May 15, 2000
500 join celebration of new Texas Baptist Men facility
___By Ken Camp
___Texas Baptist Communications
___DALLAS--"The Gathering of the Father's Family" drew more than 500 Texas Baptists to the new Robert Dixon Mission Equipping Center in East Dallas May 6.
___But they did not come to dedicate a building for Texas Baptist Men. They came to dedicate themselves to using the building "for the glory of God," said Bill Pinson, executive director emeritus of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
RALPH HOETING (left), a member of the Texas Baptist Men Outdoor Fellowship from Sagemont Baptist Church in Houston, demonstrates to Butch Durham of Valley Baptist Missions Education Center in Harlingen how to start a fire with flint and steel. Demonstrations by Texas Baptist Men ministry fellowships highlighted the "Gathering of the Father's Family" dedication day for the new Robert Dixon Mission Equipping Center May 6. (Photo by Ken Camp)
___"We dedicate ourselves to be Jesus kind of people," he said.
___Texas Baptist Men and its ministries represent both the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Jesus--the call to love and go to all nations making disciples, he said.
___"I know of no organization more representative of the Lord Jesus Christ than Texas Baptist Men," Pinson declared.
___He described the missions facility as a sending place, an equipping place for the work of the ministry and a center from which energy will flow and "whose ripples will go around the world."
___Officials with the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, two frequent partners with Texas Baptist Men in disaster relief, joined in the dedication service.
___The 45,200-square-foot building will provide a garage where Texas Baptist Men disaster relief vehicles will be stored and maintained. It also will house the communications coordinating center for disaster relief ministries and will serve as a training and orientation center for volunteers in missions.
___The mission equipping center was built on land leased by Buckner Baptist Benevolences to Texas Baptist Men for 99 years at a rate of $1 per year. It is named for the longtime executive director and current president of Texas Baptist Men.
___Wilton Davis, a former president of Texas Baptist Men and coordinator of special volunteer building projects for the missions organization, described the miracles that had to occur for the building to be erected. He praised God for providing Christians who donated their services and provided building supplies at no cost or at a great discount.
___To date, Texas Baptist Men has received $909,921 toward the building project. Another $135,000 is needed to complete it, Davis said.
___From starting a fire with flint and steel to milking a cow to piloting helicopters, members of many of Texas Baptist Men's 23 ministry fellowships demonstrated their skills during the all-day missions fair.
___Disaster relief mobile units from around the state set up field kitchens inside the mission center, providing a free meal.
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