March 15, 2000
TOGETHER:
Texas Baptist pastors love
God and their churches
___It's an informal and not-yet-completed survey, I know, but it seems about four out of 10 Texas Baptist pastors drive pickups. Some of them are monster trucks, and some are small imitations of the real thing.
___The pastor at Woodlawn in Austin, Barry Chinn, has a longhorn steer hood emblem. He told me about Cowboy, his pet longhorn steer he rides in parades. He has gathered ninelonghorns into his herd, but so far only Cowboy will let him saddle him up.
CHARLES WADE
Executive Director
BGCT Executive Board
___I have been to the Valley, to the High Plains, to the urban centers, to the South Plains, and to East and West Texas. Everywhere I go, I find pastors deeply involved in the lives of their people. They love who they are, where they serve and the people God has given them to work with.
___It is true some churches and pastors are going through difficulties, stress and conflict, but not everywhere and not everyone. Our BGCT staff is hard at work helping pastors and staff ministers develop leadership skills, helping dysfunctional churches to become healthy churches, helping resolve tensions, and working to restore hope and vision to congregations all across Texas--large and small, rural and urban, new and old.
___I thank God for pastors who though not perfect are living in the joy of their calling and making a difference for God in people's lives throughout the week and especially on Sunday.
___I have listened to pastors preach, and it is clear they have worked prayerfully and diligently to bring a good word from God's word to their people. Some are self-taught and some seminary trained, but they have handled the Scriptures with integrity, boldness and compassion. They want the best for their churches, and they have committed themselves, their families and their future to the task of leading their people to love God, to serve people. They want to help their churches worship God and live and speak the gospel in their world.
___Space does not allow me to list but just a few of the many outstanding pastors in our state who have blessed me in recent days, but I have been blessed as I have heard Clyde Glazener, Gambrell Street, Fort Worth; Danny Griffin, Christ Fellowship, Arlington; Jerald Johnson, Bedias, Bedias; and Ellis Orozco, Calvary, McAllen, and have been stirred and challenged by their biblical, strong and loving words to their people. I have been blessed as I have watched Ken Flowers, First, Brownfield; Richard Rush, First, O'Donnell; Don Guthrie, First, San Antonio; Doug Diehl, Crossroads, San Antonio; and Jerry Ford, Mulberry Springs, Hallsville. And I have been blessed in conversations with Dwight McKissic, Cornerstone, Arlington; Carlton Burriss, Immanuel, Marshall; Kip Riley, First, Jefferson; Ed Hogan, Jersey Village, Houston; Robert Campbell, Westbury, Houston; Jack Graham, Prestonwood, Dallas; and Jim Denison, Park Cities, Dallas, as we have talked about their passion for their people and their desire that their churches be all that God needs them to be in our day.
___Also, during the media tour I took a few weeks ago some of the pastors I had the privilege to be with were Bobby Dagnel, First, Nederland; Nolan Duck, First, Lufkin; Phil Christopher, First, Abilene; Allen Reed, First, Nagcodoches; Mike Massar, First, Tyler; Harry Lucenay, First, Longview; D.L. Lowrie, First, Lubbock; Howie Batson, First, Amarillo; Mateo Rendon, Primera, Corpus Christi; and Barry Chinn, Woodlawn, Austin. They introduced me to the media in their cities and shared with me their sense of calling and excitement for the churches they pastor.
___I salute our pastors and ministers--these and all the many other wonderful servants of our Lord, and I pledge to pray for you all. We are loved!
Send this story to a friend
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!
