lifeway executives and worship leaders, which along with listening sessions in other states, led to a decision by Lifeway to continue offering this important resource to worship leaders.

Prestidge Endowment Fund Music and Worship Scholarship Recipients

One way we help in raising up new worship leaders is by awarding this scholarship to a student preparing for full-time music and worship ministry at a Baptist university. This year we were able to increase the amount awarded from $1,000 to $3,000 which was split between two recipients: Trenton West, University of Mary Hardin Baylor, and Hannah Hopkins, East Texas Baptist University.

Singing Men of Texas

Six chapters of over 600 men presented concerts around the state. They are preparing for their 50th anniversary concert in Austin next summer.

Music and Worship Training Events

Over 1200 leaders and volunteers were trained and encouraged through the following events. To learn more, go to txb.org/music.

Worship Summits

Small gatherings of worship pastors and worship leaders that offer a day of inspiration, fellowship, and networking. We hosted four Worship Summits over the last year.

Children’s Worship University

Training and networking for anyone who works with children and music in their church or school.

Instrumental Convergence

Training and encouragement for instrumentalists through reading sessions, mass playing and networking.

Everlasting Choir Celebration

Training and networking for senior adult choirs at three locations – Amarillo, The Woodlands and Dallas.

Handbell Festival

Training and fellowship through instruction, massed ringing and networking.

Social Media Presence

The social media presence of Texas Baptists Music & Worship continues to grow. The TXBmusicandworship Facebook page has over 1900 followers.

Follow us on social media!

Facebook TXBmusicandworship

Instagram Txbmusicandworship

Twitter TXBmusicworship

TOM TILLMAN Director

VICKI SCHMIDT Music & Worship Ministry Coordinator

CARLOS FRANCIS Director

CAITLIN

MCCALLUM Young Adult Ministry Assistant

The Young Adult Ministry is designed to be a resource for churches by helping them reach, reconnect, and re-establish relationships with young adults within their community and their church. We will assist churches with planning, conducting, and evaluating strategies to engage young adults, so they are encouraged to answer the call of being discipled and making disciples.

This year we had our first Connected Conference in Lubbock, Texas. The Connected Conference helps churches connect young adults and helps young adults connect with Christ. We partnered with First Baptist Lubbock who hosted our Friday night worship service and Texas Tech BSM who hosted our Saturday morning sessions. On our Saturday sessions we had over twenty churches represented and students from the BSM, Wayland Baptist, and Texas Tech. Churches as far as Alvarado, Texas, came to be a part of the teaching sessions. Those sessions gave churches tools and techniques for helping churches “grow younger.” We will be having our second Connected Conference in the fall, partnering with University of Texas in Arlington and First Baptist, Arlington. The goal is to have at least two Connected Conferences annually, held regionally throughout Texas.

This year I am pleased to say that we are currently working on a young adult ministry group in Dallas/ Fort Worth area called Link. Last year we were blessed to “Link” with two churches. Currently, it is up to nine churches who gather quarterly for worship sessions, mission opportunities, and training sessions with pastors and young adult leadership who come together to grow and refine methods of getting young adults engaged into the fabric of the whole church.

As the Director of Young Adult Ministry for Texas Baptists, I am excited about traveling around the state to continually build relationships with young adults and local churches so we can all help build the Kingdom of God.

“I am forever a theologian in training.” That was the response from one of the women who attended the WELL training program. After one of the cohort’s three book discussions, she gained the confidence to see herself as capable of studying and grasping the deep doctrines of our faith. She, like so many women in our Texas Baptists family, does so much with so little. And she is worthy of our greatest investment.

WELL (Women Equipped to Learn and Lead) is unlike any other training program for women in the churches. Funded by the generosity of the Texas Baptists Mission Foundation, this program equips women with message preparation, worldview analysis, leadership development, and public speaking practice. These cohorts include women of different educational backgrounds, ministry experience, and ethnicities. They include women’s ministers who are brimming with ideas and excitement, and minister’s wives who are spinning far too many plates. But most importantly, they include women who want to learn, to serve, to teach, and to lead.

In addition to expanding WELL, last fall we launched Theology Thursdays, where women can study systematic theology in “bite-sized” portions at the time of day most convenient for them. Theology Thursday participants are gaining both a strong foundation of what they believe and a practical understanding of how these beliefs apply to their lives and ministries. Since its start, we have had over 120 women register and the number keeps growing.

At Texas Baptists, we are equipping Texas Baptist churches to become self-sustaining sources of women’s discipleship. WELL cohorts are taking place across the state in 2025 - we can’t keep up with the demand! And Theology Thursday is available to every Texas Baptists Woman year round.

Please visit https://www.texasbaptists.org/ministries/womens-ministry to join future opportunities.

VACANT Director

CAITLIN MCCALLUM Women’s Ministry Assistant

DOWELL LOFTIS Director

RACHEL

CARROLL

Lead Ministry Assistant

The Center for Ministerial Health (CMH) exists to help ministers and their families so they can be all God wants them to be as they minister in His church.

The CMH takes a wholistic approach to minister health. The CMH has Counseling Services for ministers and their families. A Financial Health Team that provides financial training to both pastors and churches, and grants for which pastors can apply. Area Representatives, who live all over the state of Texas and who call on pastors in their areas of responsibility. The CMH also has Interim Church Services that provide training for churches when they are without a pastor and can provide Interim Pastors for those churches. The CMH has a Director of Bivocational Ministries that works exclusively to help bivocational pastors; and a Western Heritage Consultant that works exclusively with Cowboy Church pastors. And, the CMH directs Pastor Strong, a ministry in the San Antonio area sponsored by the Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio.

Did you know?

• Texas Baptists Area Representatives made over 13,500 contacts with ministers last year.

• Texas Baptists Counseling Services has a network of Counselors all over the state and helped more than 100 minister families receive professional counseling last year.

• Texas Baptist Interim Church Services worked with over 180 pastorless churches last year.

• Texas Baptists Bivocational Services held 6 Retreats last year for bivocational pastors and their wives.

• Pastor Strongs held retreats for pastors and their families last year and has support groups for pastors (Barnabas Groups) and their wives (Lydia Groups).

• Texas Baptists Financial Health Team currently offers the Ministers Financial Health Grant to Texas Baptist pastors. This is made possible through a partnership with the Lilly Endowment and generous designated gifts (No Cooperative Program money is used to fund our grants). Over 1,800 grants have been awarded to Texas Baptist ministers in the last 5 years.

• Texas Baptists relate to 195 Western Heritage Churches around the state and have a consultant that works specifically with Cowboy Church pastors.

Texas is a large state and Texas Baptists are a large and diverse group. There is no “one size fits all” approach to ministry. The Center for Ministerial Health strives to provide support and encouragement for each minister in their unique ministry context.

Thank you for being a part of the Texas Baptist Family. We truly can do more together!

The Area Representatives Team is strategically located in geographical regions throughout our state and is daily assisting Texas Baptists pastors and churches in fulfilling the Great Commission and Great Commandment.

Area Representative Joe Aguilar serves the Rio Grande Valley and a large portion of South Texas. Because of Joe’s lifelong relationships in his Service Area and his knowledge of both Hispanic and Anglo cultures God is using him for His glory to encourage pastors and churches. One pastor remarked,” Joe is a pastor to pastors and exemplifies the gift of encouragement.”

As the Central Texas Area Representative Tim Marrow values working with and assisting churches that are going through times of transition. Tim adds value to his churches by meeting with leaders and offering recommendations that will strengthen the congregations during these uncertain times when there has been a transition in leadership.

David Vela serves in far West Texas and resides in the Permian Basin. Although he serves the largest geographical region of our Area Representatives, he provides personal care and encouragement to churches and pastors daily. When a major tornado ripped through Sanderson in June of 2024 David was on site offering prayer and tangible resources to the people and churches of this small community.

Area Representative Kris Knippa ministers to a large swath of West Texas, which includes the Texas Panhandle. In the Spring of 2024, Kris worked alongside pastors from Fritch to Borger during the horrific wildfires that decimated thousands of acres and was responsible for millions of dollars of damage. Texas Baptists were able to provide disaster relief, financial support, and individual pastoral care to those in affected communities.

Houston Area Representative Kevin Abbott is the newest member of our team. His former ministry position with Union Baptist Association in Houston is advantageous as Kevin ministers to the hundreds of congregations in UBA affiliated with Texas Baptists. Kevin is also the Director of our Pastoral Health Networks which provides cohorts of learning and encouragement to pastors in Texas Baptists churches.

Dan Curry, Area Representative for the greater Fort Worth area, is gifted and seasoned to help churches with conflict. His forty plus years of pastoral ministry aids him in being a listening ear to any pastor that needs encouragement or is experiencing conflict in their church. Dan is also a great encourager to young pastors who may be serving in their first Lead Pastor position.

Fred Ater, longtime Area Representative for San Antonio and a large portion of South Texas is encouraged by the younger generation of pastors he meets who are serving in his geographical region. Fred enjoys the vigor and enthusiasm displayed by this new generation of pastors who believe the message of Jesus is the only hope for our lost and broken world.

If Texas Baptists can serve you or your congregation, do not hesitate to contact the Area Representative in your region.

TIM WATSON Director Area 7 (903) 261-1929

KRIS KNIPPA Area 1 (806) 292-6334

DAVID VELA Area 2 (915) 309-3674

JOE AGUILAR Area 3 (956) 534-2043

CHAD SHAPIRO Area 4 (210) 705-3021

KEVEN ABBOTT Area 5 (469) 422-4164

TIM MARROW Area 6 (254) 315-2667

STEVE DOMINY Area 8 (405) 765-7880

DAN CURRY Area 9 (817) 781-2440

IRA ANTOINE Director

Bivocational Pastors Ministry

We aim to encourage, equip, and engage those who serve in a Bivocational capacity or small membership churches. We are walking alongside these hardworking servants and their churches to awaken them to fulfill their God-given vision. This past year, we had the opportunity to coordinate pastor and spouse retreats, assist small membership churches in impacting their communities for Christ, facilitate training opportunities, and work with bivocational pastors in Texas. Thank you, Texas Baptists, for helping us help others. Because of this, three awesome things occurred.

Transitioning with the Times In the spring of 2023, I received a phone call from the church secretary from South Texas. Her opening statement was, “We are looking for a pastor and hope you can help.” My response was, “I’ll certainly do my best.” She said, “We have always had a full-time pastor, but we know we need a bivocational pastor, and we really don’t know how to handle that.”

They could not handle the transition from a fully funded pastor who was always available to someone who was less readily available but still provided the congregation’s essential leadership. They need someone to assist them in the psychological transition as much as the logistical one.

During the summer, I met with the pastor search committee twice, had a town hall meeting with twenty remaining members, and responded to numerous emails and impromptu calls to assist them in their transition. The Bivocational ministry walked alongside a remnant of faithful members as they worked the emotional transition of calling a bivocational pastor.

The members called their first bivocational pastor to serve them the church. The church is involved in the community and broadcasts its services on social media. Because we were there to walk alongside them for emotional support, they could make the transition with less fear.

Our work is about ministerial health, which includes assisting churches and clergy in their emotional transitions.

Doing Big Ministry in Small Towns. God loves small towns and rural communities. He wants churches and pastors to be encouraged and equipped, so we conducted oneday conferences in smaller communities to share Christ and show love everywhere. First Baptist Church Plainview hosted our inaugural Big Ministry in Small Towns Summit Over 95 people representing ten congregations from five communities were equipped in evangelism, worship, and prayer to reach their community for Christ. One of the attendees said, “Thank you for coming to us and not making us come to the big cities for training.”

Another said, “I appreciate that the conference spoke to my situation as a small town church with a small membership congregation.”

It’s a Family Affair. Sixty years ago, the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church was established to reach and serve the African American population in its community, but that has changed because the community’s racial makeup has changed. Six years ago, Mt. Pisgah called a pastor with a heart to reach all the people groups.

Two things made a difference. First, they went outside the walls of the building to serve the community. The church held seminars and outreach programs that met felt needs. They ministered to the whole family. Secondly, they changed the interior of their sanctuary to become more inviting and physically accommodating.

The church replaced the thirty-year-old pews with stackable chairs. This allowed them to make the sanctuary multi-functional and aesthetically appealing.

As a result of the outreach effort and sanctuary improvement, the church welcomed five new families in 2023. They baptized twenty people. On one occasion, three generations from one family were baptized.

The Bivocational Pastors Ministry serves Texas Baptist churches to awaken them to the God-given vision to fulfill God’s Mission. Thanks again, Texas Baptists, for your support, which helps us help others.

Texas Baptists Counseling Services exists to help address the mental health issues of our ministers, their families, and our churches. We are honored to assist ministers and their families with counseling resources. Last year we assisted close to 100 ministers/families with financial help toward counseling, made hundreds of contacts related to counseling resources, and added several counselors to our network of nearly 275 approved counselors across the state.

Counseling Services is grateful for the support of Texas Baptists through the Cooperative Program which helps provide the hope and healing we strive to extend. Studies show our society has experienced an increase in anxiety and depression in the last several years. Ministry leaders are not immune to the same struggles any other person might experience. Thankfully, ministry leaders and their families have a firm spiritual foundation to stand on when experiencing struggles. In addition, Counseling Services can provide additional support through trained counseling resources to help ministry leaders navigate the storms and stresses of life.

Our prayer in Counseling Services is that you do not encounter circumstances in your life that prompt you to need our assistance. However, should you find yourself facing one of life’s storms head on, know we are glad to help you connect to the mental health resources you need and count it a privilege to come alongside you in a difficult time.

MAMFC, LPC VACANT Ministry Assistant

OLGA HARRIS Director

VACANT Director

Through its Lilly Endowment Grant, Texas Baptists continued to connect with congregations in 2023 to promote ministerial wellness. Texas Baptists and its affiliated churches were able to partner together to strengthen, encourage, and support ministers. Before it’s closing at the end of 2023, the Pastor Sabbatical Grant and Inflation Relief Grant helped hundreds of pastors across the state. The Ministers Financial Health Grant has greatly impacted several ministers’ lives for the better in 2023 and continues to do so in 2024. Financial health and fiscal leadership skills are essential to a minister’s ability to lead effectively in their home and in the church. Texas Baptists are thankful to partner with churches to equip ministers with the financial tools needed for long-term ministry.

In 2023, Texas Baptists awarded the following grants to Texas Baptists ministers:

• Minister’s Financial Health Grants - $60,000 (24 ministers total)

• Pastor Sabbatical Grants - $127,000 (73 pastors total)

• Inflation Relief Grants - $230,000 (460 pastors total)

For a pastor receiving the Minister’s Financial Health Grant, he shared, “The grant removed some significant personal stress from our lives that would’ve resulted from the car repairs, income change, etc. The reality is that when I am carrying less stress, I’m able to be a better and more effective pastor. This grant has helped our family get back to a place that is healthier and more sustainable in the long run. I’m not sure that we could’ve continued at the pace we were running much longer. By helping us get back into a healthier place, we’ve increased the likelihood of us being able to sustain longevity in ministry. The grant provided practical help with our car, but it also had a more intangible benefit. It helped give us more freedom and time back in our schedule. The financial counselling gave us the freedom to see the financial feasibility of making these changes that were beneficial to our family. Making the job change has allowed my wife to be around more and help more with things like school pickups, sick kids, etc. This has given me a lot of time back that I’m able to spend investing in the ministry and people at the church.” The Minister’s Financial Health grants help pastors develop a budget and plan to help them remain in ministry and thrive financially.

The financial health team continues to offer free Faith and Finances Facilitator Training in partnership with STCH Ministries. Classes are held via Zoom on weeknights for 10 weeks. The curriculum is also available in Spanish, titled Fe y Finanzas. To sign up, visit www.txb. org/ffft.

It was a BIG day. No, not Easter or Christmas. It was the interim pastor’s last Sunday. The church was packed. At the end of service, the interim pastor, Bob, gave a number of people a bottle of pure-cane sugar “Red Cola” from the Dublin Bottling Company, saying, “You made my stay here so much sweeter.” A ribbon secured a private note to each person’s soda.

The church then presented Bob with the obligatory plaque, a few gag gifts, and an honorarium to help him and his wife take that dreamed-of trip to the Holy Land. Then came the biggie. They announced that Bob’s picture was going to be placed in the row of former pastors’ pictures lining the church’s main hallway. As the personnel chair announced that honor, he got a catch in his voice, and his eyes brimmed with tears.

“Don’t start that!” Bob pleaded, as he too felt tears about to overflow.

They then had Bob sit on the front pew as the praise team began to sing the Ray Bolz song, “Thank You” (. . . for giving to the Lord). But the words had been changed. They talked about the healing of relationships and forgiveness and fixing broken plans and . . . Bob realized they were singing about things that had happened during the interim time. As each verse continued, people involved in the events of that verse came and encircled Bob. When the 10-year-old girl who was baptized, and the college student who surrendered to ministry, came to stand by Bob, EVERYONE was in tears. Bob bit his lower lip hard enough to leave a mark—so he wouldn’t bawl like a baby.

How could the departure of an interim pastor become such a huge event in the life of a church?

The church was a different place than the one Bob had started at just 18 months earlier. Prayer and team meetings and church-wide town halls had been added to the church’s regular ministries and services. The church had tackled huge issues that had previously divided the church and led to the last pastor’s sudden departure: to sell and move or to stay and repair, to keep the historical name or to create a more contemporary dba name, to have two worship services with the same blended music or to make one service with hymns and one service with contemporary choruses and songs, etc.

However, it wasn’t the decisions that had restored the church. It was the process. A holy and safe environment was created that invited everyone to share and everyone to listen and everyone to be part of the decision-making process. “God showed up,” Bob testified.

The office of Interim Church Services is adept at partnering. We train interim pastors, partnering with Church Starting, Chaplaincy, Baptist Student Ministry, Area Representatives, African American Ministries, the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation, retired pastors, para-church ministers, and our schools. These “called and equipped” interim pastors then partner with church leaders and church members to help prepare our churches for the arrival of the next pastor.

Perhaps your church is in the “in-between” time—if not, it someday will be. Or, perhaps you are a minister who would be interested in seeing how God might use you to help an interim church. The story above could be your story. Why wait? Contact our office now, or stop by the Center for Ministers Health booth here at our convention. There’s the possibility that a partnership with us just might be in God’s will for your future.

Updated Contact Info:

Karl retired June 2024, so the main contact is Dowell Loftis for Interim Church Services.

VACANT Director

KEVIN ABBOTT Director

CHAD SHAPIRO Associate

The Pastor Strong Initiative was created to minister to Pastors and their wives who feel isolated and ill- equipped to meet the demands of life and ministry. The initiative hosts separate gathering for pastors and their wives, so they can develop meaningful relationships by addressing the spiritual, mental, physical, emotional, and financial concerns that affect the health of a Pastor and his family. There are currently over 300 Pastors and Pastor’s wives who have participated in the various events of the Pastor Strong Initiative.

A recent addition has been regional coffee fellowships of small groups of Pastors. This time of prayer and fellowship has now multiplied to over 8 locations with more coming. This has provided a safe place to share about the struggles encounter when leading a church and a way to encourage Pastors in a smaller setting.

During the monthly gatherings, Pastors and their wives enjoy a time of fellowship, a small group discussion over one of the health concerns and share a celebration and challenge so they can be in prayer for one another. These gatherings provide a safe environment for Pastors and their wives to have a moment of tearful transparency they are rarely given due to their positions. Pastors and their wives who regularly participate in the monthly gatherings have developed lifelong friendships that have been a source of encouragement, especially in a Pastor’s darkest ministry hour.

We also have our Pastor Strong Initiative Family Strong Retreat so Pastors and their families can have an opportunity to spend time together outside of church ministry activities, and at the same time, a chance for their children to connect with each other. Pastor’s kids, regardless of age, experience the same pressures of ministry, and when they know there are other kids just like them, the burden of ministry becomes easier to bear.

The initiative has also hosted multiple couple’s nights, a family cookout and pool fellowship, separate fellowships for Pastors and their wives, and the fourth annual Pastor Strong Retreat for Pastors and their wives only. Last year, the focus for the Pastor Strong Retreat was on marriage, and couples who participated were equipped with meaningful skills so their marriage can thrive under the pressures of church ministry.

The Western Heritage ministry of Texas Baptists was a key factor in assisting cowboy churches successfully share the gospel to multitudes of people through arena, evangelistic, cattle roundup, mission events, and theological & ministry education and training.

One such event took place in the Panhandle (Behind the Chutes Cowboy Church, Amarillo) as Pastor Steve Belote and his team assisted at the annual PRCA Rodeo in Amarillo by working behind the chutes, passing out Bibles and praying with professional competitors! TXB also assisted with their summer playday series (outreach).

Pastor Joe Caballero led his church on their first men’s cattle roundup in Colorado – The Drive. One of their young men accepted Jesus Christ as Lord! This was their pilot run with this new ministry through Montague County Cowboy Church, which is designed to help maturing Christian men connect with men who are struggling in different areas of their lives. Mentoring!

TXB also helped 8 Texas Baptists cowboy churches with two rodeo Bible camps in New Mexico with Mission Rez! 2023. It was their first full camp since Covid. The camps include rodeo events, Gospel music, evangelism, passing out Bibles, and working with children and adults. Burleson County Cowboy Church elder, Kevin Mahr heads an exemplary team for Mission Rez! where the gospel is proclaimed clearly to Native American Indians in a culturally significant manner. Leaders, which includes Native American Indians, coordinated with the Boys & Girls club and got them to transport kids to the camp. They fed 100 or more per night between kids, camp workers & parents/guests. Mission Rez! 2023 had 9 children who came to know Christ. What a blessing!

TXB Western Heritage started Circle the Wagons. Circle the Wagons is designed to assist churches that are plateaued or dying. The program takes the pastors and their people on a brief, 4-to-6-hour journey on which they revisit mission, examine team functionality, evaluate their context, and begin a process to move forward more effectively in their particular community context.

Four TXB pastors are also directly involved the Ministry Development Certificate Program which is designed specifically for cowboy pastors, staff and leaders that cannot afford traditional theological & ministry education. This three-year program has been a game changer for 30+ students! TXB has helped with partial scholarships through the Mary Hill Davis Offering. The MDCP has helped many students develop a sense of “adventure in excellence with almighty God!”

Mac & Cindy spend a lot of time in our cowboy churches preaching & singing. We enjoy representing TXB, promoting CP and Mary Hill Davis Offering giving, and partnerships with TXB. Building relationships with cowboy pastors and resourcing needs are priorities. Mac and Cindy have hearts for cowboy pastors and their wives, as well as for seeing cowboy churches fulfill their mission to which God has called them. Mac is also a huge proponent of leadership mentoring and coming alongside pastors and cowboy churches that may be struggling to accomplish their goals and Kingdom significant ministries.

We praise God for Texas Baptists and what you mean to those in the western culture! For myself and my family, it is because of Texas famers and ranchers, and Texas Baptists that made it possible for me to receive an excellent theological education and have a training ground for ministry - to experience an adventure in excellence with almighty God! Thank you for your support and thank you for the privilege to serve the Lord with and through TXB!

RACHEL CARRELL Ministry Assistant

JAMES “MAC” McLEOD Consultant/ Starter

NOE TREVIÑO Director

STACEY RICE Lead Ministry Assistant

Texas Baptists Center for Missional Engagement exists to engage our churches in corporate missions through strategic opportunities in Texas and around the world without duplicating the role of traditional mission-sending agencies.

Texas population is approaching 31 million. The Center for Missional Engagement partners with Texas Baptists churches, associations, and conventions/unions in our state, the U.S., and around the world in reaching those who are not yet God’s people. We read in God’s Word how the early church impacted the world with the gospel amid limitations and persecutions. Our Lord continues to use the church to impact and transform people’s churches and be reminded of the Lord’s words when He said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

House and Philippi Church:

Director Paul Atkinson reported the number of people living in apartments, mobile homes, and multi-housing is considered one of the fastest growing segments of the population who are not being reached by conventional churches. Help us bring the gospel and church to the places where they live.

River Ministry and Mexico Missions:

Director Mario Alberto Gonzalez helps give a new understanding of missions on the border and in the interior of Mexico. River Ministry and Mexico Missions can help your church participate in mission opportunities from inside the walls of your church, on the Texas side of the border, or the interior of Mexico.

Church Starting and Replanting:

Director Tom Howe is ready to help your church discover how to raise new church planters and teach you how to sponsor a new church in your area. With 6 Church Starting Strategists helping across the state, we are excited about the possibility of planting new churches that will reach new people for Christ.

BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery:

Director David Scott plans and preps all-inclusive mission opportunities for your middle school, high school, and college students during Spring Break and Summer. Students help bring hope to communities struggling through disasters and to church plants needing a boost in their ministry.

MAP - Missionary Adoption Program:

Director Noe Treviño connects Texas Baptists Churches with churches, associations, and conventions in countries all over the world to jointly adopt local missionaries native to those countries. These missionaries intentionally focus on evangelism, discipleship, and church planting in their own context.

Minister of Missions:

Director Noe Treviño encourages Ministers of Missions around the state through offering training for new Minister of Missions, conducting regional training conferences, and providing missional opportunities for churches to engage.

Texas Baptists Missionary:

Director Noe Treviño gives leadership to the TXB Missionaries Ministry. These Missionaries are either volunteers or people who raise support and who commit to at least 20 hours per week in a mission setting here in Texas. TXB missionaries are people who commit to working in any part of Texas.

Thank You and The Lord!

We are thankful to our Lord for the blessing of seeing 16,829 people make professions of faith in Christ in 2023 and for Texas Baptists churches who pray, give, and send their members to fulfill the Great Commission.

For more information about our ministries, please see txb.org/missions to contact our team.

Through BOUNCE, student ministry leaders can mobilize their middle school, high school, and college students for challenging mission service. BOUNCE provides two mission options. Hands-on construction missions through long-term disaster recovery and community rehabilitation missions or church planting missions.

During the summer of 2023, BOUNCE mobilized student groups for construction missions in Beaumont/Port Arthur, Lake Charles, and Galveston County. BOUNCE participants (BOUNCERS) from 34 churches served 30 families. Repairs to roofs, siding, flooring, drywall, painting, and more made up the scope of the work.

In addition to construction efforts, BOUNCERS served Texas Baptist Church Plants in the Houston area as well as Seattle, WA. BOUNCERS assisted area plants through Bible Schools, community service projects, block parties, sports camps, and more to help church plants BOUNCE forward in ministry momentum.

During Spring Break of 2024, BOUNCERS returned to the Houston area area to partner with Katy Responds and The Restoration Team to assist with recovery stemming from the ice storm, Harvey, and area flooding. Copperfield Church hosted the 10 groups. Eleven projects were completed for 8 different families.

BOUNCE would not be able to accomplish anything without our valued partners. Southwest Louisiana Responds (SWLR) is one such partner. Hannah Sober, who is the Case Management Director gives BOUNCE a glowing review:

We at SWLA Responds have had the distinct pleasure of working alongside BOUNCE for the last three years in Southwest Louisiana. BOUNCE completed work on 3 churches, a school, and over 30 homes of which 16 were reroofed. Their ability to pivot quickly based on the needs of the community and their “we’ll figure it out” attitude make them excellent partners who often go above and beyond what they initially set out to do. They demonstrate excellence in all aspects: from the quality of work to the care of the homeowners. I have only ever heard glowing commentary from the homeowners we have served, but I believe one put it best. “They didn’t just give me a roof; they gave me hope!” Teams like BOUNCE make it easy for organizations like ours to serve our area. We can trust them to complete the projects they commit to and to the highest degree, but more importantly, with the care and empathy needed in a hurting community. Thanks to them more than a few families were able to bounce back.

Kind regards,

Hannah Sober Director of Case Management SWLA Responds

(337) 764-2485

David Scott, Director of BOUNCE says, “We are grateful for the partnerships we share with groups like Southwest Louisiana Responds. If we didn’t have them as partners, we likely wouldn’t be able to mobilize students for hands-on, transformational mission service through BOUNCE.”

In addition to helping communities BOUNCE back and helping church plants BOUNCE forward, BOUNCERS collected an offering for the Missionary Adoption Program (MAP). Through their generosity, BOUNCERS were able to fund missionaries in Spain and Nepal.

For more information on mobilizing your students through BOUNCE, visit txb.org/bounce.

DAVID SCOTT Director

LEAH MCMULLEN Ministry Assistant

TOM HOWE Associate Director

JOHN SILVA West Texas

DANIEL

DELEON South Texas

D. EARL LEWIS Southeast Texas

LONNIE TUCKER Northeast Texas

MIKE DICKEY

North Central Texas

LEE

WILLIAMS III

Central Texas

GLORIA TILLMAN

Ministry

Assistant

BRITTANY

TOVAR

Ministry

Assistant

Church Starting & Replanting

Your gifts to Church Starting, the Cooperative Program, Mary Hill Davis Offering, and Texas Baptists Missions Foundation all help start new churches in Texas and the US. These financial gifts have turned into Kingdom gain in seeing 2,098 professions of faith and 741 baptisms from June 2023 through May 2024. This includes stats from our 40 new churches and replants started during this time and the other 145 churches in our 5-year process.

Who is a Church Planter?

Churches, associations, pastors, and other networks help us identify new church planters around the state and beyond. Our Church Starting Strategists work to help give these candidates the tools to hear their calling and get started in the process. Our church starting process takes the church planter and the sponsor church from an initial interest meeting all the way to launch and subsequent growth reviews. We are raising up new planters within Texas and for our GC2 movement including churches started in California, Louisiana, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, New York, Indiana, Alabama, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

Who can Sponsor a New Church?

Any church that is aligned with Texas Baptists and wants to help sponsor a church through funding and resourcing a planter is welcome to become a sponsor. You are asked to administer resources, provide prayer and encouragement, attend quarterly meetings with the new church plant, give regularly to CP, and participate in Texas Baptists life.

What is a Replant?

Our Replant process is designed to provide consulting, coaching, strategic planning, and resources to Texas Baptists churches as they embrace God’s plan for the future. If a church does not have enough power, energy, money, resources, or creativity to help themselves or the desire to reach their immediate community, they may qualify to replant.

Church Starting Training

Church Starting helps train planters and potential planters with the help of associations throughout the state through funding Church Planting Centers (CPC). A CPC is a residency of current and potential church planters with the purpose of assessing, equipping, coaching, mentoring, and resourcing them to start new Texas Baptists churches and ministries.

We also hold quarterly assessments across Texas for potential planters to help them assess their calling to plant. We have also partnered with El Paso Baptist Association in El Paso and Union Baptist Association in Houston to hold Spanish language assessments.

Church Starting Event

Our biggest event of the past year was the 2023 Church Starting Project with about 100 people, including planters and spouses, in attendance. This was a time for planters to rest and recharge. In 2024 we held the second one with a slight name change: Church Starting Connection.

Want to learn more about Church Starting and how you can get involved? Go to txb.org/churchstarting.

The House Church Strategy consist of these five components:

(1) The Entry – This is the beginning and asking the who, what, were, when, and how questions about the community…. We need someone who is called of God to enter this field. Is that someone you?

(2) The Gospel – This is the whole purpose of this church… Reach the lost and Develop the saved to Reach the Lost… Each leader needs to be well trained in relational evangelism and proficient.

(3) Discipleship – This new church will have at its core Bible study and discipleship because this is what will keep the church on its Great Commission trajectory.

(4) Church Formation – This church will be a full partner with Texas Baptist…. This church will be identified by these 10 functions Baptizing, Praying, Disciple Making, Evangelism, Loving, Worshiping, Giving, Bible Study, New Leaders and Mission Engagement.

(5) Leadership Development – These churches leaders will be coached and connected to Texas Baptist by way of authentic relationships built on common understanding of Baptist Distinctives and Missional Multiplication.

• Total Volunteers Engaged 19,603

• Total People Served 432,398

• Profession of Faith 2,143

• Baptisms 254

• Total Ave Monthly Meetings 751

• Total Ave. Monthly Ministries 78

Luis Ricardo Rivera Testimony

I want to thank the Lord for raising new leadership in our organic churches. I want to share Samuel Yescas’ testimony. Samuel is around 30 years old, he started coming to our house church like six months ago. I have had the opportunity to share and spend much time with him doing leadership preparation. I now give thanks to the Lord because he opened a new house church, and we are seeing growth.

Bobby Herring Testimony

In May, a family reached out and wanted to open their home to their friends to be able to have a simple Bible study and share their faith in Jesus. This past month June, they were able to have their first meeting and 21 people showed up, many came open to seek, but they are not currently following God. It is incredible to see how well this family has loved their friends and most people who came stayed after and had continued to have conversations with others. We look forward to what God will do in the coming month at this new gathering.

Albert Diaz Testimony

This month we celebrated a large victory. A year and a half ago at one of our MultiHousing sites a young man named Will accepted Christ. Midway through this past month he came and shared a message with the same group he was led to the Lord through. It was an amazing evening and celebration. Will has struggled many years with addiction and depression. The person who came and preached to us was not the same man, we met just a couple years ago. That change can only be brought on by the Lord.

PAUL ATKINSON Director

VACANT Director

Church Planting Centers

A Church Planting Center is a residency of current and potential church planters with the purpose of assessing, equipping, coaching, mentoring and resourcing them to start new Texas Baptist Churches and ministries.

Church Planting Centers 2023-2024:

Church Planting Center

Coordinator

• Park Cities Baptist Church- Kelly Hamilton

• Tarrant Baptist Association- Eric Dejean

• Dallas Baptist Association- Marlow McGuire

• Lubbock Baptist Association- Ed Sena

• El Paso Baptist Association

• Brazos Valley Network

• San Antonio BA

• Union Baptist Association

• Golden Triangle

Larry Floyd + Kelly Knott

Steve Doyle

Chad Schapiro

Victor Marte

Jim Turnbo

The Pastor’s Common: The Pastors’ Common exists to strengthen Texas Baptists churches by creating a space for Millennial and Gen Z pastors to build community, grow intellectually, and be resourced.

Number of Millennial and Gen Z Ministers Connected to The Pastor’s Common (2024): 410 Number of Practical Ministry Conversations Filmed: 96

Pastoral Cohorts completed: 12

Annual Meeting Gathering Waco Attendance: 150 Pastors, Ministry leaders, and Spouses Apprenticeship Retreat: The retreat was held at First Baptist Richardson with a focus on mentorship. 72 millennial pastors attended the event along with 10 veteran pastors (David Lowrie, Jeff Warren, Jacob West, Miguel Lopez, Nebiye Kelile, Tom Howe, Josue Valerio, John Durham, Scott Venable, and Dennis Wiles) who poured into them through panels and small group conversations.

Preaching Labs: The Pastor’s Common equipped and trained 174 pastors in preaching in 3 different cities: Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Keynotes included (Todd Still, Daniel Kim, Steve Bezner, Taylor Sandlin, Andrew Hebert, Robert Creech, Kevin Flowers, Chris Johnson, Matt Homeyer, Scott Gibson, and Yancey Arrington)

Devoted: Devoted is a program for Texas Baptists young adults based on Acts 2:42. The early church was devoted to one another in prayer, fellowship, breaking of bread, and the teaching of the apostles. Devoted seeks to gather young adults from across the state to identify potential leaders and connect them to Texas Baptists Life and ministries. This year we held an event called True Worth with 45 young women in attendance. These young women were reminded of the value they have in Christ.

Embrace: Embrace is a mentorship program in partnership with the WMU of Texas. The objective of the program is to identify young women leaders with a passion for work in ministry. Embrace will connect them to mentors and ministries of the BGCT.

Missional Networks: April 1, 2024

Churches mobilized to community outreach

FBC at the Fields Greg Phan

Living Word

Fellowship Church Tedrick

El Buen Pastor

Christian Church Rose Martinez

The Promise Church Abraham Quinones

Revive Zoé Church Luis Torres

FBC Kaufman en Español Janet Rodriguez

PIB Petersburg Juan Calderon

PIB de Gainesville

Silvia Fuentes

Cockrell Hill Baptist Church Pastor Roy Suarez

Lubbock Unified Church Fermin Sifuentez

Revive Zoe Luis Torres

IB Nueva Jerusalen Rodrigo Becerra

FBC of Josephine Rick Blanton

Azle Avenue Baptist Church Joe Michael Limon

Ignite Community Church Chad Schapiro

Epic Fellowship Church Dr. Marlow McGuire & Brad Roberts

PIB de Waco

Cintia Aguilar

North Dallas Family Church Vincent Gonzales

Queens Church Larry Mayberry

Peoples Covenant Church Daniel Armendariz

Mt Horeb Belt Line MBC Stephen Nash

Impact Church Cameron Strange

Lubbock Unified Church Fermin Sifuentez

Emmanuel Baptist Church

Midland -Iglesia Bautista Emanuel Martin Ortega

First Baptist Church Blanket Jordan Villanueva

New Day Church

John Colunga

Arab church of Dallas Jalil Dawood

Mt Horeb Stephen Nash

Mercyhill Church Shay Wood

Azle Avenue Baptist Church Fernando Rojas

First Baptist church Waco Israel Lochamin

City Post Church Ricky Cotto

Influence International Chrystal Hughes

First Baptist Church Kenedy RoseMary Vickery

Baptist Student Ministry John Murthodi

Primera Iglesia Bautista

de Parral Chihuahua Josué García Ortiz

Under Over Fellowship Jerry Vineyard

Kingsbury Baptist church Manuel Casso Sr.

Plymouth Park Baptist Church Israel Villalobos

Pathway Church Nebiye Kelile

Primera Iglesia Bautista Dallas Rafael Munoz

First Baptist Church of El Paso Jeremy Kroeker

First Baptist Church Llano Ken Fowler

Iglesia Corona de Vida Kelly Knott

First Baptist Church Gonzales, TX Rafe Jackson

Mercyhill Church Shay Wood

Queens Church

Larry Mayberry

City On A Hill International Church Kendy Nguyen

Crestview Baptist Church Joshua Fuentes

Canyon Creek Baptist Church Joshua Murray

First Baptist Church Bandera Tommy Derrick

About MAP: The Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) exists to connect Texas Baptist Churches with churches, associations, and conventions in countries all over the world to jointly adopt local missionaries, native to those countries. These missionaries intentionally focus on evangelism, discipleship, church planting in their own context.

Testimony: This testimony is from Pastor Ramon Silva from Guadalajara. “We have been blessed to receive resources, prayer and encouragement from the churches in Texas who have adopted us through MAP. First Baptist Church, Frankston, and Highland Baptist Church in Denton have come alongside our church and have faithfully given monetarily so we could put of our Vacation Bible School in 5 different areas around our community. We went out to where the people are at.

We served and shared the gospel message with over 1,000 people and had 113 professions of faith, and 38 baptisms. We give all praise, honor, and glory to our Lord and we also thank Texas Baptists and the Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) for helping to make this fruitful ministry possible.”

Pastor Ramon Silva, PIB Tonala

Celebrating the Harvest: MAP serves missionaries worldwide. We currently have partnerships in: South Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, and India), Africa (Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda), Brazil, Myanmar (Burma), Spain, Mexico, Japan, Greece, Macedonia, Argentina, Peru, Canada, and the United States.

MAP in 17 countries and presently has 65 MAP Missionaries. Currently we have 6 families who have adopted 6 missionaries, 2 Sunday School classes who have adopted 2 missionaries, 1 foundation who has adopted 6 missionaries, BOUNCE Ministry of the BGCT has adopted 3 missionaries, and 33 churches who have adopted 48 MAP Missionaries. We presently have 104 missionaries who need to be adopted.

So far in 2024 MAP Missionaries have reported:

• Professions of faith – 3,089

• Baptisms – 718

• Gospel conversations – 130,440

• New church starts – 85

• Discipled – 51,967

• People served – 392,011

Celebration: MAP celebrated its 7 years of existence on January 1, 2024. Over 200 missionaries have been adopted since MAP began in 2017.

Join MAP: Texas Baptists believe that through collaboration, we can take the Gospel to areas we would not have been able to alone.

By joining MAP, you, and your church are assigned to a specific missionary, whom you can pray for, give directly to, and visit on the field to serve alongside. 100% of all the offerings you give to MAP go directly to support your missionary partner.

To find out how your church can be a MAP partner visit www.texasbaptists.org/map or contact Noe Treviño at noe.trevino@texasbaptists.org or by phone at 361-920-2481.

NOE TREVIÑO Director

MARIO

GONZALEZ Director

LEAH

MCMULLEN Ministry Assistant

River Ministry/Mexico Missions, a significant part of the Texas Baptist Center for Missional Engagement, is a beacon of hope for the communities along the Mexico/Texas border. This ministry, with its diverse reach-out events, offers mission opportunities for Baptists, churches, and institutions, fostering a sense of pride and connection among our stakeholders. We are happy to partner with BSMs and numerous churches, both in Texas and across the USA, in this impactful work.

We have river ministry missionaries on both sides of the border to engage local and Texas Baptist churches in missions. Right now, we have 43 River ministry Missionaries. These river ministry missionaries coordinate mission trips along with these churches or institutions to come to these areas to evangelize, have medical clinics, work with immigrants, develop sports clinics, train pastors and leaders in the area, and engage in many other ministries.

River Ministry missionaries are starting new churches or new ministries on the border and inside Mexico. We are partnering with the National Baptist Convention in Mexico and local Baptist conventions to facilitate the stating of new churches through a “tri-partito program” (divided into three parts) (One-third of the salary of a planter comes from the local regional convention, another third from the sending church, and one third from River Ministry).

This year, we worked with Baja California Sur, El Bajio (Guanajuato, Jalisco, Queretaro, and Aguas Calientes), Monterrey, Mexico City, with two Baptist local conventions, Guadalajara, and all the border cities in the Mexico/ Texas areas.

From June 2023 to May this year, the Lord blessed us with these results:

• 7463 Professions of faith

• 15291people were engaging with this ministry

• 36 New churches

• 122 New ministries (some were temporal, while others lasted for the whole year)

• 15,495 patients attended

Thanks to the Texas Baptists’ contributions, we provided hygiene kits for the immigrants arriving at several migrant centers we are working with: in Ciudad Juarez, El Paso, Brownsville, McAllen, Del Rio, Acuna, Matamoros, and Nuevo Laredo. Many of our river ministry missionaries shared the love of Christ by assisting the Border Patrol agents and providing them with food, prayer time, and encouragement.

There are many testimonies from immigrants who, after arriving at their destination in the USA, call our River Ministry missionaries or pastors on the border to thank them for what they did on their behalf. Many testify that they are following the Lord by deciding to be baptized. Just in Brownsville, 10,800 migrants received assistance, and 3935 accepted Christ from June 2023 to May 2024 and in other border cities are very similar results. With the help of the World Hunger offering, River Ministry is providing resources for 28 feeding centers for children in the border Mexico area (especially in Ciudad Juarez, Rio Bravo, and Reynosa).

Our ministry promotes Mission trips to the border in Texas and Mexico, with medical and dental clinics, Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps, activities to support refugees and deportees, and personal evangelism and discipleship. Volunteers from churches and institutions usually touch several thousands of people per year.

By committing to serve River Ministry/Mexico Missions, your church can make a difference in the spiritual, physical, and emotional lives of the people we serve while fulfilling the Great Commission. Help us share the Hope of Christ on the border and beyond.

The Center for Cultural Engagement helps equip Texas Baptists to engage in our respective communities. God calls us to be salt and light. We help bring others into community with God’s people through building bridges between groups, seeking justice, healing brokenness, confronting systemic evils, and speaking truth to power. We do this to bring the secular toward the sacred.

The theme for our center this past year has been “on earth as it is in heaven.” Each unit within the center has worked with excellence to expand, build, and proclaim the kingdom of Heaven.

The Christian Life Commission launched a new podcast titled “What is Good,” in which we discuss various ethical, social, and political issues of the day. The Christian Life Commission principally speaks to and not for Texas Baptists, and this was one of the many ways we are fulfilling our convention assignment.

African American Ministries welcomed Darrell Fielder, Jr. as the new African American Ministry Specialist.

Texas Baptist en Español From training to camps to conferences to webinars, TxB en Español has reached thousands of Texas Baptists and has helped connect by encouraging, informing, and collaborating with the Hispanic Baptist Churches. This past year, we have also seen the launch of Pave en Español, a church revitalization program specifically for Hispanic churches.

Intercultural Ministries Continues to strengthen and connect with over 300 churches that worship in nearly 80 languages weekly. We welcomed Arianna Bailey to the team as the new Ministry Assistant.

Baptist Chaplaincy Relations Welcomed Todd Combee as the new Director of Baptist Chaplaincy Relations.

REBECCA

KATIE FRUGÉ Director

TREVIÑO Center Specialist

KATIE FRUGÉ Director

SHANTELL WELCH Ministry Assistant

We at the CLC are agents of transformation, speaking to Texas Baptists rather than for them, equipping them to apply their faith to life in Ethical Conduct, Public Policy, and Community Ministry from a Biblical Perspective.

CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR 2023-2024

Steve Bezner*

Steven Young*

Carol Karen Boren*

Elmo Johnson*

Paul Kim*

John Roach*

Ryan Buck

Erica Currie

Laura Rodriguez

Brandon Skaggs

*Representatives from Executive Board

Tedrick Woods, Chair

Abigail Rojas

Kalie Lowrie

Emmanuel Roldan

Alice Ward

The Ethics & Justice branch of the Christian Life Commission (CLC) strives to equip believers so they may walk worthy of the gospel, having an impact in the world without being worldly, learning how to navigate today’s challenging issues and embracing the responsibility to care and advocate for the poor, the oppressed, and the outcasts among us.

For the past 3 years now, Dr. David Sanchez has been speaking on the topic of ministry among those who struggle with LGBTQ+ issues and their families. His messages and workshops equip and encourage Texas Baptists not to shy away from this topic, but to show the watching world that we can love others with the love of Christ, without condemning or condoning their lifestyle choices. He continues to present these workshops at youth camp breakout sessions and DNows, 14-hour chaplaincy trainings in Texas and Virginia, church ministry and volunteer team meetings, adult bible studies on Sundays and Wednesdays, conferences such as UnApologetic and Re:Charge, and our Texas Baptists family gathering and annual meetings.

This year, David has also been writing a book entitled Your/Our Identity in Christ. The purpose of this book is to help those struggling with their sexual or gender identity to find the many ways that the New Testament tells us who we are in Christ. Each of the nine chapters of this book looks at a different biblical metaphor (We are His sheep, We are the Light of the World, We are a Temple of the Holy Spirit, etc) to help us understand how being in Christ has transformed our identity. Each chapter also includes a powerful testimony of someone who has found their identity in Christ rather than in things the world says we should place our identity in.

Another workshop David has begun doing is Family Worship in the Home. In this very hands-on workshop, he helps families see the importance of establishing a culture of seeking God’s face daily as a family. He models what that time can look like - a short and simple time of singing a song, reading a passage of scripture, and praying together. His ukulele usually makes an appearance during this time.

On Aug. 3, 2023, David raised over $4,800 for the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering during Bits4Bites2023, a marathon stream in which he played video games for 18 hours straight and asked people to donate. This was the third year to have this event, and the amount raised was over $1000 more than the previous year. David enjoys this event, not only as an opportunity to support the TBHO, but also as a way to show the younger generation that we can use our many different hobbies and passions for God’s kingdom.

DAVID SANCHEZ Director

JOHN LITZLER Director

The Public Policy branch of the CLC provides biblical perspectives and resources on current policy issues in order that all Texas Baptists will feel equipped and encouraged to participate in the democratic process. CLC Public Policy works to inspire Texas Baptists to engage in informed advocacy on public policy issues affecting their churches and communities. The Texas Legislature will convene for its 89th legislative session from January 14 to June 2, 2025. The CLC invites you to join us during the session in visiting with legislators about policy matters of interest to Texas Baptists.

Recapping the 88th Legislative Session (and four additional special sessions):

Passed:

• House Bill 12 which extended the amount of time a mother receives Medicaid benefits from two months postpartum to 12 months postpartum.

• House Bill 53 which expands the exemption from emergency vehicle registration by Texans On Mission and other nonprofit disaster relief organizations.

• House Bill 446 which removes any reference to the “R” word in Texas law when referring to individuals with intellectual disabilities

• House Bill 1212 which allows a parent to verify an excused absence for a student for the purpose of observing a religious holy day

• House Bill 1743 which allows qualified prisoners to apply for SNAP benefits while still incarcerated so benefits are available immediately after release from confinement.

• House Bill 3765 which requires the DFPS to make available luggage/bags to transport the belongings of every foster child in Texas

• Senate Bill 24 which codified the “Alternatives to Abortion” program and provides a continuum of care from conception through the first three years of a child’s life.

• Senate Bill 222 which provides paid parental leave for state employees upon birth or adoption of a child

• Senate Bill 379 which creates a sales tax exemption on certain maternity and family care items

• Senate Bill 838 which requires panic alert devices in all public and charter school classrooms

• Senate Bill 2158 which creates a pilot program for adult high school education in Texas prisons

Did Not Pass:

• House Bill 1942 and House Joint Resolution 102 which would allow for online sports wagering (Draft Kings/Fan Duel) pending a statewide vote to the Texas Constitution

• House Bill 2843 and House Joint Resolution 155 which would have legalized casinos in Texas pending a statewide vote to amend the Texas Constitution

• Senate Bill 1515 which would have required a particular version of the 10 commandments to be posted in every kindergarten - 12th grade public school classroom

Additionally, the Christian Life Commission filed a complaint with the Texas Attorney General against the Texas Lottery Commission for the Lottery Commission’s allowance of the sale of lottery tickets through phone apps and online in violation of Texas laws and lottery rules. The CLC worked to bring awareness and to move up sunset review for the Lottery Commission from 2029 to 2025 in order to address this and other issues with the Texas Lottery. The CLC has met with the Sunset Commission and will continue to meet with the Sunset Advisory Committee to reign in illegal lottery practices in Texas.

Texas Baptist Hunger Offering

The Hunger Offering supported 147 ministries in 2023 and is supporting 155 in 2024. Texas Baptist Hunger Offering approved $449,410 in grants in 2023.

• 1,137,866 individuals served

• 384,137 children served

•,791,180 meals served

Additional funds were generously given for relief support to Ukraine, Turkey and Syria, and the Israel-Hamas conflict totaling just over $10,900.

Community Care

The CLC awarded $158,500 in 2023 Community Care funds to support ministries engaged in restorative justice, community development, community health, and hunger ministry across the state.

Community outreach ministries:

• guided 4,399 professions of faith & 687 baptisms.

• served 735,552 individuals including 228,490 children.

• handed out 42,271 Bibles & tracks.

• were supported by 45,893 volunteers who helped serve.

The Hunger & Care team is deeply thankful to Texas Baptists for your faithful support and generosity. We are approaching the 30th anniversary of the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering, and we celebrate the millions of lives impacted to address hunger relief and poverty alleviation in Jesus’ name.

IRENE GALLEGOS Director, Hunger & Care Ministries

OZA JONES, JR. Director

DARRELL FIELDER JR.

African American Ministries Specialist

LEONIDA QUARLES Ministry Assistant

The vision of African American Ministries is to enlist, equip, and engage African American churches to reach their Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and uttermost parts of the world. We accomplish this by training and equipping churches in the areas of discipleship, fellowship, scholarship, worship, partnership, and leadership.

A New Staff Member

After serving as Ministry Specialist for a year, Dr. Tim Fuller was assigned to a new position within the convention leaving a vacancy in the AAM office. The leadership hired Darrell Fielder, a graduate of Chicago Theological Seminary, joined the team in the fall to replace Dr. Fuller. His experience with working for and with Baptist Conventions on state and national levels brings much needed connections for collaboration with Baptist leaders across the state and country.

Health Initiative

AAM partnered with Why Not You, a non-profit organization that helps to bring awareness to mental illness in the African American family, and community, with a specific focus on youth. Through their Balling for a Cause Suicide Prevention and First Responders Basketball Tournament, the surrounding communities were able to receive free mental and physical health resources, meals, and other much needed assistance. Through this partnership which also included one of our Texas Baptists churches, Rising Star of Ft. Worth Texas, we were able to touch 250+ lives and provide resources to those who could not otherwise afford the help needed, but are the most in need of these resources. With the continued help of Mary Hill Davis funding and the ongoing partnerships that our ministry assistant Leonida Quarleshas fostered through our AAM Health Initiative, AAM is looking forward to helping the African American churches, families, and communities in even bigger ways in the coming future.

PAVE

PAVE, new paths for church growth training, has been instrumental in helping our African American Pastors and Churches. PAVE is a revitalization process that helps to rebuild, revive, and restore the local church. We have been able to assist 27 African American Pastors by creating cohorts with coaches that have been able to assist in this process.

Pastor Joe Barber, St. Luke Baptist Church in San Antonio Texas, experienced 20 consecutive weeks of baptisms as a result of the training and coaching from PAVE.

The African American Leadership Conference

The African American Leadership Conference was a major success. The theme for this year’s conference was “Leading Up” where we encouraged leaders to not just empower and enrich themselves but to also seek, select, and pour into the next generation of leaders. We had phenomenal guest speakers, Pastor Branden Walker of Dallas, Tx, Bishop Kenneth Spears of Ft. Worth, Tx, Dr. Phillip Pointer of Little Rock, Ar and Dr. Danielle Brown of New Jersey shared with us powerful messages that impacted all in attendance. We also had several breakout sessions where attendees received valuable information on various aspects of leadership within their churches.

Wave/Camp Exalted

WAVE, led by Robert Purvey, is a ministry of AAM that exists to encourage and excite students and leaders to become active and involved in ministry leadership. Our WAVE Conference was held in San Antonio Texas, at Resurrection Baptist Church. At this conference over 40 students made a decision to follow Jesus and 11 students accepted a call to ministry. 42 students and 7 leaders traveled from Las Vegas to attend the WAVE conference.

Our Future is Bright

God is doing great things through AAM. Our impact has been more visible as our target goal and vision is to WAVE and PAVE. AAM is intentional about making an impact in the local church which will make a greater impact statewide.

Texas Baptists en Español exists to connect, collaborate, contextualize, and celebrate with the Hispanic Baptist Churches aligned with Texas Baptists to help them reach the goals the Lord has given them. We start by facilitating connections with pastors. Our goal is to assist the congregation in their ministries by collaborating and contextualizing the wide variety of services and ministries available through Texas Baptists. Together we celebrate the advancement of the Kingdom through the local church.

Texas Baptists en Español is also an opportunity to promote unity, fellowship, and clarity for Hispanic Baptist churches using the productive collaboration of 40 Compañerismo presidents throughout Texas. Under the leadership of Texas Baptists, new churches are planted and new initiatives are promoted to reach the Hispanic population in Texas and beyond.

Here are some highlights from this past year:

Pastors Connection

• Launching of 471 pastor connections for meetings, general conferences, marriage conferences, evangelism conferences, leadership training, planning, graduation celebrations, installation of pastors, collaboration, coaching, etc.

Churches Impacted

• 489 churches attended our events throughout the year 2023

1. EntrenaT Graduation, High Pointe BC Cedar Hill

• 45 students graduated,

• 165 total attendances

• 10 Churches represented.

2. Pastor and Wives Retreat Ft Worth

• 30 pastor and their wives attended event

• 200 Total attendance

3. Men’s Rally and Retreat

• 250 men attended the Rally

• 430 men attended the Men’s Retreat

4. Lead pastor’s Track at Congreso

Pastor and leaders Track with 115 pastors and leaders in attendance

5. Hispanic Evangelism Conference

• San Antonio Texas

• 251 in Attendance

• Live Streaming to two sites with 100+ in Attendance

• 73 pastors in attendance

6. Launch first cohort PAVE en Espanol with (20 pastors)

7. Hosted six session of “Equipping Ministry Fellowship Ministry” with 30 pastors

Hispanic Education Initiative (HEI)

The main goal of HEI is to keep students in school through graduation and then on to college. To accomplish this God given mission, the HEI council meets regularly to bring to focus those areas which require its attention regarding education events, missionary opportunities, mentoring, and others.

Hispanic Education Initiative

The main goal of HEI is to keep students in school through graduation and then on to college. To accomplish this God given mission, the HEI council meets regularly to bring to focus those areas which require its attention regarding education events, missionary opportunities, mentoring, and others.

Here are some activities that have been accomplished this past year:

• Planned and coordinated with 8 churches to host 8 Hispanic summer missionaries

• Partnered with Winshape College and provided scholarships to 61 students attending WinShape Discipleship Intensive

• Collaborated with summer missionaries to do education fairs in their communities

• Created media to promote the Mary Hill Davis (MHD) Scholarship

• Highlighted the DBU Hispanic Leadership Scholarship and submitted names of students to be considered

• Celebrated and promoted education by having an Education Day at the church, such as DBU Day at El Buen Pastor church with Dr Brent Thomason as keynote speaker, where students were enlisted for college

• Started work on the foundation of the Student Mentoring Program for Hispanic Churches

ROLANDO RODRIGUEZ Director

VIDAL MUÑIZ Strategist

ARMANDO SOLIS Ministry Assistant

MARK

HEAVENER Director

LINDA HOWELL Intercultural Ministries Specialist

ARIANNA BAILEY Ministry Assistant

This year was full of struggles and challenges, but God brought redemption and great joy. Since you give to the Cooperative Fund, Worldwide CP, Mary Hill Davis State Mission Fund, and World Hunger Fund, the office of Intercultural Ministries stands ready to come alongside what God is doing among our intercultural churches.

A refugee church of 200 members was in great distress: they had been asked to leave the space they were borrowing from another church. Intercultural Ministries provided them with a list of 300 churches to ask and see if they could find another shared space. All 300 Baptist churches declined. The pastor and I prayed a lot over what miracle God would do. In the last week before the congregation would have nowhere to go, the pastor found a church for sale. However, they had no time to get a loan. We came alongside them and helped them rent the new church space until they got the loan. The church was in great distress, and God brought them a great miracle and joy. Thank you.

Several years ago, another one of our intercultural churches developed a refugee network to help people flee from the war zone that developed in their home country. We assisted financially with our intercultural church’s work to develop this refugee highway so that the gospel could be heard and tangible needs could be met. Then, last year, the country where the refugees were fleeing to erupted with national violence against Christians. In the fall of this year, the pastor of our intercultural church returned to rebuild the refugee highway along with our help. Despair and conflict were transformed by Jesus’ love into freedom and peace. Thank you.

An initiative of Intercultural Ministries is Project: Start, a refugee navigation center in DFW. Many refugees do not have the language or skills to navigate American systems. The director of Project: Start is a refugee herself and understands her clients. Last year, we assisted some 300 families with rent, health care navigation, citizenship paperwork, and education. The refugees always ask why we do this for them. The director always responds by saying it is because of Jesus. This is followed by a spiritual conversation about Jesus and prayer over the refugee, who often invites the director over many times for prayer and Bible study. When a refugee faces hopelessness, Project: Start stands ready to provide the love of Jesus and the hope He brings. Thank you.

A refugee’s identity begins when their village is attacked and the survivors are scattered. One group ends up in a United Nations camp while the other hides in the jungles or mountains. The group in the UN camp sometimes is resettled in Western countries, such as the U.S. Here, a pastor emerges and evangelizes or regathers Christians to start a church. They learn of our office through another church of their culture or from a neighboring culture. We build a relationship, and then the church affiliates with Texas Baptists. We stand with the new church in its development and growth. Once they have their feet on the ground, they feel the call to find and minister to those of their people who are still in hiding in their home country. They ask for assistance in helping establish villages and places of safety. We support by helping with funds that provide stability. Through the horrors of genocide and despair come self-stability and Jesus’ love.

Thank you for your support through the many offerings of Texas Baptists so that our Intercultural Churches reach people here and around the globe.

Baptist Chaplaincy Relations endorses, supports, and trains chaplains. These ministers provide pastoral care in a variety of specialized ministry settings. The office provides ecclesiastical endorsement through a process that affirms to an employer that a chaplain or pastoral counselor has met all the basic requirements of the BGCT to practice ministry in a specialized setting. Basic requirements include personal, spiritual, and professional accountability; educational, moral, and ethical standards; ability to work in a pluralistic environment; doctrinal stability; and active membership in a local Baptist congregation.

In 2017, the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) entered into a partnership with the BGCT Office of Chaplaincy Relations to serve as the chaplain endorser for the BGAV. The BGAV consists of 1,400 churches in Virginia as well as several affiliated churches throughout the United States.

The Chaplaincy Relations Endorsement Council is elected by the BGCT Executive Board and serves as the endorsement agency on behalf of the BGCT and the BGAV. Three of our current Endorsement Council members are affiliated with the BGAV. The Council reports its work to the Center for Cultural Engagement Committee of the Executive Board. The Council establishes guidelines for endorsement requirements. State and federal institutions require chaplains to be endorsed by an officially recognized faith group. The U.S. Armed Forces Chaplains Board on July 24, 2002, approved the BGCT as a recognized endorsement agency. Every major federal, state and civilian institution recognizes Texas Baptist chaplaincy endorsement.

The Office of Chaplaincy Relations has a team of dedicated ministers who share a passion and commitment to chaplaincy that has been enhanced by decades of personal involvement in military, healthcare and correctional chaplaincy positions. Under the Director/Endorser are four Associate Endorsers directing three separate functions. The Associate for Calling and Endorsement coordinates communication with individuals interested in chaplaincy as they pursue their chaplaincy calling, manages the endorsement process, and provides administrative support. Our two Associate Endorsers for Pastoral Care and Support, as well as our Director, maintain relationships with endorsed chaplains and provide timely and quality support to meet their needs through personal contacts by phone, zoom meetings or face to face visits. The Associate Endorser for Chaplain Training and Education coordinates training to maintain chaplain certification and professional qualification to serve in various institutions. The office also manages local church volunteer chaplain training.

The Office of Chaplaincy Relations is also committed to training Texas Baptist Churches to become authentic Christian caregivers through pastoral ministry skill training by offering courses such as Hands on Ministry and Disaster Spiritual Care Training

Endorsement totals (2002-2024):

Chaplains endorsed

New chaplain endorsements

Transfer of endorsements

1176 (40 this year)

940 (37 this year)

236 (3 this year)

TODD COMBEE Director/ Endorser

JIM BROWN Associate Endorser for Chaplain Training and Education

DONALD LACY Associate Endorser for Pastoral Care and Support

ORAN LEE Associate Endorser for Pastoral Care and Support

GREG SCHANFISH Associate Endorser for Calling and Endorsement

MARK JONES State Director

BILL NOE Associate State Director

BETH SMITH Ministry Partner Development Director

GARY STIDHAM Director of Training

GINGER BOWMAN Campus Consultant/ Program Specialist

JOE OSTEEN East TXBSM Regional Director

BECKY BARNES Administrative Assistant

KATE BEAN Ministry Assistant, Campus Missionaries and Support Raising Staff

KATIE COLEMAN Ministry Assistant - Communications and Administration

CINDY ZOLLER Ministry Assistant - Receptionist/ Finances

Texas Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) exists to engage the 1.6 million college students in Texas to follow Christ and transform the world. BSM missionaries are on approximately 135 campuses, intentionally engaging the collegiate culture by making and multiplying disciples of Jesus. It is both exciting and challenging at Texas universities, where over 300 exist statewide. Junior College attendance is also a large part of the student population. Major universities are also establishing new campus sites to meet the needs of students in different areas.

Reach the Campus, Reach the World

Texas BSM prayed and developed a strategy with the intention of sending collegiate workers to multiple targeted areas. In July 2021, Texas BSM introduced Reach the Campus, Reach the World (RCRW), a five-year strategy of sending 100 workers to nine different locations.

In the first three years of RCRW, campuses have taken multiple vision and mission trips to the nine locations. At the end of spring 2024, gospel workers have been commissioned and sent to pioneer and strengthen collegiate ministry.

One national RCRW priority location is Provo, Utah. Jason Perkins, a Texas Tech BSM graduate has served on a team engaging students at universities in Provo. After a recent change in staff leadership, Jason will be leading the ministry in Provo. Ben and Maggie Sutton, BSM workers from UT Arlington BSM have served in Provo for several years. They have now moved to Salt Lake City, and will lead the coordinated ministry efforts at the universities there. The Lord continues to call out workers to these vital impact areas.

Staff Leadership

The State Staff of Texas BSM celebrates the addition of several leaders to new roles in TXBSM. Gary Stidham, who served at UT Arlington and other campuses for 20 years, will serve as the Director of Training for Texas BSM. He will work with existing staff to prioritize evangelism, discipleship, missional sending, and church connections for the Campus Missionaries and throughout the BSM culture.

Joe Osteen, who has served as BSM Director at UT Tyler for 16 years, will serve as East Texas Regional Coordinator as well as being the lead for Beach Reach. Beach Reach has been a key component in prioritizing evangelism and compassionate service at South Padre island each Spring, during which several Texas Baptist Churches also serve.

Beth Smith, who has served on the state staff as a campus consultant, will move into the role of Ministry Partner Development Director. Her wisdom and campus experience make her ideal for this vital role.

Meg Craig, who has served as director on campus in San Antonio, will also join the MPD Team as the Associate MPD Director.

This team will coordinate coaching and strategic initiation to assist and strengthen the efforts of the BSM staff that raise some portion of their salary through MPD.

All of these leaders will serve a vital role in supporting ministry on campus in Texas and beyond.

Texas BSM staff members provide leadership in the areas of evangelism, discipleship, missional sending and Ministry Partner Development at the national level. At the recent Collegiate Summit in Memphis, BSM leaders Joe Osteen, Bill Noe, Gary Stidham, Amber Brommers, and Ginger Bowman led seminars to train and strengthen collegiate ministry around the nation.

Go Now Missions

Texas Baptists began sending collegiate student missionaries in 1946. Since that time, 13,809 Texas college students have served. Our mission sending arm is called Go Now Missions. In 2024 459 student served as Go Now Christmas Break, Summer, Impact and Semester missionaries. The them of the year was “Carrying the Gospel Hand to Hand.” Students were sent across our state, nation, and the globe to share the gospel, serve others, and making disciples. Here are two stories from summer missionaries.

Tanner Bean, a Navarro College student who served in Guadalajara, Mexico shared about a conversation with their Uber driver, Hector. “The entire ride we didn’t say much to the Uber driver. Before I could fully open the door, I said, ‘Adios’ and the driver replied, ‘You know I can speak some English?’ So, in return I said, ‘No sir I didn’t, but here is a gospel of Juan.’ and I asked about his religious life and if I could share about Jesus. After about 2 hours of talking to Hector, it seemed that he really understood what it meant to be a follower of Christ. We offered salvation through Jesus and explained that it is impossible for us to save him or make his relationship with God right. It would be his belief and his confession that mattered and so we prayed, and Hector gave his life to Christ!”

Becca Langley, a student at Angelina college shares, “A couple of weeks ago, a girl named Laurel came over to our house for dinner. As we got to talking, Laurel asked me how I came to Seattle, and I was able to share that I am interning at a church for the summer. That led her to asking me if I was raised in church and then I got to share my testimony with her! Our conversation was amazing because it naturally led to us talking about the gospel. Laurel related to my testimony more than I expected. She told us that she hasn’t really found a community here in Seattle, but she was very happy that she found us. She doesn’t have a religious background and is very curious about God. She even said, ‘Maybe it is God that has led me to having this conversation with you all.’ My roommate gave her a bible and she went to church with her yesterday!”

Reach the Campus Reach the World

This is the third year of our “Reach the Campus Reach the World” emphasis. It is a fiveyear strategy to send 100 longer term workers to 9 locations to help start or restart collegiate ministry. As of August 2024, we have sent 40 workers to serve in Galveston, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, New York, Northwest (Washington/Oregon), Utah, Mexico, Eastern Europe, and South Asia. These missionaries have served anywhere from a semester to planting their lives long-term in a city.

BRENDA SANDERS Missions Consultant

JOURDAN POLLOCK Assistant Director

KAITLYN KALISEK Ministry Assistant

The work of the Treasurer’s Office includes overseeing endowments and investments, legal coordination, financial matters, information technology, conference and events, church administration, and process improvement. Our ministry is financing and supporting the ministries of Texas Baptists. The variety of responsibilities it takes to accomplish this is only possible by great creativity and productivity from our incredible staff. God has been at work through it all, however, as you will easily see in the reports that follow. In it all, we remain committed to respond to the needs of BGCT staff and to the needs of our churches.

Technology, and its continual upgrading, remain a critical piece in helping us strengthen our efficiency and productivity through the automation of our processing, better manage our costs, and increase our investment earnings. These improvements have helped us battle against inflationary challenges and financial market volatility.

For our office and all departments under our umbrella, we remain committed to the purpose that “every dollar earned and every dollar saved are more dollars we have to do ministry.” Through and in it all, we continue to work diligently to improve to do this in support of Kingdom work through Texas Baptists.

Thank you for allowing us to serve the churches and ministries of BGCT!

WARD HAYES

Years ended Dec. 31, 2023

REVENUES

Gifts

Mary Hill Davis Offering for State Missions

gifts and contributions

Other ministry income 1,779,522

Investment interest and other income 18,328,120

Realized and unrealized losses on investments, net (7,471,045)

Change in value of beneficial interests in trusts held by third parties

Total revenues before release 60,191,487

Net assets released from restrictions 16,665,698

Total revenues 76,857,185

EXPENSES

Ministry Expenses:

Hill Davis Offering for State Missions

Years ended Dec. 31, 2023

12/31/2023

COLEEN WALL Director

ABIGAIL

KENDALL Planning Coordinator

SHARRON BRADLEY Ministry Assistant

The ministry of the Conference & Event Planning Team is to serve the Convention to provide the most effective events that deliver synergy with maximum value for minimum costs. Serving in the background to the many events of BGCT, we support our ministry office staff as they share God’s Word, by creating an environment that is creative and effective.

C&EP uses “lessons learned” and meeting industry knowledge in developing and implementing meeting design strategies as well as assisting to align our resources and expertise to provide the convenience of full-service planning capabilities.

A primary role that the C&EP office assists the organization through the development and implantation of best practices, organizational compliance, standardization of protocols, crisis management and reduction of risk management, labor, and liabilities. Additionally, C&EP works on obtaining corporate discounts and preferred vendor services related to production, decorators (pipe/drape), catering, transportation, transient hotel rates and event equipment to minimize costs.

Serving in numerous ways, from consulting with a ministry office to dream at the beginning stages, guiding through details of each element to assisting in the implementation. CE&P can deliver fully produced events and training, all the way down to being the one that turns out the lights when an event is over.

Some services that we offer our ministry offices include but are not limited to the list are set up and manage an exhibit hall, schedule meals and work with caterers, be the liaison with bands and keynote speakers, assist in script writing, be a stage manager for worship sessions, volunteer management, organize and manage workshops, develop timelines, and worship schedules or assist in stage design.

In the case of the Annual Meeting, CE&P serves as the executive producer, managing the many tasks, volunteers, workflow and partner relationships to provide a successful event.

During the last year

• CE&P supported over 60 + events of the Convention in numerous ways that include large scale conferences like Annual Meeting, medium scale like Executive Board, all the way to a 10-member committee meeting and everything in between – workshop and training events, summer camps, retreats, conventions, and meetings.

• Researched all aspects of meeting/event planning and negotiated contracts to assist in securing over 100+ locations and over 250,000 sleeping room nights.

• Negotiated future and multi-year events with convention centers, churches, hotels, production, transportation, catering, creative productions, and exhibit companies that allow for additional long term cost savings.

• Negotiations, management and liaison for Speakers, Special Talent, and Bands/ Musicians.

• Creative Production, Stage Design, Event Production, Sound & Lights, Audio Visual, Stage Management, Live Streaming, Archival Recording and Basic Editing.

• Provided staff training for organizational compliance for contracting, risk management and organizational purchase power.

With the ever-changing landscape in the meeting industry, the CE&P event staff has continued to seek out training and learning about advances in technology and industry standards to better support and impact the ministry offices of the Convention.

The Conference & Event Planning team thrives by serving in the background fueling our passion that many will come to know the Savior, to grow deeper in their relationship with Him and to be assured of the Hope that is found only in a relationship with Christ.

The Finance & Accounting Department of Texas Baptists exists to serve the Lord by supporting churches, ministries, and our Texas Baptist staff as they share Christ and show love to others by providing accuracy, efficiency, and integrity in reporting and protecting the assets and financial gifts of the convention and our churches and by providing expert help in the areas of church and religious non-profit finance and taxes.

F&A serves as the processing arm of Texas Baptists, processing receipts from voluntary contributions, mission gifts, event registration fees, and GC2 product sales, “taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” (2 Corinthians 8:21) F&A also provides assistance with budgeting and accounting information on the corporate and individual level.

The primary ministry emphases are cash receipts, accounts payable, general ledger and financial reporting. During the past year our ministry team:

• Received and recorded more than 67,000 contributions, product sales transactions, event registration payments, and other miscellaneous receipts.

• Processed over 27,000 cash disbursement checks and electronic payments.

• Budgeted for, recorded information into, and prepared reports from more than 60,000 accounts in the general ledger and subsidiary ledgers.

• Processed semi-monthly payrolls for approximately 280 full and part-time employees.

• Provided church tax information and financial best practices upon request.

• Continued to provide accurate financial reporting for the yearly audit.

• Coordinated the preparation of the 2024 and 2025 annual budgets.

• Provided church training in the areas of non-profit accounting, tax, and best practices.

• Provided accounting services and facilitated the annual audit for Women’s Missionary Union.

The financial statements of Texas Baptists are audited annually by an independent certified public accounting firm. Also, the Controller insures proper internal controls are in place to avoid financial improprieties.

Upon request we assist churches affiliated with Texas Baptists by providing evidence of their exemption from Federal income tax.

All members of the Finance & Accounting Staff consider our work a ministry to Texas Baptists churches and staff. Please let us know how we can help! Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

DUNN Accounting Technician

JONES Generalist

DAVE LYONS Director

Information Technology (IT) and Support Services is privileged to serve the many ministries of Texas Baptists and WMU of Texas through technology and logistics solutions. Our ministry is enabling, equipping, and supporting those ministries. Our teams are User Support, Information Management Team (IMT), and Support Services.

Here are significant accomplishments:

IT User Support

IT security, network administration, user support

1. Security

a. Managed Okta for Single Sign On and Multi Factor Authentication for Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT, and Resource Scheduler

b.Launched Grip software to detect SaaS (Software as a Service) apps used by staff

2. Continued deployment of Macs as our standard work computer – 121 to date

3. Deployed Kandji Mac device management system to better manage, deploy, and support Macs.

4.Upgraded all Macs to

5. Supported another smooth, fast-moving Annual Meeting Family Gathering registration using scanners for Messengers who pre-registered online

6.Performed firewall upgrades for all offices.

7. Provided and supported technology solutions to accomplish the ministry goals of Texas Baptists by keeping our systems usable, current, and protected. This includes:

• Google G Suite and Microsoft Office 365

• Salesforce, Blackbaud FE NXT

• Zoom Meetings, Webinars, and Phones

• Wireless networking, Managed printing

• Helpdesk Support, IT training for staff

• Laptops, tablets, and desktops

• Windows and Mac support

• Supporting 3 remote locations and 34 mobile workers

Information Management Team

IMT administers the Salesforce system, manages the data, and trains staff on its use. IMT has three main responsibilities: application development to enhance functionality and introduce new processes in Salesforce and related third party products, data maintenance to update and ensure data accuracy, and generating custom reports and analytics. In the latest reporting period, IMT

1. Developed Super Summer registration and administration process

2. Implemented Event Registration processes

3. Implemented new automated check scanning solution (Check21) to bring the process back in-house

4.Implemented TBMF Pledges & Campaigns

5. Developed BSM Custom Reporting

6.Improved Minister Protection Program (MPP)

7. Improved CLC Grants

8.Enhanced BSM recurring donations process

9.Improved Annual Church Process (ACP)

10.Generated Year-End Donor Acknowledgment statements

11.Enhanced use of Marketing Cloud and data validation

12.Performed regular assigned tasks

• Managed hundreds of thousands of account and contact records and updated tens of thousands of them.

• Answered and handled or routed 3,299 incoming phone calls

• Processed:

o 5,035 GC2 Press and other orders

o 36,096 online donations

o 1,433 ACPs

o Managed over 1,000 active reports

o Created or modified ??? unique reports

o Produced ??? demographic studies, resulting in ???? customized PDFs

IMT is committed to partnering with Texas Baptists ministries to support what they do in the local church by expanding use of Salesforce, performing ministry processes support, data entry, reports and other custom data collection and reporting tools.

Support Services

Our Support Services team provides important services to our staff:

• Events support

• Facility safety

• Warehousing – including staging and management of pallets for large events such as SuperSummer, Texas Baptists Annual Meeting, BOUNCE, WMU Annual Meeting, and more

• Shipping and receiving

• Meeting management, including kitchen and meeting refreshments

• Repairs, maintenance, and adjustments at our Rambler office and warehouse; oversight of the Waco office also

• Materials transportation, including bank deposits and pickups and deliveries for printed material

• Office moves

• Implementing, directing, and managing three high quality, impactful golf tournaments

2023 Key Projects

• Upgraded shipping system at Rambler and WMU/Warehouse.

• Upgraded freezers and refrigerators in 12th floor break room at Rambler.

This group serves with a laser-like focus on customer service and doing whatever it can to best serve the varied, fast-paced needs of our Texas Baptist ministry teams.

Infrastructure Projects

• Deployed new Verkada video security system at Rambler, Waco, and Brockwood offices and expensed the costs to tenant improvements for rent credit.

• Deployed new AV system at Rambler, Waco, and Brockwood offices and expensed the costs to tenant improvements for rent credit.

Information Technology and Support Services exists to serve the ministries of Texas Baptists and WMU of Texas and thus a play a role in their Kingdom impact.

ABRAHAM JAQUEZ President

2418 W Ansley Blvd.

San Antonio, TX 78224

bua.edu

Baptist University of the Américas (BUA) is an affordable, Christ-centered university dedicated to providing exemplary education to produce global Christian leaders for both ministry and the marketplace. Since its inception in 1947, BUA has been pivotal in developing pastors and church leaders from Texas, the U.S., and worldwide, with a Christian worldview at its core.

With a small student-faculty ratio, BUA offers high-quality, personalized education across all its programs, including Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, English as a Second Language, and the Baptist Bible Institute, welcoming students regardless of their background or origin.

After retiring $4.9 million of debt in December 2021 and centralizing university operations, BUA has consistently grown and engaged in fundraising efforts to support students. In Fall 2023, the university reached a significant milestone by enrolling the largest number of new students in recent years. This growth reflects our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, Christ-centered education that attracts students from around the world. BUA continues to leverage opportunities to expand its reach and impact as it cultivates future global Christian leaders.

Recent accomplishments and strategic developments at BUA include:

• Establishing a new guiding mission statement as a higher education institution.

• Receiving a 1.2-million-dollar grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support the Proclama initiative, aimed at training Texas Spanish-speaking pastors in compelling preaching.

• Partnering with Texas Baptist Men to expand ministerial and marketplace opportunities for students.

• Establishing a satellite campus in El Paso, Texas, offering degrees and Baptist Bible Institute courses.

• Facilitating student participation in missions across Texas and New York, Gracias Lempira, Honduras through Texas Baptist, and Monterrey, Mexico, through the Mary Hill Davis Missions Offering.

• Completing the first stage of the university’s strategic plan for 2023-2026, with the Texas Baptist Men partnership as a significant component of our educational goals.

• Developing a master plan for the 60 acres surrounding our current campus to guide future infrastructure development.

• Strengthening collaborations with Texas Baptists, Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, El Paso Baptist Association, and other ministries and organizations.

As a Christian university, we are committed to holistic student success by providing transformational opportunities that integrate faith, learning, and experience. We are dedicated to investing in the growth and development of our personnel and infrastructure, as well as securing funding to support student scholarships. By pursuing these goals under the Lord’s favor and guidance, we strive to achieve great things for the glory of God.

Our theme verse for 2024 is Philippians 4:12-13: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” These verses resonate with BUA’s perseverance through all circumstances, maintaining our community as a familia and focusing on producing global Christian leaders.

Thank you, Texas Baptists, for your prayers, giving, and support.

BAPTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE AMÉRICAS STATISTICAL INFORMATION

2023 - 2024

Enrollment, Fall

Spring

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution*

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating revenue

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers

LINDA A. LIVINGSTONE President

One Bear Place #97096

Waco, Texas 76798

baylor.edu

Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas and affiliated with the BGCT, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Baylor’s mission is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.

In July, Baylor was accepted into the Baptist World Alliance as a full Member Partner. This relationship expands Baylor’s connection to the BGCT – also a BWA member – and provides exciting new opportunities for the Baylor Family to impact the world for Christ. The affiliation also aligns with an expanded University motto that now includes Pro Mundo (For the World) alongside Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana (For Church, For Texas).

In February, Baylor served as the originating site for the 2024 Collegiate Day of Prayer, an evening worship and prayer service focused on college-aged students and livestreamed around the world. The Collegiate Day of Prayer broadcast aired live from the Baylor campus, in cooperation with local churches and college ministry leaders. Throughout the fall, churches and college ministries held “Last Thursdays,” a Collegiate Day of Prayer tradition where believers gather on the same day each month to intercede for the nation’s college-aged students. “Last Thursdays” continue to be hosted by local churches.

The Collegiate Day of Prayer and other campus community prayer events – ranging from President Livingstone’s Community Prayer Breakfasts to the three-day FM72 prayer vigil each spring – build on the University’s deep history on and beyond campus, reflecting Baylor’s mission in Christian higher education and its roots in Baptist evangelism.

The largest Baptist university in the world, Baylor enrolled approximately 20,800 students in fall 2023, including a freshman class of approximately 3,300 and 372 Truett Seminary students. Students are from all 50 states and 109 countries. More than 18% of Baylor students are Baptist, 16.5% are Non-Denominational and more than 1,000 undergraduates indicated an interest in vocational Christian ministry. In the fall, Baylor received national recognition from U.S. News & World Report, which ranked Baylor in the top five for first-year experience, noting specifically the University’s emphasis on Christian faith and service, and in the top 10 for Learning Communities where students “get to know one another and their professors especially well.”

As the only Baylor department with two Common Core classes (Christian Scriptures and Christian Heritage), the Department of Religion enrolled 6,629 students in religion courses in 2023-2024, with approximately 378 undergraduate students majoring or minoring in religion and 48 students in the graduate program. Baylor had 292 undergraduates receive the Ministry Scholarship. During the academic year, 10 students earned the Ph.D. in religion.

In 2023-2024, hundreds of Baylor students, faculty and staff participated in Baylor Missions trips across the country and world, ministering, serving and supporting the ongoing efforts of various global partners. These trips allow students to integrate their academic disciplines and skills with service as the hands and feet of Christ, while gaining a deeper understanding of how they can use their calling or vocation to influence others.

In May, Baylor concluded its Give Light comprehensive philanthropic campaign, shattering its initial $1.1 billion goal by raising a historic $1.5 billion. More than 101,000 donors supported all areas of the University through Give Light, providing endowed funds for faculty chairs, student scholarships, research and more; immediate-use resourcing for priorities ranging from research and mission trips to emergency funds for students in crisis; and funds for capital projects, which included the renovation of the University’s iconic Tidwell Bible Building.

2023 - 2024

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 18,870

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants* 254 Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry* 1,249

Approximate percentage of Baptist students 18%

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year..

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

May-2024 (12 Months from 6/1 - 5/31)

DR. ADAM WRIGHT President

3000 Mountain Creek Parkway

Dallas, Texas 75211-9299

dbu.edu

Dallas Baptist University is a nationally ranked, comprehensive, liberal arts institution, which remains the college of choice among students seeking an excellent Christ-centered education with a mission to produce servant leaders and transform lives. The Lord continues to bless DBU as academic programs are expanded, new campus facilities are being added, and its global reach inspires lives around the world.

Enrolling more than 4,200 students with over 40,000 graduates serving worldwide, DBU expanded its on-campus housing facilities at Ford Village through the Pedersen Residential College, including the Jane and Robert Gunn Hall Global Scholars Program. At Pedersen Residential College, students experience transformative discipleship and mentoring in an intimate living-learning community.

DBU ended the fiscal year in the black for the thirty-sixth consecutive year and added new academic programs and several accelerated programs to expand the curriculum and meet marketplace and ministry demands.

Several programs in DBU Athletics had historic seasons in 2023-24. Women’s Soccer claimed its second consecutive Lone Star Conference Tournament title. DBU STUNT debuted with its first season as an NCAA program and took home the Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship. DBU Cheer and Patriettes defended their title with their fourth NCA College Nationals Championship victory in a row. DBU Women’s Golf also won the 2024 Lone Star Conference Tournament. DBU’s Basketball team had another fantastic season with a 25-6 record. DBU Baseball earned their 10th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Regional tournament. DBU is one of only four schools in Division I baseball to achieve 10 consecutive regional tournament appearances and the only program in the state of Texas to achieve this recognition. DBU’s Athletic programs continue to succeed each year and strive to be Champions for Christ on the field, academically, socially, and spiritually.

DBU hosted its inaugural NEXUS Ministry Leadership Conference, sponsored jointly by the Graduate School of Ministry and the Gary Cook School of Leadership. Designed to focus on the intersection, or “nexus,” of ministry and leadership, the event featured keynote speaker Dr. David Coffey, a long-time friend of the University, former head of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and President of the Baptist World Alliance.

DBU’s Global Studies program continues to add numerous short-term and long-term travel opportunities for students to earn class credit abroad, engage in history, gain a new perspective, and integrate faith and learning worldwide while experiencing all the richness of world cultures. During the 2023-2024 academic year, destinations included Germany, Spain, Israel, New York, South Korea, England, and Washington, D.C., among others.

DBU’s Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), a Christian think tank that connects scholars and practitioners to become catalysts for moral and spiritual renewal, continues to attract thought leaders each fall and spring to provide informative lectures on contemporary issues. Individuals such as General Davis Petraeus, Brent Leatherwood, Tish Harrison Warren, and Dr. Stephen Gaukroger shared at DBU through the IGE in the 2023-2024 academic year.

We remain grateful to Texas Baptists for their generous support of Dallas Baptist University.

2023 - 2024

Enrollment, Fall 4,201

Spring 3,774 Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 3,622

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Educational and general, not including

J. BLAIR BLACKBURN President

One Tiger Drive Marshall, Texas 75670 etbu.edu

East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) celebrated record enrollment in Fall 2023 with 1,833 students, the highest in its 111-year history. Total enrollment increased by 3.5% over Fall 2022, surpassing 1,700 students in three of the last four fall terms. The Fall 2023 undergraduate enrollment reached a record 1,659 students. ETBU also observed record Spring 2024 enrollment, with 1,657 students, a 6.2% increase from Spring 2023’s 1,560 students.

ETBU and B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary announced their official merger in June after approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The SACSCOC Board of Trustees approved ETBU’s Substantive Merger/ Level Change prospectus, endorsing the integration of B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary into ETBU. With this approval, ETBU expands its status as a Level VI institution of higher learning, allowing the University to offer four or more doctoral degrees. The Texas Baptists’ Theological Education Council and Institutional Relations Committee endorsed nine master’s programs, a doctor of ministry, and three Ph.D. programs to be offered by B.H. Carroll Theological Seminary at ETBU. Students in these programs will qualify for ministerial financial assistance through the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

ETBU awarded 158 degrees in Fall 2023 and honored 186 graduates in Spring 2024. The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Program was approved as a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and SpeechLanguage Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

In a celebration of family, faith, and philanthropy, ETBU renamed its largest student residence hall to Steve and Penny Carlile Hall, honoring their significant contribution and Christian servant leadership. Initially named Centennial Hall in 2012, the modern facility was renamed to reflect the Carliles’ impact on the University and surrounding community.

In January, ETBU hosted the Christian Association of Student Leaders (CASL) Conference, a platform promoting leadership and faith among Christian college students. Supported by the Baptist General Convention of Texas, CASL featured student leaders from various institutions, including the University of Mary Hardin Baylor, Hardin-Simmons University, Howard Payne University, Houston Christian University, Oklahoma Baptist University, and Dallas Baptist University.

ETBU received a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to address economic challenges in Marshall and the surrounding region. This grant will bolster ETBU’s Synergy Park in developing long-term economic revitalization strategies, benefiting the city of Marshall and Harrison County. The ETBU Chemistry Department also secured a grant from the Welch Foundation to support undergraduate research and acquire new equipment. The Teague School of Nursing also received a grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board through the Professional Nursing Shortage Reduction Program.

Tiger Athletics achieved numerous accolades, including hosting and winning the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball National Championship, ETBU Softball’s second national title. Softball player Tristen Maddox was named NCAA Division III Athlete of the Year, the highest honor for a female collegiate student-athlete. ETBU Volleyball won the 2023 American Southwest Conference Tournament Championship. Tiger Baseball secured its third consecutive regular-season ASC Championship and made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Super Regional.

The Tiger Athletic Mission Experience (TAME) marked its 20th trip this year, with ETBU Baseball visiting the Dominican Republic, Tiger Volleyball serving in Chile, and ETBU Men’s Basketball on a mission in Honduras.

ETBU values the faithful partnership of Texas Baptists as it strives to develop Christian servant leaders in fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating

Educational and general, not including scholarships

2023 - 2024

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

ERIC BRUNTMYER President

2200 Hickory Street

Abilene, Texas 79601

hsutx.edu

God has created all people for a purpose and Hardin-Simmons University helps people find their purpose by Speaking LIFE.

Hardin-Simmons is raising up the next generation of students as we educate tomorrow’s Christian leaders.

Our mission and vision — The mission of Hardin-Simmons University is to be a community dedicated to providing excellence in education enlightened by Christian faith and values. Hardin-Simmons University will be an innovative community of servant scholars engaging the minds and nurturing the spirits of future Christian leaders.

Spiritual life — Our mission is to ensure we walk alongside our students as they do life at Hardin-Simmons University. We offer a plentiful campus ministry so each student has the opportunity for spiritual formation while they are at HSU. We desire to engage students spiritually and emotionally.

Affordable — Hardin-Simmons University has been named one of the nation’s “Best Affordable Colleges” by Colleges of Distinction in its inaugural list of “Affordable Colleges of Distinction for 2023.”

HSU is one of only 124 schools in the nation and one of only two Texas private universities to earn the “Affordable College of Distinction” designation.

Below are the scholarships that HSU students may be eligible to receive: Award

$22,000 Presidents

$20,000

$18,000 University

$14,000

$16,000 Opportunity

Awards are based upon high school GPA and ACT, SAT or CLT test scores. Students must be enrolled full-time in consecutive fall/spring semesters and maintain the minimum GPA for renewal.

HSU Heritage Scholarship — For dependents of full-time Christian pastors or missionaries, dependents of HSU alumni, or families with multiple siblings attending HSU concurrently. Not available to recipients of Honors or Leland scholarships.

Simmons Exchange Grant — For students with financial need. The Simmons Exchange Grant is funded by various sources. The Lord has blessed HSU with donations from alumni, parents, friends and foundations who generously give to HSU each year. These gifts plus other federal and state grant programs make up the Simmons Exchange Grant, which lowers the tuition cost of an HSU Education.

Honors scholarships — Students chosen for admission to the Julius Olsen Honors Program will be awarded $23,000 annually for up to four years. Top honors candidates may qualify to receive the Leland Scholarship for full tuition for four years.

Leland Scholarship — Top candidates chosen for the Julius Olsen Honors Program may qualify for this prestigious award of full tuition for four years. Leland is awarded in lieu of Academic or Honors scholarships.

Church Match Scholarship — Up to $1,000 match per semester. Church Match Scholarship application required.

Departmental scholarships — Available to majors studying in one of our five colleges or schools.

Outside Scholarships — Outside scholarships are available from many sources. Check out My Scholarship Guide in the Financial Aid section of our website.

Ministerial Grant — For students planning to enter the ministry. An application must be submitted to the Logsdon School of Theology.

Academics at HSU — Our degree from Hardin-Simmons will represent to the world a rigorous, useful and modern academic education, as well as the personal and spiritual development we provide our students.

Hardin-Simmons University offers more than 50 bachelor’s degrees and minors through our 5 different colleges, and we’re always evaluating programs and offering new undergraduate degrees

2023-2024 UNDERGRADUATE

STATISTICS

Approximate percentage of Students by Race/Ethnicity

HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL INFORMATION

duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

funded scholarships & financial aid

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $ (1,825,070) Endowment and net assets Total endowment (market value) $ 262,341,876

ROBERT B. SLOAN President

7502 Fondren

Houston, Texas 77074-3298

hbu.edu

hbuonline.com

The fall of 2023 marked the 60th anniversary of the first classes at the University, celebrating a legacy from Houston Baptist College to Houston Baptist University to Houston Christian University. As part of that legacy, the University salutes founding father Dr. Stewart Morris, Sr., who passed away this spring. He will forever be remembered and honored for his extraordinary accomplishments and lifelong Christian faith. From his instrumental role in founding Houston Christian University to his unwavering support and leadership, Dr. Morris’s legacy of service, commitment, and dedication profoundly impacted the University and its community.

The University has made significant strides in its rebranding campaign, inspired by Dr. Bruce and Mrs. Mary Ann Belin’s generous gift of the Belin Tower. The new HCU logo, along with outdoor billboards, campus signage, banners, and wayfinding signage, has enhanced the University’s visibility and brand identity and symbolizes HCU’s historical and unwavering commitment to Christian higher education

The Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty continues to be a beacon of American history and civic education. Last spring, the Morris Family Center was chosen as a winner of the Houston Business Journal 2023 Landmark Award. The topping-off ceremony for Founders Hall II marked a significant milestone as the event signified the completion of the structural phase of the final building in the Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty complex. As the second ancillary building in the complex, Founders Hall II will house academic classrooms and faculty offices and is slated to open in early 2025.

Key milestones for the Sherry and Jim Smith Engineering, Science, and Nursing Complex include the naming of the Linda Dunham School of Nursing and the Dunham Family Nursing Center as well as the HCU Board of Trustees announcement that construction on the Smith Complex will begin in January 2025 with completion slated in time for the start of classes in the Fall 2026 semester. These advancements underscore HCU’s dedication to fostering academic excellence and innovation in STEM-related disciplines.

Generous contributions include the Grace Hopper Scholarship for freshmen pursuing engineering and other STEM degrees, a National Science Foundation grant for the College of Science and Engineering, the establishment of the John M. O’Quinn Endowed Chair in Counseling and Endowed Scholarship in Nursing, significant support for the Master’s in Leadership program and the certation of an Endowed Scholarship in Graduate Nursing. Articulation agreements with Blinn College and Grand Valley State University, and the launch of a new online Master of Science in Leadership. All these accomplishments highlight HCU’s commitment to academic growth and collaboration - as of May 2024, HCU has conferred more than 26,400 degrees!

This spring, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Huskies linebacker Jalyx Hunt in round three with pick 94 in the NFL draft to make the Huskies’ all-American the first-ever player drafted out of HCU. More than 130 student-athletes were named to the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll for fall 2023, and 140 student-athletes were named to the Spring 2024 Honor Roll.

As we reflect on the past year’s accomplishments, we are grateful for the blessings and support that have propelled Houston Christian University forward. We look ahead with excitement and anticipation, committed to our mission of providing a transformative Christian education and expanding our impact in the community and beyond.

HOUSTON

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution*

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

2023 - 2024

Educational and general, not including scholarships

Endowment and net assets

CORY HINES, PH.D. President

1000 Fisk Street

Brownwood, Texas 76801

hputx.edu

For the past 135 years, Howard Payne University has remained committed to the mission of preparing students for intellectual inquiry, personal and professional integrity and service to God and humanity.

Faith is woven into every aspect of the student experience at HPU. The campus community celebrated 29 professions of faith by students throughout the academic year. Students grew in their faith and understanding of their vocational callings through discussions in classrooms; chapel services; Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) Bible studies; mission trips to Uganda, Honduras, Ireland, Wisconsin, and more. HPU recently became one of the first two educational institution member partners of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). Dr. Elijah Brown, BWA executive director, was the guest speaker for the 16th annual Currie-Strickland Distinguished Lectures in Christian Ethics in January.

Service is emphasized through campus-wide initiatives like the William B. Dean, M.D. Community Impact Day with more than 400 volunteers working on 22 service projects within the community. This year, HPU was the recipient of a Community Service Award from the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA) in recognition of the university’s Community Impact Day. Each week, the BSM serves Free Lunch to an average of 150 students through the support of local churches. The Jacket Food and Essentials Pantry served 350 students, providing basic food and necessities throughout the year.

HPU was recognized as one of the top-ranked universities in Texas on the Forbes 2023 College Financial Grades list for the second consecutive year. The University received an A grade of 3.93, ranked out of 900 private, not-for-profit institutions of higher education.

The University is thankful for God’s provision through the financial support of alumni and friends. In fiscal year 2023-2024, Howard Payne University saw the largest giving year in the University’s recorded history, including over $3.5 million raised for both endowed and non-endowed scholarships, as well as the establishment of nine new scholarships. These efforts were aided by the second annual Robnett Founder’s Dinner, which raised over $100,000 for student scholarships.

HPU continues to invest in campus improvements to provide updated classroom and working spaces for students. In August 2023, the University dedicated the newly renovated Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom, home of the Guy D. Newman Honors Academy. Upgrades were made to several classrooms in Newman Hall, a microbiology lab, the HPU Theater, and a new classroom for the Center for Student Success. Stadium lights were added to the Citizens National Bank Soccer Field and the new Bob Carter Athletic Park was opened on the main campus.

The Center for Student Success was launched in the fall of 2023 as a program focused on improving academic outcomes for undergraduate students and to prepare them comprehensively for success upon graduation.

Academically, HPU students were recognized for several research projects and competitions both nationally and internationally. HPU students presented papers at the Texas Section meeting of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA); the International Conference on Electrical, Computer, Communications and Mechatronics Engineering in Tenerife, Spain; and the Texas Academy of Science (TAS) annual meeting at The University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa. The Student Speaker Bureau speech and debate team earned awards at three tournaments in the fall of 2023 in Baytown, the online Bowling Green University Cyber-Falcon, and in Tyler. The HPU Model UN Team also participated in competitions in California and Amsterdam.

HPU values the support of Texas Baptists for their investment in the mission to produce Christ-centered leaders who will make a difference around the world.

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTUNAUDITED

2023 - 2024

RANDY

O’REAR

President 900 College Street Belton, Texas 76513

umhb.edu

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor prepares students for lives of leadership, service, and faith-informed discernment in a global society. Academic excellence, personal attention, broad-based scholarship, and a Baptist vision for education distinguish our Christ-centered learning community. Academics

UMHB offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 65 undergraduate majors, ten master’s degree programs, and two doctoral degrees. We recently introduced new degree programs in Cybersecurity and Neuroscience. These innovative programs equip students for careers in rapidly expanding fields such as Bioscience and Computer Security. Additionally, we have expanded our online offerings with a RN to BSN program and an online Master’s in Nursing program, with plans to introduce an online Doctorate in Nursing Practice in spring 2025. These initiatives complement our new online Master’s in Public Health program, which prepares students to assess local and global populations’ health needs and promote healthier lifestyles through service, education, and scholarly research.

Campus improvements

On March 1, UMHB celebrated the dedication of the Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation, a groundbreaking training facility to prepare general and special education majors for various academic environments. Hundreds attended and toured the 12,808-square-foot building that will lead the way for training special education instructors.

Construction continues on the Jane and Mac Hickerson Crusader Golf Club for the men’s and women’s golf teams. The clubhouse is designed by one of the world’s most widely acclaimed sports venue designers, Earl Santee of Populous, and UMHB anticipates completion by the summer of 2025. The practice facility, officially called “The Mac” Golf Practice Course, is designed by legendary golfer and world-renowned golf course architect Ben Crenshaw and features four holes and additional short-game practice areas and will open in the fall of 2024.

Student life

Global Outreach launched teams in Alabama, Moldova, India, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and Costa Rica in December 2023. In January, UMHB hosted the sixth annual Psalms women’s conference with 220 registered, and the Baptist Student Ministry took 23 students and staff members to serve at Beach Reach on South Padre Island during Spring Break.

In February, UMHB hosted “Called: A Week of Purpose” – a weeklong, student-led celebration of exploring and pursuing God’s purpose for them.

In March, UMHB hosted its 85th annual Easter Pageant. The three pageant performances attracted thousands of people in person and through live streams. More than 350 UMHB students and children and grandchildren of faculty and staff participated in the planning and production of the pageant, which chronicles moments from the Gospel story. The tradition of the annual Easter pageant at UMHB began in 1940 when it was held on Easter Day.

UMHB hosted its 25th annual spring revival in April, and hundreds of students attended each of the three evening sessions. The featured speaker was Shane Pruitt, the National Next Gen Director for the North American Mission Board (NAMB).

Athletics

The 2023-2024 school year was another successful year for UMHB athletics. The Acrobatics and Tumbling team won its second consecutive NCATA DIII Tournament title and advanced to Nationals. Cru Beach Volleyball won the AVCA Small College Division III National Championship. Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, and Women’s Tennis also won regular-season titles, while the Women’s Basketball team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA National Tournament. Additionally, Sarah Kmiecik represented the women’s golf team as an individual qualifier at the NCAA DIII Women’s Golf Championship Tournament.

Many thanks

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor continues to move toward its vision of being the university of choice for Christian higher education in the Southwest. Many thanks to Texas Baptists and others who support the university’s efforts to prepare students for lives of Christian service and leadership!

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR

INFORMATION

2023 - 2024

Enrollment, Fall 3,520 Enrollment, Spring 3,099 Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 3,342

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 75,627,476

and net assets Total endowment (market value) $ 121,807,733

DONNA HEDGEPATH President

1900 West Seventh Street Plainview, Texas 79072

wbu.edu

Wayland Baptist University has ushered in a new era with the arrival of Dr. Donna Hedgepath, the institution’s 14th president and the first female president in the school’s history.

While much is changing, one thing remains constant: Wayland’s partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Dr. Hedgepath remarked that God has used the university to bless Texas, the nation, and the world for 115 years. “Wayland and Texas Baptists are better together,” the new president said. She already feels at home in Texas, which is home to Wayland’s Plainview, San Antonio, Lubbock, Wichita Falls, and Amarillo campuses.

Wayland’s “Better Together” theme extends beyond its campuses, with students, faculty, and staff committed to fostering growth in enrollment, fiscal health, academics, partnerships, and spiritual development. To emphasize the power of Wayland and Texas Baptists working together in God’s service, Dr. Hedgepath said, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Together, we emerge stronger because we can rise to a new level of excellence.”

Academics

As the academic year began, more than a dozen students enrolled in the new Doctorate in Strategic Leadership program. The School of Languages and Literature rebranded as the School of Humanities and Leadership, reflecting growth and the introduction of new programs.

Wayland has enjoyed an increase in graduate applications and enrollment. The Ben and Bertha Mieth School of Nursing in San Antonio is thriving, with enrollment doubled since Spring. The National Association of Schools of Music has approved the School of Creative Arts to offer online, non-traditional BAS degrees in piano, sound, and worship.

After securing $5.5 million in federal grants in four years, Wayland has submitted grant applications for study abroad programs and campus mental health initiatives. The university is preparing a $3 million Department of Commerce grant proposal to enhance internet access and technological resources for low-income students.

Summer Bridge, an academic training program helping first-year students improve in math or English, is boosting retention rates among first-generation and Hispanic students through strategic use of grants.

Advancement

Wayland is on track to reach the $18 million mark in its Thrive Campaign, with the new Advancement Council recently pledging $1 million. Following a record-setting year for the highest number of donors, alumni and friends surpassed expectations again by setting a two-year record for contributions and increased the number of planned gifts.

Alumni engagement remains a priority, with Wayland enhancing its web presence, giving KWLD a global audience through the RadioFX app, introducing a new Pioneer Pete mascot, and traveling to meet alumni where they are.

Enrollment

The university’s overall headcount and credit hours have increased system-wide, with five campuses showing growth in these areas during the summer session. Going into the fall semester, Wayland’s Plainview campus was significantly ahead in both new and returning students.

Student Life

The largest residential class since fall 2018 has arrived on Wayland’s Plainview campus, with approximately 570 students living on campus compared to 503 last year.

Wayland hosted the William Pinson Lecture Series, featuring Dr. Karen Bullock, who explored Baptist beginnings, heritage, and challenges. The Willson Lectures brought in Dr. Robert Blackaby, president of Canadian Baptist Theological Seminary, and during Holy Week, students heard from Dr. Julio Guarneri, executive director of the BGCT.

Athletics

Wayland had 113 student-athletes recognized on the All-Sooner Athletic Academic Team. Additionally, the university has added its ninth women’s sport, beach volleyball, with competition set to begin in the spring of 2025.

Wayland is experiencing a period of dynamic growth and positive change, ensuring the university remains a beacon of academic and spiritual excellence.

2023 - 2024

Enrollment, Fall 2,861

Spring

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 1,126

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating revenue

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships $ 45,929,000

Institution funded scholarships & financial aid 9,098,000 Auxiliary enterprises 3,669,000

All other expenses

Total operational expenses $ 58,696,000

Excess revenue over expenses after transfers $ (3,277,000)

Endowment and net assets

BRIAN N. GUENTHER President

2801 Ranch Road 12 San Marcos, Texas 78666 smabears.org

San Marcos Academy (SMA), nestled in the picturesque Texas hill country, is a fully accredited Private Christian school for PreK 3 through the 12th-grade students, with a boarding program for 6th – 12th grade students. Our curriculum is thoughtfully designed to engage and inspire students, preparing them for success in life and college. We take pride in our diverse student population, which hails from around the world, across the United States, and all over Texas. Since 1907, San Marcos Academy has been a beacon of excellence in private Christian school education, fostering a global community of learners.

Over the past year, San Marcos Academy’s leadership has diligently embarked on a comprehensive journey to solidify our 117-year legacy of excellence in Christian education. Through careful planning and strategic initiatives, we have focused on enhancing our academic programs, fostering spiritual growth, and strengthening community engagement. These initiatives testify to our commitment to ensuring that San Marcos Academy continues to uphold its storied tradition and expands its Kingdom Impact for generations. This culminated in the launching of a strategic and operational plan that carries three strategic objectives, followed by tactical responses that each contain operational plans.

As the 2023-2024 school year closed out, San Marcos Academy continues to partner with other Texas Baptist institutions and organizations to strengthen the role of Texas Baptists in the lives of students and families. The academy continues to offer dual credit courses through the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB). This partnership allows students to earn up to 33 hours of college credit with them upon graduation.

San Marcos Academy has also entered into a new partnership with Hardin Simmons University (HSU). Through this relationship, a tuition exchange program has been established, allowing full-time faculty and staff children to exchange tuition through the Academy for tuition at HSU, ever strengthening the network of students earning the credit and attending Texas Baptist universities.

At the end of the spring semester, San Marcos suffered widespread devastation when storms ripped through the city. San Marcos Academy, First Baptist Church, and the local hospital sustained the most notable damage. Texas Baptists on Mission (TBM) arrived to help organizations clean up and recover from the loss. San Marcos Baptist Academy hosted the TBM workers with housing, operational staging, and meal preparation facilities as they served the city.

Not only has our partnership with Texas Baptists experienced Kingdom impact, but students have also had the opportunity to continue their academic and spiritual growth at San Marcos Academy. This has most recently been confirmed through being awarded Accredited status by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). Additionally, the Accreditation Commission of the Texas Association of Baptist Schools (ACTABS) has recommended that Grades PreK-12 continue its ten-year accredited cycle through 2034.

SMA celebrates these victories and joins Texas Baptists in prayer for the future of our students.

2023 - 2024

Enrollment, Fall 345

Enrollment, Spring 340

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution* 92

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants* —

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*Non duplicating totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Operating expenses

Educational and general, not including scholarships

Endowment and net assets

TONY CELELI President

7000 Ocean Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78501 stark.edu

Empowering Futures: The Heroic Journey of Stark Students

In the heart of South Texas, Stark College & Seminary (SCS) exists for the purpose of equipping educationally under-served followers of Christ for service in the church and community. With a student population that is 44% Hispanic, 34% Caucasian, 18% African American and 4% other, these ministry leaders face and overcome many obstacles as they pursue their educational dreams and theological training. Stark is dedicated to preparing these determined individuals who are making an eternal difference.

Educational Avenues: Stark’s Experiential Realities

A defining feature of SCS is its unwavering commitment to the under-served population, a focus that shapes the institution’s core distinctives—known as the “Stark distinctives.” These distinctives are what set Stark apart from other seminaries and include:

1. Affordability: At Stark, affordability isn’t just a goal; it’s a promise. SCS is committed to making theological education accessible to all, offering affordable tuition that ensures financial constraints do not hinder one’s pursuit of a calling in ministry.

2. Accessibility: Recognizing the diverse needs of its students, SCS provides a range of educational modalities. Whether students prefer online courses for convenience, in-person classes for personal interaction, or a hyflex format that blends both, SCS enables students to tailor their educational experience to best fit their schedules week to week.

3. Applicability: SCS is a vibrant tapestry of students and faculty from various backgrounds and ministry experience. Reflecting the rich demographics of the region, the wealth of ministry knowledge comes not only from textbooks, but practitioner-scholars. In this learning environment, diverse perspectives are not just welcomed but celebrated, fostering spiritual maturity where mutual respect and understanding flourish.

The journey at Stark is not just about acquiring an educational degree but about deepening one’s faith and developing practical ministry skills. Every lesson, every interaction, and every class at SCS is designed to prepare students not only to serve but to lead with compassion, wisdom, and conviction.

Stark graduates are equipped to make a tangible difference in the lives of those they serve, whether in churches, non-profits, or other community settings.

Equipped for Excellence: Accreditation and Beyond

Stark College & Seminary (stark.edu) holds accreditation with the Association of Biblical Higher Education for all its educational programs. This accreditation ensures that SCS meets rigorous academic standards and provides high-quality theological education. In addition, Stark Seminary is an Associate Member of the Association of Theological Schools, seeking accreditation from the Commission on Accrediting for its graduate programming.

In addition to this, SCS is certified by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements for its online courses and programs, allowing students to pursue their education remotely with confidence in the institution’s credibility. SCS also has several articulation agreements with other educational institutions across Texas, creating pathways for students to graduate with various degrees, whether ministry-related or not. These partnerships expand opportunities for students, enabling them to transfer credits seamlessly and complete their education efficiently.

Enrollment, Fall

Enrollment, Spring

Number of students on full or partial scholarships funded by institution*

Number of students receiving BGCT Ministerial Tuition Grants*

Estimated total number of students preparing for ministry*

Approximate percentage of Baptist students

*”Non duplicating” totals for the 2023-24 school year.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

2023 - 2024

Endowment and net assets

STARK COLLEGE & SEMINARY

OTHAL E. BRAND JR.

3700 E. Harrison Harlingen, Texas 78550 vbmec.org

Missions

Valley Baptist Mission Education Center’s (VBMEC) camp sites hosted Christian organizations with over 3,000 campers. Guests from 55 churches and other organizations worked on church construction and participated in Vacation Bible School day camps. They also witnessed to residents of colonias throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

Distribution Program

VBMEC continued to work with five national and international distribution organizations. This year VBMEC distributed over $12,000,000 in food, clothing, appliances and household supplies to more than 352 churches and their members.

Layman Theological Training

We working with Wayland Baptist University offering 22 theological courses to over 200 students.

Youth Programs

Weekly worship and bible study programs for youth continue. Over 2,172 professions of faith and over 1,100 baptisms took place among the youth we served.

Valley Baptist Youth

Valley Baptist Youth has impacted over 150 young people across the Rio Grande Valley, working in collaboration with more than 10 churches, from the upper valley in La Joya, TX, to the lower valley in Brownsville, TX. Currently, the ministry partners with over 13 youth pastors in the RGV, all dedicated to equipping the next generation of faith-driven leaders.

Pastoral Theological Training

Utilizing seminary level professors, over 100+ leaders attend on a monthly basis in a lower valley session and upper valley session.

MARK HOTMANN President/CEO & CFO

701 Park Place

Amarillo, Texas 79101

baptist community services.com

Baptist Community Services (“BCS”) is a multi-organizational system that operates and provides a variety of facilities and services to the Panhandle region of Texas. BCS’ primary focus is on the provision of quality, spiritual-based services to senior adults.

PARK CENTRAL COMMUNITY

The Park Central campus near Downtown Amarillo is comprised currently of eight facilities which provide independent living services, assisted living services, memory care services, and long-term care nursing services to senior adults. Apartment facilities and services are provided at Park Place Towers, The Continental, The Harrington, The Talmage Apartments, and the Plemons Court Apartments. Park Place Towers, The Continental, and The Harrington facilities provide a wide array of services to their respective residents, including a Nurse Navigator program (health care access services), a chaplaincy program, dining services, housekeeping, and transportation services. The Talmage Apartments and the Plemons Court Apartments provide affordable housing facilities for lower income senior adults, with access to the services of the Park Central campus. A complete range of assisted living services are provided at the Winfred and Elizabeth Moore Assisted Living Center. The Sycamore is another assisted living facility operated by BCS which provides specialized memory care/dementia services. BCS also provides a complete range of long-term care nursing services at its nursing home facility, The Ware.

ROVING CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM

This chaplaincy ministry consists of 12 chaplains provided by BCS, who provide spiritual care for residents and families, as well as the staff/employees of 20 senior living facilities (i.e. nursing homes, assisted living centers, etc.), a senior adult low-income housing complex, a free health care clinic, and a senior community center in the Amarillo area (each or which are not affiliated facilities of BCS).

SNACK PAK 4 KIDS

This feeding ministry feeds more than 10,000 children and teenagers in the Texas Panhandle, who are experiencing food insecurity on weekends (not only during the school year, but also when school is out). Nutritious food packs are delivered each week for weekend use for these children and their families.

2023 - 2024

Provided on-campus or residential care 4,581

Served in own homes and off-campus care

Provided financial aid only

Provided college education or special training

Served through other ministries

Total number of served through ministries (non duplicate)

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

ALBERT L. REYES President/CEO

700 N. Pearl Street, Suite 1200 Dallas, Texas 75201

buckner.org

Experts tell us there are seven generations living today, from the oldest, the Greatest Generation, to the Alpha Generation representing those born from 2013-2025.

A generation includes people born within about 20 years of each other. We often think of generations divided by grandparents, parents, and grandchildren.

Today, a key pillar of our ministry is transforming generations. We believe a vital calling of our work is serving one generation so succeeding generations move beyond generational issues of poverty, abuse, neglect, and lack of opportunity.

More than seven generations have passed since Buckner International began serving vulnerable people in 1879. Generations have been served and generations have served. From the days when farmers across Texas brought fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat to Buckner Orphans Home, to 2023, when donors give online or use electronic funds transfers, generations of like-minded friends like Texas Baptists have made an eternal difference for generations of children, families, and senior adults.

I am a product of the generations of my family. I’m grateful for their seen and unseen contributions, making me who I am today. All of us bear a resemblance to past generations of our families, either physically or for who we are today. We are shaped by our past and we shape our family’s future.

What is true in our own families is exponentially true for Buckner. This organization has been shaped by more than seven generations of friends like you who believe in our work. In turn, we hold a great responsibility to shape future generations.

Studies show the key to changing the trajectory of a family is changing generational patterns. If we can transform just one generation, that transformation lives on in future generations.

We are grateful for our partnership with Texas Baptists and churches that make up our convention. Together, we have changed the lives of generations of people.

Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work certified, again.

Buckner employees once again rated us as a Great Place to Work through an annual survey produced by Activated Insights. The certification applies to Buckner International, Buckner Children and Family Services, and Buckner Retirement Services.

The 2023 survey results yielded a score of 94 on the trust index, which is nine points higher than the previous year and 13 points higher than the baseline for certified companies.

Pillars of Ministry

Protect children. Strengthen families. Transform generations. Serve seniors.

Programs

Foster Care and Adoption: Sometimes children need protection and families are unable to stay together. Buckner Foster Care and Adoption steps in and provides safe, loving homes for vulnerable children. Children and families are fully supported through counseling and additional resources.

Buckner Family Hope Center®: When families are strong, children can grow up empowered and safe. Buckner Family Hope Centers offer parenting classes, financial training, afterschool opportunities and family coaching that strengthen families and help them become self-sufficient. Every Family Hope Center is tailored to meet the unique needs of the community where it is located.

Buckner Family Pathways®: Generational change starts with one person. Buckner Family Pathways allows single parents to discover their independence and strength as they pursue their education and live in safe, affordable housing with their children. Each family is empowered to transform the course of their future and impact their family forever.

Buckner Retirement Services: From independent living to skilled nursing and memory care, each Buckner senior living community offers a continuum of care to support all stages of the aging process. In addition, communities provide a wide array of experiences to inspire happiness.

Protected children through Texas foster care and adoption, transitional case management, Buckner Family PathwaysTM and through international foster and kinship care.

Strengthened families through the Buckner Family Hope CenterTM model, family initiatives, Universal Child Abuse Prevention programs, client assistance and early childhood support programs

Transformed generations by supporting single mothers and fathers through the Buckner Family PathwaysTM model and families through Camp Buckner

Humanitarian aid not captured through programming

Served seniors through Texas senior living communities Total

ministries (non duplicate)

CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

SERVICES BAPTIST CENTER MEMORIALS MINISTRIES

2023 - 2024 2023 - 2024 2023 - 2024

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

TODD ROBERSON President & CEO

1301 N. Mays Round Rock, Texas 78664- 2945 cahm.org

Serving children. Strengthening families.

Thanks to the partnership with Texas Baptists, Children At Heart Ministries continues to share the love of Jesus across the state of Texas in a variety of different ways. God has allowed us to provide those who are most vulnerable with the support and structure they need to find hope, heal, and put their lives back on track.

The population boom across Texas has only increased the need for our services, with all three of our ministries operating with a waiting list of clients hoping to experience hope and a promising future. Gracewood, Miracle Farm, and Texas Baptist Children’s Home are exploring ways to expand programs to help meet the growing need in each community.

In 2023, Gracewood continued its mission of offering home, hope, and healing to singlemother families. Last year, our Houston campus served 50 children and 23 single mothers who needed a soft place to land and the chance to recover, gain new strength, and build toward a brighter future. The ministry also helped over 40 families in Aftercare, providing food, clothing, counseling, and a steadying hand as these families transitioned into selfsufficiency. The new Community Center opened this year which included administrative offices, state-of-the-art classrooms, meeting spaces, and therapy rooms. They are now able to increase their services to mothers and children with a goal of doubling their impact in 2024! Gracewood reported its greatest successes came with the number of families that grew in their faith – many coming to know Christ for the first time.

Miracle Farm, our Brenham ranch for boys, offered home and the chance of a lifetime to 35 teenage residents during 2023, providing academic recovery, vocational training, the horse program, and spiritual development to help them overcome challenges and face the future with confidence. Miracle Farm is operating at full capacity and saw a record number of applications last year. We believe God wants us to build more homes so we can serve more boys by providing a safe, Christian place to call home. Last year, God provided several dedicated groups who volunteered their time to help with numerous maintenance needs and repairs, as well as faithful donors who helped provide much needed equipment for the Farm. The boys were able to help with many of the improvements, giving them valuable skills they can use in the future.

Last year, Texas Baptist Children’s Home (TBCH) in Round Rock served 125 children and 71 single mothers in residence with its Family Care program and 29 young adults in residence with its Home Base program for emerging adults. TBCH HOPE Program counselors delivered 11,203 hours of free professional counseling to residential and community clients on the Round Rock campus and at a satellite location in Georgetown. They opened another office at FBC Round Rock and added to their staff to increase their capacity to help more families in Central Texas. TBCH celebrated seventeen committed staff members who have served between 10 and 45 years! One of the most exciting updates to share is that we had 15 professions of faith, 10 baptisms, and four rededications last year.

God’s faithfulness was unmistakable throughout 2023 in providing the strength we needed in each moment and by allowing us to witness lives transformed through His provision. We are confident that God will continue to provide as we expand our ministries and reach additional souls for Christ. We are deeply grateful for our Texas Baptists family who walk alongside Children At Heart Ministries as we work together to honor God and build a better world by serving children and strengthening families.

CHILDREN AT HEART MINISTRIES

STATISTICS ALL MINISTRIES

Assisted

GRACEWOOD

MIRACLE FARM

TEXAS BAPTIST CHILDREN’S HOME

ERON GREEN President

PO Box 1210

Beeville, Texas 78104-1210

stchm.org

As we reviewed the past 12 months, we saw we served 21,044 children and families. They were served through our nine points of ministry, and while we do track those numbers, what’s most important to us is that we serve them in a deeply personal and life-changing manner. 2023 was a year with many accomplishments. Many of these accomplishments were very public, but many were also very private.

There are many stories of overcoming obstacles and odds that you will never hear about. Husbands and wives reuniting through counseling; children going back to live with their mother now that she is healthy; a child learning to read; a youth going on their first international mission trip; pastors receiving the healing they need after a rough experience at their church; much needed medical care; a family learning to manage their finances and find independence from their debtors; and so many more. 2023 was a great year indeed!

One project that we started last year and is now completed, is our brand refresh. We compiled a team to answer the question, why does STCH Ministries exist? What came from these discussions were the concepts of healing, restoring and transforming. We believe we have the responsibility to walk through some of the best and most challenging times with those we minister to. We all must start from a place of understanding that healing needs to take place. As healing occurs, the restoration process begins, until eventually we are transformed into the person God wants us to be.

As we build new programs and expand current programs, the heart of who we are is still as it has been for 72 years. Our mission statement is: honoring God, reaching children and families with His love and truth, and enabling others to join us in this ministry. Please join us in prayer as we seek to be and do all God wants from us!

Our Ministries

• Homes for Children – A campus that provides a loving, family environment for children in need.

• Homes for Families – A safe haven for mothers and their children whose families are in crisis.

• Family Counseling – Professional counseling that is both clinically excellent and distinctively Christian.

• International Ministry – Family-friendly mission trips where Americans can work side by side with local believers in churches, orphanages, and Christian schools to meet needs and advance the Gospel.

• Faith & Work – Guiding people to discover God’s purpose for their lives and how to fulfill that purpose through their work.

• Faith & Finances – A twelve-week class that teaches biblical principles of money management.

• Pastor Care – Ministering to ministers through confidential counseling and pulpit supply.

• Family Support – Connecting people in need with resources and guidance.

• Ministry Consulting – Sharing expertise and resources with other like-minded ministries.

Romans 12:2- Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Individuals Impacted (volunteers, referrals, etc.)

(events, presentations, etc.)

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Texas Baptists appropriations through BGCT $ 483,100

“Appropriations from supporting corporations (South Texas Children’s Home and STCH Land Management)” 11,331,332

MATT STONE President

215 E. Quincy, Suite 200 San Antonio, Texas 78215

baptisthealth system.com

Baptist Health System continues to grow our network of care services to meet the needs of our community where they live, work and play. Over the summer we opened Westover Hills Baptist Hospital and Medical Office Building, serving the fast growing far West side and communities beyond. The hospital sits on 72 acres of land located at Wiseman and Highway 1604. The hospital features 94 beds, 6 ORs, 2 cath labs, special procedure suites, a large emergency department and an entire floor dedicated to women’s services. Our Medical Office Building is connected to the hospital.

Resolute Baptist Hospital in New Braunfels celebrated its 10th anniversary this past summer. A luncheon was held in honor of employees who have been with the hospital since the beginning and a time capsule was unearthed with contents ranging from newspapers, photographs, handwritten sentiments and many other mementos from a decade ago. Since opening, 8,300 newborns have taken their first breaths at the hospital. In just ten years Resolute has seen 45,000 admissions, 25,000 surgeries and 400,000 outpatient visits.

Our newest hospital will serve the Boerne area. Development is progressing into the architectural and engineering phase of hospital design. And a new Neighborhood Hospital will be going up in the Rigsby area on the East side of San Antonio. The emergency hospital is our 10th in partnership with Emerus, which operates freestanding emergency rooms across the country.

Mission Trail Baptist and Resolute Baptist are both undergoing expansion to our women’s services and St. Luke’s Baptist in the Medical Center, our Comprehensive Stroke Center, is expanding its Emergency Department, doubling emergency care capacity there. Northeast Baptist Hospital is expanding Acute Rehabilitation services, adding four additional rooms for patients with inpatient rehab needs. And North Central Baptist Hospital is enhancing its thoracic surgery program with the addition of Ion, an innovative robotic-assisted platform that enables minimally invasive biopsies as a key part of early lung cancer diagnosis.

The Mission & Ministry Team continues to champion professional spiritual care in our faithbased holistic care culture. Please join us in congratulating Chaplain Rosa Hawthorne’s accomplishments of completing her Doctor of Ministry degree and her Board Certified Chaplain designation. We also employ our mission emphasis to call every Baptist Health System team members’ heart to our whole person care service, remembering our mission statement ~ “We help people achieve health for life through compassionate service inspired by faith.” In 2023, our companion statement to the mission came from Ram Dass: “We are all just walking each other home.” For 2024, our companion statement comes from Rabindranath Tagore: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”

In the fall of 2023, Baptist Health System reestablished the Volunteer Services Programming for all 5 hospitals in San Antonio. Those programs are growing at a rapid pace, and the new Westover Hills Hospital, opening on July 30, 2024, will begin their Volunteer Program as well. Currently, we have approximately 200 active volunteers serving in the following hospitals: Baptist Medical Center, Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital, Northeast Baptist Hospital and North Central Baptist Hospital.

We are extremely proud of the work our employees and physicians do on behalf of our patients. Quality, safety and patient satisfaction continue to be our focus and we are dedicated to providing exceptional, compassionate care to everyone who walks through our doors.

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

2,580,432,382

JUSTIN DOSS President/CEO

3080 College Street

Beaumont, Texas 77701

bhset.net

Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas (BHSET) is celebrating 75 years of providing high quality healthcare services to improve the health of the community that we serve, while timelessly honoring the spiritual values upon which we were founded. BHSET casts a wide net in defining our “community”, both in our primary and secondary service areas, and has expanded considerably in recent months. From adding an Outpatient Center in Lumberton, to Infusion and Wound Care services in Jasper, continuing to serve Orange county with a full offering of Outpatient Services, and newly acquiring primary & cardiac care practices in Vidor and Beaumont, the healthcare system is meeting patients where they are.

The employees and partners at BHSET support the community through blood drives (collecting over 150 units) and fundraisers, raising more than $43,000 this year for the Employee and the Chaplains’ Emergency Funds. Baptist leaders spend time educating the community and making connections through health fairs, HOSA tours, Chamber luncheons & expos, and events such as the Mental Health Association, Nutrition for Seniors and Alzheimer Association annual luncheons. The hospital’s outreach through the Better Business Bureau earned them the top award at the annual BBB Torch Awards 2024 for their leadership and sponsorship in the Spark Leadership Summit, the Professional Women’s Conference and several Brunch & Learn meetings, where Baptist executives and providers offered insights as to their services, management and every day “Sacred Work” philosophy. Through their collective endeavors with civic groups, industrial partners, media appearances and health fairs, BHSET hospital personnel provided education and outreach to 60,712 adults and students.

BHSET continues a long-standing tradition of offering support groups for various patients in need, and currently hosts monthly events for patients who have undergone Bariatric surgery, Cancer treatments, and families in need of childbirth education. The system also provides free testing for acquired illnesses such HIV and Hepatitis C, identifying in the past year 685 individuals with these conditions and linking them to care. Many of these are treated in our SmartHealth clinic, which is committed to helping underserved patients with chronic illnesses get the care they need and has treated more than 10,000 patients in the most recent 12 months.

In partnership with the Julie Rogers Gift of Life Mammogram Program, BHSET helps make mammography services available to women/men in need. Since the inception of this program, over 29,750 free mammograms have been provided to Southeast Texans. During the past year 1,202 mammograms were provided at BHSET in Beaumont and Orange, Texas.

The Department of Religion at BHSET provides numerous benefits to patients, family members and the community at large. The chaplains provide financial assistance through the Chaplain’s Emergency Fund, donating $29,736 this year for medicine, food, housing and travel to approximately 700 patients and family members throughout Southeast Texas, a 21% increase from last year’s assistance in our community. Additionally, the chaplains provide sessions of pastoral counseling to individuals in the community. The Congregational Health Ministry (Parish Nursing) programming provided unreimbursed services and training to the community through the Faith Community Nurses to function in their respective congregations and assist them with implementation of their congregational health programming.

Since 1949, Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas has worked diligently to meet the community’s mental, physical and spiritual needs. Our collective faith has always been the underlying principle upon which this healthcare system takes action, making fundamental differences in the general health and well-being of the communities we serve.

BAPTIST HOSPITALS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS STATISTICAL INFORMATION

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

PETER MCCANNA Chief Executive Officer

301 N. Washington Avenue

Dallas, Texas 75246

baylorhealth. com

Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White Health promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. As Texas’ largest not-for-profit health system, it is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform— MyBSWHealth.

Through 52 hospitals and nearly 1,300 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans.

Baylor Scott & White is nationally recognized:

• Led the state with more awards from U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-2025 Best Hospitals list than any other not-for-profit health system for the 6th consecutive year.

• Named one of America’s 200 most innovative companies in 2024 by Fortune Magazine.

• Led Texas with 13 CMS 5-Star hospitals

Office of Mission & Ministry at Baylor Scott & White

The Office of Mission & Ministry (OMM) includes three divisions that illustrate the powerful role faith plays in our system—Pastoral Care, Pastoral Education and Faith in Action Initiatives (FIAI). Each division ministers Christ’s healing love to people whose lives have been disrupted by illness, injury or death and enhances community health through partnerships with local congregations.

Pastoral Care’s impact on the front lines

Pastoral Care chaplains made a significant impact in a number of ways.

- Recorded 149,263 pastoral encounters with patients and families.

- Chaplains made 108,145 supportive visits with hospital staff.

- Emphasis on digital spiritual care saw 103,718 annual users on the community support prayer wall, 39,904 views on the uplift blog and 1,183 virtual chaplaincy visits.

- Shared the impact and value of our MyBSWHealth digital platform at the national meeting of the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC).

- 1 of only 6 hospitals invited to participate in the Chaplain Family Project, a nationwide initiative to further chaplain support for families of color in ICUs.

Pastoral Education making a difference

Education outreach underscores our commitment to service—both today and tomorrow.

- Fifteen chaplain residents and 32 chaplain interns completed training in the Clinical Pastoral Education Program.

- Increased collaborative chaplain training at Ventana by Buckner, a senior living community in Dallas, seeking greater ministry for long-term care and memory care populations.

- Our Sacred Vocation Program reached 350 new staff as chaplains around our system served as facilitators for the first time.

- Provided 49 medical mission scholarships to staff members (up from just 16 staff members in 2022).

Faith in Action and Community Care

Faith-based humanitarian relief extends physical and spiritual healing to our local communities and around the world.

- Faith in Action provided and shipped over $4 million in medical supplies and equipment for domestic and international humanitarian aid across 32 countries.

- Locally, FIAI distributed $406,039 worth of medical supplies and goods to area clinics.

- Paired 320 new patients with trained volunteers from local congregations.

- Making a difference close to home, our “Bless the Blue” campaign supported local law enforcement by providing 4,000 essential Go Bags filled with gauze, gloves, tourniquets and more; our Back-to-School Drive provided 725 school-supply backpacks to the community; and our fall Compassion Drive benefiting homeless shelters distributed more than 13,756 blankets, socks and hygiene supplies to local non-profits.

- Partnered with Texans on Mission to recruit volunteers and distribute 300 hygiene kits donated by Baylor Scott & White staff to those displaced by the May 2024 tornado in Temple.

We remain grateful for the continued support of the Texas Baptists and look forward to the opportunities to which God will guide us in the future.

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE HEALTH STATISTICAL INFORMATION

Estimated value of total charity care 1,280,686,031

Enrollment in professional educational programs 1,179 Enrollees/ 1,987,081 Hours

Number of employees (FTE) 50,658 Amount of discounts allowed:

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Income from patients $ 10,965,000,000 BGCT appropriation 151,630

income 2,966,848,370

income $ 13,932,000,000 Total expenses 12,950,000,000 Funds available for continuing ministry 982,000,000

Total net assets $ 9,741,000,000

BRAD HOLLAND President/CEO

1900 Pine Street

Abilene, Texas 79601

hendrickhealth. org

In the early 1920s, Rev. Millard A. Jenkins, the pastor for Abilene’s First Baptist Church, had a vision to fulfill the call of the healing ministry in Abilene through a community and Baptist brotherhood. On September 15, 1924, Rev. Jenkins’ watched as the five-story hospital opened its doors to the public. By the end of the first year, West Texas Baptist Sanitarium had admitted and cared for 800 patients.

Now, a three-hospital system – Hendrick Medical Center and Hendrick Medical Center South in Abilene and Hendrick Medical Center in Brownwood – Hendrick offers a comprehensive range of services, including women’s health, orthopedics, rehabilitation, oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular, neonatal intensive care and children’s services. The healthcare organization also consists of Hendrick Hospice Care, Hendrick Home Health and Hendrick Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as Hendrick Clinic and Hendrick Center for Research.

Through community health education and support, our outreach activities help address identified community health needs. Hendrick partners with regional hospitals and clinics to increase access to healthcare specialties, offering 46 outreach clinics in 14 sites throughout our 24-county region. These clinics include specialties, such as cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, endocrinology, nephrology, neurosurgery, pain management and urology, for persons living in rural areas.

With new facilities, technology and increased access, a healthy working environment is still key to attaining and retaining employees. The workforce at Hendrick has grown to more than 5,400 employees and has been the proud recipient of the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award every year since its creation in 2007. Our employees regularly volunteer their time, talents and abilities to many civic and religious organizations. Qualified employees can also receive additional paid time off to participate in approved mission projects locally, nationally and internationally.

As a faith-based institution, our chaplains have played an integral role in serving Hendrick Health, striving to meet the religious and spiritual needs of diverse populations who seek prayer, counsel and resources to cope during times of crisis and illness. In 2022, the Pastoral Care Department was renamed Mission and Ministry, capturing the more expansive and inclusive delivery of spiritual care programs and people at Hendrick.

As our chaplains continue to engage patients and their families, they remain mindful of Hendrick Health employees, often seeking opportunities to promote the connection between spirituality and the workplace, specifically focusing on the sacredness of healthcare. Through departmental initiatives, such as the Blessing of the Hands, Grief Recognition Services, daily devotionals and weekly chapel services, more employees are being equipped to manage burnout and their own spiritual wellness. Mission and Ministry is committed to upholding the values of personal spiritual wellness and advancing the community value of holistic care.

As we celebrate our centennial year, we are forever grateful for our partnership in ministry with Texas Baptists. Our mission, created a century ago, continues today, and it will remain so as Hendrick Health moves into the future striving to deliver high quality healthcare emphasizing excellence and compassion consistent with the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.

(FTE) 4,845

SUMMARY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

GERALD R. JAMES, JR. President/CEO baptist churchloan.org

The Importance of Journeys

Dear Friends,

Around 46 A.D, the Apostle Paul began his first two journeys started and returned in Antioch, Syria. His third journey started in Antioch and returned to Jerusalem. During his three journeys, he traveled through the following seven Roman Empire regions: Cyprus, Pamphylia, Galatia, Cilicia, Lycia, Achaia, and Macedonia. His primary purpose in each of these regions was to provide a Gentile-focused ministry to both large cities and small towns.

Most of us know that journeys are not always easy. Paul’s efforts focused on seeking people that were willing to listen in synagogues, central squares of the city, marketplace, workshops, and private houses. Throughout his journeys, Paul was not totally satisfied with just the success of his missions. He simply just wanted to reach as many people as possible.

Throughout his travels, Paul relied on the power of God, which is present in the preaching of the gospel of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. Paul’s ministry efforts helped lead the beginning of many numerous church plants that helped Christianity spread. Paul’s fourth and last journey led him to Rome.

At the Baptist Church Loan Corporation (“BCLC”), we focus on providing knowledge and wisdom to God’s churches. Our journeys have allowed us to help churches develop gathering sites and strong relationships. Currently, BCLC has over 180 million in loans in over thirty states. We are grateful for the churches we serve and the churches we will serve in the future.

During Fiscal Year 2024, the Lord provided relationships with churches that led to loan fundings of almost $50 million. Thank you, Lord, for the people who give their time to serve on the BCLC Board of Directors and for the churches that we are privileged to serve.

To God be the glory,

Gerald R. James, Jr. President / CEO

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength that God provides. So that in all things, God may be praised through Jesus Christ. And to him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. - 1 Peter 4:11

Making an impact in a complex community like Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio’s eight-county service area can be challenging. Our area ranges from the urban centers of downtown San Antonio to small communities like Charlotte, Medina and La Vernia. Each demographic we serve has different needs, and we seek to understand and meet those needs. Along the way, in every interaction with every person, BHFSA’s trustees and staff strive to show care, compassion, and integrity.

This is part of the charge the Foundation been given by God—in providing for His people, we are also to share His love.

As humans, we acknowledge that we are far from perfect. For 2023, BHFSA adopted 1 Peter 4:11 as a focus verse to keep our words and actions grounded in God. Speaking and serving in the same way God does helps us remember to rely on His wisdom and compassion; it also keeps us mindful that the speech and service we offer are not our own, but God’s. We serve on His behalf, so that others will “see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This knowledge doesn’t fill us with false pride, but instead reminds us to work with careful hands and diligent hearts, and to be persistent in our prayers for the guidance of God.

In 2023, BHFSA awarded $9,137,500 in grants. These grants were given with prayerful consideration to nonprofit organizations in Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, and Wilson counties.

Disaster Relief Grants ($90,000) were given to organizations working to alleviate and prevent disaster-related suffering. For example, a grant to the American Red Cross provided 883 smoke alarms to 294 families in Greater San Antonio.

Scholarship Grants ($1,455,000) were given to local higher education institutions. These grants fund scholarships for students in health-related fields. BHFSA is honored to assist in the education of the next generation.

Responsive Grants ($5,100,000) were awarded to 52 medium to large organizations, many of which have been working in San Antonio or the surrounding areas for decades. Community Impact Grants ($270,000) were given to 24 smaller organizations in our service area. These organizations often work with a specific sub-community, and bring a localized expertise to their work.

Strategic to Mission Grants ($2,200,000) were given to two different research projects at UT Health San Antonio. One focuses on improving early treatment of diabetes and the other on providing mental health services to vulnerable members of the community. Also in 2023, BHFSA launched a 30-minute weekly radio show and podcast featuring local nonprofit and church leaders called “Together for Good.”

Hosted by Cody Knowlton, Together for Good is a part of the Foundation’s mission to honor Jesus Christ and our Baptist heritage by encouraging and funding health-related programs at area nonprofits and churches. Through Together for Good, we connect our audience to the work these organizations do in our community.

A total of 38 organizational leaders were interviewed in 2023, covering a range of topics including homelessness, substance abuse recovery, hunger and disability support. 2023 brought its own share of ups and downs for our community, but at Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio, we continue to thank God for His blessings on our Foundation and the area that we serve.

President 750 East Mulberry Avenue, Suite 325 San Antonio, Texas 782123107

bhfsa.org

CODY S. KNOWLTON

ERIC BLACK Executive Director/ Publisher

P.O. Box 259019 Plano, TX 75025-9019

(214) 630-4571

baptiststandard. com

About the Baptist Standard

Our mission is to connect God’s story and God’s people through news, opinion, and resources to grow God’s kingdom.

Our core commitments are the redeeming and reconciling work of Jesus Christ first and then historic Baptist principles and responsible journalism. We are accountable to our readers when we miss the mark on these commitments.

We are funded through donations, advertising, and endowment earnings.

The Baptist Standard has been published under that name since 1892 and publishes today Monday through Friday. Throughout our history, we have been a close partner of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

The special agreement approved by messengers to the 2023 BGCT annual meeting in McAllen clarifies the independent partnership between the convention and Baptist Standard Publishing Co. without changing the financial or board relationship between the two organizations.

Content areas

We publish news about the ministry and missions of individuals, churches, and institutions affiliated with the BGCT, as well as news related to religious liberty and other Baptist concerns around the world.

Our opinion features Texas Baptists and other Christians expressing their views on current events in relation to Scripture and the good news of Jesus Christ.

Our resources include Bible studies and book reviews. Articles can be printed or saved as PDFs.

How to stay connected

The Baptist Standard is published five days a week at www.baptiststandard.com, redesigned for easier reading and better service to our advertisers.

The Baptist Standard weekly edition is delivered by email each Thursday. You can sign up for our weekly edition at www.baptiststandard.com/email.

You also can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We need you

For us to succeed in keeping Baptists connected, we depend on people like you—faithful readers and financial supporters. Faithful readers share and discuss our content with family, friends, fellow church members, co-workers, and others. They also partner with us financially to ensure we are able to connect God’s story and God’s people to grow God’s kingdom around the world.

To further this mission, you can support us by visiting www.baptiststandard.com/donate/ or by mailing us at P.O. Box 941309, Plano, Texas 75094.

Advertising in the Baptist Standard

We offer classified ad space for churches and ministry organizations seeking candidates, as well as display ad space to those serving Baptist churches, ministries and institutions. Classified ads can be placed at www.baptiststandard.com/classifieds/.

For more information about advertising in the Baptist Standard, please contact Heather Davis at heather.davis@baptiststandard.com or 214-630-4571, ext. 1017.

Our team

• Eric Black, executive director, publisher, editor: In addition to oversight of operations, Eric oversees development and our opinion content. He can be reached at eric. black@baptiststandard.com.

• Ken Camp, managing editor: Ken, a veteran reporter, oversees all our news, Bible studies and book reviews. He can be reached at kencamp@baptiststandard.com.

• Calli Keener, news writer: Calli joined our team February 2024 and is being trained by Ken Camp. She can be reached at calli.keener@baptiststandard.com.

• Heather Davis, digital communications specialist: Heather takes care of our website, social media profiles, weekly edition distribution and advertising. She can be reached at heather.davis@baptiststandard.com.

• Lindsay Springer, administrative assistant: Lindsay handles billing and administrative matters. She can be reached at lindsay.springer@baptiststandard.com.

Denison Ministries was founded in Dallas, Texas in 2009 by Dr. Jim Denison and Jeff Byrd to encourage spiritual awakening while equipping believers to engage with the issues and news of the day from a biblical perspective, principally through its brand Denison Forum. Since 2009, Denison Ministries has added three other content offerings to its family of brands: First15, Christian Parenting, and Foundations with Janet Denison. Through the connection between Christ-centered content and technological innovation, the ministry resources and equips Christians, on technology devices they already use, with encouragement and insights they need in the moment. In the first quarter of 2024, the ministry has achieved over 20 million content experiences (across all brands and content platforms). Our goal is to reach 100 million content experiences by year-end.

Since June 2023…

Denison Forum (DenisonForum.org) increased its average monthly content experiences to 3,149,717. The Daily Article email was averaging over 2,096,754 opens each month. Denison Forum website content was viewed approximately 541,700 times per month and had over 356,495 monthly social media engagements. Dr. Denison and the Denison Forum team released multiple books including, Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design, The War in Israel: What You Need to Know about This Crisis of Global Significance, Bold Faith: First-Century Lessons for Twenty-First-Century Christians, Awaken My Heart: A Lent Devotional, Matthew: A Guide to Genuine Discipleship, and Biblical Insights to Tough Questions Volume 12.

First15 (First15.org) continued providing its 15-minute daily devotionals, averaging approximately 2.6 million content experiences each month. First15 launched three new kids’ devotionals: My Time With God, God’s Holy Spirit in Me, and Jesus the Light of the World (Advent). These 20-25 day devotional and art journals help kids ages 6-12 discover how to have a deeper relationship with the Father. First15 also continues its release of Guided Prayers, most recently releasing a series on creating rhythms of connection. It is our belief that people were made for authentic relationships with God, ourselves, and others; these prayers are a step toward fostering those connections.

Christian Parenting (ChristianParenting.org) Christian Parenting has shifted its primary focus to The Christian Parenting Podcast Network. The addition of multiple new shows has allowed CP to reach the needs of parents all around the world. Additionally, we created multiple new products for parents and for kids! Discipleship Simplified and Technology Simplified digital guides that offer the best podcasts, articles, and videos on topics that matter to parents. They even include discussion guides and conversation starters for parents to utilize with their kids. Our scripture affirmation cards are 25 cards that contain unique Biblical truth and affirmation to encourage kids in their faith, identity, and personal life!

Foundations with Janet Denison (FoundationswithJanet.org) saw a profound growth in content experiences over the last year. Since June 2023, Foundations with Janet Denison grew its content experiences from almost 58,000 to just under 112,000! Foundations also produced another successful in-depth Bible study, The Life of Jesus: Lessons on Discipleship in the Book of Matthew. The final volume in our Studies on Prayer series, The Purpose of Prayer: Vol. III, was also released. Finally, Foundations released our everpopular annual Advent book; the 2023 theme was A Christmas with Immanuel.

Denison Ministries believes not just in the value of Christ-centered content, but its power to transform lives, so God’s people can transform the world. To that end, each Daily Article, First15 devotional, Christian Parenting podcast, Foundations Bible study, book, and media opportunity is a result of that focus. Denison Ministries believes we live in an unprecedented day with an unprecedented opportunity to share biblical truth with God’s people and our larger culture. Jesus is just as alive and active as when he first rose from the dead. As part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), Denison Ministries is joining him in advancing his kingdom in America and around the world.

JIM DENSION Chief Executive Officer

17304 Preston Road Suite 1060 Dallas, TX 75252 denisonforum. org

HANCE DILBECK

President 5005 LBJ Freeway, STE 220 Dallas, TX 75244

1-888-98-GUIDE (888-984-8433)

GuideStone.org

But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more.

Paul’s words found in 1 Thessalonians 4:10(b) have helped shape GuideStone’s REACH Strategy, launched in 2023. It led to a new Vision and Mission.

Vision: Every servant of Christ finishes well.

Mission: We enhance financial security and resilience for those who serve the Lord.

2023 was the second largest fundraising year on record for Mission:Dignity — more than $12.2 million was given through this ministry to retirement-aged Southern Baptist ministers, workers and their widows. The financial assistance provides resources for housing, food and vital medications, ensuring a well-deserved dignity, independence and, often, the ability to continue serving the Lord.

In addition to record giving for Mission:Dignity Sunday and Giving Tuesday, giving to the O.S. & Susie Hawkins Emergency Grant Fund and additions to 13th Check partnerships with state conventions were major drivers of this great year of fundraising.

For 2023, Mission:Dignity assisted 2,908 retired ministers, spouses and widows living in 2,164 households nationwide compared to 2,868 retired ministers, spouses and widows living in 2,115 households in 2022. At the beginning of 2022, each recipient household received a 25% raise in monthly honorariums, a timely raise in assistance given this year of inflation. Total aid for all partnerships and programs to Mission:Dignity recipients was over $11.7 million, which included over $2.8 million disbursed in extra assistance, including emergency grants, 13th checks and funeral grants.

The U.S. labor market was surprisingly resilient throughout 2023. Despite the rapid rise in interest rates, labor demand remained unprecedented and continued to outstrip labor supply and prop up inflation. Nevertheless, labor growth is slowing, putting downward pressure on wage growth (and thus, prices). As tighter financial conditions catch up to consumers and businesses, we expect to see employment drop but labor hoarding by employers to continue to act as a powerful counterbalance.

The U.S. consumer was the mainstay of the global economy last year. Consumers continued to ride a wave of excess savings created by government stimulus and loan repayment moratoriums, which increased in widespread credit availability and inflated credit performance. At year-end, consumer balance sheets remain strong, and wage growth will likely outstrip inflation. However, consumers are now facing some notable headwinds as savings rates have declined well below pre-COVID levels, and access to credit is becoming increasingly constrained due to the higher cost of funding.

2023 was another stellar year for GuideStone’s Retirement Services teams. For the first time in history, GuideStone saw retirement savings exceed $1 billion in new assets under management. This was accomplished thanks in part to more than 17,000 new members and 636 new ministry partners.

GuideStone expanded its Financial Educator program in July for the benefit of the members we are privileged to serve. In just six months, the Educator team has hosted nearly 1,800 appointments covering such topics as retirement contributions, fund allocation and diversification, retirement income, and Social Security and Medicare. In addition, members are provided with actionable next steps and resources as a follow-up to their engagement. So far, 97% of members surveyed expressed that they felt more confident following their Educator appointment, and 88% took action or planned to take action as a result of their meeting.

Insurance added more products to the portfolio, including Ancillary products, such as Vision coverage, and value-added benefits like behavioral health and dermatology, to offer our members more benefits. The team has also put more emphasis on caring for our population as our members look to retire. We’ve done that by making our Life coverage more affordable upon retirement and setting up new Life products to be available in mid-2024. Lastly, new retiree medical plans are now available, with continued work being done to provide additional options throughout 2024.

The new Ministerial Resources Center debuted in October, Pastor Appreciation Month. The free online resource assists ministers and church decision-makers in enhancing the financial security and resilience of those who serve the Lord. At launch, it included seven educational videos, guiding ministers on navigating the unique IRS guidelines and benefits applicable to ministers, along with best practices for pastoral salaries, Social Security and insurance. The Ministerial Resources, along with other materials specifically for pastors and church leaders can be found at GuideStone.org/Pastor.

Texas Baptists Statistics

as of June 30, 2024:

Active churches in the Church Retirement Plan: 1,387

Persons receiving retirement benefits: 4,745

Number helped by Mission:Dignity ministry:..........310

Founded in 1930 as the Baptist Foundation of Texas, HighGround Advisors advances the important work of churches, ministries and other nonprofits by providing investment management and charitable gift planning services. With our flexible investment platform, we design solutions to fit the unique goals and needs of our client partners, and our gift planning solutions help charitably minded individuals steward their financial resources for Kingdom-advancement. The services we provide at HighGround Advisors enable our clients, who are actively making a difference today, to make an even greater difference tomorrow.

Fast facts:

• $2.8 billion in assets under management

• 94 years serving nonprofits and charitably minded individuals

• $1 billion distributed to client partners & income beneficiaries as directed over the last decade

• Over 525 client partner organizations and beneficiaries served

2023 Investment management highlights

• HighGround invests in asset classes beyond stocks and bonds, providing additional diversification, improved performance and reduced volatility. HighGround’s Capstone Fund has outperformed a less-diversified 75/25 portfolio by 140 bps over the past 3 years (4.7% vs. 3.6%).

• Reduced volatility helps to minimize losses in periods of market turmoil, improving the ability of portfolios to compound capital over time and ensuring more stable distribution levels. The 2024 payout levels for HighGround’s Capstone and Cornerstone investment solutions remain steady.

• Client partners added $87.5 million to short-term investments, such as treasury ladders and HighGround’s Enhanced Cash Fund (ECF). Short-term investment solutions continue to provide a nice boost in operating reserves for our client partners.

2023 Charitable giving highlights

• HighGround opened 547 new client accounts and distributed, as directed, $124.5 million to client partners and income beneficiaries.

• HighGround assisted families and donors in contributing $13.2 million in new gifts for charitable purposes, benefitting our Baptist constituents.

• Donors granted nearly $3.2 million to over 125 charities from donor-advised funds held at HighGround.

Featured giving tool: Donor-advised

funds

One of the fastest-growing and most flexible giving vehicles, a donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving account that is sponsored by a public charity, like HighGround Advisors, and funded by a donor’s tax-deductible contributions of cash, stock, mutual funds or other assets. Contributions to a DAF have the potential to grow, tax-free, over time and donors retain the right to recommend grants from the DAF to eligible charities of their choice. A DAF is an excellent tool for donors who wish to maximize their charitable impact, give in a tax-smart way, and streamline the administration of their donations.

The HighGround DAF Program provides our client partners and their donors with a values-aligned DAF option. Additionally, to ensure more DAF dollars are available to support the life-changing work of our client partners, HighGround does not charge the administrative fee most DAF sponsoring organizations charge on their donor-advised funds.

Protect. Strengthen. Grow.

We are proud to champion the important work of our Baptist institutions and are humbled to be their trusted partner. Working with innovation and vigilance, we wish to steward well the funds and assets entrusted to us by the nonprofits and generous individuals we serve.

JEFF W. SMITH President/CEO

1717 Main Street, Suite 1400 Dallas, Texas 75201

highground advisors .org

MICKEY B. LENAMON Chief Executive Officer

5351 Catron Dallas, Texas 75227

For many, the past year has been filled with heartache and pain. They have been shaken by what feels like a never-ending string of disasters that include hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, drought and even war. The road to recovery after these events can feel like climbing the tallest mountain.

Fortunately, we follow a God who moves mountains. Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:20-21: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Reflecting back, Texans on Mission volunteers must have a lot of faith because they’ve moved a lot of mountains in the name of Christ. Partnering with you and your church, we have met monumental needs and shared the Gospel with people throughout the state and around the world. This includes:

•Providing 120,000 meals after Hamas attacked Israel in 2023 and another 100,000 meals to Texans suffering through hurricanes and windstorms in 2024

•Served more than 110,000 hours after disasters

•Performed more than 1,000 chainsaw jobs and counting

•Washed, dried and folded more than 1,700 loads of laundry

•Distributed more than 1,000 Bibles

•Gave more than 50,000 people access to clean drinking water for the first time in their lives

•Provided roughly $1.8 million in free construction labor to churches and Christian camps across Texas

Why do we do this? It’s all about Jesus.

God has blessed Texans on Mission with a lot of equipment. More than 100 across the state. Mass feeding kitchens. Mobile shower/laundry units. Water well drills. Chainsaws of all kinds.

But those are simply tools that help Christian volunteers minister to people. They meet needs. They encourage people. They pray with folks. When the Lord prompts, they share the Gospel.

As a result, God is using Texans on Mission ministries to change lives today and for eternity. You helped lead more than 3,800 people to faith in Christ in the past 12 months. We praise God for each and every one of those decisions.

Thank you for you and your church’s commitment to sharing the life-changing love of Jesus through Texans on Mission ministries. Together, we are on mission with Christ.

Compelled to live missionally.

This is our hope for the world, but especially for those establishing and developing their relationship with God in Texas. The ministry and missions efforts of WMU of Texas are reaching the lost and equipping the believer for service. The mission of WMU of Texas is to empower God’s people to advance the Gospel through missional discipleship. We desire to see every believer across every culture and community compelled to live missionally. As we continue to engage with you in local missions, to establish partnerships for missions, and to empower our congregations for worldwide missions, it is our prayer that God continues to transform lives in Texas through you, the ministries of WMU of Texas, and through our worldwide partnerships.

Ministries like Christian Job Corps offer participants a hopeful second chance and volunteers the opportunity to live missionally. In 2023, the leaders and volunteers of CJC sites across Texas served 1420 participants, with 621 graduates, 66 professions of faith and over 63,000 volunteer hours. The impact of this ministry, often led or supported by congregations, is undoubtedly generational and can enhance the growth of thriving communities.

This year, we look forward to serving with you as we continue to form our border outreach ministry and offer additional missions discipleship resources for all ages. As we watch the hand of God at work in Texas, we are reminded that a community of believers compelled to live missionally can change the trajectory of one life, of one family and even an entire community.

We celebrate the lives transformed through missional discipleship and we are grateful for your partnership in service.

2023 Impact at a Glance

• Raised $3,277,802 for Texas Missions, supporting 88 ministries through the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions

• Trained over 400 leaders in missions discipleship.

• Maintained 40 Christian Job Corps sites in Texas.

• Built the 13th home for the South Texas Women’s Build with 31 women volunteers

• Housed 3 stateside missionary families in Mary’s House, the on-campus housing named to honor the life and legacy of Mary Hill Davis at SWBTS for Missionaries in Residence (MIRs)

• Celebrated 2 National Acteens panelists representing Texas.

• Established connections with 11 cultural groups for missions discipleship.

• Responded to 341 requests to start new WMU missions discipleship groups at Texas churches.

Thank you for your generosity and willingness to partner in missions!

Visit wmutx.org to learn how you can partner with WMU of Texas.

TAMIKO

JONES

Executive DirectorTreasurer 10325

Brockwood Rd, Dallas, TX 75238 wmutx.org

Abilene Callahan Baptist Association

Larry Tarver PO Box 5228

Abilene, TX 79608-5228 325-673-8349 www.acbaptists.org

Amarillo Area Baptist Association

Bryan Houser 2123 S Van Buren St Amarillo, TX 79109-2404 806-372-6566 www.amarilloareabaptistassociation.com

Austin Baptist Association

David Smith PO Box 4978 Austin, TX 78765-4978 512-454-2558 www.austinbaptist.org

Bell Baptist Association

Tom Henderson PO Box 1447 Belton, TX 76513-5447 254-939-0761 www.bellchurches.com

Bi-Fork Baptist Association

David Couch PO Box 2125 Vernon, TX 76385-2125 827-424-7578 www.bifork.org

Bi-Stone Baptist Association

Lowell Warren 519 S. McKinney Mexia, TX 76667-2814 817-939-1142 www.bistonebaptist.org

Big Bend Baptist Association

Edward Jennings PO Box 1488 Marfa, TX 79843 432-284-9170 www.bigbendbaptistassociation.net

Blanco Baptist Association

Eddie Saunders, Moderator 3901 Charco Rd Beeville, TX 78102-2111 361-358-9420 www.blancobaptistassociation.org

Bluebonnet Baptist Association

John Minton PO Box 312257

New Braunfels, TX 78130-3241 830-629-7674 www.bluebonnetbaptist.org

Bosque Baptist Association

Keith Blanton PO Box 391 Clifton, TX 76634-0391 254-675-8381 bosqueassociation.com

Bowie Baptist Association

John Webb, Moderator PO Box 7740 Texarkana, TX 75505-7740 903-276-2102 www.bowiebaptist.com

Brazos Valley Baptist Network

Steven Doyle 410 Tarrow St STE 101 College Station, TX 77840

979-846-1788 www.bvbn.org

Burnet Llano Baptist Association

Richard Ray 950 County Road 227 Hico, TX 76457 254-865-1299

www.tri-riversbaptistsarea.com

Caprock Plains Baptist Association

Lester Griffin 2301 Utica St Plainview, TX 79072-2063

806-296-2751 Caprockplains.org

Collin Baptist Association

Joe Patton, Interim 7300 TX-121 STE 300 McKinney, TX 972-529-5222 www.collinbaptist.com

Colorado Baptist Association

Barry Barnet 1515 Briar Ln Wharton, TX 77488-4309 903-227-9019 www.coloradoba.org

Concho Valley Baptist Association

Keith Durham 825 N Main St San Angelo, TX 76903-4056

325-653-4898 www.cvba.org

Cooke County Baptist Association

Vacant PO Box 842 Gainesville, TX 76241-0842

940-665-4082 www.cookecountybaptistAssociation

Corpus Christi Baptist Association

Richard Taylor 2820 South Padre Island Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78415 361-853-2555 www.ccbaptistAssociationiation.org

Coryell Baptist Association

Richard Ray

502 E. Main Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistarea.com

Crossroads Baptist Association

Glenn Faris 1311 Goliad St Big Spring, TX 79720-4639 432-263-1673 www.xroadsbaptistAssociation.org

Dallas Baptist Association

Ryan Jespersen 8001 E R L Thornton Fwy Dallas, TX 75228-7001 214-324-2803 www.dba.net

Del Rio Uvalde Baptist Association

Cynthis Huerta, Secretary 117 E Commerce St Uvalde, TX 78801-3713 830-278-5351 www.ddruba.net

Denton Baptist Association

Morgan Malone 1406 N Corinth St Ste 408 Corinth, TX 76208-5449 940-498-5200 www.dentonbaptist.org

Dogwood Trails Baptist Association

Alan Small PO Box 949 Jacksonville, TX 75766-0949 903-586-5156 www.dtbatogether.com

Double Mountain Baptist

Dan Steward 214 N. Swenson St. Stamford, TX 79553 325-773-2462 Dmba.weebly.com

East Texas Baptist Area

Lewis Edwards PO Box 546 Mt Enterprise, TX 75681-0546 903-822-3474 etba@eastex.net

East Texas Baptist Network PO Box 9067 Longview, TX 75604 903-753-9900 office@getba.info

El Paso Baptist Association

Larry Floyd 10061 Rushing Rd El Paso, TX 79924 915-544-8671 www.elpasoba.org

Ellis Baptist Association

Richard Cody PO Box 532 Waxahachie, TX 75168 972-937-9320 eba.life

Enon Baptist Association

Timothy Ellis PO Box 928

Linden, TX 75563-0928 903-756-7331 www.enonbaptistAssociation.org

Erath Baptist Association

Richard Ray

502 E. Main St. Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistsarea.com

Fannin Baptist Association

Darrel Hathcock 1505 Silo Rd Bonham, TX 75418-2864 903-583-2210 www.fanninbaptistAssociation.com

FIRM Baptist Area

Patrick Knowlton PO Box 192 Cameron, TX 76520-0192 254-697-6505 www.firbaptistarea.org

Frio River Baptist Association PO Box P Pearsall, TX 78061-1415 830-334-2061 www.frba.net

Galveston Baptist Association

Jim Grant 705 FM 517 East Dickinson, TX 77539 409-938-8942 www.galvestonbaptist.org

Gambrell Baptist Association

Matt Singleton PO Box 603 Gonzales, TX 78629 830-672-3830 www.southcentralarea.net

Golden Triangle Baptist Network

Jim Turnbo 3350 Dowlen Road Suite G Beaumont, TX 77706 409-832-1110 www.gtbn.us

Gonzales Baptist Association

Matt Singleton PO Box 603 Gonzales, TX 78629 830-672-3830 www.southcentralarea.net

Grayson Baptist Association

Bobby Fletcher PO Box 1806 Sherman, TX 75091-1806 903-868-9361 graysonbaptist.com

Guadalupe Baptist Association

Walter Jackson 2601 N Ben Jordan St Victoria, TX 77901-5611 361-575-5281 www.guadalupeba.com

Gulf Coast Baptist Association

Chuck Beem 2700 E Highway 35 Angleton, TX 77515-2904 979-849-2477 www.gulfcoastbaptist.org

Hamilton Baptist Association

Richard Ray 502 E. Main St. Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299

www.tri-riversbaptistarea.com

Harmony Pittsburg Baptist Association

Jeremy Randolph 403 Daingerfield St Pittsburg, TX 75686-1405 903-856-6696 www.harmonypittsburg.com

Harvest Baptist Association

Ryan Alexander PO Box 1735 Decatur, TX 76234-6150 940-627-0723 www.harvestba.org

Heart of Texas Baptist Network

Zachary Harrel PO Box 1646 Brownwood, TX 76804-1646 325-643-1348 www.heartoftexasmissions.org

Hill Baptist Association

Kenneth Coleman PO Box 1606 Hillsboro, TX 76645-1606 817-648-6645 broken22@windstream.net

Hill Country Baptist Association

Robert Wheat PO Box 294718 Kerrville, TX 78029 830-445-4222 Hcba.life

Hunt Baptist Association

Jim Gatliff PO Box 8848 Greenville, TX 75404 903-883-0001 www.huntbaptist.com

Independence Baptist Association

Patrick Knowlton PO Box 193 Cameron, TX 76520 254-697-6505 www.firmbaptistarea.org

Kauf-Van Baptist Association

Ernest McCoulskey PO Box 708 Terrell, TX 75160-0013 972-563-8023 www.kaufvanassn.org

Lake Ivie Baptist Association

Keith Simpson PO Box 639 Ballinger, TX 76821-0639 325-365-2585 lakeiviebaptist@yahoo.com

Lamesa Baptist Association

Ann Debnam, Secretary PO Box 1373 Lamesa, TX 79331-1373 806-201-0595 debnam@poka.com

Lampasas Baptist Association

Richard Ray 502 E. Main St. Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-1299 www.tri-riversbaptistarea.com

Laredo Baptist Association

Hector Almanza PO Box 1634 Laredo, TX 78044-1634 956-791-0410 lbalaredo@gmail.com

Leon Baptist Association

Allen Crosby 8153 FM 3178 Centerville, TX 75833-3116 903-536-7051 allenc@fbcjewett.org

Lubbock Area Baptist Association

Jerry Joplin 4207 34th St Lubbock, TX 79410-2641 806-791-4442 www.lubbockbaptist.com

Neches River Baptist Association

William Jones PO Box 995 Crockett, TX 75835-0995 936-544-3754 www.nechesriverbaptist.org

Palo Pinto Baptist Association

Ferel Gage PO Box C Mineral Wells, TX 76068-0079 940-452-1336 palopintobaptist@gmail.com

Paluxy Baptist Association

Boots Hubbard 1844 Acton Hwy Granbury, TX 76049-5900 817-579-5111 www.paluxybaptist.org

Parker Baptist Association

Tracy Cook 118 E Park Ave

Weatherford, TX 76086-5614 817-599-6586 www.parkerbaptist.org

Pecos Valley Baptist Association

Dudley Mullins PO Box 1105 Kermit, TX 79745-1105 432-586-6601 www.pecosvalleyba.com

Red River Valley Baptist Association

Guille Seigler 2320 Clarksville St Paris, TX 75460-6260 903-785-2890 www.redriverbaptist.com

Rehoboth Baptist Association

Danny Caldwell 1139 Industrial Dr E Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 903-885-2868 www.rehobothonline.com

Rio Grande Valley Baptist Raul Morales

617 W Expressway 83 Weslaco, TX 78596-4326 956-968-3161 asalazar@rgvbaptists.com

Sabine Neches Baptist Area

Jimmie Neel PO Box 159 Kirbyville, TX 75956-0159 409-423-2224 www.snbarea.org

San Antonio Baptist Association

Darrell Horn 5807 W IH 10 San Antonio, TX 78201-2800 210-525-9954 www.sabatx.org

San Felipe Baptist Association

Sam Waltman 1105 San Jacinto St Rosenberg, TX 77471-3641 281-232-8556 www.sanfelipeba.org

San Jacinto Baptist Association

Randell Gilchrist PO Box 1533 Baytown, TX 77522-1533 281-422-3604 www.sanjacintobaptist.com

Smith Baptist Association

Danny Pickens 3226 Old Jacksonville Rd Tyler, TX 75701-7503 903-581-6139 www.smithbaptist.com

Soda Lake Baptist Association

Danny Warbington PO Box 1088 Marshall, TX 75671-1088 903-938-0756 www.sodalakebaptist.com

South Central Baptist Area

Matt Singleton PO Box 603 Gonzales, TX 78629-0603

830-672-3830 www.southcentralarea.net

South Plains Baptist Association

Elvyn Lambright PO Box 1286 Levelland, TX 79336

806-894-6149

sbclevelland@sbclevelland.org

Southwest Metroplex Baptist

Scott Whitson

601 N Nolan River Rd Cleburne, TX 76033-7007

817-645-8222 www.swmba.net

Tarrant Baptist Association

David Bowman

4520 James Ave Fort Worth, TX 76115-2117 817-927-1911 www.tarrantbaptist.org

Top O Texas Baptist Association

James Greer PO Box 300 Pampa, TX 79066-0300 806-665-3152 www.topotexasAssociationiation.com

Tri County Baptist Association

Barry Schahn PO Box 1151 Cisco, TX 76437-1151 254-442-4568 Tri-countybaptistAssociationiation.com

Trinity River Baptist Association

David Williams PO Box 1269 Liberty, TX 77575-1269 936-336-9232 www.trbatexas.org

Tryon Evergreen Baptist Association

Roger Yancey PO Box 2408 Conroe, TX 77305-2408 936-856-2001 www.teba.org

Union Baptist Association

Josh Ellis

2916 W T C Jester Blvd Ste 200 Houston, TX 77018-7051 713-957-2000 www.ubahouston.org

Unity Baptist Association

Stephen Brazzel

105 Weber Street Suite B Diboll, TX 75941

936-526-2023 www.unityba.com

Waco Regional Baptist Association

Terry Johnston PO Box 1848 Waco, TX 76703-1848 254-753-2408 www.wacobaptists.org

Wichita Archer Clay Baptist

Darrell Brown PO Box 4110 Wichita Falls, TX 76308-0110 940-224-9136 www.wacmissions.org

Williamson Baptist Association

Kirk Wooldridge PO Box 607 Georgetown, TX 78628 512-930-0965 www.wbatexas.org

Alto Frio Baptist Encampment

P. O. Box 468

Leakey, TX 78873 (830) 232-5271 www.altofrio.com

Aspendale Mountain Retreat Center

P. O. Box 287 Cloudcroft, NM 88317 (800) 959-2605 www.aspendale.org

Big Country Baptist Camp 201 FM 142 Lueders, TX 79533 (325) 228-4542 www.bigcountrycamp.com

Big Red Ministries And Camp 34179 FM 1577

San Benito, TX 78586 (956) 204-0069 bigredministries.org

Camp Buckner Hill Country Retreat 3835 FM 2342 Burnet, TX 78611 (512) 756-7540 www.campbuckner.org

Camp Chaparral

3784 Church Camp Rd. Iowa Park, TX 76367 (940) 855-4182 www.campchaparral.org

Camp Copass

8200 E McKinney St. Denton, TX 76208 (940) 565-0050 www.campcopass.com

Camp Menard PO BOX 1385 Menard, TX 76859 (915) 396-2162 www.compmenard.org

Camps On The Rio The Hacienda/The Oasis 1600 E. BUSINESS HWY 83 MISSION, TX 78572 (956) 585-4393 www.campsontherio.com

Circle Six Baptist Camp P. O. Box 976 Stanton, TX 79782 (432) 458-3467 www.circle6camp.org

East Texas Baptist Encampment 178 Private Rd. 7005 Newton, TX 75966 (409) 379-2737 www.etbe.org

Heart Of Texas Baptist Camp & Conference Center 8025 North FM 2125 Brownwood, TX 76801 (325) 784-5821 www.heartoftexascamp.com

High Plains Retreat Center

18511 City Lake Rd Canyon, TX 79015 (806) 499-3429 hpretreatcenter.org

Highland Lakes Camp & Conference Center 5902 Pace Bend Rd. N Spicewood, TX 78669 (888) 222-3482 www.highlandlakescamp.org

Lake Lavon Baptist Camp 8050 COUNTY ROAD 735 Princeton, TX 75407 (972) 736-2273 www.lakelavoncamp.com

Lake Tomahawk Baptist Camp 408 Lake Tomahawk Livingston, TX 77351 (936) 563-4644 www.laketomahawk.org

Lakeview Baptist Assembly & Conference Center PO BOX 130 Lone Star, TX 75668 (903) 656-3871 www.lba1948.com

Latham Springs Camp And Retreat Center 134 Private Rd 223 Aquilla, TX 76622 (254) 694-3689 lathamsprings.com

Mount Lebanon Retreat & Conference Center 1701 Texas Plume Rd. Cedar Hill, TX 75104 (972) 291-7156 www.mtlebanoncamp.com

Paisano Baptist Encampment 91872 W HWY 90 Alpine, TX 79830 (432) 837-3074 www.paisanoencampment.org

Panfork Baptist Encampment 4530 County Rd 210 Wellington, TX 79095 (806) 447-2627 www.panfork.org

Pineywoods Baptist Camp 6272 East US 287 Woodlake, TX 75865 (936) 642-1723 www.pineywoodscamp.com

Plains Baptist Camp & Retreat Center 3001 Love Rd. Floydada, TX 79235 (800) 581-3954 www.pbcamp.org

Riverbend Retreat Center 1232 County Rd 411B UNIT C Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 897-4011 www.riverbendretreat.org

Tejas Camp & Retreat 1038 P.R. 2191 Giddings, TX 78942 (979) 366-2422 www.mytejas.org

Texas Baptist Encampment PO Box 1265 Palacios, TX 77465 (361) 972-2717 www.texasbaptistencampment.org

Timberline Baptist Camp & Conference Center 15363 FM 849 Lindale, TX 75771 (903) 882-3183 www.timberlinecamp.com

CAMPS

Trinity Pines

Conference Center

4341 FM 356

Trinity, TX 75862 (936) 594-5011 www.trinitypines.org

Zephyr Baptist Encampment 151 FM 3162 Sandia, TX 78383 (361) 547-2448 www.campzephyr.org

Article I – Name and Nature

Section 1. The name of this corporate body shall be The Baptist General Convention of Texas, hereafter Convention.

Section 2. This Convention is and always shall remain, only and solely a medium through which Baptist churches may work harmoniously in cooperation with each other, promoting the work and objects set forth in this constitution. It has not, to any degree, and shall never have any ecclesiastical authority. It shall not have and shall never attempt to exercise a single attribute of power or authority over any church, or over the messengers of the churches in such wise as to limit the sovereignty of the churches, but shall recognize the sovereignty of the churches under the one Sovereign, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Article II – Object

The object of this Convention shall be to awaken and stimulate among the churches the greatest possible activity in evangelism, missions, Christian education and benevolent work and enterprises; to cultivate a closer cooperation among the churches and promote harmony of feeling and concert of action in advancing all the interests of the Redeemer’s Kingdom.

Article III – Membership

Section 1. This Convention in session in all its meetings shall be composed of messengers elected by Baptist churches that shall voluntarily cooperate with the Convention. All messengers must be members of the church by which they are elected. A messenger must be enrolled at the Convention in session to be qualified to vote. The messengers have no right to act except for annual or special meetings constituting the Convention in session for which they have been elected by their cooperating churches.

Section 2. Each church cooperating with this Convention shall be entitled to:

A Two messengers for the first one hundred (100) members or fractional part thereof. Two additional messengers for the first two hundred fifty dollars ($250) given during the previous fiscal year to the Texas budget as adopted by The Baptist General Convention of Texas in annual session, and

B. One additional messenger for each additional hundred members and each additional one thousand dollars ($1,000) given during the previous fiscal year to the Texas budget as adopted by The Baptist General Convention of Texas in annual session, and

C. If, as calculated under B above, a church’s giving surpasses its membership, then one additional messenger for each two thousand dollars ($2000) given during the previous fiscal year to the Texas budget as adopted by The Baptist General Convention of Texas in annual session, not to exceed six additional messengers, provided, however, that

D. No church shall be entitled to more than twenty-five messengers.

E. A mission church shall be considered a church under the Constitution solely for the limited purpose of electing messengers to the Annual Meeting if it is identified as a body of believers separate from its sponsoring church; it contributes to the BGCT in an identifiable way either directly or through the sponsoring church from its own resources; it exists to address some specific mission need, such as language, culture or location, it regularly practices baptism and the Lord’s Supper separate from its sponsoring church; and it identifies itself with, aligns itself with, and endorses, generally, the purposes and work of the Convention. The total number of messengers a mission may qualify for is four (4) as specified in Article III, Section 2.A. 1st Adoption by

Article IV – Meetings

Section 1. The Convention shall meet annually at such a time and place, based on Convention site guidelines, as determined by the messengers at least two years prior to the annual meeting.

In case of emergency, the Executive Board is empowered to change the time and place of the meeting. The minutes of the annual meeting of The Baptist General Convention of Texas are to be approved by the Executive Board of the Convention at the first meeting of the Executive Board following the Convention.

Section 2. No notice of annual or regular meetings of The Baptist General Convention of Texas shall be required. Notice of a special meeting shall be given at least 10 days prior to such meeting by publication in any newspaper of general circulation in the community in which the principal office is located.

Section 3. The right to vote is limited to the duly elected and enrolled messengers who are actually present in the session at the time the vote is taken. There will be no proxy or absentee voting.

Section 4. The quorum for conducting business during any session of the annual meeting of The Baptist General Convention of Texas shall be a minimum of 25% of the enrolled messengers.

Section 5. Special meetings of the Convention may be called by the Executive Board by a two-thirds vote of the votes entitled to be cast by directors of the Board. The call for a special meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and the date, time and place for the meeting. The special meeting shall be limited to the purpose stated.

Article V – Officers

Section 1. The officers of this Convention shall be a president, a first vice president, a second vice president, a secretary of the Corporation, a recording secretary and a registration secretary. With the exception of the recording secretary who serves by virtue of serving as Treasurer, these shall be elected annually by ballot not later than the second day of the annual meeting. By unanimous consent any officer of this Convention may be elected by acclamation. Officers shall hold their offices until the end of the last session of the Convention meeting at which their successors are elected. In case of the death, resignation, or disability of the president, or if the president is no longer a member of a cooperating church, the vice presidents shall automatically succeed to the office of president in the order of their election.

Section 2. In any election for office, the nominee who receives the vote of a majority of the enrolled messengers present in the session shall be elected. If on the first ballot no nominee is elected, there shall be a run-off election between the two nominees who received the greatest number of votes on the first ballot.

Section 3. No one shall be eligible for the office of president or eligible for the same vice president’s office for more than two successive years.

Article VI – Committees

Section 1. The committees of the Convention shall be: (1) Committee on the Annual Meeting, (2) Committee on Credentials, (3) Committee on Committees, (4) Committee on Resolutions, (5) Committee on Memorials, (6) Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors, (7) Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries. The duties of the committees are included in the Convention Bylaws.

Section 2. Special committees may be established by action of the Convention to serve for specified periods of time to perform specific duties that in the judgment of the Convention cannot be effectively performed by one of the regular committees of the Convention or by the Executive Board.

The Convention shall specify the number of members to be appointed to each special committee and the method to be followed in selecting members. In the absence of other provisions, the president and the two vice presidents shall jointly appoint the members.

1st Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article VII – Executive Board

Section 1. Functions

The Executive Board speaks for the interest of the Convention and has authority and accountability over the work of the Convention in the interim between annual meetings, except for that which is reserved for the Convention in session as noted in the Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution and the Bylaws.

A. The Executive Board shall have charge and control, except when otherwise directed by the Convention, of all of the work of the Convention, including missions, education, and beneficence, in the interim between its sessions.

B. The Executive Board has authority to elect and employ, to evaluate performance and set compensation for the Executive Director who shall serve as chief executive officer of The Baptist General Convention of Texas and its Executive Board.

C. The Executive Board also has authority to elect an Associate Executive Director and a Treasurer/ Chief Financial Officer, both of whom shall serve under the direct supervision of the Executive Director. The Executive Director is authorized to employ other staff as provided by the plan of work and the financial plan of the Convention. The Board shall approve a compensation plan for Convention employees.

D. The Executive Board shall hold in trust and shall administer all the properties, annuities, trusts, and invested funds of this body except as otherwise provided for by the Convention, and the Board shall report annually to the Convention the state of all funds which the Board administers.

E. The Executive Board provides the Convention annually with a report of its work and with a complete financial accounting of all funds received and disbursed, including properties, trusts, and invested funds which the Board administers.

F. The Executive Board determines the organization, functions, responsibilities and working relationships of the Executive Board committees.

G. The Executive Board maintains an official organization manual setting forth the plan and organization of the Convention and its programs. It shall also maintain a policy manual (including business, financial and personnel) for those policies adopted by the Convention in session and by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Membership

A. The authorized number of elected directors shall be 90 directors from 30 sectors in the Convention. The sectors are based on resident church membership in counties, and such sector criteria will be included in the Bylaws upon recommendation of the Executive Board.

A minimum of three directors will be elected from each sector. The number of elected directors of the Executive Board will exceed ninety (90) until expiration of the terms of directors elected prior to the effective date of adoption of this amended Constitution.

B. One-third of the number of directors is elected each year to serve a three-year term. Directors are eligible for election to a second three-year term but are not eligible to serve more than six consecutive years.

C. Voting directors of the Executive Board shall be the elected directors, the convention president, and the two convention vice presidents, and the presidents of the Convention-recognized fellowships, provided that these presidents are members of churches supportive of the BGCT. Non-voting directors of the Executive Board shall be the executive director, recording secretary, and the presidents of Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, Texas Baptist Men and Baptist Student Ministry.

10, 2015

D. All Executive Board directors, including the ex officio directors, must be members of churches that are supportive of The Baptist General Convention of Texas.

E. No one who is an employee of the Convention or member of the immediate family of an employee, except an ex officio director of the Board, shall be eligible for membership on the Executive Board.

F. The membership of the Executive Board shall be generally representative of the Baptist membership in the Convention and shall include men and women, Anglo and non-Anglo persons, persons who are members of larger membership churches and smaller membership churches, and those who have abilities and experience needed by the Board. There shall be a minimum of forty percent (40%) of the persons elected each year who are church/denominational employees and a minimum of forty (40%) who are non-church/denominational employees.

Section 3. Officers

A. Officers shall be chairperson, vice chairperson, recording secretary and other such officers as the Executive Board may determine needed from time to time.

B. Term of service for elected officers is one year. A person is limited to a maximum service of two consecutive years in the same office. The exception to these provisions is the recording secretary who serves by virtue of serving as Treasurer.

C. Nominations for election of officers are from the floor. A person must be elected by majority vote.

If on the first ballot no nominee is elected, there shall be a run-off election between the two nominees who received the greatest number of votes on the first ballot.

Section 4. Committees

The Executive Board has the authority to establish and dissolve committees as required to carry out their responsibilities. Duties of the committees will be included in the Executive Board Policy Manual.

A. The Executive Committee plans, coordinates and monitors the general progress of the Executive Board, including the budget and financial affairs. The Executive Committee will be composed of the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board, the president and vice presidents of the Convention, and the chairperson of each Executive Board committee. The chairperson of the Executive Board will serve as chairperson of the Executive Committee. The executive director and the recording secretary will serve as ex officio members, without vote.

B. The Audit Committee is to oversee the financial audit function.

C. The Institutional Relations Committee is to give broad oversight of the institutions related to the Convention, recognizing that the institutions are managed by a separate board of trustees according to their articles of incorporation and bylaws.

D. The Church Ministries Committee shall set the direction for the operation of core ministries of the Convention.

E. The Administration Support Committee shall set direction and recommend general policies for the administrative functions of the Convention. The committee shall include a finance subcommittee for budget development and general financial oversight.

Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article VIII – Affiliated and Related Ministries

Section 1. General Provisions

A. Institutions or agencies which associate with this Convention in compliance with this Article are affiliated. Institutions or agencies which associate with this Convention pursuant to an adopted Special Agreement are related.

B. A new agency or institution may be established or a change in relationship with an agency or institution may be approved by a majority vote of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers when the vote is taken without regard to the total enrollment at any meeting of the Convention upon the recommendation of the Executive Board, and must be considered by the Executive Board not later than a September meeting of the Board preceding the annual meeting of the Convention. In the case of a new agency or institution, the recommendation must include a comprehensive plan of development, a set of proposed articles and bylaws, and a proposed annual budget.

C. An affiliation or relationship with an agency or institution may be discontinued by the Convention upon recommendation by the Executive Board and by majority vote of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers present when the vote is taken without regard to the total enrollment at any meeting of the Convention.

Section 2. Affiliated Ministries

A. Trustee Membership of Boards

1. Each institution affiliated with this Convention shall have a board consisting of thirteen (13) or more trustees of which at least a simple majority shall be elected by this Convention in its annual meetings. When the charter of such institution provides for a specific number of trustees, the number so provided for shall be elected. Those persons elected by the Convention to serve as members of these boards shall be active members of cooperating churches of The Baptist General Convention of Texas.

2. No person shall be eligible for concurrent membership on more than one affiliated board or board of related institutions or agencies.

3. Each institution affiliated with this Convention shall be eligible to elect those members of its trustee board not elected by the Convention in accordance with criteria adopted by its board. All trustees so elected shall be active members of a Baptist church and shall meet other criteria established by the Executive Board.

4. Trustees of affiliated institutions shall be elected in classes so that the terms of one class only shall expire with each Convention year. The term of office of each member of the boards of affiliated institutions shall be three years. A member who has served three full successive terms shall not be eligible for re-election until he or she shall have been out of office for one Convention year.

5. The board of trustees and the administrator of an institution may request that a trustee, whose continued service is considered imperative to meet an emergency or a special need, be elected for an additional year. Such an exception must be approved by the Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries. No more than two exceptions may be made for any given term for any one institution. In the event of such an exception, the position filled by that trustee shall revert to its previous class at the completion of the extra year.

6. No Trustee shall be allowed to name his or her successor by resigning in favor of another person.

1st Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

7. No elected trustee of the board of an affiliated institution who resigns from that board before the expiration of his or her current term shall be eligible for nomination to another board of the Convention until one year after such resignation is filed. A trustee elected by the Convention who no longer meets the qualifications for service set forth by the Convention as determined by the Executive Board, shall cease to be a trustee and that place shall be deemed vacant, or the Executive Board upon a 75 percent vote of those present may recommend to the Convention the removal of a trustee.

A vote of 75 percent of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers when the vote is taken without regard to the total enrollment at any annual meeting of the Convention is necessary for removal. The Articles of Incorporation and bylaws of affiliated institutions shall not contain provision inconsistent with this Section 2 (A)(7).

8. The Recording Secretary of the Convention shall be notified immediately of vacancies that occur on an institutional board for any cause. Should a trustee position elected by the Convention become vacant for any cause, the Convention shall name a replacement trustee for that position through its adopted processes

B. The board of each institution affiliated with this Convention shall submit any and all changes or amendments to the institution’s charter to the Executive Board for approval. Any changes that significantly alter the mission of the institution or the institution’s relationship to The Baptist General Convention of Texas shall be referred to the Convention for approval.

Section 3. Related Ministries

A. The institution’s Articles of Incorporation and Special Agreements with the Convention shall guide the election and terms of trustees.

B. No person shall be eligible to concurrently serve on more than one related ministry board or affiliated ministry board.

C. The board of an institution may request, with a 75 percent vote of its board, that the institution relate to the Convention through a contractual Special Agreement rather than as an affiliated institution. Such agreements must be approved by the Convention at its annual meeting and may be considered only after favorable action by the Executive Board. Special Agreements must be negotiated in accordance with policies established by the Executive Board.

Section 4. Reports and Reviews to the Convention

A. The board of each agency or institution affiliated with or related by Special Agreement to this Convention shall submit to the Convention at each annual meeting such written reports as will keep the Convention fully informed concerning the activities, plans, resources, financial condition, and legal status of the institution.

B. The board of each agency or institution, except general acute care hospitals and health care systems, affiliated with this Convention shall submit for review and approval to this Convention, or to a committee designated by this Convention, each and every project or policy that involves a level of indebtedness of the institution beyond the policies of The Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014

Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article IX – Contributions and Funds

Section 1. The Cooperative Program shall be the chief means through which this Convention shall support its missionary endeavors. The mission causes shall be reviewed and the Cooperative Program Budget through which they are supported shall be adopted annually.

Annual adoption of the budget shall be voted at the Annual Meeting held in the fall. The Executive Board will be responsible for budget adoption at its fall meeting in years when a summer Annual Meeting is held.

Section 2. All funds of this Convention shall be raised by voluntary contributions provided this does not prevent acquiring funds, or property, by bequest or use of any income on property that may be bequeathed to or purchased by the institutions or agencies hereof.

Section 3. All designated offerings or special gifts shall be strictly applied according to the expressed will and direction of the contributor.

Article X – Offices

The Convention shall maintain a principal office within the State of Texas and shall continuously maintain in the State of Texas a registered office which is identical with the principal office and a registered agent who is the recording secretary of the Convention as required by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act. The Executive Board shall, from time to time, amend the Articles of Incorporation of the Convention as necessary to reflect the then current address of the registered office and the registered agent.

Article XI – Amendments

Any alterations may be made in these Articles by two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by the messengers present when the vote is taken without regard to total enrollment at any annual meeting of the Convention, provided (1) no amendment may be considered after the second day of the Convention and (2) that an amendment shall be so approved by two successive Conventions.

1st Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 17, 2014 Final Adoption by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session November 10, 2015

Article I – General Provisions

Section 1. For purposes of usage in the Constitution and these Bylaws, a church is deemed to be affiliated with the Convention if such church (1) identifies itself with, aligns itself with, and endorses, generally, the purposes and work of the Convention, and (2) is otherwise eligible to send messengers to the annual meeting of the Convention. For purposes of usage in the Constitution and the Bylaws, “supportive” and “cooperating” shall have the same meaning as “affiliated” has in these Bylaws.

Section 2. All Convention officers, members of Convention committees, all Executive Board directors, and all non-director members of any special committee, subcommittee, group, team, council or other entity created under or permitted to be created under these Bylaws shall be members of affiliated churches. An exception will be made for members of groups, teams, councils or other entities who are Baptists and live outside the state of Texas.

Section 3. If a person named in Section 2 is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, or otherwise vacates the position, the position will be deemed vacant and the vacancy will be filled according to the provisions of these Bylaws.

Determination of vacancies and the date of such vacancy will be made by the Executive Board or a committee of the Board so authorized by the Executive Board.

Article II – Messengers

Section 1. Each messenger shall register with the Registration Secretary by presentation of proper credentials prior to being seated as a messenger to the Convention.

Section 2. The credentials of a registered messenger may be reviewed by the Credentials Committee as deemed necessary.

Section 3. Any challenges to the seating of the messengers of a church will be presented in writing to the Credentials Committee during the Annual Meeting.

Section 4. Any challenges to the ability of a church to have the opportunity to send messengers to the Annual Meeting will be presented in writing to the Executive Board.

Article III – Meetings

Section 1. The annual meeting of the Convention shall be a gathering for the purpose of worship, fellowship, mobilizing, encouraging, informing and uniting Texas Baptists to accomplish the Great Commission, as well as to elect officers; receiving recommendations and reports of officers, committees and boards; and for any other business that may arise or be scheduled.

Section 2. The Convention shall determine its order of business at the first session of the annual meeting.

Section 3. Special meetings may be called according to the provisions of the Constitution.

Section 4. In all questions covering the proceedings of the Convention in both annual and special meetings, Robert’s Rules of Order (latest revised edition) shall be the authority used by the presiding officers and by the Convention, unless the Constitution or the Bylaws have special rules of order that apply.

Article IV – Duties of Convention Officers

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the president to preside over the deliberations of the Convention and to discharge such other duties as are usually incumbent on the presiding officer of a deliberative body.

If the president is no longer a member of a church cooperating with the Convention, a vice president shall succeed to the office according to provisions of the Constitution, and this fact shall be so recognized by a resolution of the Executive Board.

Section 2. The vice presidents shall discharge such duties as requested by the president. In the absence of the president from a Convention session, a vice president in the order in which he or she was elected shall preside.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the recording secretary to keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Convention, and to file and keep all papers in order deemed important to be preserved.

Section 4. The registration secretary shall be responsible for registration of all messengers of the Convention.

The registration secretary shall report to the chairperson of the Committee on Credentials the number of messengers registered as of the hour the Convention convenes and periodically thereafter as prescribed by the chairperson of the Committee on Credentials.

Following the Convention the registration secretary shall provide the recording secretary the number of messengers registered, arranged by associations.

Section 5. The duties of the secretary of the Corporation shall be to attest legal papers of the Convention.

Article V – Convention Committees

Those committees that use sector criteria for membership shall use the same sectors as used for the Executive Board membership in the Bylaws, Article VI, Section 1, A.

Section 1. The Committee on Annual Meeting shall be responsible for recommending the time and place of future annual meetings of the Convention, for selecting the worship leaders and for formulating the agenda for the annual meeting and submitting the agenda to the messengers for approval at the opening session.

The committee shall have eighteen members appointed for three year terms with six appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly.

The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

A. This committee shall provide periods of time during the early sessions of the Convention annual meeting for the introduction of all matters requiring a vote not scheduled on the agenda and when introduced shall fix times for consideration for the same, unless the Convention gives its unanimous consent for its immediate consideration.

B. This committee shall be responsible for formulating and recommending the Standing Rules of the Convention to the Convention for adoption. The Standing Rules of the Convention may be amended without notice by majority vote.

It also shall be responsible for recommending the disposition of motions made during consideration of miscellaneous business but not finally disposed.

Section 2. The Committee on Credentials shall be responsible for verifying credentials of prospective messengers, enrolling messengers, for investigating any contention arising out of the enrollment of messengers, and for reporting its findings to the Convention. Any challenges to the seating of messengers of church that are based upon the assertion that a church is no longer in harmonious cooperation with Texas Baptists will be referred to the Executive Board and not reported on until the next Annual Meeting. At the time scheduled by the Committee on Annual Meeting, the chairperson of the Committee on Credentials shall report the number of messengers registered as of the opening of the annual meeting or special meeting and periodically thereafter.

The committee when established shall have ten (10) members appointed for two years with five (5) appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

Section 3. The Committee on Committees shall be responsible for nominating persons for election by the Convention to serve on the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors and the Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries, and for such special committees as the Convention shall designate. The committee shall have fifteen (15) members appointed for three-year terms with five (5) appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

Section 4. The Committee on Resolutions shall be responsible for receiving all resolutions proposed by messengers and for reporting its findings to the Convention.

The committee shall have ten (10) members appointed for two-year terms with five (5) appointed each year by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

All resolutions shall be automatically referred to the Committee on Resolutions without public reading or discussion.

This committee is directed to report back to the Convention such resolutions as it deems proper, whether submitted to or prepared by the committee.

Section 5. The Committee on Memorials shall be responsible for preparing and presenting to the Convention suitable memorial statements in remembrance of active Baptists whose death occurred during the year preceding the Convention session.

The committee shall have five (5) members appointed for one-year terms by the president and the vice presidents acting jointly. The president and vice presidents may appoint replacements to fill vacancies.

Section 6.The Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall be responsible for nominating persons for election by the Convention to serve on the Executive Board.

A. The committee shall have fifteen (15) members, five (5) of whom shall be elected each year to serve for three-year terms. Members of this committee shall be elected by the Convention on the nomination of the Committee on Committees.

A member may serve one three-year term and is not eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed. No two members of this committee shall be from churches in the same sector.

The committee shall publish its list of nominees at least two full days prior to the day on which directors of the Executive Board are to be elected by the Convention

B. All members should be persons with experience in Convention affairs. In the election of the fifteen (15) members, a minimum of six (6) shall be church/denominational employees and a minimum of six (6) non-church/denominational employees. Spouses of church/denominational employees shall be considered in that category. Retired persons and their spouses who served as church/ denominational employees shall be considered in that category.

C. If a member moves from a church in one sector to a church in another sector that is already represented on the committee, the member shall continue to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

If a member resigns or is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees may nominate to the Executive Board at its next meeting a person who shall be elected on a temporary basis to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the membership shall be terminated.

Thereafter, the persons or committee charged with nominating the members of such committee shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

D. The committee shall conduct its work in accordance with a policy adopted by the Executive Board. The policy adopted shall provide for the committee to seek information and suggestions from persons in all sectors.

Section 7. The Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries shall be responsible for nominating persons for election by the Convention to serve on the boards of trustees and boards of directors of all Convention institutions, agencies, and affiliates.

A. The committee shall have fifteen (15) members, five (5) of whom shall be elected each year to serve for three-year terms.

Members shall be elected by the Convention on the nomination of the Committee on Committees. A member may serve one three-year term and is not eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed. No two members of this committee shall be from churches in the same sector.

B. All members should be persons with experience in Convention affairs. In the election of the fifteen (15) members, a minimum of six (6) shall be church/denominational employees and a minimum of six (6) non-church/denominational employees.

Spouses of church/denominational employees shall be considered in that category. Retired persons and their spouses who served as church/denominational employees shall be considered in that category.

C. If a member moves from a church in one sector to a church in another sector that is already represented on the committee, the member shall continue to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

If a member resigns or is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, the position will be deemed vacant and the Committee on Committees may nominate to the Executive Board at its next meeting a person who shall be elected on a temporary basis to serve until the succeeding Convention, at which time the membership shall be terminated.

Thereafter, the persons or committee charged with nominating the members of such committee shall make a nomination to the Convention to fill the unexpired term.

D. The committee shall conduct its work in accordance with a policy adopted by the Executive Board. The policy adopted shall provide for the committee to seek information and suggestions from persons in all sectors. The policy adopted also shall provide for the committee to establish one nominating subcommittee for each institutional board, agency, and affiliate to assist the committee by suggesting names of persons who shall be considered for nomination for election to boards. The committee shall determine the composition of each subcommittee and select the members of each subcommittee.

E. The subcommittee shall develop the lists of suggested nominees in accordance with criteria established by the Executive Board. The committee shall develop its list of nominees on the basis of the list of suggested nominees presented by the subcommittee, screening those lists to eliminate duplications and to assure compliance with established criteria.

The committee shall publish its list of nominees at least two full days prior to the day on which members of institution boards, agencies, and affiliates are to be elected by the Convention.

Article VI – Executive Board

Section 1. Membership

A. The elected membership of the Executive Board shall be ninety (90) directors from thirty (30) sectors in the Convention. At least three directors will be elected from each sector. The composition of the Executive Board shall be that as defined in the Constitution. Additionally, at least thirty percent (30%) of the membership shall be non-Anglo persons.

The sectors are based on resident church membership in counties with additional consideration given to the number of churches and Cooperative Program giving for Texas causes. The drawing of sector boundaries is based on the following weighted criteria by county: resident church membership, fifty percent (50%); number of churches, twenty-five percent (25%); and Cooperative Program giving for Texas causes, twenty-five percent (25%).

Large population counties may contain multiple sectors, and smaller population adjacent counties may be grouped into one sector. Counties containing more than one sector will not be subdivided.

Sector boundaries will be evaluated every five years by the Executive Committee of the Board and any changes recommended to the Board for approval.

B. The Executive Board shall have ex-officio directors in addition to the ninety (90) elected directors. The ex-officio directors shall be divided into these two classes.

Class 1. The president and vice presidents of the Convention and presidents of the recognized fellowships, provided that these presidents are members of churches supportive of the Convention. These persons shall by virtue of office serve with all rights, privileges, and duties of, and shall in all matters be treated as elected directors.

Class 2. The non-voting directors named in the Constitution, Article VII, Section 2, C. These persons shall by virtue of office serve with all rights, privileges, and duties of, and shall in all matters be treated as elected directors, except these persons shall not have the right to vote in regard to actions of the Executive Board or in regard to actions of any committee of the Executive Board, and shall not be counted for purposes of ascertaining a quorum of the Executive Board or of any of its committees nor in the number needed for adoption of certain actions.

C. If a director of the Executive Board moves from a church in one sector to a church in another sector, the director shall continue to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the membership shall be terminated and the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall make a nomination to fill the unexpired term.

In order to achieve the purposes and structure dictated by the Constitution, as each incumbent director completes the term to which he or she was elected prior to the adoption of these Bylaws, or in the event any director, prior to the expiration of his or her term, dies, resigns, is no longer a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, is removed by the Convention, or otherwise vacates the office of director, such director’s position on the Executive Board determined by the previous provisions shall be deemed eliminated and no vacancy shall be deemed to exist, except as follows: if a sector has less than three directors on the Executive Board or after the time the number of directors positions has been reduced to ninety (90) elected directors, then when a vacancy occurs for any reason outlined in the foregoing sentence, the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall nominate to the Executive Board at its next meeting a person who shall be elected on a temporary basis to serve until the succeeding Convention at which time the membership shall be terminated and the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors shall make a nomination to fill the unexpired term.

Should an ex-officio director resign, be unable to continue to serve, or no longer be a member of a church affiliated with the Convention, the position will be deemed vacant.

The Executive Board shall give the entity responsible for the election of such person written notice that such person’s position as a director has been deemed vacant and that such director position shall remain vacant until it is filled by such entity’s presentation to the Executive Board of another person qualified to serve as such entity’s ex-officio director under the Constitution and these Bylaws.

D. The Constitution and Bylaw provisions in regard to the composition of the Executive Board directors pertain to directors elected under these Bylaws and not to previously elected directors continuing during the transition period.

Section 2. Elected Officers

The Board shall elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson annually. The treasurer/chief financial officer of the Convention shall serve as recording secretary. The officers shall have the following duties:

A. Chairperson

1. Presides at all meetings of the Board.

2 Chairs the Executive Committee.

3. Assists the executive director as the director provides leadership in the planning and implementation of Convention operations and ministries.

4. Consults with the executive director and secretary prior to each meeting to set the agenda.

5. Appoints special committees as authorized by the Board.

6 Represents the Board in meetings of Convention agencies as invited to do so.

7. Serves the Board by carrying out responsibilities assigned to the chair.

B. Vice Chairperson

1. Assists the chairperson throughout the term as may be requested.

2. Presides at meetings of the Board and Executive Committee in the absence of the chairperson or at the request of the chairperson

C. Recording Secretary

The recording secretary is to keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Executive Board and to file and keep in order all papers deemed important to be preserved.

Section 3. Election of Officers

A. Nominations

Nominations shall be made from the floor at the last regular meeting of the year. Nominations shall be made in this order: chairperson and vice chairperson.

B. Voting

The election of officers shall be the first order of business on the agenda at the last regular meeting of the year.

Election shall be by show of hands unless the chairperson with the appointed parliamentarian shall agree that the vote be by ballot. A majority of votes cast shall determine the person chosen.

C. Terms

Officers of the Board shall serve one-year terms and be eligible for one additional term. Terms begin immediately following the close of the last session of the annual meeting of the Convention. Should for any reason the office of chairperson be vacated prior to completion of the term, the vice chairperson shall become chairperson for the remainder of the term.

In such case, the vacancy of the vice chairperson would be filled at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board.

Section 4. Meetings

A. Authority

The Board shall meet at times and on a schedule that it adopts. The meeting date of the Convention should be a strongly influencing factor in the determination of when the Board meets.

The meetings should be calendared so as to supplement and facilitate the total work of the Convention in support of all Convention-adopted programs.

The meeting schedule of the Board shall be recommended to the Board by the Executive Director.

B. Meeting Times

The Board shall determine three-to-five years in advance the three times during each calendar year it meets.

C. Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the Board shall be the one conducted prior to but not necessarily in conjunction with the annual Convention meeting. At this meeting, the Board will elect officers, may appoint committees, and consider other business as may come before the meeting.

D. Place of Meeting

The Board may designate any place within the State of Texas as the place of meeting.

E. Notice of Meetings

Written notice stating the place, day, and hour of any meeting of directors shall be delivered either personally, by mail, or by electronic means to each director, not less than 10 days or more than 60 days before the date of such meeting by or at the direction of the chairperson.

F. Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the executive director and/or the chairperson with the consent of two of the following: the vice chairperson of the Board and the president and vice presidents of the Convention; or may be called by not less than twenty percent (20%) of the directors.

The call for a special meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting, and the time, date, and place for the meeting. The special meeting shall be limited to the purpose stated.

G. There will be no proxy voting.

Adopted by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session, November 14, 2016

Section 5. Committees

Descriptions of the committees and duties of the Executive Board Committees will be described in the policy of the Executive Board as adopted by the Executive Board.

Section 6. Voting by Mail or Electronic Means

Any action required by law to be taken at a meeting of directors or any action which may be taken at a meeting of directors may be taken without a meeting if consented to and signed by a requisite number of directors of the Executive Board who are entitled to vote, either in writing, by mail ballot, by electronic means, or by some combination of both, with respect to the subject matter thereof.

The requisite number is the number that would be necessary to take that action at a meeting at which the directors were present and voted. Where a specific business item may need action prior to a regular meeting, the chairperson, or the vice chairperson in his absence, may conduct the voting by mail or by electronic means, or by some combination of both.

No vote shall be taken by electronic means or by telephone unless notice of such proposed vote to be taken has been communicated by electronic means, in person, by mail, by telephone, or by any of these means, to all members of the Executive Board or to the committee or subcommittee proposing to take a vote at least three (3) business days prior to the first day on which votes will be accepted. Notice by mail shall be deemed properly given if deposited in the U.S. Mail at least five (5) business days prior to such first day.

Voting by fax, email, dedicated website, any similar technology, or any combination of such means shall constitute “electronic means” for purposes of this and the following section.

“Signing” of a ballot or other confirmation of a vote by way of electronic means shall be broadly construed to permit effective utilization of such means.

In addition, committees and subcommittees of the Executive Board, together with any group authorized under Section F. of this article, but not the Executive Board as a whole, may take votes telephonically as a part of a committee or subcommittee meeting via conference telephone call or any other electronic conferencing media (and without necessity of a signed ballot). Written memoranda or minutes shall be made of all meetings and votes undertaken by electronic means or telephonically or by mail, and shall be entered into the records of the Executive Board or the appropriate committee or subcommittee as of the next meeting in which the members assemble in person.

There will be no proxy voting and therefore voting by mail or by electronic means shall not be considered to be voting by proxy.

Section 7. Quorum

The directors holding one-half (50%) of the total votes which may be cast at any meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 8. Compensation

Directors shall not receive any salaries for their services but may receive reimbursement for appropriate travel expenses.

Article VII – Convention Employees

Section 1. Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer Recruitment

The Executive Board is to establish a search committee composed of seven (7) members of the Executive Board appointed by the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board and eight (8) members of the Convention-at-large appointed by the president and vice presidents of the Convention.

The chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board and president and vice presidents of the Convention will nominate a chairperson of the Search Committee from among the fifteen (15) members. The Executive Board is to approve the Search Committee and the chairperson.

Section 2. Associate Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer Recruitment

The executive director with the chairperson and vice chairperson of the Executive Board and the president of the Convention shall compose the search committee for the associate executive director/chief operating officer and the treasurer /chief financial officer as needed.

Section 3. Other Employees of the Convention

The executive director is authorized to employ other staff as needed in the plan of work and as provided by the financial plan of the Convention.

Article VIII – Amendments

These Bylaws may be changed or amended at any regular session of the Convention’s annual meeting, except the last session of the meeting, provided said change or amendment is offered at the first session of the annual meeting, and carries over to some subsequent session during the same meeting, and then receives a two-third’s majority of messengers present and voting in the session.

by Baptist General Convention of Texas in session, November 14, 2016

African American Ministries, 44

Area Representatives, 25

Associate Executive Director, 14

Associations, 106

Associational Relations, 8

Baptist Church Loan Corporation, 98

Baptist Community Services, 82

Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio, 99

Baptist Health System, 90

Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, 92

Baptist Standard, 100

Baptist University of the Américas, 58

Baylor Scott & White Health, 94

Baylor University, 60

Bivocational Pastors Ministry, 26

BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery, 33

Buckner International, 84

Bylaws, 118

Camps, 109

Center for Church Health, 15

Center for Collegiate Ministry, 48

Center for Cultural Engagement, 39

Center for Ministerial Health, 24

Center for Missional Engagement, 32

Chaplaincy Relations, 47

Children at Heart Ministries, 86

Christian Life Commission, 40

Church Architecture, 16

Church Health and Growth, 17

Church Starting, 34 Communications, 9

Conference & Event Planning, 54

Constitution, 111

Cooperative Program, 8

Counseling Services, 27

Dallas Baptist University, 62

Denison Ministries, 101

Discipleship and NextGen, 18

East Texas Baptist University, 64

Ethics & Justice, 41

Evangelism, 19

Executive Director, 4

Executive Board Report, 5

Finance and Accounting, 55

Financial Health, 28

GC2 Press, 20

Go Now Missions, 49

GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, 102

Hardin-Simmons University, 66

Hendrick Health System, 96

HighGround Advisors, 103

House Churches, 35

Houston Christian University, 68

Howard Payne University, 70

Human Resources, 10

Hunger & Care, 43

Information Technology and Support Services, 56

Institutions, 58

Intercultural Ministries, 46

Interim Church Services, 29

Ministers Development and Missional Networks, 36

Missionary Adoption Program, 37

Music & Worship, 21

Pastoral Health Networks, 30

Public Policy, 42

River Ministry/Mexico Missions, 38

San Marcos Academy, 76

STCH Ministries, 88

Stark College & Seminary, 78

Statement of Activities, 52

Statement of Financial Position, 53

Texans on Mission, 104

Texas Baptist en Español, 45

Texas Baptist Heritage Center, 11

Texas Baptist Historical Collection, 12

Texas Baptist Missions Foundation, 13

Treasurer/CFO, 51

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 72

Valley Baptist Missions Education Center, 80

Wayland Baptist University, 74

Western Heritage Ministries, 31 Women’s Ministry, 23

WMU of Texas, 105

Young Adult Ministry, 22