January 26, 2000
Ministry needs along border growing rapidly
___By Ken Camp
___Texas Baptist Communications
___Evangelism and church planting are not keeping pace with the explosive population growth along the Texas/Mexico border, according to Dexton Shores, director of River Ministry with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
___Seventy-two percent of the 14 million people living along the Rio Grande do not practice any religion, Shores noted. And on the Mexico side of the border alone, the population is expected to triple in the next 20 years.
___"In spite of all that Texas Baptists have done along the border, with the growing population, we only have one Baptist church for every 67,000 people on the Mexico side of the border," he said.
___Mexico Baptists are trying to stem the tide, Shores is quick to add. In Coahuila, churches have a goal of sharing the gospel and establishing a self-supporting church in every community. One church there currently offers two morning worship services, on-campus Bible studies that draw 400 each week and more than 70 cell-group Bible studies that attract 700 participants.
___Texas Baptists--especially Hispanic Texas Baptists who understand the language and culture--can play a vital role in strengthening congregations along the borderland, Shores asserted.
___"We need new groups, particularly Hispanic groups," he said. "One church shouldn't feel unable to participate just because it cannot put together a team of a dozen or more volunteers. Smaller groups of individuals can partner with other church groups."
___A general training event for volunteers is scheduled in Central Texas in February, and five on-site retreats are slated for the first quarter of 2000.
___The general River Ministry retreat will be held Feb. 25-26 at Latham Springs Baptist Encampment in Aquilla. Cost is $40 per person. The training event will feature conferences both in Spanish and English. For more information, call (888) 333-2363 or e-mail rios@bgct.org.
___The five on-site retreats will allow representatives from upstate churches to meet not only with associational directors of missions, but also with pastors and leaders of borderland churches. Pre-registration and scheduling of visits to mission sites should be coordinated through the local director of missions using the phone numberw below.
___The on-site retreats will be held:
___Jan. 28-29 in Rio Grande Valley Baptist Association. Call (956) 968-3161.
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